Have you tried a cookie bar? These Oatmeal Cookie Bars with M&Ms are reminiscent of a good old-fashioned oatmeal cookie but brought up to date in a bar form. Crunchy, chewy, chocolatey, this recipe has it all. It is perfect for Back to School snacks.
Do you love oatmeal cookies and want more? Then you must try our Better Than Dad’s Oatmeal Cookies or Apple Oatmeal Cookies.
Yes, these words are interchangeable and both mean the same thing. They both refer to the flaky oats you see in packages and bags at the grocery store. These oats are not to be confused with quick oats that have been processed longer and rolled thinner. Don’t use them in place of the above oats.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Crunchy, chewy, chocolatey
- Easier than a cookie to make
- Nicely portable
- Great for school parties, lunchboxes and snacks
- Fun and colorful
Helpful Items For This Recipe
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Nonstick Steel Square Pan, 8″, Gray
Cooling Rack and Baking Rack with Stainless Steel, 2 – Pack 10 x 15 Inches
Oatmeal Cookie Bars Ingredients
Recipe Ingredients
Salted butter, melted – I like to use salted butter for baking as opposed to unsalted, as that is what I have on hand the most. But in saying this, there are recipes that do require it.
Light brown sugar – This gives the bars a deeper, richer flavor than white sugar.
Large egg – These are the size of eggs that I have on hand always. They help bring the other ingredients together.
Vanilla extract – A basic for cookie making. Buy the good stuff and not the artificial.
Baking soda – This will help the bars rise and give them a great texture.
All-purpose flour – I haven’t tried this recipe with any other flour, including GF.
Old fashioned oats – As mentioned above, these are also called rolled oats. Don’t use instant or quick oats.
M&Ms – You can easily customize your oatmeal cookie bars by using your favorite variety of M&Ms! Peanut M&Ms and Pretzel M&Ms both make particularly good alternatives.
How To Make Oatmeal Cookie Bars
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Use an electric hand mixer to cream the butter and sugar together for about 2 minutes, or until smooth and creamy. Whisk in the egg and vanilla.
Add the baking soda and flour to the mixing bowl and reduce your mixer to a low speed. Gently whisk the wet and dry ingredients together until no pockets of flour remain.
Gently fold in the oats and M&Ms until they are evenly distributed throughout the cookie dough.
Press your cookie dough into an 8×8-inch baking dish. Bake your cookie bars for 25 minutes, or until the top begins to turn golden brown. Let your bars cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!
Recipe Pro Tips!
FAQS
- We used a metal baking dish. If you are using glass or ceramic, you’ll need to adjust your bake time slightly. Using glass will reduce the time to about 20 minutes. Ceramic will increase the time to about 30 minutes.
- Make sure you use old fashioned oats, not quick oats. Old fashioned oats have a better flavor and add a nice chewy texture to the cookie bars.
- It is important to give your bars time to cool before slicing them. The cookies will become a little bit more sturdy after they have a chance to cool. If you try to slice them straight from the oven then they will come out looking a little messy and uneven. It will also be a lot easier to get them out of the pan once they have a chance to cool down.
Storing Oatmeal Cookie Bars
- Your cookie bars can be stored in an airtight container or ziploc bag on the counter for up to 4 days before they start to go stale.
- These bars can also be stored in the freezer. Let them cool down completely and then place them in an airtight container. You can reheat a frozen cookie bar in the microwave for about 45 seconds. You can also throw them in the oven for about 10 minutes at 300°F.
DO YOU LOVE TO MAKE BARS AND SQUARES?
They really are so much easier than cookies to make. We have many recipes for bars; here are some of our favorites.
Oatmeal Cookie Bars Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter melted
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 1 cup M&Ms
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Use an electric hand mixer to cream the butter and sugar together for about 2 minutes, or until smooth and creamy. Whisk in the egg and vanilla.
- Add the baking soda and flour to the mixing bowl and reduce your mixer to a low speed. Gently whisk the wet and dry ingredients together until no pockets of flour remain.
- Gently fold in the oats and M&Ms until they are evenly distributed throughout the cookie dough.
- Press your cookie dough into an 8×8-inch baking dish. Bake your cookie bars for 25 minutes, or until the top begins to turn golden brown. Let your bars cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!
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