Christmas Cookie Bars (Soft, Chewy & Loaded with M&M’s)
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These Christmas Cookie Bars are soft, chewy, and loaded with festive red and green M&M’s, white chocolate chips, and colorful holiday sprinkles. They’re an easy holiday dessert that delivers all the flavor of Christmas cookies with none of the scooping or rolling.
Why You’ll Love These Christmas Cookie Bars
- Soft, thick, and chewy texture
- Loaded with festive Christmas M&M’s and white chocolate chips
- Easier than baking dozens of individual cookies
- Perfect for cookie exchanges and holiday dessert trays
- Freezer-friendly and great for gifting
The Best Christmas Cookie Bars for Holiday Parties
When the holiday season gets busy, easy recipes become a lifesaver. These Christmas Cookie Bars come together in one pan, require no chilling, and are much faster than making individual Christmas cookies.
Filled with colorful M&M’s, white chocolate chips, and festive sprinkles, they’re a cheerful addition to Christmas parties, school events, cookie exchanges, and holiday gift boxes. Plus, they stay soft for days, making them perfect for baking ahead. If you love these Christmas Cookie Bars, here are a few more bar recipes perfect for the holiday season.
- Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars
- Reese’s Pieces Magic Bars
- OMG S’mores Bars
- Super Easy Gluten Free Sugar Cookie Bars
- Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (Thick + Gooey)
Ingredients for Christmas Cookie Bars
These festive Christmas Cookie Bars are made with simple pantry staples plus a few holiday favorites that make them soft, chewy, and packed with Christmas color and flavor.
- Unsalted butter creates a rich, buttery base and helps keep the bars soft.
- Brown sugar adds moisture and gives the bars their chewy texture.
- Granulated sugar adds sweetness and helps create lightly crisp edges.
- Eggs provide structure and richness.
- Vanilla extract adds warm bakery-style flavor.
- Salt balances the sweetness and enhances the other flavors.
- Baking powder helps create a soft, tender texture.
- All-purpose flour forms the foundation of the cookie bars.
- Red and green M&M’s add festive color and chocolate flavor.
- Red and green sprinkles make the bars extra fun and holiday-ready.
- White chocolate chips add creamy sweetness, but you can substitute semi-sweet, dark chocolate, butterscotch chips, or a combination of your favorites.
How to Make Christmas Cookie Bars
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth and creamy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix just until combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Fold in the Christmas M&M’s, white chocolate chips, and sprinkles.
- Spread the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle additional M&M’s, chocolate chips, and sprinkles over the top for a festive bakery-style look.
- Bake for 22-25 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden and the center is just set. Avoid overbaking for soft, chewy cookie bars.
- Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before lifting them out using the parchment overhang.
- Slice into squares and serve.
Expert Tips for the Best Christmas Cookie Bars
A few simple baking tips can make the difference between good cookie bars and irresistibly soft, chewy Christmas Cookie Bars.
- Use room-temperature butter and eggs for a smooth, evenly mixed dough.
- Measure the flour correctly by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off to avoid dry bars.
- Don’t overmix the dough once you add the flour, which can make the bars dense.
- Reserve some M&M’s, sprinkles, and chocolate chips to press on top before baking for a festive bakery-style look.
- Avoid overbaking. The center should look just set when you remove the pan from the oven.
- Let the bars cool completely before slicing for the cleanest cuts.
Variations and Substitutions
These Christmas Cookie Bars are easy to customize with different mix-ins and flavors.
- Swap the white chocolate chips for semi-sweet, dark chocolate, or butterscotch chips.
- Use peanut butter M&M’s for a fun twist.
- Add chopped pecans or walnuts for extra crunch.
- Mix in crushed peppermint candies for a festive peppermint version.
- Change the M&M colors to match other holidays throughout the year.
How to Store and Freeze Christmas Cookie Bars
These Christmas Cookie Bars stay soft and chewy for days, making them perfect for holiday baking, cookie exchanges, and make-ahead dessert trays.
- Store: Keep the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Place cooled bars in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between layers and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw: Let the bars come to room temperature before serving.
- Make Ahead: Christmas Cookie Bars are a great make-ahead holiday dessert and can be baked several days before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make Christmas Cookie Bars ahead of time?
Yes! These holiday cookie bars stay soft and chewy for several days, making them perfect for holiday gatherings and Christmas dessert trays.
Can I freeze Christmas Cookie Bars?
Absolutely. Freeze the bars whole or cut into individual squares for an easy make-ahead Christmas treat.
Can I use different M&M’s?
Yes. While red and green M&M’s give these Christmas Cookie Bars their festive look, you can use any seasonal colors throughout the year.
Can I use different baking chips?
Definitely. White chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or a combination all work well in this recipe.
How do I know when the M&M cookie bars are done baking?
The edges should be lightly golden and the center should look just set. Avoid overbaking to keep the bars soft and chewy.
Christmas Cookie Bars Are the Perfect Holiday Treat
More Festive Bars & Treats
- 3 White Chocolate No Bake Festive Candy Recipes
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Saltine Toffee
- Biscoff M&M Cookie Butter Cookies
- Christmas Tree Pull Apart Cupcakes Cake
- Biscoff White Chocolate Cookie Bars
Check out 10 Super Sweet Christmas Tree Desserts To Pine Over, these Cookie Butter Truffles and these Festive Chocolate Snowball Cookies!
Christmas Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 stick + 2 tablespoons
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup red & green M&Ms or M&M's of choice can use mini or regular sized M&M's
- ½ cup red and green sprinkles more for sprinkling on top
- ½ cup white chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips, butterscotch chips or dark chocolate chips or combo of chips
Instructions
Christmas Cookie Bars
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth and creamy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix just until combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Fold in the Christmas M&M's, white chocolate chips, and sprinkles.
- Spread the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle additional M&M's, chocolate chips, and sprinkles over the top for a festive bakery-style look.
- Bake for 22-25 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden and the center is just set. Avoid overbaking for soft, chewy cookie bars.
- Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before lifting them out using the parchment overhang.
- Slice into squares and serve.
Notes
