Description

Celebrate with these festive Patriotic Red White Blue M&M Cookies, perfect for any holiday or special occasion. These soft, chewy cookie bars are packed with semi-sweet chocolate chips and colorful red, white, and blue M&Ms, offering a delightful mix of flavors and textures. Easy to make and ideal for sharing, they bring a sweet patriotic touch to your dessert table.

Ingredients

Scale

Wet Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon corn syrup
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Add-ins

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup red, white, and blue M&Ms (or any variety you prefer)

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Instructions

Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a half-sheet pan (approximately 13×18 inches) with parchment paper to ensure easy removal of the cookie bars later.
Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is light, fluffy, and well combined.
Add Eggs and Flavorings: Beat in the eggs, corn syrup, and vanilla extract until everything is thoroughly mixed and smooth.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and stir just until combined to avoid over-mixing and maintain cookie tenderness.
Fold in Chocolate Chips and M&Ms: Gently fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips and the patriotic red, white, and blue M&Ms using a rubber spatula, distributing them evenly throughout the dough.
Spread Dough in Pan: Transfer the cookie dough into the prepared sheet pan. Use an offset spatula to spread the dough out evenly to the edges for uniform thickness.
Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 23 minutes, or until the edges turn golden brown and the center is just set. The center may look slightly soft but will firm up as it cools.
Cool and Serve: Remove the pan from the oven and allow the cookie bars to cool completely on a wire rack. Once cool, cut into 24 squares and serve. Perfect to enjoy with a tall glass of milk!

Notes

You can substitute the red, white, and blue M&Ms with any other candy-coated chocolate pieces or sprinkles to customize your cookie bars.
Make sure not to overmix the dough once the dry ingredients are added to keep cookies tender and soft.
Room temperature butter ensures better creaming for a fluffier texture.
Store the cookie bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage.
Use parchment paper to prevent sticking and to easily lift the cookie bars out for slicing.