If you're in the mood for Easter baking, you've landed in the right place. This easy recipe shows you how to make perfect Easter cookie bars that are brown and crisp on the outside, soft in the middle and packed with crunchy Mini Eggs. With just 35 minutes of prepping and baking time, these scrumptious bars of soft, sweet Easter deliciousness really are a no-brainer.
The post contains additional information and helpful tips to ensure the recipe turns out great the first time. Please use the link above to jump to the recipe card at the end if you are in a hurry!
I don't know about you, but I start to get excited about Easter baking the moment the Mini Eggs hit the shops. If you love Mini Egg baked treats (and who doesn't?) you should check out my triple-layer Mini Egg Brownies. Or if your cookie craving is still holding strong, you should try my Mini Egg NYC-style Cookies.
✅ 4 reasons why you'll love this recipe:
- Crisp and brown on the top and soft and chewy in the middle, packed with crunchy chocolatey Mini Eggs
- Easy to make - whisk together the wet and dry ingredients, fold in the Mini Eggs and caramel pieces and bake.
- Quick - just 15 minutes of simple prep and 20 in the oven and then this tasty tray bake will be yours to enjoy.
- Just like Mini Egg Cookies, but without the faff of forming individual cookies and no risk of spreading.
🛒 Ingredients and variations:
This delicious Mini Egg tray bake requires a few simple ingredients that you will be able to pick up at your local store.
Butter
Unsalted is recommended, but if you don’t have any to hand, don’t panic. You can use salted butter too. Just don’t add extra salt.
For best results make sure get the butter to room temperature before you begin. If you forget to take your butter out of the fridge you can use your microwave to warm cold butter. Cut it into small pieces and place it in a single layer on a plate and microwave for short 5-10 second bursts, turning halfway until it is soft enough to indent when you place your finger on it.
Butter can be switched for oil in most baking recipes and the general advice is to use ¾ of the amount. Note, that these cookie bars have only been tested with butter.
Sugar
Golden granulated sugar is my go-to because it provides additional flavour without being too rich. You can use a mixture of brown and white sugar to get a similar taste. In fact, you'll notice a lot of cookie recipes require both, but golden/light brown sugar saves you the hassle of buying two types.
Please avoid using only white or brown sugar. The cookies will be bland tasting or too rich.
Mini Eggs
I will always reach for Cadbury Mini Eggs, but you can use another brand of Mini Eggs or switch them for another type of shelled chocolate like M&Ms or Smarties.
I use whole Mini Eggs because unlike regular Mini Egg Cookies, cookie dough bars are thick enough to accommodate them.
Prefer crushed Mini Eggs? Feel free to break them up into smaller pieces, by bashing them with a rolling pin.
Chocolate/butterscotch chips
Adding chocolate chips and/or butterscotch chips makes for a more interesting flavour or texture. You can take your pick here as long as you stick to the suggested volume. A lot of recipes suggest adding dark chocolate, but I tend to opt for a mixture of white and dark because I love the contrasting flavours. You can also use milk chocolate chips if you prefer.
You can use chocolate baking chips or chop up a bar of chocolate into small pieces. I will only buy chocolate chips if I don't have other chocolate in the house.
Butterscotch pieces or chopped soft caramel pieces are optional, but sure to take the cookie bars to the next level by adding wonderfully gooey sweetness.
Flour and gluten-free cookie bars
This recipe has been tested with regular plain/all-purpose flour. You can use gluten-free or almond flour instead, but please note that the recipe has not been tested with these.
Mixing
I usually grab my electric whisk - it's easy to set up and clean, and does the job well. You can also use your stand mixer if you have one or mix by hand with a good old-fashioned whisk and spoon, and a bit of oomph!
When it comes to folding in the Mini Eggs and chocolate chips you need to be more gentle. These should be carefully folded in by hand, so they don't break into smaller pieces.
🧑🍳 Recipe steps
1. Mix the wet ingredients
Beat the butter and sugar with an electric whisk or stand mixer. Then add the egg and vanilla essence.
2. Mix the dry ingredients
Mix the flour, baking powder and salt in a small jug or bowl and mix them into the wet ingredients.
3. Fold in Mini Eggs and chocolate/butterscotch chips
Fold in the Mini Eggs and chocolate/butterscotch chips by hand.
4. Bake
Place the cookie dough into a greased and lined baking dish and bake for 18-20 minutes at 200C or 390F until the top is brown and set. Leave to cool for 5-10 minutes in the baking dish and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Then slice into bars and enjoy.
How to tell when the cookie bars are done
Make sure you bake the cookie bars, until they turn a light brown colour on top. To check if they're done, just poke a cocktail stick into the centre and if it comes out clean, you're all set.
Don’t worry if they're still a bit soft after you take them out of the oven. They will cook a little more in the tin and harden as they cool.
Serving suggestions
Mini Egg cookie bars are seriously delicious all on their own and also pair well with a cup of tea or coffee. If you're feeling a little extra, you should try topping them with some cream or ice cream. Cool ice cream paired with a warm cookie bar is a match made in heaven. Scroll down for some nifty tips on how to reheat cookie bars and bring back that lovely freshly-baked warmth.
Variations
One of the great things about this cookie bar recipe is that you can switch out the Mini Eggs and chocolate chips for other ingredients to make all kinds of cookie bars. Here are a few suggestions:
- Nuts - if you prefer nuts to chocolate why not swap the chocolate chips for some chopped nuts? Almonds, pistachios, peanuts and hazelnuts are all solid choices.
- M&Ms or Smarties - perfect for when you’re craving that crunchy shelled chocolate outside the Easter period.
- Drizzle melted white or milk chocolate on top to make them even more indulgent.
