Easter M&M Cookie Bars
These easy Easter M&M Cookie Bars are guaranteed to be a hit anywhere you take them! Soft, chewy, buttery cookie bars are packed with pastel M&M candies and baked in one pan for a colorful spring treat that’s perfect for Easter parties, bake sales, or a fun baking day with the kids.
The best part? These cookie bars come together in one bowl with simple pantry ingredients and bake in a 9×13 pan, so there’s no scooping individual cookies. Just spread the thick dough in the pan, bake, slice, and enjoy!
Change up the M&M’s for an easy treat year round, like these Christmas M&M Cookie Bars.
These bars are soft in the center, slightly chewy around the edges, and loaded with chocolate candy in every bite.
If you need more Easter dessert inspiration, try this stunning Easter Pastel Poke Cake or Pastel Blossom Cookies for the perfect addition to your spring table.
Why You’ll Love These Easter Cookie Bars
- Super easy recipe – no chilling required
- Perfect for feeding a crowd
- Soft and chewy texture
- Festive pastel M&Ms for Easter
- Great make-ahead dessert
These are the kind of dessert bars that disappear fast at Easter brunch, school parties, or spring gatherings.
What You’ll Need
Find the full, printable recipe with exact measurements at the bottom of this post. Read on for more details and tips! On the recipe card below, click “print recipe” and from there you can print out the page or screenshot it to save to your phone’s photo album.
Pin this recipe to save to Pinterest so you can make it later! You can Pin It from the recipe card below. Just click the “Pin Recipe” button. If you’d like to follow me on Pinterest , my page is Steph Gigliotti.
I’ve put all the ingredients and supplies you’ll need to make these Easter M&M Cookie Bars into a grocery list for you to add to your next Walmart order. Grab the full Shopping List here.
Ingredients
- 9×13 Baking Dish
- Mixer- I prefer a stand mixer for this recipe because the dough is thick.
- Nonstick Cooking Spray
- Unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
- Brown sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Dash of salt
- Baking powder
- All-purpose flour
- Pastel M&Ms
- Optional: extra M&Ms for topping
How To Make M&M Cookie Bars
1. Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
2. Prepare the Pan
Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Cream Butter and Sugar
Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar together until fluffy and smooth.
4. Add Eggs and Vanilla
Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract until fully combined.
5. Add Dry Ingredients
Mix in the salt and baking powder.
Add the flour one cup at a time, mixing between additions.
6. Fold in the M&Ms
Stir in 1 cup pastel M&Ms. The batter will be thick—this is normal!
7. Spread the Dough
Spread the cookie dough evenly into the prepared pan.
Tip:
If the dough is difficult to spread:
- Wet your hands and press it into the pan
- Or use a spatula sprayed with nonstick spray
Add a few extra M&Ms on top for a colorful finish.
8. Bake
Bake for 22–25 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden brown.
Be careful not to overbake, or the cookie bars may become dry.
9. Cool Before Cutting
Let the bars cool in the pan for 15–20 minutes before slicing.
10. Store
Store in an airtight container with a slice of bread to keep the bars soft for 3–4 days.
Did you enjoy this recipe? Take a picture and tag me @StephGigliotti on social media and #StephRealLife. I would absolutely love to see your finished dish! ⭐ Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comment section. 📌Save this recipe to make later and share with a friend!
Tips for the Best Cookie Bars
- Use Room Temperature Eggs: Room temperature eggs mix into the batter more smoothly and help create a better texture.
- Don’t Overbake: Cookie bars continue baking slightly after coming out of the oven. Pull them out when the top is just golden.
- Press Extra M&Ms on Top: Adding extra candies on top before baking makes the bars look extra colorful and bakery-style.
- Line Your Pan for Easy Removal: For easy slicing, you can line the pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang to lift the bars out.
Fun Variations
Chocolate Chip Easter Bars
Replace half the M&Ms with white chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Easter Sprinkle Cookie Bars
Add ½ cup pastel sprinkles for extra festive color.
Peanut Butter M&M Bars
Mix in ½ cup peanut butter chips for a sweet and salty twist.
How to Cut Perfect Cookie Bars
For clean slices:
- Let bars cool completely.
- Use a sharp knife.
- Wipe the knife clean between cuts.
Cut into 24 squares for party-size servings or 12 large bakery-style bars.
FAQ’s
Can I use regular M&Ms instead of Easter M&Ms?
Yes! Any M&M variety works. Pastel M&Ms just make these perfect for Easter. Try red and green for Christmas Cookie Bars; red, white and blue for patriotic cookie bars, or fall colored candies for Thanksgiving bars.
Can I make these cookie bars ahead of time?
Absolutely. These bars stay soft for 3–4 days, making them great for preparing ahead for Easter gatherings. I like to throw a piece of bread in with the cookies in an airtight container to keep the cookies soft.
Can I freeze cookie bars?
Yes. Wrap bars individually and store in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Why is the dough so thick?
This recipe makes a thick cookie dough so the bars bake up chewy and soft like cookies instead of cake-like.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes, but bake it in two 9×13 pans for best results.
How to Store Cookie Bars
Keep cookie bars in an airtight container at room temperature.
Add a slice of sandwich bread to the container to keep the bars soft—the bread absorbs excess air and keeps them chewy.
Perfect for Easter
These Easter M&M Cookie Bars are perfect for:
- Easter dessert tables
- School parties
- Bake sales
- Spring picnics
- Easy holiday baking with kids
They’re colorful, chocolatey, and guaranteed to bring a little sweet spring cheer to your table.
More Easy Desserts
- Easter Poke Cake
- Cake for a Crowd
- Apple Cinnamon Dump Cake
- Texas Sheet Cake
- Banana Split Poke Cake
- Strawberry Pie
- Chocolate Lasagna
- Easter Blossom Cookies
- Orange Creamsicle Poke Cake
- Blueberry Lemon Poke Cake
This post contains affiliate links
Sign up for our free newsletter to get new recipes sent right to your inbox! Follow along with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube , Pinterest, and TikTok.
Easter M&M Cookie Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar together until fluffy and smooth.
- Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract until fully combined.
- Mix in the salt and baking powder. Add the flour one cup at a time, mixing between additions.
- Stir in 1 cup pastel M&Ms. The batter will be thick—this is normal!
- Spread the cookie dough evenly into the prepared pan. Tip: If the dough is difficult to spread: Wet your hands and press it into the pan or use a spatula sprayed with nonstick spray.
- Add a few extra M&Ms on top for a colorful finish.
- Bake for 22–25 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden brown. Be careful not to overbake, or the cookie bars may become dry.
- Let the bars cool in the pan for 15–20 minutes before slicing.
- Store in an airtight container with a slice of bread to keep the bars soft for 3–4 days.
