Triple-layer Cookie Bars with Coconut and Chocolate

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving some overhang for easy removal.

Melt ½ cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, then remove from heat.

Mix graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter until evenly moistened, then press firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form a compact base layer.

Sprinkle the 7 oz flaked coconut evenly over the graham cracker base.

Pour the 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk slowly and evenly over the coconut layer, using a spatula to help distribute it across the surface.

Sprinkle the 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips evenly over the condensed milk layer.

Bake in the preheated 350°F oven for 20-25 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the center is set but still slightly soft.

Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes while still warm.

Warm the ½ cup creamy peanut butter in a microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring between intervals, until pourable but not too thin.

Drizzle the warmed peanut butter over the baked bars in thin lines using a fork or squeeze bottle.

Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan (about 1-2 hours at room temperature), then lift out using the parchment overhang and cut into squares with a sharp knife.