Soft, buttery, and so much easier than drop cookies!
When my boys (now teens) were little, I loved the idea of making from-scratch cookies. However, my time and attention never seemed to be focused enough to actually pull it off! I finally gave in to making bar cookies and M&M cookie bars are now a family standard. Need a portable birthday treat? Done. Need a homemade dessert for that team dinner? Done. Need to satisfy that sweet craving? Done. M&M cookie bars fit the bill for so many things!
Besides being irresistible and deliciously soft and chewy, I love that you can customize M&M cookie bars. As-is they are colorful, with the red, blue, orange, yellow, green, and the trusty brown standard M&M’s. But I have made them with only red and green M&M’s for holiday parties or only blue and white candies for team dinners since my kids’ school colors are blue and white. If you want non-standard candy colors, look online—there are a million to choose from.
You will love M&M cookie bars because they are super easy to make—a great recipe to get the little kids cooking—and turn out well every time. Bar cookies eliminate any chilling time or using multiple cookie sheets. Mix up your dough (you don’t even need a mixer!) and dump it into your prepared pan and you’re basically done.
Why Brown Sugar?
Brown sugar is a key ingredient in these bars. Brown sugar is simply white sugar with molasses re-mixed into it. Because of that molasses component, it has more moisture than white sugar and that moisture helps to make these bars (or any kind of baked good) chewier and softer. Light brown sugar is recommended but you can use dark brown as well—it will just bring a slightly more intense flavor to the bars.
How To Make Ahead And Store
You can make M&M cookie bars ahead of time and keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also freeze them. Double wrap the cooled, cut bars in plastic wrap and then foil. Freeze for up to 3 months; when ready to eat, just set them out at room temperature for about an hour to thaw.
Can I Still Use Brown Sugar That Is Hard?
If you grab your brown sugar out of your cabinet and it’s a rock-hard mass, yes, you can still use it—it just means that the natural moisture has leached out. You do need to soften it so that you can measure it properly, however. Place the brown sugar in a microwave-safe bowl, cover it with a damp paper towel, and microwave in 10 to 15-second intervals until soft. Or, you can preheat your oven to 250 degrees and let it soften in the oven.
Serving Suggestions
M&M cookie bars are a great dessert or treat, easily transported to potlucks, team dinners, and other gatherings. Plus, they are sturdy enough to ship (wrapped properly) in care packages to college students or loved ones far away. If you are celebrating a birthday, serve with Homemade Kit Kat Ice Cream for a candy bar theme. Super cute! Or, you could make Vanilla Buttercream Frosting, and make little mini “cakes” by frosting one bar, topping it with another and frosting that one too.
M&M Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups M&M’s candies divided
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until creamy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined.
- Fold in 1 cup of M&M’s candies and 3/4 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Spread the dough evenly into the prepared baking pan.
- Sprinkle the remaining M&M’s candies and chocolate chips over the top.
- Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cookie bars to cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares.
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