👍 Top tips
- Get the butter and egg to room temperature before you begin - this enables you to get more air into the mixture and generates an evenly textured cookie dough. Cold egg and butter can create dense cookies, so ensure your butter and egg reach room temperature before you begin.
- Fold in the Mini Eggs by hand - the shells are likely to break apart if an electric mixer is applied on a fast setting.
- Double this recipe to feed a crowd - this small batch recipe yields 6-8 cookie bars. Use the scaling buttons in the recipe card to x2 the quantities to make a larger batch.
🙋 FAQs
Cadbury Mini Eggs are a seasonal product that is typically sold during the springtime and Easter period. They usually make an appearance in stores in February and are very easy to find throughout March and April. Finding Mini Eggs at other times of the year can be tricky, but there are some online retailers that sell them all year round.
You can buy Cadbury Mini Eggs in America where they are also a popular Easter candy that can often be found in stores around the holiday season. Cadbury is a global brand, and their products are sold in many countries, including the United States. You may be able to find Cadbury Mini Eggs in grocery stores, convenience stores, or online retailers that sell chocolate.
A cookie bar is a type of dessert that is made by baking cookie dough in a rectangular pan, creating a dense and chewy bar-like treat. The dough is typically made with ingredients similar to those used in traditional cookies, such as flour, sugar, eggs, butter or oil, with add-ins like chocolate chips, nuts, or dried fruits. However, cookie bars usually have a higher ratio of dough to mix-ins, resulting in a denser, more uniform texture.
Cookie bars can be customised in many ways. For example, some recipes might call for a layer of frosting or glaze on top, while others might incorporate different types of mix-ins, such as caramel, butterscotch chips, or peanut butter. Cookie bars are often cut into squares or rectangles for easy serving, and they can be enjoyed as a snack or dessert on their own or paired with ice cream, whipped cream, or other toppings.
The ingredients of Cadbury Mini Eggs vary by country. However, the most common recipe for Cadbury Mini Eggs does not contain peanuts.
That being said, it is always important to check the label for allergen information, especially if you have a peanut allergy or other food allergies, as manufacturing processes and ingredients can change. The label will confirm if the product contains peanuts or was processed in a facility that handles peanuts.
Usually, cookie bars are around 2cm - 2.5cm (or 1 inch) thick. You can make them thinner if you prefer. Just remember that thinner bars will bake quicker so you’ll need to knock a few minutes off the recommended cooking time. You might also want to break up the Mini Eggs if you are making thinner bars. The best way to do this is to put them into a sealed food bag and bash them with a rolling pin.
📦 Storage
The baked Mini Egg cookie bars will keep in an airtight tin for up to a week.
You can make the cookie dough ahead and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days wrapped in cling film or in an airtight container. You can also freeze the uncooked dough for up to 3 months. Just defrost it in the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature before baking.
You can freeze baked Mini Egg cookie dough bars for up to 3 months. Make sure you freeze them separately or put greaseproof or parchment paper in between them so they do not stick together. Defrost them in the fridge and bring them to room temperature before you eat them.
How to reheat cookie bars
Reheating cookie bars is a great way to bring back that fresh-out-of-the-oven warmth, taste and texture. It's also super easy and can be done using your microwave, oven or air fryer.
- Microwave: Pop them in for 10-15 seconds until they become warm
- Oven: Place the cookie bars on a baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes at 175°C (350°F). Be careful not to overheat them. You don't want them to become tough and dry.
- Air fryer: Place the cookies in the air fryer basket and cook at 175°C (350°F) for 4-5 minutes until they are warm and crispy. Keep checking on them to ensure they don't burn.
If you fancy another warm gooey cookie-inspired treat you should try my warm chocolate chip cookie dough puddings.
😋 More Mini Egg and Cookie recipes
Wondering what to do with your remaining Mini Eggs or looking for another cookie-based treat? Here are a few recipes to try:
Did you try this recipe? It would be really great if you could leave a comment and a star rating ⭐️. I would love to receive your feedback and know that other readers find it helpful too.
Don't forget to tag #knifeandsoulrecipes on Instagram or @knifeandsoul on Pinterest!
📖 Recipe
Mini Egg Cookie Bars
Equipment
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 Baking tray
Ingredients
- 60 g (¼ cup) unsalted butter room temperature
- 120 g (½ cup + 1.5 tbsp) golden granulated sugar Note 1
- 1 egg room temperature
- ½ tsp vanilla essence
- 150 g (1 ¼ cups) plain or all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 160 g (¾ cup) Mini Eggs
- 80 pieces (½ cup) chocolate chips or butterscotch chips of a mixture (equivilant to 3oz)
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 390F or 200C. Grease a baking dish and line it with parchment/greaseproof paper. (Note 2)
- Beat the butter and sugar with an electric whisk or stand mixer. Then add the egg and vanilla essence.
- Mix the flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Then pour them into the wet mixture and gently mix on a low setting.
- Add the Mini Eggs and chocolate and/or butterscotch chips and fold them in by hand.
- Spoon the mixture into the greased baking dish and flatten with the back of a large spoon.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes until they are golden brown. (Note 3)
- Let the baked cookie dough cool for 5-10 minutes on the tray and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Cut into squares and enjoy.
Notes
- Sugar: You can also use a mixture of brown and white sugar. Please avoid using only white or brown sugar. The cookies will be bland tasting or too rich.
- Perfectly baked cookie bars: Will still feel soft to touch, but will harden as they cool.
- Baking tin size: The recipe has been tested with a 21cm/8in x 15cm/6in x 4.5cm/2in baking dish.
What size baking pan?
Hi Christl, I've tested this with a 21cm/8in x 15cm/6in x 4.5cm/2in baking dish. I will also add this info to the recipe.