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M&M Cookie Bars Recipe

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3.9 from 8 reviews

Deliciously chewy M&M Cookie Bars loaded with chocolate chips and colorful M&M’s, perfect for sharing or snacking. These bars have a buttery base with a balanced sweetness and a fun crunch from the candy toppings, baked to golden perfection.

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
  • 1 cup light brown sugar (packed)
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt (or 1 teaspoon kosher salt)

Add-ins

  • 1 cup chocolate chips (plus more for topping if desired)
  • 1 cup M&M’s (plus more for topping if desired)

Instructions

  1. Cream: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). In a large mixing bowl, use a mixer to cream together the softened butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar for about 1 minute until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, continuing to mix until fully combined and smooth.
  2. Stir: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring just until incorporated. Be careful not to overmix to keep the bars tender. Gently fold in the chocolate chips and M&M’s, reserving about 1/4 cup of each to sprinkle on top later.
  3. Scoop: Prepare your baking pan by lining it with parchment paper or foil with an overhang for easy removal, and spray it with non-stick spray. For thick bars, use a 9x13 inch pan; for thinner bars, a 15x10 inch pan works. Scoop the cookie dough into the pan and press it down evenly. Scatter the reserved chocolate chips and M&M’s over the top to create a colorful, enticing finish.
  4. Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes if using a 9x13 inch pan or approximately 20 minutes if using a 15x10 inch pan. The cookie bars are done when the top is just starting to turn golden brown but still looks soft in the center. Avoid overbaking to keep the bars chewy.
  5. Cool and Slice: Remove the pan from the oven and allow the cookie bars to cool completely on a wire rack. Use the parchment overhang to lift the bars from the pan easily. Slice into 24 bars and serve.

Notes

  • For even thicker bars, use the 9x13 inch pan and do not thin out the dough.
  • Ensure the butter is at room temperature to achieve a smooth creaming texture.
  • Pressing the dough evenly into the pan helps bake the bars uniformly.
  • Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for longer storage.
  • Feel free to substitute M&M’s with other candies or add nuts for variation.

Find it online: https://cookedbygrace.com/mandm-cookie-bars-recipe/