Fourth of July Cookie Bars

cookie bars with red and blue candies on top

5 from 2 votes

Fourth of July Cookie Bars

These soft, chewy 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 Fourth of July celebration.

Prep Time20

Cook Time24

Total Time44

Course: Dessert

Keyword: cookies, kid-friendly recipe, oatmeal cookies, summer, summer dessert

Servings:

Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef

Cost: $5.00

Equipment

Mixing Bowls
8x8 baking dish

Ingredients

1 cup All-Purpose Flour (1 cup flour = 125g)
1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
8 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted and cooled slightly (1 stick)
1 cup lightly packed Brown Sugar (light or dark will work) (1 cup sugar = 200g)
1 large Egg
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1 cup Old Fashioned / Rolled Oats
1 cup Red, White, and Blue M&Ms (see note)
1/2 cup White Chocolate Chips (substitute regular chocolate chips)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F / 177°C. Line an 8x8 metal baking pan with parchment paper and / or spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a larger mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter and brown sugar until evenly combined. Whisk in egg and vanilla.
Pour dry ingredients over wet and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon just until no dry spots remain (do not overmix.)
Gently stir in oats, M&Ms, and white chocolate chips.
Pour batter into prepared pan, scattering any reserved mix-ins over top.
Bake 24 to 28 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned. (Note: If cooked on the lower end of the bake time, these will be very soft and will stay moist for a couple of days. If you plan to serve them the same day as they were baked, bake at the higher end of the recommended cook time.)
Let cool in the pan until the bars can be easily removed. Once cool, slice and serve.
The bars can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Notes

Red, White, and Blue M&Ms - Buy them (I usually find them at Target) or get a regular Family Size bag of M&Ms and sort out the red and blue ones. I like to use a few extra to scatter over top of the bars before baking.

Glass or Ceramic Baking Pan - If using a glass or ceramic baking pan, the bars will take longer to bake. Expect to add about 5 minutes to the baking time.

Nutrition