Leftover Candy Cookie Bars
Transform your treats with these delicious Leftover Candy Cookie Bars filled with chocolate bars and peanut butter cups.
Servings: 16
Calories: 227kcal
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- 8x8 Metal Pan
- Parchment Paper
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 187.5 grams all-purpose flour about 1 ½ cups
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 stick butter unsalted, melted
- 100 grams granulated sugar about ½ cup
- 100 grams light brown sugar about ½ cup (or dark)
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup M&Ms
- 6 Reese’s peanut butter cups chopped
- more candy for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F and line an 8x8 metal baking pan with parchment paper leaving the sides high.
- In a medium bowl whisk together all-purpose flour, sea salt and baking powder.
- Using a stand mixer or large bowl, add in sugars and butter. Mix until smooth and combined.
- Add eggs and vanilla, mix again on low until combined.
- Then gradually add flour mixture to the bowl until incorporated. Stop and scrape the edges down and mix again.
- With a spatula mix M&Ms and chopped Reese’s candy (I like to add half at a time to ensure even distribution).
- Transfer dough into prepared pan and spread as evenly as you can.
- Bake for about 24 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out of the center with moist crumbs. While they are still warm, lightly press extra chocolate onto the tops of the bars (Reese’s will start to melt right away since they are a softer chocolate).
- Allow to fully cool before removing and cut into bars with a sharp knife.
Notes
- Don't Overbake: The centers should still look slightly soft when you remove the pan from the oven.
- Decorate While Warm: Press extra candy into the top of the bars immediately after baking before they cool too much.
- Let Them Cool Completely: This makes them much easier to slice cleanly.
- Use What You Have: One of our favorite things about this recipe is that there's no wrong combination of candy bars.
- Larger Candy: If you have some larger candy bars, chop them up. Bite sized pieces distribute more evenly throughout the dough.
- Countertop: Keep in an airtight container, out of direct sunlight for up to 3-4 days. Adding parchment paper in between will help them from sticking together depending on the candies you use.
- Refrigerator: Place the airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freezer: Freeze sliced cookie bars for up to 3 months.
- Nutritional Information will vary depending on what candy you use, and how much you add to the top.
Nutrition
Calories: 227kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 156mg | Potassium: 37mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 224IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg
