Christmas cookie bars are the perfect treat for the holiday season! These easy-to-make bars combine the best flavors of festive cookies in one delicious dessert.
Whether you’re serving them at a party or sharing with family, these Christmas cookie bars will be a hit. Learn how to make them with simple ingredients and easy steps!
Easy Christmas cookie bars
Christmas cookie bars are a must-have treat for the holiday season. These delightful desserts combine the joy of traditional Christmas cookies with the ease of bar cookies, making them a perfect choice for busy bakers.
Packed with holiday-themed colors and flavors, these bars are fun to make and even better to share.
If you are a fan of our classic chocolate chip cookie bars. You'll definitely want to make these for the holidays.
Recipe Highlights
Super Easy to Make: With simple ingredients and minimal prep, you can have these cookie bars ready to bake in no time.
Festive and Fun: The colorful candy toppings make them the perfect holiday dessert that everyone will enjoy.
Versatile: Customize with different toppings. These candy cookie bars can be adapted to any holiday by using a different colored m and ms and sprinkles based on the holiday theme you are going for.
Perfect for Sharing: Whether it’s a holiday party or a cozy night at home, these bars are always a delight!
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened at room temperature.
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups flour (use bread flour for chewier cookies or all purpose flour for less chewy cookies)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup red and green M&M’s, plus more for topping if desired
- ¾ cup white chocolate chips, plus more for topping if desired
- ⅓ cup holiday sprinkles, plus more for topping if desired
* Need to print out this recipe? You’ll find a printable recipe card at the end of this post. Enjoy!
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- 9x13 baking pan
- Parchment paper (optional for easier removal)
- Mixing bowls
- Hand mixer
How to make Christmas cookie bars
Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.
In a large bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; mix until just combined.
Gradually add dry ingredients, mixing until a thick dough forms. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
Fold in M&Ms, white chocolate chips, and sprinkles until evenly distributed.
Press dough into the pan. Add extra M&Ms, chips, and sprinkles on top if desired.
Bake for 22-28 minutes until edges are set and tops lightly browned. Avoid overbaking for softer bars.
Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 1 hour. Slice into bars and enjoy!
How to store
Store your Christmas cookie bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
If you need to store them longer, they can be frozen. Wrap each bar individually in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe bag.
Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw at room temperature when ready to enjoy.
Helpful Tips
- Use Parchment Paper: Lining your baking pan with parchment paper makes it easier to remove the bars and ensures they don’t stick to the pan.
- Don’t Overbake: Keep an eye on the bars during baking. Overbaking can make them dry and crumbly, so pull them out as soon as the edges turn golden.
- Wait Before Cutting: Let your Christmas cookie bars cool completely before cutting for clean and neat slices.
- Try different Toppings: while these m and m cookie bars were made with Christmas theme candies. You can try making them with colorful chocolate chips instead.
FAQs
Yes! Sugar cookie dough makes an excellent base for Christmas cookie bars. Just add holiday-themed toppings like M&Ms for a festive twist.
Absolutely. These bars can be made up to 3 days in advance. Just store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
Spread the dough evenly in the pan and rotate it halfway through baking for a consistent bake.
More cookie recipes for the holidays
- Chocolate crinkle cookies
- Thumbprint cookies
- Gingerbread cookies
- Check out all our Home Cooked Recipes
Christmas cookie bars are the perfect way to bring holiday cheer to your kitchen. With their simple preparation and festive look, they’re ideal for sharing with loved ones or adding to your holiday dessert table.
Ready to bake up some holiday magic? Be sure to try this recipe today and let us know what you think!
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Christmas cookie bars recipe
Equipment
- 9x13 baking pan
- Parchment paper (optional for easier removal)
- Hand mixer
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter (softened at room temperature)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups Bread flour (For chewier cookies substitute with all purpose flour if you prefer)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup red and green M&M's (plus more for topping if desired)
- ¾ cup white chocolate chips (plus more for topping if desired)
- ⅓ cup holiday sprinkles (plus more for topping if desired)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper for easy removal later.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda, then set it aside.
- In a larger mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar using an electric hand mixer at medium-high speed until smooth and creamy.
- Add in the eggs and vanilla extract, blending on medium speed until everything is just combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until a thick cookie dough forms. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula to incorporate all ingredients.
- Gently fold in the M&M’s, white chocolate chips, and sprinkles until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Press the cookie dough evenly into the prepared baking pan. For an extra festive touch, sprinkle more M&M’s, white chocolate chips, and sprinkles on top if you like.
- Bake in the oven for 22-28 minutes, or until the edges are firm and the top is lightly golden. For softer bars, avoid over baking as they will continue to set as they cool in the pan. Over baking can lead to a dry texture.
- Place the pan on a wire rack to cool for about an hour.
- Once cooled, cut into bars and enjoy your delicious Christmas cookie bars!
Notes
- This recipe uses bread flour, which gives the cookies a chewier texture without altering the flavor. If preferred, you can substitute with the same amount of all-purpose flour.
- I chose milk chocolate M&Ms, but feel free to use any variety you like. You can also switch up the M&M colors and sprinkles for different holidays to make these bars festive year-round.
- For the white chocolate chips, you can swap them with milk chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips, or other add-ins like nuts or toffee bits if you prefer.
- The bars will be soft when they come out of the oven. Let them cool at room temperature for an hour before removing from the pan and slicing. This helps them firm up so they don’t crumble.
- To keep the bars fresh, store them in an airtight container after they’ve cooled completely.
- If you’d like a smaller batch, you can halve the recipe and bake in an 8x8-inch pan.