Red White and Blue Peanut Butter Bar Cookies
These soft, chewy red, white, and blue peanut butter bar cookies loaded with festive M&M’s are a crowd-pleasing treat for summer patriotic celebrations. Made with creamy peanut butter and colorful red, white, and blue candies, they’re simple enough for beginners yet impressive enough for backyard BBQs, potlucks, and holiday parties.
Whether you’re hosting a Memorial Day cookout, celebrating the Fourth of July, or need a quick Labor Day dessert, these peanut butter M&M cookie bars deliver big flavor with minimal effort. Kids and adults alike devour them!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Only 10 minutes of prep time
- One-bowl mixing (mostly)
- Customizable for any holiday with different M&M colors
- Soft, chewy texture with crunchy candy bites
- Stores well and travels perfectly for parties
These peanut butter bar cookie recipe can be easily changed up with different M&M candies for different seasons or holidays, like Christmas. To create patriotic M&M cookie bars I used red, white, and blue M&M candies that I found at my local grocery store.
Ingredients:
- butter
- peanut butter
- sugar
- brown sugar
- eggs
- vanilla
- baking powder
- salt
- flour
- red, white, and blue M&M’s
Red White And Blue Peanut Butter Bar Cookie
Start by creaming together room temperature butter, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar in a stand mixer. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. I let those ingredients cream for about 5 minutes.
Then add the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix again until combined.
Add the baking powder and salt to the mixer bowl. Mix on low to combine.
Add half of the flour to the mixture, and mix on low. Add the rest of the flour and mix until combined.
Add about 4 ounces of the M&M candies to the mixture and fold the candies in my hand.
Scoop the cookie dough into a non-stick spray 9×13 baking dish and spread it evenly into the entire surface of the pan. Sprinkle the remaining candies on top and gently press the candy into the top. Bake this patriotic dessert in the oven until golden brown.
Red, White, and Blue Peanut Butter Bar Cookies
Equipment
- 9×13 pan
- mixer
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter softened
- ⅓ cup peanut butter creamy
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 6 ounces M&M Candies red, white, and blue
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° degrees.
- Cream the butter, peanut butter, and sugars until creamy and well mixed, for approximately 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and blend till combined.
- Add the baking powder and salt and mix till combined. Then add half the flour and mix. Add the rest of the flour and mix until just combined.
- Add about 3/4 of the red, white, and blue M&M candies. Fold by hand into the cookie dough.
- Scoop the cookie bar recipe dough into a 9×13 pan that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Press the dough out until even. Sprinkle the top of the dough with the remainder of the M&M candies and press down gently.
- Bake for 40 minutes until the center has set and the top is golden brown.
Notes
Tips for the Perfect Peanut Butter Bar Cookies:
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your butter and eggs are at room temperature for better mixing and a smoother batter.
- Extra M&Ms: Don’t be shy with the M&Ms! Pressing a few more on top before baking makes them even more festive and ensures you get that colorful crunch in every bite.
- Storage: Store these bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. You can also freeze them for longer storage – just wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag.
These peanut butter bar cookies are a fun and tasty way to celebrate any patriotic holiday. The combination of creamy peanut butter and crunchy, colorful M&Ms is simply irresistible. Plus, they’re easy to make and sure to be a hit at any gathering. So, get your baking supplies ready and whip up a batch of these festive treats. Happy baking!
