Chewy & Festive M&M Cookie Bars: A Delicious Solution for Leftover Egg Yolks
Imagine a plate piled high with vibrant, freshly baked M&M cookie bars – a sight guaranteed to bring smiles and a burst of color to any gathering. These aren’t just any cookie bars; they’re an irresistibly chewy, perfectly moist, and wonderfully flavorful treat that also serves a smart purpose in your kitchen. If you’ve ever found yourself with a surplus of egg yolks after whipping up meringues, custards, or other egg white-heavy recipes during the holiday season (or any time of year!), then this recipe for **Chewy M&M Cookie Bars** is your new best friend. It transforms those often-discarded yolks into a rich, tender base for one of the most beloved cookies, turning potential food waste into pure joy. We’ll be using six leftover egg yolks to create a dessert that’s not only delicious but also incredibly satisfying to make.
These M&M cookie bars are perfect for a cozy afternoon snack, a festive Christmas party, or simply to satisfy a sweet craving. Their vibrant appearance and delightful taste make them a hit with both children and adults. Say goodbye to food waste and hello to a new favorite dessert that’s both practical and utterly delicious. It’s a simple, heartwarming recipe that allows you to make the most out of every ingredient, proving that mindful baking can be both easy and incredibly rewarding.
Customizing Your M&M Cookie Bars and Utilizing Egg Whites
Are you curious about how to make the most of those extra M&Ms, or perhaps wondering what to do with your leftover egg whites? These versatile cookie bars can be tailored to perfectly match your holiday mood or any special occasion! For a classic Christmas vibe, opt for red and green M&Ms, scattering them generously throughout the dough and on top for an extra festive touch. If you’re feeling more adventurous or celebrating a birthday, let your inner artist shine with a rainbow of colors! The beauty of M&M cookie bars lies in their adaptability, allowing you to get creative with your confectionery choices.
And if you find yourself with even more M&Ms than you know what to do with after this recipe, don’t let them go to waste! Why not bake another batch of classic M&M cookies too? They are just as easy and delicious as these bars, offering a slightly different texture but the same beloved M&M flavor. It’s a fantastic way to enjoy a variety of treats with minimal effort.
But what about those extra egg whites that often accumulate from recipes requiring only yolks? Waste not, want not! There are so many incredible ways to turn them into another delightful dessert. Consider transforming them into a luscious 6-egg white chocolate cake, which is known for its incredibly light and airy texture. Or perhaps whip up a batch of Grandma’s famous chewy coconut macaroons, a nostalgic treat that’s surprisingly simple to make. Both options are perfect additions to your holiday dessert table or any occasion, providing a wonderful contrast to the richness of the cookie bars while reducing food waste at the same time.
So, let’s dive in and bake up some holiday magic with these M&M cookie bars! And if you’re on the hunt for even more creative ways to use up egg yolks or whites, keep reading—I’ve got you covered with plenty of inspiring ideas below to ensure every part of your egg is deliciously utilized.
🥘 Ingredients for Perfect M&M Cookie Bars
Crafting these delicious M&M cookie bars requires a few simple, yet essential ingredients that come together to create a rich, chewy, and irresistibly colorful treat. Each component plays a vital role in achieving that perfect balance of texture and flavor.
- Egg yolks: The star of this recipe! Six egg yolks provide incredible richness, moisture, and a beautiful golden hue to the cookie bars, making them wonderfully chewy and tender. They’re what sets these bars apart.
- Unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled: Butter forms the fatty base, contributing to the bar’s luxurious flavor and texture. Melting it ensures easy incorporation and a dense, chewy result.
- Brown sugar: I opted for Demerara Sugar in my recipe, but any brown sugar will work beautifully. It’s crucial for the signature chewiness and deep, caramel-like flavor, adding moisture that granulated sugar alone can’t achieve.
- Granulated sugar: Provides sweetness and helps create a slightly crisp edge, balancing the chewiness from the brown sugar.
- Vanilla extract: A key flavor enhancer, vanilla extract brings warmth and depth, complementing the chocolate and buttery notes.
- All-purpose flour: The structural backbone of our cookie bars. All-purpose flour ensures the right consistency, holding all the delicious ingredients together.
- Baking powder: A leavening agent that gives the bars a slight lift and contributes to their soft, cake-like texture, preventing them from being too dense.
- Salt: Essential for balancing the sweetness and enhancing all the other flavors in the cookie bars, making them taste richer and more complex.
