Name: Candy Bar Cookie Bars Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 28 min
Total time: 38 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter; 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed); 1/2 cup sugar; 1 large egg; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1 1/4 cups flour; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 cup chocolate candy bars (chopped plus more for the top); 1 to 1 1/2 cups chocolate candy bars (whole or chopped as desired)

Jump to Recipe· 4.9 from 17 reviews

If you’re after a chewy, chocolaty, utterly irresistible treat, you’ve got to try this Candy Bar Cookie Bars Recipe. It’s like the best candy bars you love, all baked into one glorious bar that you can slice, stack, and savor whenever your sweet tooth calls. Believe me, once you make these, they’ll become your go-to for potlucks, movie nights, or just because. Stick around—I’m spilling all the secrets to making these bars absolutely perfect every time!

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Why This Recipe Works

Perfect Texture Balance: The buttery, chewy base paired with melty chocolate candy bars creates the ideal contrast.
Customizable Candy Bars: You get to pick your favorite chocolates to make it truly your own.
Easy Prep and No Fuss: Simple ingredients, straightforward steps, yet wildly impressive results.
Foolproof Tips Included: I’ll share handy tricks so you avoid overbaking and slicing woes.

A thick, square cookie base with a golden brown color forms the bottom layer, surrounded by raised edges holding the toppings. On top, there is a shiny layer of melted milk chocolate spread unevenly across the surface. Scattered all over are colorful, small round candies in red, blue, green, yellow, and orange, mixed with medium-sized chunks of chocolate bars that have light beige filling inside. The dessert is placed directly on a white marbled surface, with a soft blue and white cloth casually placed in the background. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients & Why They Work

This Candy Bar Cookie Bars Recipe combines pantry staples and your favorite chocolate candy bars for layers of flavor and texture. Each ingredient plays a role—whether it’s adding moisture, chewiness, or that perfect hint of vanilla that pulls everything together.

Butter: Using melted butter enriches the dough, creating a moist, tender bar.
Brown Sugar: Packed brown sugar adds chewiness and a slight caramel undertone that’s pure magic.
Sugar: Granulated sugar balances the sweetness and contributes to the structure.
Egg: Binds the ingredients and adds moisture, making those bars soft but sturdy.
Vanilla Extract: A little vanilla makes all the flavors pop—don’t skip it!
Flour: The backbone that provides structure; all-purpose works perfectly here.
Baking Soda: Helps the bars rise just a bit, keeping them tender.
Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the chocolate flavor.
Chocolate Candy Bars: The star of the show—chopped inside for gooey pockets, plus whole or chopped on top for a melty, decadent finish.

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Note: You’ll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Tweak to Your Taste

I love how this Candy Bar Cookie Bars Recipe is seriously flexible—you can switch up the candy bars or add extras like nuts or a pinch of espresso powder to elevate the chocolate flavor. Feel free to play around and make it truly yours!

Nutty Delight: I sometimes toss in chopped pecans or walnuts—it adds a great crunch that pairs well with the gooey chocolate.
Seasonal Fun: Around holidays, I swap the candy bars for peppermint bark or white chocolate goodies for a festive twist.
Peanut Butter Lovers: Adding chopped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups totally elevates the flavor, making it decadently rich.

Step-by-Step: How I Make Candy Bar Cookie Bars Recipe

Step 1: Melt Butter Carefully

Start by melting the butter gently. I usually pop it in the microwave at 50% power for about 1 minute to prevent splattering, stirring halfway through. You can also do this on the stovetop over low heat. Melted butter ensures nice texture and easier mixing.

Step 2: Mix Sugars and Wet Ingredients

Next, whisk together the brown sugar and granulated sugar into the melted butter for about 2-3 minutes until smooth and slightly creamy. Then add in the egg and vanilla extract, whisking until everything looks homogenous. This is your chance to get a silky batter!

Step 3: Combine Dry Ingredients and Fold in Candy

Stir the flour, baking soda, and salt into the wet mix until just combined—don’t overmix or your bars might get tough. Then fold in about 1 cup of your chopped favorite chocolate candy bars. This gives those sticky, melty bites throughout the bars that everyone raves about.

Step 4: Bake and Add Candy Topping

Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper—it makes clean-up and removal sooo much easier—and spread your cookie dough evenly. Bake at 350°F for about 20-28 minutes. I recommend checking at 20 minutes and then watching closely; you want a light golden color and just set edges, not dried out. Once out and slightly cooled, top with the rest of your candy bars. If you prefer the topping intact (not melty), wait five minutes before adding and pop the whole pan in the freezer right away.

