Description
Deliciously chewy and packed with chocolate chips and M&M’s, these Monster Cookie Bars are a fun twist on traditional cookies. Made with oats, peanut butter, and a hint of sea salt, they offer a perfect balance of sweet and salty, ideal for snacks or dessert. Easy to prepare and perfect for sharing!
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Add-ins
- 1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 cups M&M’s, divided
Finishing
- Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling on bars
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9×13-inch pan generously with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, old fashioned oats, baking soda, and sea salt until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: Using a stand mixer, cream together the unsalted butter, creamy peanut butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time along with the vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined. Avoid over mixing to keep the bars tender.
- Fold in Chocolate and M&M’s: Gently stir in the semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1 cup of M&M’s, ensuring an even distribution.
- Spread in Pan: Use a spatula to spread the cookie dough evenly into the prepared pan, smoothing the top.
- Add Remaining M&M’s: Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of M&M’s evenly over the top of the dough for added color and texture.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 25-35 minutes until the bars are lightly golden brown and set. Avoid over baking to keep the bars moist and chewy.
- Cool and Finish: Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle flaky sea salt on top. Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before cutting into 24 bars and serving.
Notes
- You can chill the dough for up to 48 hours in advance. Chilling softens the oats and enhances the flavors.
- Do not over bake to avoid dry bars; they should remain soft and chewy.
- Use room temperature butter for smoother creaming and better texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 230
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 140mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