- M&M’s: The colorful, chocolatey jewels of these bars! Use red and green for a festive touch, or a rainbow of colors for a playful, vibrant look. They add a delightful crunch and burst of chocolate in every bite.
See the full recipe card below for exact quantities and detailed instructions.
🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions for Your M&M Cookie Bars
Creating these delightful M&M cookie bars is a straightforward process. Follow these simple steps to ensure a perfectly baked, chewy, and colorful treat every time.
Step 1: Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). This ensures the oven is at the correct temperature when the bars go in, allowing for even baking. Line a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan with parchment paper, making sure to leave an overhang on the sides. This parchment paper sling will make it incredibly easy to lift the cooled bars out of the pan for slicing, preventing sticking and making cleanup a breeze.
Step 2: Mix Wet Ingredients for a Rich Base
In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Whisk them together until the mixture is smooth and well-combined. The sugars should be fully incorporated into the butter. Next, add the six egg yolks (our special ingredient for extra richness and moisture!) and the vanilla extract. Continue whisking until everything is fully combined and the mixture is light, creamy, and uniform in color. This ensures a consistent base for your cookie bars.
Step 3: Combine Dry Ingredients Separately
In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisking dry ingredients together before adding them to the wet mixture is a crucial step. It ensures that the leavening agent (baking powder) and salt are evenly distributed throughout the flour, which will lead to a uniform texture and rise in your cookie bars. This prevents pockets of unmixed ingredients and contributes to a perfectly balanced flavor.
Step 4: Form the Delicious Cookie Dough
Gradually add the dry ingredients mixture to the wet mixture, stirring gently with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the dough, as overmixing can lead to tough cookie bars. Once the dry ingredients are mostly incorporated, gently fold in the M&M’s. Reserve a few M&M’s for sprinkling on top before baking, if desired, to add an extra pop of color and visual appeal.
Step 5: Spread Dough Evenly in the Pan
Pour the prepared cookie dough into your parchment-lined baking pan. Use a spatula to spread the dough evenly across the bottom of the pan. It’s important to distribute the dough as uniformly as possible to ensure even baking and a consistent thickness for all your cookie bars. Lightly scatter the few extra M&M’s you reserved on top of the dough for a beautiful, colorful presentation after baking.
Step 6: Bake to Golden Perfection
Place the baking pan in the preheated oven and bake for 30-45 minutes. Baking time can vary slightly depending on your oven, so start checking around the 30-minute mark. The bars are done when the edges are beautifully golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. It’s crucial not to overbake, as this will result in dry, crumbly bars instead of the desired chewy texture. Keep a close eye on them!
Step 7: Cool Completely and Slice
Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and allow the M&M cookie bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. This step is vital for achieving clean, neat slices and for the bars to set properly into their chewy texture. Rushing this step might lead to crumbly or messy bars. Once fully cooled, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the entire slab of cookie bars out of the pan. Transfer them to a cutting board and slice into your desired squares or rectangles. Serve and enjoy!
🍽 Essential Equipment for Baking Success
Having the right tools makes all the difference when baking. Here’s what you’ll need to create your perfect M&M cookie bars:
- 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) pan: This standard baking pan size is ideal for cookie bars, ensuring a good thickness and even baking. A ceramic or metal pan will work well.
- Parchment paper: Absolutely essential for easy removal and cleanup. It prevents sticking and allows you to lift the entire batch out effortlessly.
- Hand or Stand mixer: While you can mix by hand, a mixer makes light work of combining the wet ingredients and ensures a smooth, uniform batter.
- Mixing bowls: You’ll need at least two – one large for wet ingredients and dough, and one medium for dry ingredients.
- Spatula: Perfect for scraping down the sides of the bowl, folding in M&M’s, and spreading the batter evenly in the pan.
- Sharp knife: For clean, precise slices once the cookie bars have cooled, ensuring beautifully presented treats.
💭 Top Tips for Perfect M&M Cookie Bars
- Add-ins: Get creative with your additions! Beyond M&Ms, you can mix in chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans, white chocolate chips, dark chocolate chunks, or even a sprinkle of festive sprinkles for extra texture and flavor. Just be mindful not to overcrowd the dough.
- Storing: To keep your M&M cookie bars fresh and chewy, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, you can freeze them for up to 3 months. Wrap individual bars or the entire slab tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, before placing them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
- Pan size matters: Using the correct pan size is crucial for the ideal texture. A 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) pan provides the perfect balance between thickness and chewiness. If you use a smaller pan, your bars will be thicker and may require a slightly longer baking time to cook through. Conversely, a larger pan will yield thinner bars that bake faster and might be crispier. Adjust baking time accordingly and always rely on the toothpick test.
