Name: Chocolate Chip M&M Bars
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups quick-cooking oats; 1 1/2 cups flour; 1 cup packed brown sugar; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 cup unsalted butter, melted; 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk, not evaporated; 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips; 2 tablespoons shortening; 1 1/2 cups M&M's, I used milk chocolate but other flavors would be delicious too

Do you ever have days where you just want something chocolate? That was the case recently in my house so I pulled out this favorite recipe for Chocolate Chip M&M Bars.

I love entertaining family and friends for backyard parties. The sunshine, warmer temperatures, and summer breezes energize partygoers.

But planning a cookout, plus shopping and making all the food, can be expensive and exhausting. That’s why I love to make them potluck parties.

These chocolate chip M&M bars are not only easy to make, but they also travel well if you are going to a park or a friend’s house for a party.

In fact, they are so easy, this is a recipe older kids can make with little supervision. What a great help they would be for the party planning. Put the kids on dessert duty.

This recipe is full of chocolate flavor, gets a chewy texture from the oats and a bit of crunch from the M&M’s. It’s easily made with pantry staples that you most likely have on hand. If you don’t have regular size M&M’s on hand, the mini version will do just as well.

More desserts perfect for a backyard #BBQ:

Chocolate Chip M&M Bars

Yield: About 2 dozen

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Easy enough for older kids to make on their own!

Ingredients

2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 ½ cups flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk, not evaporated
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening
1 ½ cups M&M's, I used milk chocolate but other flavors would be delicious too

Instructions

In a large bowl combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, and salt. Add the melted butter and mix until crumbly. Set aside 1 ½ cups of mixture for the topping. Press remaining crumb mixture into a greased 9 x 13-inch baking pan.
In a small saucepan combine the sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, and shortening. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until the mixture is melted together and smooth.
Evenly spread the chocolate mixture over the crust and sprinkle with the reserved crumb topping. Evenly distribute M&M's over the top, gently pressing the candies into the crumb mixture. Bake at 350° for about 25 minutes or until edges are golden and center is set.