Sweet Easter treat for everyone

These Easter Cake Mix Cookie Bars offer the perfect balance of convenience and festivity for your spring celebrations. With their soft, chewy texture and colorful Easter M&Ms, these bars deliver the satisfying taste of homemade cookies with a fraction of the effort. The simple addition of spring-colored candies transforms an everyday treat into a holiday-worthy dessert that will brighten any Easter gathering.

I first made these cookie bars for a last-minute Easter gathering and was amazed at how quickly they disappeared! What surprised me most was how something so simple could taste so distinctly homemade. Now they're my go-to when I need an impressive dessert but don't have hours to spend in the kitchen.

Essential Ingredients

• Yellow cake mix – Provides the perfect base with balanced sweetness and vanilla flavor; any brand works well
• Vegetable oil – Creates moisture and tenderness without adding competing flavors to the bars
• Eggs – Bind everything together while adding richness and helping the bars rise slightly
• Vanilla extract – Enhances the flavor profile with its warm, aromatic notes
• Easter M&Ms – Add festive spring colors and a satisfying candy crunch throughout the bars

Step-By-Step Cooking Instructions

Prepare your baking environment –

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). While the oven is heating, lightly coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Using a light hand with the spray ensures the bars won't stick without becoming greasy. Consider lining the dish with parchment paper with overhanging edges for even easier removal and cleanup. The parchment creates handles that allow you to lift the entire batch out after cooling.

Create the cookie bar base –

In a large mixing bowl, combine one 15.25-ounce box of yellow cake mix, 2 large eggs, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix these ingredients together using a sturdy spatula or electric mixer on low speed until well combined. The mixture will be quite thick—much thicker than cake batter and more similar to a soft cookie dough. This thickness is exactly what you want; it's what gives the bars their chewy, cookie-like texture rather than a cakey consistency.

Add the festive mix-ins –

Gently fold in 1 cup of Easter/spring-colored M&Ms and 1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Distribute these evenly throughout the dough using a folding motion rather than aggressive stirring. This technique preserves the bright colors of the M&Ms and prevents them from bleeding into the dough. Reserve a small handful of M&Ms to sprinkle on top for visual appeal.

Transfer and prepare for baking –

Spoon the thick dough into your prepared baking dish. Using a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon (slightly moistened to prevent sticking), spread the dough evenly into the corners and edges of the pan. The dough will be sticky, so take your time with this step. For a professional-looking finish, sprinkle the reserved handful of M&Ms on top and gently press them into the surface so they'll stay in place during baking but remain visible.

Bake to perfection –

Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. The cookie bars are done when the edges are set and lightly golden, while the center remains soft but not gooey. The top should look dry and the bars will have risen slightly. Be careful not to overbake; these bars are meant to be soft and chewy. If you're unsure, it's better to underbake slightly than risk them becoming too dry.

Cool completely before cutting –

Allow the cookie bars to cool completely in the baking dish, which typically takes about an hour. This cooling period is crucial as it allows the bars to set properly. If you try to cut them while they're still warm, they'll likely fall apart. Once fully cooled, use a sharp knife to cut them into squares. For the cleanest cuts, wipe the knife blade clean between slices.

Pin it

Creative Variations

The beauty of this recipe lies in its versatility. For a chocolate lover's dream, substitute chocolate cake mix for the yellow cake mix and use all chocolate chips or a mix of semi-sweet and white chocolate chips. For a birthday celebration, try funfetti cake mix with rainbow sprinkles instead of M&Ms.

Create seasonal variations throughout the year by changing the color of your M&Ms—red and green for Christmas, orange and brown for Halloween, or red, white, and blue for patriotic holidays. You can also swap in different mix-ins like butterscotch chips, crushed Oreos, or chopped nuts for unique flavor combinations.

For an extra special Easter treat, add 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips and 1/3 cup of pastel-colored sprinkles to the base recipe. The white chocolate pairs beautifully with the yellow cake mix, creating a sweet, creamy contrast to the crunchy candy shells.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

These cookie bars stay fresh at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days, making them perfect for preparing ahead of your Easter gathering. For the best texture, layer them between sheets of parchment paper to prevent sticking.

You can also freeze these bars for up to 3 months. After cooling completely, cut them into squares and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet to freeze individually. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between layers. Thaw at room temperature for about an hour before serving.

My grandmother always said that the best holiday treats are the ones that don't keep you too busy to enjoy the celebration. She would appreciate how these bars combine homemade taste with time-saving convenience. When I make them, I think of her wisdom about finding the perfect balance between effort and results—these cookies deliver exactly that.

I've been making variations of these cake mix cookie bars for years, and what I appreciate most is their reliability. No matter what cake flavor or mix-ins I choose, they always turn out delicious and crowd-pleasing. There's something wonderfully satisfying about creating a treat that looks festive and tastes homemade with such minimal effort—it's the perfect recipe for enjoying more time with loved ones during the holiday weekend.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Can I use a different cake mix flavor?

Yes! Try chocolate, funfetti, or strawberry cake mix for delicious variations.

→ Why do I need to let the bars cool completely?

Cooling allows the bars to set properly, making them easier to cut into clean squares without crumbling.

→ Can I use regular M&Ms instead of Easter ones?

Absolutely! Any color M&Ms work great in this recipe, so use seasonal colors or your favorites.

→ How should I store leftover cookie bars?

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for longer storage.

→ Can I add nuts to the recipe?

Yes, add 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans when you fold in the chocolate chips and M&Ms.