These M&M blondies are the bar you make once and bring everywhere after that. Chewy centers, golden edges, and two full cups of M&Ms tucked into every bite. Even better, they come together in one bowl with no mixer and no extra work. This is my go-to Blondies Recipe when I need something that looks like I tried hard but honestly took about 30 minutes start to finish.
Butter, brown sugar, eggs, flour, and a bag of M&Ms! That's basically it. I've made these blondies for school parties, cookie exchanges, neighbor gifts, and more than a few "I need to bring something tomorrow" moments late in the evening.
What I love most about this recipe, beyond how easy it is, is the texture. These aren't cakey bars. They're dense and chewy with slightly crisp edges and a soft, almost fudgy center, exactly what a blondie should be.
The M&Ms aren't just a mix-in here! They're the whole personality of the bar. Use classic milk chocolate for the everyday version, or swap in seasonal colors, and you've instantly got a holiday treat.
If you love these bars, you're going to love our brown butter Rice Krispie treats and white chocolate chip cookies too!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- One bowl, no mixer, done in 30 minutes. Melt the butter, whisk everything together, fold in the M&Ms, and bake. That's genuinely it! There's no special equipment, no chilling the dough, and no batches.
- The texture is everything. Dense and chewy in the center, slightly crisp on the edges, with little pockets of melted chocolate from the M&Ms. For another chewy bar recipe, try these caramel pretzel brownies too!
- The M&Ms stay colorful and slightly crunchy. They don't fully melt into the batter, and you get actual pops of chocolate and color in every slice, which makes these as fun to look at as they are to eat.
- Endlessly adaptable. Swap in seasonal M&M colors and you've got a holiday bar without changing a single thing about the recipe.
Jump to:
Ingredients
All you need are a handful of basic pantry ingredients to make this chewy blondies recipe with M&M's.
- Melted salted butter: We use salted butter here on purpose. It adds a subtle depth that plain unsalted can't quite match, especially against all that brown sugar. There's no need to add extra salt to manage the flavor as the recipe is written to account for it.
- Dark brown sugar: Dark brown sugar has a higher molasses content than light brown, which gives these blondies that rich, almost caramel-like flavor in the base. Light brown sugar works in a pinch, but the bars will taste a little milder. It's also used to make these browned butter chocolate chip cookies.
- Granulated sugar: The combo of brown and white sugar is what makes these bars chewy without being too dense. The granulated sugar lightens the texture just enough.
- M&M's: Classic milk chocolate M&Ms are the move here. Two full cups means you get pops of chocolate and color in nearly every bite.
See the full list of ingredients with quantities in the recipe card.
Blondies Recipe Variations
The base blondies recipe is endlessly adaptable and easy to make at any time of the year. Here are a few ideas:
- Seasonal & Holiday Swaps: Customize this blondies recipe by swapping out the classic M&M's for different seasonal colors. These include red and green M&Ms for Christmas, pastel for Easter, red and pink for Valentine's Day, and orange and black for Halloween.
- Peanut Butter M&Ms: Swap in peanut butter M&Ms for a salty-sweet note.
- Peanut M&Ms: These add more crunch and a nutty layer that pairs especially well with the dark brown sugar base. Since these are slightly larger, you might consider chopping them in half.
- Chocolate Chip Blondies: Swap the M&M's for chocolate chips for a more traditional blondie bar.
- Add Chocolate Chips: Replace half a cup of the M&Ms with white chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate chips for extra gooey pockets.
How to Make M&M Blondies
To get started, preheat the oven to 350°F, spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or line it with parchment paper, and gather together all your ingredients.
- Step 1: Combine sugar. Whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl until smooth. Make sure that the melted butter cools slightly before adding it. Hot butter can result in greasy bars. It doesn't need to be cold but just not steaming hot.
- Step 2: Add eggs. Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the sugar mixture and mix until fully combined.
- Step 3: Add dry ingredients. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt, mixing until a soft dough forms. Be sure you only stir just until no dry streaks remain. Overmixing is the most common cause of cakey blondies.
- Add the M&M's. Add the candies and gently fold them into the batter.
- Step 5: Place in the pan. Spread the dough evenly into the prepared pan. The dough is on the thick side, so you can use slightly damp hands or the back of a greased spatula to press it flat.
- Step 6: Bake. Place the oven to bake for 23–25 minutes, just until the edges are golden. The center should look slightly underdone, but it firms up as it cools. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool completely before slicing into 12 squares. For a fun dessert, serve them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of homemade caramel sauce.
Expert Tips
- Finishing Touch: Press extra M&Ms on top of the batter before baking for a prettier, more colorful bar.
- Easier Removal: Add a piece of parchment paper to your dish, allowing it to overhang on at least two opposite sides. This makes it easier to lift the blondies from the pan so you can cut clean squares.
- Cut Fully Cooled: It's important to wait until the blondies are completely cooled before slicing. While warm, they will still be slightly delicate. They will finish setting up as they cool.
- Use as a Food Gift: These blondie brownie bars travel and gift beautifully. Stack them in a clear bag tied with a ribbon for neighbor gifts or holiday cookie boxes. For more fun gifting ideas, see our post on making holiday cookie bags.
- Storage: Place leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4–5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. If you need to stack them, make sure to layer with parchment. If frozen, thaw at room temperature for at least 20–30 minutes.
Blondies Recipe FAQs
There are two common culprits when it comes to cakey blondies. They are overmixing and overbaking. Once the flour goes in, stir just until no dry streaks remain. This is because overworking the batter develops the gluten and gives you a cakier texture. And pull them out of the oven when the edges are set and golden, while the center still looks slightly underdone. If you wait until the center looks fully baked in the oven, you've gone too far.
Yes, it'll work. The bars will just have a slightly milder, less caramel-forward flavor since light brown sugar has a lower molasses content. Still delicious, but just a little less rich. Dark brown is our preference for these, but use what you have.
Yes, there are two ways to do it. You can mix the batter, cover the pan, and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking. Just add a couple of extra minutes to the bake time since the batter will be cold. Or you can bake them fully, let them cool completely, and store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They actually get a little chewier on day two.
To start, make sure your blondies are completely cooled. This will take a few hours on a wire rack. Remove them from the pan. Using parchment paper with some overhanging edges makes this easy, as you can simply lift them out of the pan and place them intact on a cutting board. Use a serrated knife for the cleanest cuts, and run the knife under warm water and dry it off to make cleaner cuts.
Serving Suggestions
These are great at room temperature straight from the pan, but serve them slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and they feel like a proper dessert.
- For a birthday or celebration spread, stack these alongside these birthday cake cookies for a colorful, festive dessert table kids will go crazy for.
- For holiday gifting, swap in seasonal M&M colors, let them cool, and bag them up with some chocolate peppermint cookies.
- If you're making these for a cozy night in, a mug of hot cinnamon milk with your blondies is a combination I fully stand behind.
More Easy Dessert Bar Recipes
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M&M Blondies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter melted
- 1 cup dark brown sugar lightly packed
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups M&M’s candies any variety
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until fully combined.
- Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt until a soft dough forms.
- Fold in the M&M’s candies.
- Spread the dough evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 23–25 minutes, just until the edges are golden. Do not overbake.
- Let cool completely before slicing into 12 squares.
Notes
- Make sure your blondies are completely cooled. This will take a few hours on a wire rack.
- I like to remove them from the pan. Using parchment paper makes this easy. Simply lift them out of the pan and place on a cutting board.
- I've found that using a serrated knife makes the cleanest cuts. You can also run the knife under warm water and dry it off to make more clean cuts.
Nutrition
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