Easter Egg Chocolate Cookie Bars Recipe

I love this recipe because it combines the nostalgic comfort of classic chocolate chip cookies with the playful surprise of mini pastel marshmallows and crushed chocolate eggs, which is a total game-changer for my sweet tooth. Plus, it’s the perfect blend of chewy and crunchy, making it ideal for any gathering or an indulgent treat just for me!

I adore making festive goodies, and these Chocolate Cookie Bars with Easter Egg are an absolute indulgence. Using a recipe from Karen Rizzo’s kitchen, we blast through Mrs.

Rizzo’s buttery, sugary, and easy-to-make dough that fairly oozes—cumulatively, and in a few different ways—the promised flavors of semi-sweet chocolate and pastel mallow. Then we follow that up by ramping up the sunshine-fueled fun factor with some colorful (and conveniently crunchy) chocolate egg bits.

Ingredients

Richness and a tender texture are what these bars are all about, and the key to that is butter.

Brown sugar: Ensures dampness and a profound, caramelized taste.

Sugar, in granulated form, sweetens and serves to help form a tender texture.

Bind ingredients and add moisture for a chewy texture.

That is what eggs do when you make cookies.

They add hold and chew and make everything taste good.

And they do this with varying degrees of ornithological products.

Vanilla Extract: This substance boosts the flavors of other ingredients by means of its warm, sweet smell.

All-Purpose Flour: Gives chewy, stable, bar-forming structure.

Chocolate Chips: Provide explosions of chocolate richness that complement sweetness.

Contribute a fun, colorful sweetness: Mini pastel marshmallows.

Mini Crushed Chocolate Eggs: A festive and crunchy addition.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• 1 cup mini pastel marshmallows
• 1 cup crushed mini chocolate eggs

Instructions

1. Your oven should be set to 350°F (175°C) for preheating. A baking pan, measuring 9×13 inches, can either be lined with parchment paper or greased lightly to prepare it for use.

2. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.

3. Incorporate the eggs into the butter and sugar mixture, adding them one at a time and beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.

4. In another bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt, and give them a good whisking together.

5. The dry ingredients should be added to the wet ingredients gradually, mixed until just combined, and not overmixed.

6. Incorporate the chocolate chips, mini pastel marshmallow, and crushed mini chocolate eggs into the dough until they are evenly distributed throughout.

7. Evenly spread the cookie dough into the baking pan that you have prepared, and, using a spatula, smooth the top.

8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a 2-quart casserole dish by thoroughly buttering it. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over moderately low heat. Add 1 medium onion, finely chopped, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and lightly browned—about 10 minutes.

9. Take the baking sheet out of the oven and let the cookie bars cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes.

10. Following cooling, slice the cookie bars into squares and serve. Savor your Easter Egg Chocolate Cookie Bars!

Equipment Needed

1. Oven
2. 9×13 inch baking pan
3. Parchment paper or cooking spray (for preparing the baking pan)
4. Large mixing bowl
5. Electric mixer
6. Measuring cups and spoons
7. Whisk
8. Spatula
9. Wire rack

FAQ

• Q: Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted butter?A: Yes, you can use salted butter. Just decrease the added salt in the recipe to 1/4 teaspoon.
• Q: Are there substitutes for mini pastel marshmallows?A: If you prefer, you can use standard mini marshmallows or forgo them altogether for a less sweet topping.
• Q: What if I don’t have mini chocolate eggs?A. You can replace the chocolate with regular chocolate chips or any kind of chocolate candy you like, chopped into rough bits.
• Q: How should I store the cookie bars?A: Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature, and they will last for up to a week. For longer storage, freeze them, and they will be good for up to three months.
• Q: Can I make the dough ahead of time?You can prepare the dough in advance and refrigerate it for no more than 48 hours before baking.

Substitutions and Variations

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened can be substituted with 1 cup solid coconut oil.
A less refined option is 1 cup coconut sugar, which can be used in place of 1 cup packed brown sugar.
You can substitute 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce for 2 large eggs (for a vegan version).
2 teaspoons almond extract can be substituted with 2 teaspoons vanilla extract to create a different taste.
You can substitute 2 cups of white chocolate chips for 2 cups of chocolate chips when you want a different flavor.

Pro Tips

1. Room Temperature Ingredients Ensure that your butter and eggs are at room temperature before starting. This will help them incorporate more smoothly into the batter, leading to a more uniform texture.

2. Creaming Method When creaming the butter and sugars, aim for a light and fluffy mixture. This may take a few minutes with an electric mixer, and it’s crucial for creating air pockets that give the bars a lighter texture.

3. Gentle Mixing Once you add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, mix only until just combined. Overmixing can make the bars dense and tough due to gluten development in the flour.

4. Pan Preparation To easily remove the bars from the pan after baking, line the pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides. This will allow you to lift the bars out smoothly without risking them breaking apart.

5. Even Distribution To ensure even distribution of chocolate chips, marshmallows, and chocolate eggs, fold them into the dough using a spatula. This will allow for a less vigorous mixing process, keeping the dough from becoming too stiff.