M&M cookie bars are thick, chewy, and loaded with chocolate chips and colorful candy. This easy recipe takes 30 minutes from start to finish and skips the cake mix shortcut for better texture and flavor.
These bars work for any occasion. Swap the M&M colors to match holidays, birthdays, or team colors.
I add this recipe to my rotation of cookie recipes during the holidays. The dough is forgiving and the bars travel well to potlucks and bake sales.
Why this recipe works for me:
These M&M cookie bars deliver bakery texture without the fuss of dropping individual cookies. You spread the dough in one pan, bake, and cut into squares.
The recipe uses pantry staples. Butter, sugar, flour, eggs. You control the mix-ins, so swap the chocolate chips for butterscotch, peanut butter, or white chocolate if that suits your crowd better.
Ingredients needed for this M&M cookie bars recipe:
Ingredient notes:
- Butter: Unsalted butter at room temperature creams properly with the sugar. Salted butter works in a pinch; just reduce the added salt to ½ teaspoon.
- Flour: All-purpose flour gives the right structure. Bread flour makes the bars too tough. Cake flour makes them too soft.
- Chocolate chips: Semi-sweet is the standard, but dark chocolate, milk chocolate, butterscotch, peanut butter, or white chocolate chips all work. Pick what you like.
- M&M's: Regular size works best. Mini M&M's sink into the batter. Peanut M&M's add crunch but throw off the texture slightly.
Substitutions
The M&M colors in the photos are red, white, and blue for July 4th. Switch them out for any color combination depending on what you have or what you are celebrating.
- Green and red for Christmas.
- Pastels for Easter.
- School colors for game day.
- Orange and black for Halloween.
How to Make M&M Cookie Bars
Prep the pan
Preheat your oven to 350F. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper and butter the parchment and sides of the pan. This keeps the bars from sticking and makes lifting them out easier.
Cream the butter and sugars
Add the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat with the paddle attachment on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Add eggs and vanilla
Add the vanilla extract and eggs to the creamed butter mixture. Mix on medium speed until fully incorporated and smooth, about 1 minute.
Mix the dry ingredients
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
Combine wet and dry
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three additions, mixing on low speed after each addition until just combined. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Do not overmix or the bars will be tough.
Fold in the mix-ins
Add the chocolate chips and 1 cup of the M&M's to the dough. Fold them in with a spatula or wooden spoon until evenly distributed.
Spread the dough
Transfer the dough to your prepared baking pan. Use a spatula or your hands to press the dough into an even layer, spreading it all the way to the edges and corners of the pan.
Top with M&M's
Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of M&M's evenly across the top of the dough. Press them gently into the surface so they stick during baking.
Bake
Bake for 20-25 minutes. The bars are done when the edges are set and golden brown and the center looks barely underdone. It will firm up as it cools. If you overbake, the bars will be dry.
Cool completely
Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting. This takes about 1 hour. Cutting them warm makes them crumble and fall apart.
Cut into squares
Once cooled, lift the bars out of the pan using the parchment paper. Cut into 24 squares with a sharp knife. For clean cuts, dip your knife in hot water and wipe it dry between each cut.
Storage Tips
Store M&M cookie bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature before serving or warm briefly in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
Freeze the bars in a single layer on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 1-2 hours before serving.
Make-Ahead Instructions
- You can make the dough up to 2 days ahead.
- Press it into the prepared pan, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.
- Bring to room temperature for 15 minutes before baking.
- You can also freeze the unbaked dough in the pan for up to 1 month. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil.
- Bake from frozen, adding 5-10 minutes to the baking time.
Serving Ideas:
- Wrap individually for bake sales or lunchboxes.
- Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Drizzle with caramel and dollop on a scoop of homemade whipped cream.
Sarah's Culinary Insight
- For extra flavor, sprinkle the top of the dough with flaky sea salt before baking. The salt balances the sweetness and brings out the chocolate flavor.
- Use room temperature butter. Cold butter will not cream properly and your bars will be dense. Leave the butter on the counter for 1-2 hours before starting.
- Do not skip lining the pan with parchment paper. It prevents sticking and makes cleanup easier.
- Press the dough firmly into the pan. Gaps and uneven layers cause uneven baking.
Did you make this recipe? Do you have feedback that would be helpful to others? If so can you help this small business owner by leaving a rating and a review in the comments section? Thank you for being part of the Savoring The Good Community. ~ Sarah
Frequently asked questions, answers and tips:
Yes. Use a hand mixer or mix by hand with a wooden spoon. It takes more arm strength but the results are the same.
You probably overbaked them or added too much flour. Measure flour by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off, not scooping directly from the bag. Pull the bars from the oven when the center still looks slightly underdone.
The edges should be set and golden brown. The center should look barely underdone and will jiggle slightly when you shake the pan. It firms up as it cools.
A 9x13 inch pan is standard. An 8x8 or 9x9 pan makes thicker bars; increase baking time by 5-10 minutes. A larger pan makes thinner bars; reduce baking time by 5 minutes.
Yes. Use two 9x13 pans or one half-sheet pan. Baking time stays the same.
Salted butter works in a pinch; just reduce the added salt to ½ teaspoon.
Ingredients
- 1 Cup (227 g) Butter softened
- 1 ½ Cup (330 g) Brown Sugar packed
- ½ Cup (100 g) Sugar
- 2 tsp. (2 tsp.) Vanilla Extract
- 3 (3) Egg
- 3 Cups (375 g) Flour, All Purpose
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) Salt
- 2 Cups (473 ⅙ ml) M&M's
- 2 Cups (360 g) Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to
350 °F Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper and butter the parchment and sides of the pan. This keeps the bars from sticking and makes lifting them out easier. - Add the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat with the paddle attachment on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.1 Cup (227 g) Butter, ½ Cup (100 g) Sugar, 1 ½ Cup (330 g) Brown Sugar
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.3 Cups (375 g) Flour, All Purpose, 1 tsp Baking Powder, 1 tsp Baking Soda, 1 tsp Salt
- Add the vanilla extract and eggs to the creamed butter mixture. Mix on medium speed until fully incorporated and smooth, about 1 minute.2 tsp. Vanilla Extract, 3 Egg
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three additions, mixing on low speed after each addition until just combined. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Do not overmix or the bars will be tough.
- Add the chocolate chips and 1 cup of the M&M's to the dough. Fold them in with a spatula or wooden spoon until evenly distributed.2 Cups (360 g) Chocolate Chips, 1 Cup (236 ⅗ mls) M&M's
- Transfer the dough to your prepared baking pan. Use a spatula or your hands to press the dough into an even layer, spreading it all the way to the edges and corners of the pan.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of M&M's evenly across the top of the dough. Press them gently into the surface so they stick during baking.1 Cup (236 ⅗ mls) M&M's
- Bake for 20-25 minutes. The bars are done when the edges are set and golden brown and the center looks barely underdone. It will firm up as it cools. If you overbake, the bars will be dry.
- Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting. This takes about 1 hour. Cutting them warm makes them crumble and fall apart.
- Once cooled, lift the bars out of the pan using the parchment paper. Cut into 24 squares with a sharp knife. For clean cuts, dip your knife in hot water and wipe it dry between each cut.
- Store in an airtight container.
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