I make a lot of desserts, but there’s just something special about chocolate chip cookies. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love a good chocolate chip cookie! They are universally popular, easy to make, and always bring a smile to everyone’s faces. They are my dessert of choice for parties, potlucks, and after-school snacks. I make at least one batch a week, and I always have cookie dough in the freezer for when those late-night chocolate chip cookie cravings strike! Making the chocolate chip cookies into bars changes the texture just slightly, so the inside of the cookies stays gooey and soft, while the outside gets nice and crisp. It also makes the whole process quicker and easier, since you don’t have to shape the individual cookies. I could eat a whole pan of these babies by myself, but I usually try to restrain myself enough to share with my husband and children. The M&M’s are a fun and colorful addition, and more chocolate is always a good thing!
M&M’s Cookie Bars
The full recipe is at the bottom of this post, but here’s what you’ll need:
butter sugar brown sugar eggs vanilla flour baking soda salt chocolate chips M&M’s candies
The dough is quick and easy to mix up, and you don’t even need a mixer! I usually just use a whisk to mix together the sugars, butter, eggs, and vanilla, and then use a rubber scraper to mix in the flour and chocolate chips. They are so easy to make, and the kids can help too! My ten year old can make the dough independently, and my six year old loves to mix in the chocolate chips and candies.
Once your dough is mixed together, spread it in an even layer in a 9 x 13 baking dish. I like sprinkle extra M&M’s and chocolate chips on top to make them extra pretty! I love how bright and colorful they are.
Bake until the bars are golden brown on top, and a toothpick inserted two inches from the side comes out clean. It’s a good idea to let them cool in the pan before slicing, so they will hold their shape better. Lining the pan with parchment or foil makes it much easier to lift the cookie bars out of the pan.
When the cookie bars have cooled, cut them into slices. I usually get 16-20 bars per pan, depending on how big I decide to slice them. Each cookie bar is filled with gooey chocolate! I love that the edges get crisp, but the middle stays tender and gooey. You’ll definitely want a big glass of milk with these bars, because they are so rich and delicious!
These M&M’s cookie bars are pretty sturdy, so they’re great for picnics, potlucks, and lunch boxes. If you’re feeling like an overachiever mom, you could even use cookie cutters to cut them out into fun shapes! Store them in a plastic bag or sealed container, and they will last at least a week (although mine always seem to disappear within a day or two).
These M&M’s cookie bars are one of my family’s favorite recipes, and they are one of my go-to recipes when I need a sweet treat!
These M&M’s cookie bars are crisp on the outside, and warm and gooey in the middle. They’re loaded with chocolate chips and M&M candies, and so delicious!
