There is a bit of debate over exactly how these sweet treats got their name. However, the most commonly accepted origin story is that they were simply named for the Broadway musical, Hello, Dolly! which was widely popular when this layered dessert was first crafted. The earliest accounts of a Hello Dolly bars recipe, with the name attached, come from a food column in a September 1965 edition of The Week magazine. Right around this time, sweetened condensed milk was becoming widely available and popular, giving rise to recipes featuring it. Other, nearly identical recipes were popping up with names like Magic bars, 7 Layer bars, and more.