Easy Spring M&M Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
These Easy Spring M&M Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are a delicious and festive one pan treat full of crunchy M&M candies and chocolate chips in each bite. It is an easy and colorful dessert that adults and kids enjoy.
Easy M&M Cookie Bars
Once the weather turns warmer and spring is in the air, I am ready to start making all the sweet desserts with bright and festive colors. Some of my go-to favorite treats are these Easy Spring M&M Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars. I make them every year for our family and friends to enjoy. They’re just as tasty as cookies but are in the shape of bars. Plus, the bars are so simple to make with kids because they only need a handful of ingredients and are made up in just one pan. And everyone loves them for Easter or Mother’s Day because of how chocolatey they are! Add a scoop of ice cream and they make every meal special.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Tasty! They are full of chocolate chips and M&M’s in every bite.
Easy! Only one bowl and a handful of ingredients needed.
Popular! Everyone from kids to adults will enjoy these treats.
Ingredients
- M&M’s– Spring-colored M&M’s make these bars so fun and festive!
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips– The best part of these cookie bars is all the chocolate! Semi-sweet, milk, or dark chocolate would all taste delicious.
- Butter– I highly recommend using real butter. It gives it such a better flavor in my opinion than margarine. I use salted because I think a hint of extra salt helps to bring out the sweetness from the chocolate but unsalted could be used as well.
- Granulated and Brown Sugar– Using both granulated white sugar and brown sugar gives it that tender chewy center with a crispy edge.
- Cornstarch– This is an optional ingredient but one I do recommend. Cornstarch is the secret ingredient to help make the cookie bars soft in the center and keep their thickness.
- All-Purpose Flour
- Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Baking Soda
- Salt
*See the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for detailed instructions and a list of ingredients.
How To Make M&M Bars
- Cream the butter and sugars: Mix until the butter starts to turn almost white in appearance so there are plenty of air pockets- around 5 minutes. It doesn’t seem like this is an important step, but it helps the cookie bars puff up and hold their shape.
- Add egg and vanilla: Stir in the egg and vanilla until it is well blended.
- Combine dry ingredients– Whisk flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt together in a medium bowl.
- Mix it all together– Add the dry ingredients into the butter/sugar mixture and stir until just combined.
- Add mix-ins– Stir in chocolate chips and M&M’s.
- Spread in the pan – Pour the batter into a 9×13-inch pan lined with aluminum foil and sprayed with cooking spray. Spread it out evenly with a spatula. Top with a few extra chocolate chips and M&M’s.
- Bake the bars– Place in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until cooked through. The edges will turn golden brown and will pull away from the pan. Also, shake the pan and make sure the center does not jiggle.
- Cool– Allow the bars to completely cool and then slice and serve. Enjoy!
Variation Ideas
These cookie bars are so fun to make for all occasions and seasons. A few ways to switch them up:
- M&M’s: Use different M&M colors for each season.
- Sprinkles: Add in a few sprinkles to make it even more festive.
- Chocolate: Try milk or white chocolate chips or even chocolate chunks.
- Peanut butter: Swirl in a little melted peanut butter for a nutty flavor.
Storage Options
To store: Allow the bars to completely cool and then store them covered in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
To freeze: These bars freeze really well when placed in an air-tight container or freezer bag and frozen for up to 2 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
One of the main reasons cookies and bars dry out is that they are placed in the refrigerator. The refrigerator will dry the cookie bars and make the flavors taste bland.
Yes, these bars will firm up as they cool down after baking. It’s important to not over-bake to prevent them from becoming too hard.
Helpful Tips
* Line the 9×13-inch pan with aluminum foil and spray the pan generously with cooking spray to make it easy to cut and remove the bars.
* If the top of the bars is golden but the center is not finished baking, gently lay a piece of aluminum foil over the top without pinching the sides to prevent the top from burning.
For a more gooey center, bake until the top is just golden brown and the sides start to pull away from the pan. For a completely cooked-through center, bake until there is no jiggle in the center of the pan when shaken.
* These taste fantastic warmed up with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
More Delicious Dessert Recipes
Did you try this recipe? If so, please leave a ⭐ review below and tag me @whiskfulcooking on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Easy Spring M&M Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch optional
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups pastel blend M&M's divided
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9×13-inch pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla extract until everything is well incorporated.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture and stir until just combined.
- Stir in one cup each of M&M's and chocolate chips.
- Spread the batter evenly into the pan and top with remaining M&M's and chocolate chips.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and have pulled away from the sides.
- Allow bars to completely cool and then slice and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- For gooey centers, bake until the tops have just turned golden brown.
- For cooked-through centers, bake until the center is firm and does not jiggle when shaken.
- Lay a piece of aluminum foil gently over the top if the tops are golden but the center has not finished baking to prevent burning.
These look adorable and delicious! I can’t wait to make them for Easter for my family! Thanks for sharing this easy recipe!