Step 5: Chill and Slice

One of my little hacks: pop the baked bars into the freezer for about 20-25 minutes before slicing. This firms everything up for smooth, clean cuts. I always grab a plastic knife too—it glides through without smashing the bars, trust me!

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Pro Tips for Making Candy Bar Cookie Bars Recipe

Control the Oven Temp: I always use an oven thermometer to make sure it’s exactly 350°F since temperature swings can dry out the bars.
Candy Bar Chopping: For even melt, chop candy bars into a mix of small and larger chunks—smaller inside the batter, larger on top.
Don’t Skip Parchment: Lining the pan saves your sanity when it’s time to lift out the bars—clean edges every time.
Watch the Bake Time: Pull bars out as soon as edges are set but middle still soft; they firm up while cooling to chewy perfection.

How to Serve Candy Bar Cookie Bars Recipe

Four square thick cookie bars are placed on a wooden board with a white marbled texture background. Each cookie bar is a light golden brown with a slightly rough and crumbly texture on the edges. The top layer is covered with melted milk chocolate pieces that are mixed with chopped caramel-filled chocolate candy bars showing caramel and nougat inside. Scattered all over the top are colorful candy-coated chocolate pieces in red, green, yellow, orange, blue, and black, giving a vibrant, playful look. The bars have a rich, dense, and chunky appearance. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Garnishes

For garnish, I love a sprinkle of flaky sea salt right after topping the bars with chocolate candy—it brightens all that sweetness wonderfully. Sometimes, a drizzle of melted white or caramel chocolate takes it to the next level. If you want fresh, a few raspberries on the side cut through the richness nicely.

Side Dishes

These candy bar cookie bars are really the star, but I like pairing them with a simple scoop of vanilla ice cream or a rich hot coffee to balance the sugary goodness. For parties, a platter of mixed berries and whipped cream rounds out the spread.

Creative Ways to Present

I’ve served these bars layered in a clear glass trifle dish, alternating with whipped cream and crushed candy pieces for eye-catching presentation. For birthday parties, cutting them into bite-sized squares and arranging them on decorative plates paired with mini flags or picks makes a cute, shareable dessert.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

I keep leftover candy bar cookie bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, but honestly, they rarely last that long in my house! The bars stay chewy and fresh if you tuck a slice of bread in the container to keep them moist.

Freezing

If you want to stash them for later, I wrap individual bars tightly in plastic wrap and then place them in a freezer bag. They freeze beautifully for up to 2 months without losing texture or flavor. Just thaw at room temperature before serving.

Reheating

When reheating, a quick 10-15 seconds in the microwave revives that gooey chocolate and warms the bars perfectly. Just don’t overdo it or they’ll get dry. A warm candy bar cookie bar with a cold glass of milk—ahh, perfection!

FAQs

Can I use different types of candy bars in this recipe?

Absolutely! The beauty of this Candy Bar Cookie Bars Recipe is in its versatility. You can mix and match any chocolate candy bars you like—from classics like Snickers and Milky Way to fancy ones like Almond Joy or even mini M&M’s. Just chop them and fold some into the batter, then sprinkle the rest on top before baking or after it’s slightly cooled.
How do I prevent the candy on top from melting completely?

If you want the candy bars on top to hold their shape, wait about 5 minutes after removing the bars from the oven before placing your candy pieces on top. Then, immediately pop the pan into the freezer. This cools the bars quickly and helps the candy set without melting into a puddle.
What’s the best way to cut these bars cleanly?

My favorite trick is chilling the baked candy bar cookie bars in the freezer for 20-25 minutes before cutting—this firms them up perfectly. Also, use a plastic knife instead of metal; it glides through the bars without sticking or crushing them.
Can I make these bars gluten-free?

You can swap the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend that’s suitable for baking. Just make sure the blend contains xanthan gum or another stabilizer for good texture. The candy bars themselves should be checked to be gluten-free as well.

Final Thoughts

This Candy Bar Cookie Bars Recipe holds a special place in my heart because it’s one of those fail-safe desserts that never disappoints. It’s quick, comforting, and endlessly adaptable to whatever candy bars you have on hand or crave the most. Give it a go—I promise you’ll love the blend of chewy cookie, melty chocolate, and sweet nostalgia packed into every bite. Perfect for sharing (or not!). Happy baking, friend!