Christmas M&M Cookie Bars
These Christmas Cookie Bars are soft, chewy, and full of holiday cheer. They are perfect for parties, cookie exchanges, or sharing with your favorite people during Christmas.
Servings 24 Servings
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
Let the butter cool slightly: If it’s too hot, it can scramble the eggs or make the dough greasy.
Don’t overmix the dough: Stir just until combined to keep the bars soft and chewy.
Check for doneness early: Every oven is different—start checking around 28 minutes. The bars should be golden on the edges and slightly soft in the center.
Cool completely before slicing: The bars firm up as they cool, giving you neat squares instead of a gooey mess.
Make them ahead: These bars stay soft for several days, so they’re great for parties, gifting, or holiday cookie trays.
Use a 9x13 pan: You'll need to 1.5x the recipe for a 9x13 inch pan.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 239kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g
