Description
Delightfully chewy and colorful M&M’s Cookie Bars made with a soft buttery dough loaded with crunchy M&M’s and melty semisweet chocolate chips. These bars are easy to prepare, baked to perfection with a golden edge and tender center, perfect for an anytime treat or party dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Add-ins
- 1 cup M&M’s candies (plus extra for topping, if desired)
- 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips (plus extra for topping, if desired)
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9×13-inch baking pan by greasing it with nonstick spray and lining it with parchment paper to ensure easy removal of the bars after baking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
- Cream butter and sugars: In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter with the light brown sugar and granulated sugar until the mixture is smooth, creamy, and well combined.
- Add eggs and vanilla: Beat in the large eggs and vanilla extract into the creamed butter and sugar mixture until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing gently and just until combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain a tender texture in the bars.
- Fold in candies and chocolate chips: Gently fold in the M&M’s candies and semisweet chocolate chips until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Spread dough in pan: Spread the cookie dough evenly into the prepared 9×13-inch pan. Optionally, sprinkle additional M&M’s and chocolate chips on top to enhance the look and flavor.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 22 to 27 minutes, or until the edges turn a light golden brown and the center is set but still soft. Take care not to overbake to keep the bars chewy and moist.
- Cool completely: Remove the bars from the oven and let them cool completely in the pan placed on a wire rack. Once cooled, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the bars out and cut them into squares.
- Serve and enjoy: Serve your M&M’s cookie bars with your favorite beverage, such as a cold glass of milk, and enjoy the delicious treat.
Notes
- Room temperature eggs help create a smooth batter and better texture.
- Do not overmix the dough once the flour is added to avoid tough bars.
- Using parchment paper ensures easy removal and cleaner cutting of the bars.
- For extra color and crunch, sprinkle additional M&M’s and chocolate chips on top before baking.
- Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: M&M's cookie bars, colorful cookie bars, chocolate chip cookie bars, chewy cookie bars, easy cookie bars, baked cookie bars
