Patriotic M&M’s Cookie Bars are the perfect quick and easy treat to serve at all your Memorial Day, 4th of July or any patriotic holiday celebration.
If you are a regular over here, then you know I have a deep love for all things Patriotic. That means I really love this time of year when I can break out all of the red, white and blue and celebrate.
When the weather starts getting warm one of the first things I do is stock up on patriotic M&M’s. They are my absolute favorite and I love adding them to as many recipes as I can.
What I love about making cookie bars instead of cookies is that I can do it all in one batch. I don’t always have the time to scoop out the individual cookies or to bake all the batches.
Not to mention that making cookie bars vs cookies means I don’t have to chill the dough because we don’t need to worry about the cookies holding shape when baking. No spreading means quick and easy treats.
4th of July Desserts
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These cookie bars are so buttery, just like your favorite chocolate chip cookies. But I super love that they are also so soft and chewy.
But those red, white and blue sprinkles and M&M’s make my heart go pitter-patter.
Here are some commonly asked questions
Should I use salted or unsalted butter?
I personally use whatever I have on hand. But if you are watching your salt intake, stick with the unsalted butter for these cookies. Grandma’s original recipe called for unsalted butter but then tried it with salted butter & liked them just the same.
Can I use a sugar substitute?
I have not personally tried it, so I can’t say how that would turn out. But if you would like to try it, I suggest a product that offers a 1:1 swap. Please let me know how it turns out.
Can I make this recipe with different chocolate chips?
Yes- of course you can make this with any type of chocolate chip or M&M flavor you prefer. That is a personal preference and it won’t change the overall end result aside from the flavor difference of the chips.
How many can this serve?
That will depend on how you cut the bars. This recipe usually makes 9-12 large cookie bars for me. It depends on how small or large you want them. I like to make 2 cuts lengthwise making 3 rows. Then I make 3 cuts going the other direction to make the 12 bars or 2 cuts to make 9. But you can cut them however you like.
Fourth of July Desserts
Can this recipe be doubled?
Yes, but you will have to still bake in 2 separate baking pans. I don’t recommend doubling the dough & baking in one larger pan.
HOW DO YOU MAKE Patriotic M&M’s Cookie Bars?
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Line a 9×13 baking pan or casserole dish with parchment paper and then spray lightly with oil or cooking spray. Be sure to leave a little hanging over to make removal easy.
- Combine butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat together until fluffy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and then beat until just combined.
- Slowly stir in the flour, baking soda and salt, mixing until just combined.
- Fold in the white chocolate chips, M&M’s and sprinkles – reserving a small portion of each to add to the top.
- Spread the dough into the prepared pan. It’s pretty sticky, so I like to lightly wet my hands with water and press the dough into an even layer.
- Top with reserved white chocolate chips, M&M’s and sprinkles and then bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Allow to cool to room temperature before removing from the pan and cutting.
What is the best way to store leftover Patriotic M&M’s Cookie Bars?
The easiest way is to either place the individual bars in a large airtight container & store at room temperature, or you can just cover the baking pan with foil & leave out on the counter. A large plastic bowl with a lid or a zip-top bag works great too.
More Cookie Bar Recipes
Can I use margarine instead of butter?
I am a firm believer that “butter makes it better”. I also am not a huge fan of margarine, with the exception of a couple of recipes where I need it for a specific result.
So I have never tried this recipe with margarine, I can’t say what the result would be. If you decide to go that route, please let me know how it turns out.
To make Patriotic M&M’s Cookie Bars you will need…
- butter
- granulated sugar
- light brown sugar
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- salt
- white chocolate chips
- red, white and blue M&M’s
- red, white and blue sprinkles
What are the best sprinkles for this dough?
This is important – just because the package says “sprinkles” doesn’t necessarily mean that it is in-fact sprinkles.
I see a lot of people using colored sanding sugar that is labled as sprinkles.
This will not work as well because when that sugar gets wet – like when mixed into a moist dough or when placed in the refrigerator, it will sweat & the color will bleed out.
4th of July Food
Products I love when making Patriotic M&M’s Cookie Bars…
This Patriotic M&M’s Cookie Bars recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me this time of year, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made cookie bars before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love them. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this cookie bar recipe.
- granulated sugar
- light brown sugar
- vanilla extract
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- table salt
- white chocolate chips
- Patriotic M&M’s Red White & Blue
- patriotic sprinkles
- spatulas
- casserole dish
- 9×13 baking dish
- parchment paper
- hand mixer
- mixer
If you love this Easy Patriotic M&M’s Cookie Bars recipe, you’re going to love these other summer favorites too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
Patriotic Cookie Bars
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Patriotic M&M’s Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter- softened to room temperature 2 sticks
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp salt
- 12 ounces white chocolate chips 1 bag
- ¾ cup patriotic M&M's
- ¼ cup patriotic sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Line a 9×13 baking pan or casserole dish with parchment paper and then spray lightly with oil or cooking spray. Be sure to leave a little hanging over to make removal easy.
- Combine butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat together until fluffy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and then beat until just combined.
- Slowly stir in the flour, baking soda and salt, mixing until just combined.
- Fold in the white chocolate chips, M&M’s and sprinkles – reserving a small portion of each to add to the top.
- Spread the dough into the prepared pan. It’s pretty sticky, so I like to lightly wet my hands with water and press the dough into an even layer.
- Top with reserved white chocolate chips, M&M’s and sprinkles and then bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Allow to cool to room temperature before removing from the pan and cutting.
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate. Please double-check with your own dietary calculator for the best accuracy. We at Yummi Haus cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
