Soft, chewy Fourth of July Cookie Bars are filled with M&Ms, white chocolate chips, and rolled oats. Made in under 30 minutes, add these festive cookies in bar form to your Independence Day celebration. 

Summer is here! Pool days, popsicles, and burgers on the grill. Warm weather meals are on my mind for everything from Memorial Day to Fourth of July, and I think they’re the best to cook for. It’s so easy to throw something on the grill, make a big salad (Asian Chopped and Thai Ramen are my current favorites), and set out a bunch of red, white, and blue desserts.  

The past few years, I have always made Red, White, and Blue Pinwheel Cookies, but this year I wanted something with chocolate as well. And these cookie bars (a twist on my favorite Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Bars) seemed like the perfect fit. These are the best because they’re so incredibly easy. No mixer needed and they use melted butter, so no waiting around for the butter to soften (just like my easy Creamy Chocolate Coconut Magic Bars). They’re always a crowd-pleaser with kids and adults alike.

Here’s how to make them!

How to Make Cookie Bars

1. Mix together dry ingredients. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. Mix together wet ingredients. Combine melted butter and brown sugar. Add egg and vanilla extract. 
3. Combine wet and dry ingredients.
4. Stir in oats, M&Ms, and white chocolate chips.
5. Pour batter into a greased 8×8 pan.
6. Bake at 350°F / 177°C for 24 to 28 minutes. 
7. Slice and serve!

How to Store Them

Slice the bars. Store, covered, at room temperature for up to 3 days. Or freeze for 6 months.

Ingredients

• All-Purpose Flour – Weigh the flour if possible, but otherwise, just gently spoon it into the measuring cup. 
• Brown Sugar – This recipe uses all brown sugar to keep the bars soft and give them a slightly chewy texture. Light or dark brown sugar work. 
• Unsalted Butter – Melt the butter and let it cool slightly before baking. If using salted butter, just be sure to skip the added salt in the recipe. 
• Oats – You’ll need regular oats for these bars – look for either “old-fashioned” or “rolled” oats.
• Red, White, and Blue M&Ms – I buy these at Target) or, if I have a bag or regular M&Ms around, I just task my kids with pulling out the red and blue ones. I like to use a few extra to scatter over top of the bars before baking. 
• White Chocolate Chips – These go well with the Red, White, and Blue festive theme, but regular chocolate chips work well too. 
• Baking Powder, Kosher Salt, Large Egg, Pure Vanilla Extract – Standard baking ingredients.

More Dessert Bar Recipes

Pink Lemonade Bars

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Bars

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars