Christmas Cookie Bars are the best blondies dressed up with holiday M&Ms and sprinkles! These are the best bars for Christmas because they’re easy to make and freezer-friendly.
Make a batch to give away to family and friends or save them for your family to enjoy through the holiday season.
Christmas Cookie Bars Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter
- 2 cups (400g) packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 cups (248g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup Christmas M&Ms or your favorite color
- ½ cup Christmas sprinkles use jimmies for best results
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13” pan with foil and spray well with cooking spray.
- Mix butter and brown sugar with a stand or a hand mixer until crumbly. Mix in eggs and vanilla until smooth. Mix in salt, baking powder, then flour. Stir in M&Ms and sprinkles.
- Spread in prepared pan. The mixture is wet so it’s best to spray your hands with cooking spray and then smooth the dough with your hands to get an even layer. Top with remaining mix-ins
- Bake for about 22-25 minutes until they start to turn golden. Err on the side of under baked with these – they’ll finish baking as the cool and you don’t want them over baked. Slice into bars.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to a month.
Recipe Notes
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- You can use a variety of colored M&Ms and sprinkles to add a festive touch to any holiday celebration.
- Properly measuring flour and sugar is crucial for successful baking. Ensure accuracy by using precise measurements for the best results.
- Store in an airtight container and they’ll last up to a week, making them perfect for shipping.
- Jimmies are the long rod-type sprinkles (not the little round balls).
- People are reporting that these are “raw” after cooking. Having made this recipe countless times with different add ins and for this post (it’s even in my book), this is NOT the case. They will get golden brown around the edges and on top, no longer be glossy and will be a bit under done in the center when you take them out of the oven. They’ll continue to cook/set as they cool. The center of these will be quite fudgy looking (like the center of a brownie). That is intentional to keep them rich and soft. They should not be liquid in the center after cooling. They will look like the center in the pictures – if you’re expecting a fluffy sugar-cookie like center then these are not the bars for you.
- The only explanation I can think of is the type of pan matters: I normally use a metal 9×13-inch pan to bake these. Metal conducts heat more evenly – a glass pan takes longer to heat up causing things to over bake on the outside and be under done in the center. I hadn’t thought about this because all my 9×13-inch pans are metal. So use a metal pan, not glass!
Recipe Nutrition
Yes, you could make a big batch of cookies, but what about making cookie bars instead? You don’t have to scoop and form the dough into balls – just spread it in a pan and bake and slice. This time of year, it’s nice to make things a little easier, and these holiday cookie bars are just the way to do it.
Indulge in the ultimate Christmas delight:
These delectable treats boast a cookie-like texture, perfectly soft and chewy, expertly crafted into delightful bars. And guess what? You can relish them throughout the year! Simply swap the candy and sprinkles to match any holiday or special occasion.
‘Tis the season, and these delightful treats are no exception! Introducing the Christmas M&M cookie bars, guaranteed to steal the show on any cookie platter. While Christmas cookie recipes take the spotlight this time of year, why not show some love to the Christmas cookie bar recipes? It’s a brilliant idea that will surely elevate your holiday baking game!
