Candy Oat Bars

This is one of my families all time favorite comfort cookies. It is great for holidays and other parties because you can use colored coordinated candies.

This recipe can also be changed to chocolate chips or adding nuts as well.

I will walk you through the steps on how to make these candy oat bars so that you can try it for your next party!

DISCLAIMER: You are using a hot oven and a microwave. Please be careful and use the proper utensils. Example would be an oven mitt and staying away from stoneware for your microwave safe bowls.

You will need:

2 1/4 Cups of Quick Cooking Oats

1 1/2 Cups of Flour

1 Cup of Firmly Packed Brown Sugar

1 Teaspoon of Baking Powder

1/4 Teaspoon of Salt

1 1/8 Cups of Butter (If you just want to use 1 cup that is fine, sometimes I just need a little more

1 Can of Sweetened Condensed Milk

15 Ounces of Regular M&M Candy

You will need:

1 Mixing bowl

One Large Microwave Safe Bowl

One large Jelly Roll Pan

Spatula (Not Pictured)

Large Spoon (Not Pictured)

Measuring Cups (Not Pictured)

Measuring Spoons (Not Pictured)

Fork (Not Pictured)

First set oven to 375 Degrees Fahrenheit.

Then combine the first 5 Dry ingredients in the mixing bowl and stir well.

Note: Make sure the brown sugar lumps are gone.

First put the butter in the microwave safe bowl.

Heat the butter in the microwave for a minute, or until it is fully melted.

Pour the butter into the dry mixture.

It will turn crumbly and light brown.

For this step you want to use half of the ingredients you just mixed (It is okay if you use more).

Spread it out evenly onto the Jellyroll pan.

It should be even and flat and should almost reach or reach the edges of the pan.

This now goes in the oven at 375 Degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.

Note: If you used too much butter, it will not need to cook as long. It will burn and might not taste as yummy!

Pull the baked crust out of the oven and let sit while you are making the second part of the cookie.

It needs to cool for about 15-20 minutes.

Turn the oven to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit at this time.

Note: Like the warning I gave before. I used too much butter because I didn't measure and I burned the crust. Sorry for the not so pretty pictures to come :(.

Pour 1 1/2 cups of M&M candy into the microwave safe bowl.

Heat in the microwave for 1 minute, mixing them after 30 seconds.

When candy is warm, mix it with fork, pressing down so that the candies break apart.

Add the sweetened condensed milk and stir till it turns brown and evenly mixed together.

Pour the sweetened condensed milk mixture in the middle of the cooled, cooked crust.
Spread it out toward the outside of the crust (Picture 1).

Note: It wont reach all the way around. You want these to be thick.

Take the remaining crumbly oats and mix it with the left over M&M's.

Sprinkle the oat mixture over top of the sweetened condensed milk mixture (Picture 3).

The oven should now be at 350 Degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the product in the over for 20 minutes.

You will need to make sure that is long enough.

If the sweetened condensed milk hasn't cooked all the way, the cookies will be too gooey.

I would recommend cooking it in 5 minute intervals if it is not yet done.

This can occur becasue ovens vary.

Cool the cookies for 10-20 minutes.

Cut the cookies into squares (or use cookie cutters) and serve!