Easter surprise confetti cookie bars are the most festive, and prettiest, dessert for springtime or Easter. These delicious, soft-baked, chewy bars are loaded with all the good stuff! If you want some more Easter treats then be sure to also try my Cadbury mini egg cookies and these Easter goody bars.
EASTER SURPRISE CONFETTI COOKIE BARS
These Easter surprise confetti cookie bars are based off of these oatmeal chocolate chip peanut butter bars. It's a mouthful of a title but it's something that has stuck as I have made these bars throughout the years.
These cookie bars are a soft-baked and thick peanut butter oatmeal cookie bar and then loaded with sprinkles, chopped candy bars, and springtime pastel m&m's.
Once all the Easter and springtime candy hits shelves I just can't help myself. There is something about candy, like m&m's and snickers, all wrapped up in bright pastel wrappers that just makes it better. Right?! Grab yourself a bag of the spring mix of candy bars, some pastel m&m's, and of course some Easter sprinkles to make this recipe.
And if you love treats that have a 'surprise' in the middle then try these peanut butter surprise cookies. A soft peanut butter cookie with a Reese's peanut butter cup in the middle!
HOW TO MAKE THIS EASTER TREAT RECIPE
All-Purpose Flour
Old-Fashioned Oats
Baking Soda & Salt
Butter
Creamy Peanut Butter
Granulated Sugar
Light Brown Sugar
Vanilla Extract
Large Egg + Large Egg Yolk
Spring Mix Chocolate Candy Bars - This is a mixture of Twix, Snickers, Milky Way, and 3 Musketeers bars
Spring M&M's - Pastel colored m&m candies
Easter Sprinkles
MY TIPS & HELPFUL HINTS FOR MAKING EASTER SURPRISE CONFETTI COOKIE BARS
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Don't over-bake the bars
- Only the very outer edges should be a very light golden brown color. The center should still be pale. I promise that as the bars cool in the pan after baking they cook slightly more and set up really nicely. If you overcook them they will be dry, crumbly, and not that good.
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Add additional candy on top of the bars for a pretty presentation
- I always chop up some extra candy bars for the top of the bars. I also add a little m&m's on top too. This is totally optional but it will make the bars look pretty.
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Beat the butter for 2 minutes
- This seems like a long time but you want to be sure you beat the butter, peanut butter, and sugars for 2 minutes. You want it to look fluffy and much lighter in color.
YOU WILL LOVE THESE OTHER COOKIE BAR RECIPES
Funfetti Cake Batter Cookie Bars - Starts with a cake mix & a sugar cookie mix! Use Easter themed sprinkles to make them festive for the Holidays.
S'mores Cookie Bars - Everyone's favorite summertime treat but in a cookie bar. These are stuffed with whole Hershey's milk chocolate candy bars in the middle. So good!
Sugar Cookie Bars - Made in a sheet pan so they're perfect for a crowd. Use any frosting color you want and any sprinkles to celebrate Easter!
Salted Caramel Butter Bars - Salted caramel center in a butter cookie bar base.
Easter Surprise Confetti Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter softened
- 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1½ cups chopped spring mix chocolate candy bars (snickers, milky way, twix, 3 musketeers)
- 1/2 cup spring pastel m&m's
- 3 tablespoons Easter sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly spray a 9X13-inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.I line my pan with parchment paper (so there is overhang on the sides) which makes it really easy to grab the bars out and cut them nicely.
- In a small bowl add the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Stir with a wire whisk to break up any clumps. Set aside to use later.
- In a large bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and sugar until fluffy looking and light in color, 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the vanilla, egg and egg yolk. Mix together.
- Add the bowl of dry ingredients and mix, on low speed, just until combined.
- Add the chopped candy bars, m&m's, and sprinkles. Stir together with a wooden spoon or spatula until combined.
- Press the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly. It's easier to do this if you dump piles of the dough all over the pan, rather than in one pile, and then use your fingers to spread it out.
- Gently press additional m&m's, chopped candy bars, and sprinkles onto the top of the bars (optional).
- Bake for 15-18 minutes. Be careful to not overbake these! Only the very edges should be a very light golden brown color, while the center is still pale in color. These will cook and set up more as they cool. I have never had to cook mine for longer than 15 mintues.
- Let the bars cool in the pan for about 30 minutes before cutting. Store leftovers, covered, at room temeprature. These freeze well too once they are baked.
Notes
Nutrition
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