Valentine M&M Cookie Bars

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Valentine M&M Cookie Bars are so much quicker than cookies to make and just as tasty! These delicious bars are chewy, tender, and packed with chocolate and M&Ms.

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword Valentine M&M Cookie Bars

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings bars

Calories 167kcal

Author Chelsea Lords

Cost $5.52

Ingredients

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk Note 1
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose white flour Note 2
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup milk chocolate chips (semi-sweet also works if you'd prefer less sweet bars)
1 cup Valentine's M&M's or other candy-coated chocolates

US - Metric

Instructions

PREP: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal of the bars. Lightly spray with cooking spray and set aside. Melt the butter in the microwave and then set aside for about 5-7 minutes to cool to room temperature. (if it is hot it will melt the sugars and cause greasy cookie bars.)
WET INGREDIENTS: In a large bowl, add the melted butter (use a spatula to scrape every bit of the melted butter into the bowl), brown sugar, and white sugar. Stir until sugars and butter is incorporated. Add in the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and maple syrup. Stir until smooth.
DRY INGREDIENTS: Add in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined, being careful to not overmix (this will result in dense bars). Add in the chocolate chips and M&M's. Again, mix until just incorporated being careful to not overmix. You may need to knead the chips and M&M's into the dough with your hands. Transfer this batter to the prepared pan and press it firmly into an even layer in the pan.
BAKE: Bake in the preheated oven for 23-28 minutes or until the top of the bars is no longer glossy and the edges are a very light golden brown. Be careful to not overbake; the bars will be less flavorful and hard. Remove from the oven and let the pan cool on a wire rack until the bars reach room temperature. Use the parchment paper overhang to remove the bars and then cut into 36 serving-sized pieces. Cookie bars are best enjoyed 1-2 days after being made. Leftover bars can be tightly wrapped and frozen but they do lose some taste/texture after being frozen and thawed.

Notes

Note 1: You can save the egg white and add it to breakfast the next morning (we love this egg skillet) or use it in our favorite egg wrap. If you prefer, simply discard the leftover egg white.

Note 2: Flour is the most important measurement is this recipe. If you press a measuring cup into a bag of flour you are likely packing in way too much flour, which will yield thicker and less-flavorful cookie bars. Spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level the top with the back of a table knife.

Nutrition