These M&M cookie bars are the easiest way to satisfy a cookie craving! They’re soft, chewy, and easy to customize for any holiday by swapping out the M&M colors. These cookie bars are perfect for sharing for parties, holidays, or anytime you want a tasty treat!
Why We Love M&M Cookie Bars
- Larger Batch– Always a crowd please, these chewy M&M cookie bars are faster to make than individual M&M chocolate chip cookies because you don’t have to scoop (though those are delicious too!) This M&M bars recipe also makes a larger batch.
- Gooey Chocolate– Following this recipe will give you gooey, buttery cookie bars just full of colorful chocolate. This easy M&M cookie bar recipe will give you a soft and chewy every time, the perfect treat for any time of year.
- Great For Holidays– Fourth of July, Christmas, Easter, birthdays, these cookie bars work for almost all holidays. Just change up the color of the M&M chocolates to make them themed for your favorite holiday or party, easy peasy!
Ingredients For M&M Cookie Bars
- butter unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- brown sugar– light brown sugar or dark brown sugar
- white sugar
- vanilla extract
- large eggs
- flour– all purpose flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt – if substituting salted butter, leave out the salt here.
- M&Ms Red, white and blue mix, or other colorful candy-coated chocolate.
- chocolate chips
This recipe does make a thick dough and is best mixed in the bowl of a standing mixer because they have a stronger motor. I recommend either mixing with a stand mixer or by hand (with butter that has softened properly!) Mixing with an electric hand mixer may cause the motor to break because the dough is on the thicker side and there is a lot of dough to fill the pan. These thick and chewy cookie bars are worth the effort!
How To Make M&M Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet (11inches x 17 inches) fully with parchment paper. It can help to line the pan from top to bottom the long way rather than the short direction to ensure the entire pan is lined fully. Some people also like to butter the parchment paper, but it’s not necessary. Aluminum foil that has been oiled lightly can also be used.
- In a large bowl add softened butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Cream together the butter and sugar with an electric stand mixer until light and fluffy. Crack and lightly beat the eggs to break the yolks. Add eggs and vanilla to the butter and sugar mixture and fully mix with an electric mixer into the wet ingredients.
- In a separate medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients together. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients a little at a time until fully mixed with an electric mixer.
- Fold in the chocolate chips and one cup of the M&M’s until mixed evenly into the cookie dough. The dough is thick so if using a hand mixer this step is best done with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula.
- Spread the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Take a few extra minutes to press the dough evenly into the pan. See notes in the recipe card! Sprinkle one cup of M & M’s across the top of the cookie dough.
This dough is thick. When you first lay it on the pan, it almost doesn’t look like enough dough. Take the extra couple minutes to press the dough with clean hands evenly into the pan, the dough does fit, but needs a little love so it bakes evenly.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes or until lightly golden brown around the edges. The edges will be crisp edges, but we want the center to still be a little gooey. When you tip the pan slightly the center of the dough should move a little, but not be raw in the center.
- Let the bars to cool for at least 20 minutes on the pan, then use the parchment paper to lift the bars out of the pan. Don’t skip this step! The cookie bars continue to bake on the pan, plus can be difficult to move without breaking if you remove them too early. Allow the cookie bars to finish cooling completely on a wire rack, clean kitchen towel or on the parchment on the counter. Cut into 36 even bars with a sharp knife, then serve and enjoy!
M&M Cookie Bar Variation Ideas
Add Chopped Nuts– chopped pecans, peanuts or walnuts are all delicious in this recipe! I recommend using about a cup of nuts in the dough, and sprinkling more on top so the cookie bars come together.
Use Different M&M Candies– Try experimenting with pretzel, fudge, peanut, caramel, mint or my personal favorite, peanut butter M&Ms! You can also change the color for each holiday, like using a red and green Christmas M&M pack for the holidays.
Swap Out The Chocolate– I used semisweet chocolate, but you can also use dark chocolate, milk chocolate or white chocolate chips. Other flavors like peanut butter, butterscotch and caramel chips can be swapped cup for cup.
