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Thick, rich, chewy bar cookies bursting with delicious add-ins — oatmeal, dried cherries, chocolate chips, coconut, and plain M&Ms.
Recently, we went out to dinner with our wonderful backdoor neighbors. While we were waiting for our meals to arrive, they asked about my blog, what I was baking, and told me how much they enjoy the treats I occasionally drop off.
Then Dennis told me that his all-time favorite cookie was one I brought over three years ago at Christmas time. He went on to describe the cookie in detail, so I knew exactly which cookie was his favorite.
The original bar cookies were cut in a star shape, and decorated for Christmas. So I thought it would be fun to share the recipe again with some pretty multi-colored M&Ms, which would be perfect this time of year.
When I’m making a cookie that has lots of mix-ins added to the dough, I like to mix the add-ins together in a big bowl before adding them to dough. That way your mix-ins are more evenly distributed throughout your cookie dough.
It had been a three years since I’d made these cookies, and I shouldn’t have waited so long. They really are a fantastic, over-the-top delicious, memorable bar cookie.
Thanks Dennis for the reminder. I hope you enjoyed them as much this time around.
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Chocolate Chip Coconut Oatmeal Bar Cookies with Dried Cherries and M&Ms
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups light brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats not quick-cooking
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup dried cherries cut in half
- ½ cup M&Ms
Instructions
- Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. Preheat oven to 350° if using a metal pan or 325° using a glass pan.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl mix the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the eggs one at a time mix until well blended. Mix in the vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix just until blended. Stir in the oats, chocolate chips, coconut and cherries.
- Spread the batter in the prepared pan and sprinkle M&Ms on top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. (Don’t overcook.)
- Cool on a rack to room temperature before cutting.
Bethany
We made these yesterday with the only changes being that we sprinkled chocolate chips, not M&Ms, on top and had to bake them longer than expected. They were good! Thanks for the recipe. 🙂
Liz
I love how you managed to squeeze all my favorite cookie ingredients into one delectable bar cookie! A must make recipe for sure!!
PassTheKnife
These look so fun, would be great in a lunchbox for back to school!
Erica @ The Crumby Cupcake
I’ve made sooooo many kinds of cookies over the years, and somehow, never a bar. Gonna have to try these!!! Pinned!
Melissa @ My Recent Favorite books
I’m going to try these soon! =)
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
I am sure you are very popular around the neighbourhood mum, not just for your baking but because you are awesome! It’s always nice when people appreciate or remember things that you’ve made 😀 xxx
Amanda
What a fun dessert!
Kitchen Belleicious
it has everything you could ever want in a cookie and bar all in one. I love theme. The coconut stands out to me bc I am a huge fan of chocolate and coconut together. I would love to make these
Angie@Angie's Recipes
wow these bars look so festive and wonderful, Barbara. Not only kids, also adults will love them dearly,
capturing joy with kristen duke
Just pinned, yummy!!!
Jessica @ Sweet Menu
How gorgeous are these! Love that you have neighbours who remember your treats in such detail! Will have to try! 🙂
2 Sisters Recipes
These look and sound amazing Barbara. Love the total cookie- bar thing. YUM!
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef
These make me feel like a kid again. I could eat more than one, I’m sure. 🙂
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
These bars look great! Love the dried cherries in there!
Carol at Wild Goose Tea
There is no doubt that this is a memorable bar. Look at the list of ingredients. Plus the photo captures
the utter moistness of this creation. I can’t wait to make it! It is going to make me a popular person——finally!
Rocky Mountain Woman
looks like the perfect “kid” treat, no matter how old the kid is!
Carol
Gorgeous! And mighty tasty sounding too. Something for everyone in these bars that’s for sure.
Thank you Barbara 🙂
Beth
Hey, I’m supposed to be at work! How can I concentrate when all I can think about now is these incredibly wonderful-looking decadent delights!! They have fruit in them so they must be healthy, right? I’m definitely going to make these this weekend. I like the idea of making them as bars as opposed to drop cookies, although I bet you could make them that way too. Thanks for a great recipe.
Barbara Schieving
Thanks Beth! Your comment made me smile. I’m happy to be a delightful distraction occasionally. I’m sure they would make a delicious drop cookie too. Have a great week 🙂
Jill
These look way too tasty! Love the addition of dried cherries!
Rosa
Delicious looking! What lovely flavors.
Cheers,
Rosa