Easter Surprise Confetti Cookie Bars

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

• 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. 

• 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.

• 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

Easter Surprise Confetti Cookie Bars are a peanut butter oatmeal cookie bar base loaded with Easter sprinkles, pastel m&m's, and chocolate candy bar chunks.

5 from 3 votes

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easter recipes, easter surprise confetti cookie bars, easter treats

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Cooling Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 20 bars

Calories: 269kcal

Author: Jessica

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

Oats : I have always made this recipe with the whole grain old-fashioned oats (not the quick oats). I know it works and that's what I do. With that said, I have had several readers tell me that they use quick oats in this recipe with great results. 

Peanut Butter : I say this all the time but natural peanut butter tends to dry out baked goods like cookies and cookie bars. If at all possible, use the regular peanut butter (like Peter Pan, Skip, or Jiffy).

Baking Time : If you are taking out the bars and they have a light golden brown color all over, then you are baking them too long. I always have people tell me that they thought they were not done so they left them in their longer, and then the bars were gross because they were dry and overcooked. Only the very outer edges should be a very pale light golden brown color. Not the middle. As the bars cool in the pan they cook slightly more and set up nicely. 

Nutrition

Calories: 269kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 144mg | Potassium: 160mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 190IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 2mg