- Don’t overmix: When combining wet and dry ingredients, mix just until the flour streaks disappear. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, leading to tougher, less tender cookie bars.
- Cool completely: Resist the urge to slice warm cookie bars! They need to cool completely in the pan to firm up and become perfectly chewy. Slicing them while warm can result in crumbly, messy pieces. Patience is key for neat, delicious bars.
- Flavor variations: Experiment with different M&M flavors, such as peanut M&Ms for a nutty twist, or even seasonal varieties. You can also add a hint of cinnamon or almond extract to the dough for a different flavor profile.
🥚 Other Delicious Egg Yolk & Egg White Recipes to Try
If you’ve mastered these M&M cookie bars and are looking for more ways to make the most of your eggs, here are some other fantastic recipes utilizing leftover egg yolks and egg whites:
- Egg Yolk Cookies with Jam: Delicate, buttery cookies perfect for using up a few yolks.
- Egg Yolk Bundt Cake: A rich, moist cake that benefits greatly from extra yolks.
- Walnut Cookies: Chewy, nutty cookies that make good use of leftover yolks.
- Homemade Advocaat / Egg Liqueur: A decadent, creamy beverage that is a fantastic way to use multiple egg yolks.
- Linzer Cookies with Egg Liqueur Ganache: Elevate classic Linzer cookies with a boozy, egg yolk-based ganache.
- Sour Cream Cookies: Soft and tender cookies, often enhanced by the richness of egg yolks.
- Vanilla Sauce: A classic, velvety sauce that relies on egg yolks for its rich consistency.
- Vanilla Ice Cream: Homemade ice cream often uses egg yolks for a truly creamy, custard-like base.
- 6 Egg White Chocolate Cake: A light, airy, and moist chocolate cake that is perfect for utilizing those extra egg whites.
- Coconut Meringue Cookies {Granny’s Recipe}: Chewy and sweet, these macaroons are a fantastic way to use egg whites.
- Cranberry Whiskey Sour: Many classic cocktails, like a whiskey sour, use egg whites for a beautiful foamy top.
- Clover Club: Another elegant cocktail featuring egg whites for a smooth, frothy texture.
- Hazelnut Meringue Cookies: Crispy and nutty meringue cookies, perfect for using up extra egg whites.
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📖 Recipe
6 Egg Yolk M&M Cookie Bars
Nora
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Pin Recipe
Equipment
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9×13-inch (23×33 cm) pan
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Parchment Paper
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Hand or stand mixer
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Mixing bowls
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Spatula
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Sharp knife
Ingredients
- 1 cup Unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 cup Brown sugar
- ½ cup Granulated sugar
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup M&M’s (plus a few extra for topping)
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1 cup Unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled, 1 cup Brown sugar, and ½ cup Granulated sugar until smooth.1 cup Unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled, 1 cup Brown sugar, ½ cup Granulated sugar
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Add 6 egg yolks and 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract, whisking until fully combined.6 egg yolks, 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
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In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 cups All-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon Baking powder, and ½ teaspoon Salt.2 cups All-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon Baking powder, ½ teaspoon Salt
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Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring just until combined. Gently fold in the 1 cup M&M’s .1 cup M&M’s
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Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly with a spatula. Scatter a few extra M&M’s on top for decoration.
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Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until the edges are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Do not overbake to keep the bars chewy.
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Let the bars cool completely in the pan, then lift them out using the parchment overhang. Slice into squares or rectangles.
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
⛑️ Food Safety Guidelines for Home Baking
Ensuring food safety is paramount when preparing any meal or dessert. Follow these essential guidelines to keep your kitchen and your delicious M&M cookie bars safe for everyone:
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C) to ensure any potential harmful bacteria are eliminated. While this recipe involves baking, it’s a good general rule.
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw ingredients, especially raw eggs or meat, without proper washing. Cross-contamination is a common risk.
- Always wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm water after touching raw eggs, meat, or any unbaked dough.
- Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods. Baked goods like these cookie bars should be cooled promptly and stored properly to prevent bacterial growth.
- Never leave cooking or baking food unattended, especially when using high temperatures.
- Use oils with a high smoking point for any cooking or frying to avoid producing harmful compounds. (Less relevant for baking, but good general knowledge)
- Always ensure good ventilation when using a gas stove or oven to prevent the buildup of fumes.
For further comprehensive information on safe food handling practices, please check the official guidelines from the FDA’s Safe Food Handling.