Best M&M Cookie Bars

Looking for an easy, no-fuss dessert that hits the sweet spot every time? These Best M&M Cookie Bars are just what you need! They’re loaded with crunchy, colorful M&M’s, chewy on the inside, and crispy on the edges. The best part? You don’t even need a mixer or any fancy skills—just mix, press, bake, and enjoy.

If you love easy cookie bar recipes, you’ll also enjoy these sweet treats: S'mores Cookies and Nutella Cookies!

Jump to:

• What are M&M Cookie Bars?
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Storage
• Ingredients
• Top Tips
• FAQ
• Best M&M Cookie Bars

What are M&M Cookie Bars?

M&M bars are the perfect no-fuss dessert that combines everything you love about chocolate chip cookie bars—chewy centers, crisp edges, and bursts of chocolate.

They became a staple at bake sales and holiday parties because they’re quick to prep and super shareable.

This version uses classic M&M candies, making each bite colorful and packed with milk chocolate flavor. You can easily swap the candy colors for Christmas or Halloween-themed M&Ms to fit the season.

Substitutions

• unsalted butter – use coconut oil or vegan butter for a dairy-free option
• light brown sugar – swap with dark brown sugar or add a touch of molasses to white sugar
• large eggs – use flax eggs or chia eggs to make it egg-free
• m&m candies – substitute with peanut butter M&Ms, white chocolate chips, or chopped chocolate bars

Variations

• Holiday Twist – Use red and green M&Ms for Christmas or orange and black ones for Halloween
• Chocolate Overload – Stir in white chocolate chips or extra milk chocolate chunks
• Topped Off – Sprinkle crushed pretzels or sprinkles on top before baking

Storage

• Room Temperature – Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days
• Freezer – Wrap in plastic wrap and store in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months
• Refrigerator – Keeps well in an airtight container for 7-10 days
• Best Storage Tip – Cool on a wire rack before storing to keep the bars chewy

Ingredients

• butter
• granulated sugar
• brown sugar
• eggs
• vanilla extract
• all-purpose flour
• baking soda
• salt
• mini or regular m&m's

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°F and cover 9x13 pan with parchment paper or foil. Then, in a large bowl, add melted butter, sugars, and mix until light and fluffy. Next, add eggs, vanilla extract, and mix:

Whisk or use a hand mixer until the mixture is smooth. The cookie batter will initially look like this:

Add flour, baking soda, and salt, and mix until everything is well combined:

Add 1 cup of M&M's and mix:

Place into 9x13 pan and spread until evenly spaced out in the pan. Then add the last 1 cup of m&m's and press into the cookie dough:

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and set. Allow it to cool for 15 minutes. After completely cooling it, you can go ahead and slice:

Top Tips

• Before mixing the dry ingredients like all-purpose flour, baking soda, and brown sugar, sift them individually. This easy but very important step would make your cookies nice and evenly textured. It wouldn't be fun biting into a lump of flour in between 🙂
• Make sure to spray a non-stick baking spray if you are not using a nonstick baking pan to prevent the cookie from sticking to the baking pan.

FAQ

More delicious and easy cookie recipes:

• Cookie Pizza
• Green Tea Cookies
• Chocolate Flourless Cake

I love baking and I just wanted to remind you again. 🙂  These cookies were phenomenal, chewy, soft, and, delicious!  I shared it with my lovely sisters and they absolutely loved it as well!  I'm so thankful I have family who like to eat the desserts I make.  Do you share your desserts with family, friends, and coworkers?  Let me know by commenting.