These cookie bars are festive, easy to make, and the perfect chocolate chip cookie bites! They’re soft inside, crispy on the edges, and packed with chocolate chips, M&Ms, and sprinkles!
I’m back with another cookie recipe in bar form, and these are sooooo good. I kept coming back for more and ended up eating half the tray myself! I love cookie bars because they save the time and effort of scooping and rolling cookies. Plus, this recipe requires no chilling time—just mix the ingredients and get it straight into the oven! They’re packed with chocolate chips, M&Ms, and sprinkles, making them heaven in cookie bar form!
Recipe Tips:
- Sprinkles: Not all sprinkles work well in this recipe. I used a mix of confetti quins and classic jimmies in red, white, and blue. Avoid nonpareils, as they bleed color into the batter. If you want to use nonpareils, try them in recipes like Christmas Kiss Cookies instead.
- Baking Pan: Use a metal baking pan for even baking. Metal pans cook more evenly than glass and are easier to transport (especially if they come with a lid!).
- Frosting: These bars are delicious without frosting, so feel free to skip it if you’re short on time or ingredients. However, frosting adds a festive touch!
- Chocolate Chips: I prefer milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips for this recipe, but use whatever you have on hand.
- Soft and Chewy Texture: To keep these bars soft and chewy, don’t skip the cornstarch. It creates a tender cookie. Also, bake them for exactly 24 minutes. The edges will be golden brown, and the inside will seem underbaked. Let them cool completely in the pan for the perfect texture.
Red, White & Blue Cookie Bars
Ingredients
**For the Cookie Bars:**
- ¾ cup salted butter melted
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup red white, and blue M&Ms
- ½ cup red white, and blue sprinkles
- ¾ cup milk chocolate chips
**For the Frosting:**
- ¾ cup salted butter room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3-5 tbsp heavy cream or milk room temperature
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
**For the Cookie Bars:**
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a metal 9×13 pan and set aside.
- In a stand mixer, combine melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Mix until combined. Add vanilla and eggs, and mix until incorporated.
- On low speed, add flour, salt, cornstarch, and baking soda. Mix until just combined. Fold in M&Ms, chocolate chips, and sprinkles.
- Spread batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool completely before frosting.
**For the Frosting:**
- In a stand mixer, beat together butter and powdered sugar for 2-3 minutes until combined. Add vanilla, salt, and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream, and beat until smooth. Adjust the consistency with more heavy cream as needed.
- Divide frosting into 3 bowls. Add a few drops of red food coloring to one bowl, blue to another, and leave the third white.
- Pipe alternating colors around the edges using a piping bag with a large tip (like Wilton #8B). Top with additional sprinkles.
- Slice and serve!