These Cadbury Egg Cookie Bars are the perfect simple and delicious Easter dessert. These bars are soft, chewy, and packed with crunchy Cadbury Mini Eggs, making them perfect for spring desserts any time you need a cute last-minute treat for a brunch, potluck, or girls’ night. You mix everything in one bowl, bake it in a single pan, and slice into pretty pastel bars that everyone will ask you for the recipe for.
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Ingredients for Cadbury Egg Cookie Bars
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, browned
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp cornstarch (optional, for softer texture)
- 1 1/4 cups Cadbury Mini Eggs, lightly crushed
- Extra Cadbury Mini Eggs for topping
- 1/2–1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
How to Make Cadbury Egg Cookie Bars
1. Brown the butter: In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. The butter will start to foam and froth; as the foam dies down, you’ll see brown specks forming at the bottom and smell a nutty aroma. That’s when it’s ready.
2. Place the butter in a heat-safe bowl and let it cool. Make sure to use a rubber spatula to scrape out all those brown specks at the bottom, because that’s where the flavor is.
3. Place your Cadbury mini eggs in a plastic zip top bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8 or 9×9 pan with parchment paper
5. Mix the slightly cooled browned butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth and glossy (I found it easiest to use a rubber spatula for mixing, but a whisk or electric mixer work too).
6. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
7. Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch (if using). Stir just until no dry streaks remain.
8. Fold in the crushed Cadbury Mini Eggs and chocolate chips. Keep some Cadbury Mini Eggs aside for sprinkling on top later.
9. Press the dough into your lined pan.
10. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the edges look set and the center still looks soft.
11. Sprinkle the extra chopped Mini Eggs on top and return to the oven.
12. Bake for another 6–10 minutes, until the edges are golden and the center is still slightly underbaked.
13. Cool completely before slicing into bars. Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days at room temperature.
Pro Tips
- Use a light-colored pan for browning butter It makes it so much easier to see when the butter turns perfectly toasty instead of accidentally going too far. Also, make sure you push the foam away from the top of your browned butter so you can see the brown specks beneath to know it’s done.
- Crush Mini Eggs the easy way Toss them in a zip-top bag and tap with a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy measuring cup. I like a mix of big chunks and smaller shards.
- Room temp eggs (fast method) If you forget to pull your eggs out ahead of time, pop them in warm water for 5–7 minutes and you’re good.
- Don’t skip chill time. Letting the browned butter cool and then letting the baked bars cool fully is key. The flavors deepen, and the bars set into that soft, sliceable texture that makes them so easy to serve.
FAQs
Do I have to brown the butter?
You can use melted butter, but browned butter is what makes it taste bakery-style and extra cozy. It’s worth the few minutes.
Can I use different candy instead of Cadbury Mini Eggs?
Definitely. Try chopped chocolate eggs, M&M’s, or other chocolate candy. Keep total mix-ins around 1 1/2–2 cups so the cookie still bakes up properly.
How should I store leftovers?
Store leftover bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months. Let them thaw at room temperature before serving.
Can I bake this in a 9×13 pan?
For sure! Double all the ingredients and bake in a 9×13 pan. Start checking for doneness around 25 to 28 minutes, then add the topping and finish baking. The total bake time will be a bit longer, so watch the edges and center rather than the clock.
Cadbury Egg Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter browned and cooled
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 3/4 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch optional, for softer texture
- 1 1/4 cups Cadbury Mini Eggs lightly crushed plus extra for topping
- 1/2-1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Brown the butter: In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. The butter will start to foam and froth; as the foam dies down, you’ll see brown specks forming at the bottom and smell a nutty aroma. That’s when it’s ready.
- Place the butter in a heat-safe bowl and let it cool. Make sure to use a rubber spatula to scrape out all those brown specks at the bottom, because that's where the flavor is.
- Place your Cadbury mini eggs in a plastic zip top bag and crush them a little with a rolling pin. I like a good mix of big chunks and small chunks and then I save some of the really big chunks for sprinkling on top at the end.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8 or 9x9 pan with parchment paper
- Mix the slightly cooled browned butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth and glossy (I found it easiest to use a rubber spatula for mixing, but a whisk or electric mixer work too).
- Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
- Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch (if using). Stir just until no dry streaks remain.
- Fold in the crushed Cadbury Mini Eggs and chocolate chips. Keep some Cadbury Mini Eggs aside for sprinkling on top later.
- Press the dough into your lined pan.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the edges look set and the center still looks soft.
- Sprinkle the extra chopped Mini Eggs on top and return to the oven.
- Bake for another 6–10 minutes, until the edges are golden and the center is still slightly underbaked
