Description
Delight in these festive Easter Cookie Bars, bursting with pastel M&M candies, white chocolate chips, and colorful sprinkles. Perfectly soft and chewy, these bars are an ideal spring dessert to share with family and friends during the holiday season.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 cup light brown sugar (packed)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Add-Ins
- 1 cup pastel M&M candies
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup sprinkles (pastel-colored)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease it to ensure easy removal of the bars after baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, use a mixer to cream together the softened unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which adds airiness to the cookie bars.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time to incorporate them fully, followed by the addition of the vanilla extract, which enhances the flavor.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt, ensuring the baking soda is evenly distributed for proper leavening.
- Mix Dry Ingredients into Wet: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain a tender texture.
- Fold in Candy and Sprinkles: Gently fold in the pastel M&M candies, white chocolate chips, and pastel-colored sprinkles to evenly distribute festive flavors throughout the dough.
- Spread and Smooth Dough: Spread the dough evenly into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top with a spatula to ensure even baking.
- Bake: Bake for 25 to 28 minutes or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, signaling that the bars are fully baked.
- Cool and Cut: Allow the cookie bars to cool completely in the pan before cutting into 24 bars to ensure clean slices and maintain texture.
Notes
- Use pastel-colored candy and sprinkles to give these bars a festive Easter look.
- You can substitute the white chocolate chips with semi-sweet or milk chocolate if preferred.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days to keep bars fresh.
