These Christmas M&M Cookie Bars are soft, chewy, and full of festive cheer, with M&M's, mini chocolate chips, and sprinkles. They're easy to make and only take 20 minutes to mix together.
Recipe Overview
Time: About 2 hours. About 20 minutes to prep, then 30 minutes to bake and an hour to cool.
Ingredients: All-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla, M&M's, mini chocolate chips, sprinkles.
Ease: Easy. Simple steps, minimal equipment, and perfect for bakers of all skill levels.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- All-purpose Flour - Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it with a knife for an accurate measurement. Don't scoop directly from the bag.
- Baking Soda - Make sure your baking soda is fresh (less than 6 months old) for proper leavening.
- Cornstarch - This will help make your cookie bars very soft. If you don't have it, you can leave it out. The cookie bars will still be soft.
- Butter - Unsalted butter is best, but you can substitute margarine if needed; note the flavor and texture may be slightly different.
- Brown Sugar & Granulated Sugar - Use packed brown sugar and level granulated sugar for accuracy.
- M&M's - Use red and green for Christmas or swap in any color combination to make these bars work for any holiday.
- Mini Chocolate Chips - I prefer mini chips for visual contrast, but regular semi-sweet chocolate chips work too. You can also use white chocolate chips.
- Sprinkles - I got mine from Target.
Full ingredient list with quantities in the recipe card below
How to Make M&M Cookie Bars
Mix Dry & Wet Ingredients
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, combine melted butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla, then stir in the dry ingredients until just combined.
Add Mix-Ins & Assemble
Fold most of the M&M's, chocolate chips, and sprinkles into the dough, reserving some for topping. Press the dough into the pan, smooth the top, then sprinkle the reserved candies.
Bake & Cool
Bake for 30-34 minutes until edges are golden and the center is slightly soft. Cool completely and slice.
Tips
Line the pan with parchment: Makes cleanup and slicing much easier.
Reserving toppings: Save a few to sprinkle, M&M's, and chocolate chips for the top for a super festive look.
Don't overmix the dough: This makes the bars dense and less soft.
Check for doneness early: Every oven bakes differently. Start checking at 28 minutes. The edges should be golden, the center slightly soft.
Common Questions
Absolutely! Wrap the cooled bars tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Your bars may be slightly underbaked, so the center didn't set fully. Return them to the oven for 5-10 more minutes and check again. Make sure the edges are golden and the center is just set before cooling.
Overbaking can cause dryness. Check for doneness early. The edges should be golden and the center slightly soft.
Tried this recipe? Let everyone know how it turned out! Your feedback and tips help others decide if they should make it.
Christmas M&M Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch optional
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup red and green M&M's
- ½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup Christmas sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line a 9×13-inch metal or glass pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth and no lumps remain. Whisk in eggs and vanilla.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
- Set aside a few tablespoons of M&M's, chocolate chips, and sprinkles for topping. Fold the rest into the dough.
- Press dough evenly into the prepared pan (it will be thick). Use a spatula or the buttery side of a butter wrapper to smooth the top. Sprinkle the reserved M&M's, chocolate chips, and sprinkles over the top and gently press them in.
- Bake for 26-30 minutes, or until the edges are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing into 12 pices.
- Cover and store at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and may vary based on the ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!