Easy One-Bowl Valentine’s Day Cookie Bars

These easy one-bowl valentine’s day cookie bars are rich, fudgy, and festive. Not only are these bars made in one bowl but they do not require a mixer or chill time! Loaded with valentines M&M’s and decadent white chocolate chips. These cookie bars can be made with any type of M&M – add valentines sprinkles for more festive fun! Bake, slice, and share with your valentine!

Add festive valentines sprinkles for even more fun color!

Quick Steps for the easy blondies:

• Preheat oven
• Combine dry ingredients
• Mix butter and sugars
• Mix in eggs and vanilla
• Mix in dry ingredients
• Fold in chocolate chips and M&M’s
• Transfer to a greased baking pan
• Bake & Enjoy!

Highlight of these easy one-bowl valentines day cookie bars:

• Requires just a handful of ingredients
• One-bowl recipe
• Festive
• Fun to make with kids
• Great for treat giveaways
• Rich and decadent
• No mixer required, great for kids to help with
• Any color M&M’s can be used to match any holiday
• No chill time required

Tools I used for this easy recipe:

• KitchenAid 6 Qt. Stand Mixer – I always recommend a stand mixer as it saves time and helps to keep baked goods consistent.
• Rubber Spatula – a must for any home baker! Perfect for scrapping cookie dough out of the mixing bowl.
• USA Pan 8″ Square Pan – another USA Pan product I love! The corners of my bars and cakes never stick and I love the squared edges this pan creates.

Use a whisk or electric mixer to combine melted butter and sugars until smooth. One pro to melted butter, mixing can be done by hand.

If you like these easy valentines cookie bars, you’ll love these other easy dessert bars…

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Blondies

Chocolate Peanut Butter Blondies

The Best Chewy Peanut Butter Blondies

Tahini Blondies

These bars are studded with rich white chocolate and crunchy M&M’s

Grocery List & Substitutions:

• Unsalted butter
• Granulated sugar
• Light brown sugar
• Large whole eggs
• Vanilla extract
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Kosher salt
• White chocolate chips – could substitute milk or semi sweet chocolate chips
• Valentines M&M’s – or any color M&M to match the occasion

Fold in valentines M&M’s and white chocolate chips. You can use milk chocolate chips instead. The mixture will be fairly thick.

Why use room temperature eggs in cookies and blondies?

Room temperature eggs mix together a lot easier than cold eggs, resulting in lighter, fluffier baked goods! Room temperature eggs also whip up a lot better which makes them important to use when making meringue or items that call for a lot of eggs like, angel food cake. Don’t have room temperature eggs? Set a few cold eggs out 20-30 minutes before you need them.

Press into a greased and lined 8″x8″ baking dish. If desired top with extra M&M’s or chocolate chips.

Tips for successful cookie bars each time:

• Grease and line baking dish – greasing the bottom and corners well ensure none of the cookies break off when removing them from the pan. Lining with parchment paper adds an extra level of security it make it super easy to lift these out of the pan to slice.
• Allow to cool completely before slicing – this ensures clean edges when slicing the bars

Instructions for these easy cookie bars:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or line an 8″ x 8″ baking pan, set aside. In a small mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt, stir to combine and set aside.
• In the bowl of a hand or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or by hand, mix the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time and the vanilla. Scrap down the sides of the bowl.
• Slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and M&M’s, transfer into the prepared baking pan. If desired, top with extra M&M’s before baking.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 33-38 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove form the oven and let cool on a wire rack, sprinkle with flaky salt and allow to cool before cutting.

Notes:

*Bars will be thick and fudgy, allow to cool completely, about an hour, before slicing for best results. 

Looking for something else? Try these cookies instead!

Salted Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

Peanut & Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies

One Bowl Soft Funfetti Cookies

Chewy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Did you make this recipe?

I would love to see it! Take a picture and post to Instagram with the tag @theheartylife and the hashtag #theheartylife – You can also leave me a question or comment below! If you’ve tried this recipe, feel free to give it a star rating on the recipe above.