Description
Easter Goody Bars are a delightful treat perfect for spring celebrations. These bars combine a crumbly oat and pecan crust with a rich, chocolatey fudge filling, topped with colorful Easter pastel M&M’s and optional festive sprinkles. With a buttery base and a sweet, creamy middle, they make an irresistible dessert that’s easy to prepare and perfect for sharing.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 1½ cups quick oats
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks, melted)
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Fudge Filling
- 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 cup butter (used in filling, amount not separately specified; assuming ¼ cup included in melted butter is for crust so use an additional ¼ cup butter for fudge filling as typical)
Toppings
- 1 cup Easter pastel M&M’s
- Optional: Easter sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan with cooking spray or line it with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Make Crust Mixture: In a large bowl, combine the quick oats, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, salt, melted butter, and chopped pecans. Mix until the ingredients form a crumbly mixture.
- Form Crust: Reserve about 2 cups of the crumble mixture for topping. Press the rest firmly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan to create an even crust layer.
- Prepare Fudge Filling: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, and an additional butter amount (around ¼ cup). Stir continuously until all ingredients are melted and the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Assemble Bars: Pour the warm fudge filling evenly over the crust in the baking pan. Sprinkle the reserved crumble mixture evenly over the fudge filling. Top with Easter pastel M&M’s and optional Easter sprinkles for a festive finish.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake the bars for 20 to 23 minutes, or until the edges start to pull away slightly from the pan, indicating the bars are set.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the pan from the oven and allow the bars to cool completely before cutting into 16 servings.
Notes
- Use quick oats for a better texture; old-fashioned oats may make the crust too chewy.
- Make sure to cool the bars fully before cutting to ensure clean slices.
- Feel free to substitute pecans with walnuts or almonds if preferred.
- For a nuttier flavor, toast the pecans lightly before adding to the crust mixture.
- These bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
