Gooey, sweet Funfetti Bars have a chocolate chip cookie base topped with marshmallows, chocolate-covered pretzels, mini M&M’s, and sprinkles.
author’s note
Mom’s Famous Loaded Cookie Bars!
These loaded bars really have it all: a soft chocolate chip cookie base, gooey marshmallows that melt into every bite, and a big pile of candy on top. My mom made these all the time when I was growing up, and they were a total hit. She’s still famous for them, right alongside her Seven-Layer Bars and Caramelitas.
She usually started with store-bought cookie dough for the base, which works great if you’re in a hurry. But I’ll be honest, I think the homemade version takes them to the next level.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Swap / Tip |
|---|---|
| Butter & Sugars | Use all brown sugar for extra chewiness. |
| Flour | Weigh the flour if possible to avoid dry, cakey bars. |
| Eggs | Bring to room temp for easier mixing; swap in flax eggs for a fun experiment. |
| Chocolate Chips | Semi-sweet cuts the sweetness; white or dark chocolate works too. |
| Mini Marshmallows | Use large marshmallows cut into pieces if that’s what you have. |
| Chocolate-Covered Pretzels | Swap with white chocolate pretzels, peanut butter pretzels, or chopped candy bars. |
| Mini M\&M’s & Sprinkles | Use seasonal colors for holidays (red & green for Christmas, pastels for Easter, orange & black for Halloween). |
| Vanilla Extract | Almond extract is a nice swap for a bakery-style flavor. |
How To Make Funfetti Bars
- Bake the base. Make the cookie dough, spread in a pan, and bake until golden.
- Melt marshmallows. Add mini marshmallows on top and return to the oven briefly.
- Add toppings. Press in pretzels, mini M&M’s, and sprinkles.
- Cool & slice. Let bars set, then cut with a sharp knife.
Quick Tips
- If you have a food scale, weigh the flour so the base doesn’t turn out dry or cake-like.
- Let the funfetti bars cool all the way before cutting. They taste great warm but get really messy, so give them at least an hour.
- Fresh, soft marshmallows make the topping taste better.
- Mini M&M’s, called milk chocolate baking bits, are usually in the baking aisle.
- If you want it less sweet, use semi-sweet chocolate chips or skip a few toppings.
More Cookie Recipes:
Funfetti Bars
Gooey and loaded with fun, these Funfetti Bars start with a chocolate chip cookie base topped with marshmallows, M&M’s, chocolate pretzels, and sprinkles—sweet, crunchy, and irresistible!
Equipment
Ingredients
Cookie Bars
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips can also use semi-sweet chocolate chips
Toppings
- 1-1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
- 1/4 cup miniature M&M’s see note 1
- 3/4 cup chocolate-covered pretzels coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper (do not skip—these bars are sticky!) and set aside.
- In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, cream the room-temperature butter (not melted) with the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract. Add baking soda, salt, flour, and chocolate chips. Beat until the dough is combined and smooth. It will be a bit wet.
- Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 19–23 minutes or until lightly golden brown at the edges and firm in the center (shouldn’t be glossy).
- Remove from the oven and top with the marshmallows. Bake for 1 and 1/2 more minutes and remove from the oven to a cooling rack.
- Top with the mini M&M’s, coarsely chopped chocolate pretzels, and sprinkles.
- Let Funfetti Bars cool at room temperature for at least an hour, then cut into bars (with a hot sharp knife—run under hot water, dry, cut, repeat), and enjoy. These are best enjoyed within the same day because of the marshmallows.
Final step! Please let us know how it was by leaving a review.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Mini M&M’s can be found in the baking aisle of most grocery stores; they’re labeled as M&M milk chocolate baking bits.
Storage: If you have leftovers, you can keep these bars, tightly covered, at room temperature for up to 3 days. They can also be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, but the marshmallow does lose flavor and texture.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 295kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 73mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Variations
Fun Ways To Switch Them Up
- Holiday Themed: Use holiday-colored M&M’s and sprinkles like these confetti bars.
- Different Candy Combos: Try Reese’s Pieces, Snickers, or white chocolate drizzle.
- Party Platter Ready: Cut into bite-sized squares and pile high on a tray. Kids love grabbing them like candy.
- Ice Cream Pairing: Serve warm bars with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
The best kind of bars! Love how it has a little something for everyone! Kids go nuts for them!
Just looking at the pictures made my mouth water so I decided to give this recipe a try with my kids. They definitely had fun, we had a good bonding moment, they LOVED this dessert so much. This is on top of the list for sure!
These are cute AND yummy 🙂
These are incredibly cute, Chelsea
Hi Chelsea – came across the divine little bites of goodness on Foodgawker. Your pics are absolutely gorgeous! Bravo!
Thank you so much Brodie!