M&M Chocolate Oat Bars

M&M Chocolate Oat Bars – brown sugar oatmeal cookie base with a layer of chocolate fudge in the middle and topped with M&M’s. A delicious treat for any occasion. 

I grew up with my grandma making Fudge Nut Bars pretty much every time we went to her house.  The brown sugar oatmeal cookie base always got my favorite. Plus a layer of creamy fudge?  I mean, they were pretty much heaven. 

I am not always a fan of nuts in my desserts so as I grew up I made my own version of Oatmeal Fudge Bars. They still have all the deliciousness that I loved, but without the nuts.  And today I made them even better!  M&M’s pretty much make everything better!  

These M&M bars are a hit at every get together I bring them to.  They are great because you can use whatever seasonal M&M’s are available and make them for fall, spring, Valentine’s Day, Christmas or anytime of year. Plus what works better with a layer of chocolate fudge than more chocolate?  

I am kind of a sucker for M&M’s in just about any form.  Monster Cookies are one of my favorites because the M&M’s just make them fun and festive.  

How To Make M&M Chocolate Oat Bars

1. Cream together the butter and brown sugar until it is light and fluffy. This can take a couple of minutes, so be patient. Then you mix in the eggs and vanilla until they are fully incorporated. Finally stir in the oats, flour, baking soda and salt and mix until everything is combined.
2. Press 2/3rds of cookie dough mixture into the bottom of a 13×9 inch baking dish.
3. In a microwave safe bowl melt together chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, butter and salt. Heat for 1 minute, stir until smooth. Heat at 15 second intervals if it needs more.
4. Mix in vanilla, and then stir until it is well combined. Pour over base mixture, spread evenly.
5. Crumble remaining cookie dough mixture over the fudge layer, until it is mostly covered. A few open spots are fine!
6. Sprinkle the M&M’s evenly over the top. And bake for 25-30 minutes, or until it is brown and cooked through.
7. Remove the bars from oven and let cool completely before serving.

Recipe Tips

• An electric mixer makes the dough come together quickly and easily.  
• Start with softened butter to make things just work better.
• I use the microwave to melt the chocolate for the fudge, but if you want to use a sauce pan you can. Just keep it at a low heat so you don’t burn it. 
• Sprinkle the M&M’s over the bars and then bake.  Let them cool completely before cutting to serve. 

Bar cookies are one of the easiest desserts to make. You just press the dough into a pan and bake. There isn’t any worrying about shaping uniform balls of dough and baking multiple trays.  Just 1 pan, about 30 minutes and done.  Definitely something the kids can help with. 

How to Store M&M Bars

You can leave them in the pan that you baked them in and just cover with foil or if your 13×9 inch baking dish has a lid, use that.  Or you can slice them and place them in anything air tight.  They will last for a couple days on the counter.

Can you Freeze M&M Bars

Yes, you can freeze them. Put them in an air tight container to store in the freezer.  It is best to make sure you have sliced them before freezing. 

More Fun Dessert Recipes

• Homemade Star Crunch
• Biscoff Rice Krispie Treats
• Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookies
• Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Sugar Cookies
• Chick Fil A Brownies
• Texas Sheet Cake Cookies
• Magic Cookie Bars

Continue to Content

Yield: 24

M&M Chocolate Oat Bars

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M&M Chocolate Oat Bars - brown sugar oatmeal cookie base with a layer of chocolate fudge in the middle and topped with M&M's. A delicious treat for any occasion. 

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

Bars

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 2 whole large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups old fashioned oats
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt

Fudge Layer

• 1 (12 oz) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup mini M&M's

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease or line a 13x9 inch baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In an electric stand mixer, beat butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Stir in oats, flour, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
3. Press 2/3rds of mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
4. In a microwave safe bowl melt together chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, butter and salt. Heat for 1 minute, stir until smooth. Heat at 15 second intervals if it needs more.
5. Mix in vanilla. Stir until well combined. Pour over base mixture, spread evenly.
6. Crumble remaining base mixture over the fudge layer.
7. Sprinkle the M&M's evenly over the top.
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes until set and starting to turn golden brown.
9. Remove from oven and let cool completely before serving.

Recommended Products

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• 
  Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer
• 
  13x9 Baking Dish
• 
  GIR Spatula

Nutrition Information

Yield

24

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 284Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 7gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 40mgSodium 333mgCarbohydrates 40gFiber 2gSugar 22gProtein 4g

Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on dinnersdishesanddesserts.com should only be used as a general guideline.

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Erin S

Welcome to Dinners, Dishes, & Desserts where my love of food meets my busy life. My name is Erin and I’m a casual home cook who loves to feed people. On this blog, you’ll find hundreds of quick and easy recipes made mostly from scratch. My days are spent in the kitchen, creating new recipes to share with family and friends.

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