We may earn a commission when you click on the affiliate links in this post.
Make Christmas cookies the easy way! One bowl, no scooping, just bake these chewy, Christmas Cookie Bars loaded with holiday M&Ms and sprinkles.
Christmas Cookies Made Easy
These cookie bars are my absolute favorite Christmas cookies to make when I am feeling lazy. This recipe makes 12 large bars but they are easy to cut into smaller pieces to set out for kids and their friends as an after-school treat (my kids love nothing more than coming home to a big plate of treats waiting for them on the counter)!
Feeling extra festive? Pair these with any of our other fantastic Christmas Cookie Recipes. Make a full Christmas treat plate with cookie bars, Linzer Cookies, Snowball Cookies, and a handful of wrapped Homemade Caramels. Don’t forget to take a picture of your treat plate and tag us on Instagram (@favoritefamilyrecipes). I would love to see your creations!
🩷 Erica
Key Ingredients
Dry ingredients: Flour, baking soda, baking powder, granulated sugar, and brown sugar.
Wet ingredients: Melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract.
Chocolate chips: Use semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips, depending on how sweet you like your bars.
M&Ms: Stick with classic plain M&Ms (not minty, sometimes the packages look the same) for the best flavor and bright holiday colors. Mix half into the dough and scatter the rest over the top. Putting some on top will make the cookie bars look prettier.
Christmas sprinkles: Top the bars with festive red, green, and white sprinkles before baking.
How to Make Christmas Cookie Bars
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on the sides for easy removal later.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla and stir until combined.
- Mix in the flour, baking soda, and baking powder until just combined. Don’t overmix.
- Stir in ½ cup of chocolate chips and ½ cup of M&Ms until evenly distributed through the dough.
- Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan, then sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips, M&Ms, and a generous handful of Christmas sprinkles over the top.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the center is set. Cool completely in the pan before lifting out and cutting into bars.
Expert Tips for Making Cookie Bars
Don’t overmix the dough: Once you add the dry ingredients, mix just until everything comes together. Overmixing can make the bars tough instead of soft and chewy.
Try different mix-ins: Use classic plain M&Ms for that festive color, but feel free to swap in white chocolate chips, crushed candy canes, or other Christmas candies for fun variations.
Cool completely before cutting: It’s tempting to dive in early, but letting the bars cool will make them so they hold their shape.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
You can easily make these cookie bars ahead for stress-free holiday baking! Prepare the dough up to a day in advance, cover it tightly, and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake. Let it sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before pressing it into the pan. Once baked and cooled, store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. To keep them soft, place a slice of bread in the container. They also freeze great! Just wrap tightly or put in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
The bars are ready when the edges turn golden brown and the center looks just set. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out with a few soft crumbs. They’ll continue to firm up as they cool.
Yes! You can double the recipe and bake it in a larger rimmed baking sheet (about 13×18 inches). Just watch the baking time, it may need a few extra minutes.
More Christmas Cookie Recipes
Have you tried these Christmas Cookie Bars? I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment and let me know how they turned out for you. Don’t forget to snap a photo and tag us on Instagram @favoritefamilyrecipes. We love seeing your holiday treats! 🎄 📸🍪
Christmas Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup melted butter
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar, (packed)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup chocolate chips, (divided)
- 1 cup plain red and green M&Ms, (divided, make sure they aren't the minty ones)
- Christmas sprinkles, (to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a little extra hanging over the sides so you can lift the bars out easily once they’ve cooled.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract, stirring until everything is well blended.
- Next, add the flour, baking soda, and baking powder, and mix just until no dry spots remain. Gently fold in ½ cup of chocolate chips and ½ cup of M&Ms.
- Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan (using your hands or a spatula works best).
- Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips and M&Ms evenly over the top, then finish with a handful of Christmas sprinkles.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few soft crumbs.
- Let the bars cool completely in the pan before lifting them out and slicing into squares. (They’ll hold their shape best once cooled completely.)
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this recipe?
We want to hear from you! Please leave a review.
