Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Take a nine by nine pan and turn it upside down on the counter. Press the aluminum foil around the bottom of the pan, creating a mold of the pan with the foil. Gently ease the foil off of the pan, keeping it in shape.
Flip the pan over and press the foil shape into the pan to line the pan with foil. Use cooking spray to grease the pan. Hello Dolly Bars have a tendency to stick badly when baked, so make sure that you grease it well, including the sides of the pan.
Place the graham crackers in a zip-top plastic baggie and crush them into crumbs using a meat mallet or rolling pin. If you don’t want to crush them this way and you’d rather use a food processor, feel free to do so.
Put the butter into a medium-sized bowl and place it in the microwave. Microwave the butter for about thirty seconds, or until the butter is completely melted. Stir the butter to remove any lumps and then add the crushed graham crackers to the butter, stirring them to combine.
When the graham crackers are fully coated in butter, pour the mixture into the foil-lined pan. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan with the back of a spoon in an even layer.
Scatter the chocolate chips over the graham crackers in an even layer.
Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the top of the chocolate chips.
Sprinkle the coconut over the top of the pecans in an even layer.
Open the can of sweetened condensed milk, and pour it over the layers of chocolate, nuts, and coconut, making sure that you drizzle it evenly all over the top of the pan.
Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake it for 20 to 30 minutes or until the coconut on the top is slightly browned and the edges are golden brown in color.
Cool the bars in the pan for at least an hour before using the aluminum foil to lift the dessert from the baking pan. Use a sharp knife to cut the bars into squares and serve. Store leftovers in a container with an airtight lid in the refrigerator for up to a week.
This recipe freezes well. You can freeze the whole batch by wrapping the entire uncut block of Hello Dolly Bars in two layers of aluminum foil and placing it in the freezer for up to three months. Allow the bars to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before cutting and serving them.