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Chewy M&M Cookie Bars

Want a cookie bar that is ultra chewy, soft, and chock full of crunchy M&M’s?  These bars are way easier than cookies and taste amazing.  The ultimate crowd-pleaser for any holiday, every occasion, throughout the year!

M&M Cookie Bars
Wonderfully chew M&M cookie bars

Hope y’all had a sweet Thanksgiving weekend!  Hubby and I fully honored the holiday and took the entire 4 days off work.  We happily spent it cooking, baking, and being present with our family and close friends.

I don’t know if any of you went BF shopping this year.  We did most of our shopping online, which eliminated the rush and hassle of getting all tangled up with store crowds and the yucky below-zero outdoors.

Plus, we were NOT going to give up our Thanksgiving dinner to go door-bustering at 6pm.

I gotta say, all the cyber shopping is still crazy.  Except the insanity lies between me and the screen and all the other peeps behind their screens vying for the same deals.

Still, it’s a step up from going elbow to elbow with thousands of unglued shoppers in person.  At least, you can shop while wearing jammies, listening to Spotify, and munching on cookies…

M&M Cookie Bars 3

Use seasonal colors to suit your occasion

Case in point: check these Chewy M&M Cookie Bars.  I can’t think of cookies that are more bright, cheerful, and festive than these.

Use seasonal M&M colors to suit whatever festivities you’re making these for.  I had a bunch of these traditional M&M’s, so that’s what I used.  I love pink/green for Christmas and pink/white M&M Cookies for Valentines.

These cookie bars are easier than rolling/shaping actual cookies.  Just press into a pan, bake, and eat. No need for cookie cutters, shaping into dough balls, or rolling and slicing. They’re a great choice for baking with kids, as there’s minimal mess involved.

Plus, there is something about cookie bars that beckon all the eaters towards them.

M&M Cookie Bars
Use seasonal colored M&M’s to suit your needs

Chewy, Soft, Buttery, and Chocolatey

These Chewy M&M Cookie Bars are uber chewy and soft.  Dense, buttery, crispy with M&M’s.

They may seem under-baked when you remove them from the oven, but it’s all good.  They’ll set nicely and give you that chewy texture once they are fully cooled. If you can wait that long.  Try.  Just try (I can’t.)

These are the perfect cookie bars for gift-giving, bringing to neighbors, setting at the dessert table, or cookie exchange galore. Especially since you can make them ahead of time and wrap them airtight at moderate room temperature for a couple of days without affecting the flavor or texture. Leftovers can be frozen airtight for several weeks.

We think you’ll agree these bars are simply amazing and knock-your-socks-off worth it.

M&M Cookie Bars 2
These M&M Cookie Bars can be made in advance and keep well

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M&M Cookie Bars

Chewy M&M Cookie Bars

5 from 3 ratings
These Chewy M&M Cookie Bars are the chewiest, happiest cookie bars you'll ever sink your teeth into! Perfect for gift giving, dessert table, cookie exchanges, or just because. They'll stay chewy for days!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 20
Author: Amy Dong

Ingredients  

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325F with rack on lower middle position. Line a 9x13 baking pan with foil, with enough overhang on either side to make a sling (for ease of removal after baking.) Grease foil and set aside.
  • In a bowl, whisk togehter the flour, salt, and baking soda.
  • In another bowl, stir together the melted butter and both sugars. Stir in the egg and extra egg yolk. Stir in vanilla extract.
  • Using a rubber spatula, fold together the dry mixture into the wet mixture, just until incorporated. Do no overmix. Fold in 1 cup of the M&M's. Reserve the rest for pressing on top.
  • Using slightly wet fingers, press dough into an even layer in the greased and foiled pan, making sure to get an even thickness throughout. Press remaining M&M's on top of dough.
  • Bake 25-28 minutes or just until it's puffy and golden brown. It may seem a bit underbaked, but go ahead and take it out. It will set nicely upon cooling.
  • Let cool completely at room temp before removing with the foil sling. Remove entire dessert with the foil sling and place on a cutting board. Cut into squares. Leftovers will keep for days at room temp in an airtight container.

Notes

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Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 37.7g | Protein: 2.7g | Fat: 10.8g | Saturated Fat: 6.5g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 107.4mg | Fiber: 0.8g | Sugar: 25.7g
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Method: baking

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