Add Oreos– Try gently crushing a good two handfuls of Oreos in a zip-top bag and add it to the top of this cookie dough before baking. Delicious!
Top With Ice Cream– Warm cookie bar topped with easy homemade no churn chocolate chip ice cream, does it get any better? You can also line the pan with parchment paper and then slice the ice cream to make tasty ice cream sandwiches, yum!
Do I Have To Use Parchment Paper In The Pan?
While you can skip using parchment paper and just oil the pan generously with butter or cooking oil, I don’t recommend it as it can be harder to get the cookies out of the pan.
Before you cut the cookie bars they are one giant slab which can just be tricky to get out of the pan in a single sheet without parchment paper.
You can also use oiled aluminum foil for easy removal. This does lift out easier from the pan than skipping the foil, but is more likely to rip or the bars are more likely to get stuck then on parchment paper..
The Cookie Bars Are Too Gooey To Cut
Make sure to let the cookie bars cool all the way before you start slicing. I know it’s really hard to have patience because these bars look really delicious!
If after cooling the cookie bars are still too gooey, you can try sliding the cookie bars using the parchment paper back onto a cookie sheet. Then place them into the refrigerator or freezer for a little bit to firm up before slicing.
How Long Do These Chewy Cookie Bars Last?
These M&M cookie bars can be stored on the counter for about 3-4 days in an airtight container. They can also be placed in the refrigerator for about a week or can be frozen for up to a month.
Other Recipes You Will Love
M&M Cookie Bars
These colorful M&M cookie bars are buttery and chocolatey, and makes a large batch on a sheetpan quick and easy. Make these delicious cookie bars for Fourth of July, Christmas, BBQ’s, birthday parties, potlucks and more!
Prevent your screen from going dark
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1 11x 17 rimmed baking sheet
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1 parchment paper or lightly oiled aluminum foil
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1 Large Mixing Bowl
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1 Medium mixing bowl
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1 Measuring cups and spoons
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1 Silicone spatula
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1 Fork or whisk to blend eggs
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1 stand mixer or mix by hand. I don’t recommend a hand mixer for this recipe, see notes
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.. Line a rimmed baking sheet fully with parchment paper.
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In a large mixing bowl add softened butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Cream together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Crack and lightly beat the eggs to break the yolks. Add eggs and vanilla to the butter and sugar mixture and fully mix with a stand mixer into the wet ingredients.
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In a separate medium sized bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients together. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients a little at a time until fully mixed with an electric mixer.
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Fold in the chocolate chips and one cup of the M&M’s until mixed evenly into the cookie dough. The dough is thick so if using a hand mixer this step is best done with a wooden or silicone spatula.
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Spread the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Take a few extra minutes to press the dough evenly into the pan. See notes below. Sprinkle one cup of M & M’s across the top of the cookie dough.
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Bake for 20-22 minutes or until lightly brown around the edges. when you tip the pan slightly the center of the dough should move a little, but not be raw in the center.
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Allow cookie bars to cool for at least 20 minutes on the pan. Don’t skip this step! The cookie bars continue to bake on the pan, plus can be difficult to move without breaking if you remove them too early. Allow the cookie bars to cool completely. Cut into 36 even bars, and enjoy!
Do Not Over Bake
These cookie bars taste their best when they are a little gooey. If you overbake they become too crispy.
Use A Stand Mixer Or Mix By Hand
The dough is really thick and can burn out a motor on a hand mixer. Use a stand mixer or mix by hand.
Tips For Pressing The Dough Into The Pan Evenly
This dough is thick, and while it may not look like the dough fits at first, when you spend just a few minutes pressing the dough evenly in the pan it will fit. If you don’t press the dough evenly, it will mean the cookie bars cook unevenly. You can press through an additional piece of parchment paper with your hands to help make the dough even in the pan.
Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 166mg | Potassium: 31mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 206IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg
Did You Make This?
I would love to see it! Share your thoughts with me in the comments below!
