My Halloween M&M Cookie Bars are going to be a huge hit this Halloween! Super simple to make, no chill time, and makes a big batch of deep-dish chocolate chip cookies!
This is my first Halloween-related recipe in a LONG time!
A lot has changed since I started my blog almost 9 (!!!) years ago.
For one, I was barely 20 years old, in college, and living with my parents. I also treated this blog more like an online journal with some pretty interesting tangents (oh, to be young and naive). And my photography was… well, let’s just say it has improved a ton.
But I do like that I was always so inventive with holidays! Whether I was making miniature chocolate donut spiders or vampire truffles, there was always something fun and festive to whip up for the upcoming holidays.
I’ve since skirted away from doing super decorative things like that in favor of treats that just taste amazing – still pretty, but the focus is on the taste rather than the intricate appearance. But I can’t help but still get giddy when stores roll out their latest holiday section with a plethora of fancy, color-appropriate sprinkles, candies and accouterments to decorate for the holiday!
So when I saw these festive Halloween M&M’s, I knew I wanted to whip up something easy but also super adorable and delicious for parties, get-togethers, or just because! Whether you’re having a spooky soiree this month or you just want to surprise your kiddos with a treat in their lunch box, these Halloween M&M Cookie Bars are going to be a huge hit!
I took my recipe for my Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies but instead of portioning them out into individual cookies (which requires chill time and more prep time!), I spread it evenly into a 9×13 baking pan that was lined with foil and greased. This not only cuts down prep time and eliminates chill time, but it creates a deep-dish style chocolate chip cookie that’s SO delicious! The festive Halloween M&M’s added a nice touch and some more chocolate, which is always better!
Feel free to experiment with other seasonally-appropriate M&M’s OR different flavored chocolate chips! In this particular batch, I used semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you could try it with dark chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or even peanut butter chips! Nowadays they even have espresso-flavored chips which I’ve been dying to try – that would be excellent in here!
Whatever you decide to do, be sure to grab a bag of those festive M&M’s so you can enjoy these bars, pronto!
Halloween M&M Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 12 Tablespoons (1 & 1/2 sticks) salted butter softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup Halloween or any seasonal M&M's candies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13 rectangular metal baking pan with foil, extending the sides of the foil over the edges of the pan. Spray the foil liberally with cooking spray; set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar with the paddle attachment until creamy and pale, about 1 minute. Add in the egg, followed by the egg yolk and vanilla, beating well after each addition. Lastly, add in the baking soda, cornstarch, salt, and flour and mix on low speed until incorporated. Add in the chocolate chips and M&M's and mix slowly to combine.
- Press the dough into the prepared pan in an even layer. If you'd like, dot the top with additional M&M's to make it look extra pretty.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and set. Cool completely before cutting into squares or bars.
Soft, chewy, buttery, fully-loaded cookie bars. You can’t beat these!
Have a super sweet day!
xo, Hayley
Kendall says
I made these and my husband loved them! I expected the batter to be a bit sweeter, but overall they were really good and I’ll definitely make them again!