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Our M&M Cookie Bars are easy to make, pressing the dough into one 9×13-inch pan, then bake and cut into squares.
Thick and chewy M&M Cookie Bars
We took our classic M&M Cookies recipe and made it even easier–skip the scooping and cooking multiple batches and just spread the cookie dough in a pan and bake! I love to make these cookie bars for potlucks and parties because they are so easy to transport. They are still soft, chewy, and loaded with m&ms and mini chocolate chips. My favorite tip: Add parchment paper to the pan before the dough to make it effortless to lift the baked bars out and cut into perfect portions.
Try all of my bar recipes, like Butterscotch Blondies, Oatmeal Cookie Bars, Sugar Cookie Bars, S’mores Bars, and Snickerdoodle Bars.
How to Make M&M Cookie Bars
Make Cookie Dough: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and set aside. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar well until creamed together. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.
Mix and Bake: Gradually mix in the flour mixture until combined. Stir in the mini chocolate chips and M&M candies. Press the dough into an even layer in the prepared pan. Bake for 22-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool and Serve: Let the bars cool completely, then pull up on the sides of the parchment paper to lift them from the pan. Cut into squares and enjoy!
M&M Cookie Bars
Equipment
- Stand Mixer optional
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 heaping cup M&M candies
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line a 9 x13 baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.3 cups all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon salt
- Add butter, sugar and brown sugar to a large mixing bowl or stand mixer and beat well until creamed together. Add egg and vanilla and mix until combined.1 cup butter, ¾ cup granulated sugar, 1 cup light brown sugar, 2 eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Gradually mix in the flour and mix until combined. Stir in chocolate chips and m&m’s. Press dough into an even layer in prepared pan.1 heaping cup M&M candies, ½ cup mini chocolate chips
- Bake for 22-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from pan and let cool completely. Pull on side of parchment paper to remove bars from the pan and cut into squares.
Notes
- Add nuts: chopped walnuts or pecans
- Substitute the chips: feel free to add or substitute your favorite “chips”, like peanut butter or white chocolate chips.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I originally shared this recipe June 2017. Updated October 2020 and October 2026.
I made these for a bake sale, and they were the first cookies to go. When I finally tried them, they were delicious. I will definitely be making them again soon!
They were great and family loved them. Tasted exactly like cookies. The square version may be a little more like cake but it wasn’t much and you could eliminate the baking powder so it is firmer like a cookie if you wanted. Way easier than rolling out cookies. Will make again… as requested by the kids 🙂
Can I add cocoa powder to this recipe
Yes, you can definitely add cocoa powder to make chocolate M&M cookies! Try replacing about ¼ to ⅓ cup of the flour with unsweetened cocoa powder. So use around 1 ⅔ to 1 ¾ cups flour + ¼ cup cocoa powder. It’ll give the cookies a rich chocolate base without messing with the texture too much.
-Stacy
I wish I read reviews first. Cooked mine for 25 mins in metal pan, and they are under cooked (had clean toothpick). Trying now to put all of the middle pieces back in the oven. Taste is ok but a regular chocolate chip cookie would be much better.
I made this recipe to a t but This didn’t taste like a cookie it tasted like cake and it was very bland
Unfortunately, these came out very dry and crumbly. I followed the recipe exactly but I believe there was too much flour prescribed. I even took them out a bit early than the recommended baking time. I could tell they were already dry from the flour. If I follow this again, I’d cut back on the flour big time. I noticed my dough immediately got dry when third cup went in. Not impressed and they didn’t even taste good. 🙁