Christmas Cookie Bars Recipe
If you’re searching for a treat that captures the magic of the holidays in every bite, you have to try these Christmas Cookie Bars. With their chewy centers, festive bursts of color, and sweet white chocolate chips, these bars are everything we love about holiday baking wrapped up in a single, crowd-pleasing dessert. Whether you’re making them for a cookie swap, gifting to friends, or just cozying up with some milk by the tree, these bars are guaranteed to bring a smile to everyone’s face.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The beauty of these Christmas Cookie Bars is that they’re built on pantry staples, with a few festive upgrades. Each ingredient plays a key role in making these bars irresistibly soft, flavorful, and eye-catching.
- All-purpose flour: Provides the perfect structure for tender, chewy bars that hold their shape.
- Baking soda: Adds a gentle lift, ensuring your bars stay soft and never dense.
- Salt: Enhances all the sweet flavors and balances the richness of the dough.
- Unsalted butter (softened): Gives these bars their luxurious, melt-in-your-mouth texture and buttery flavor.
- Light brown sugar (packed): Brings moisture and that classic caramel-like sweetness you crave in a holiday treat.
- Granulated sugar: Adds just the right amount of sweetness and a delicate crisp edge.
- Large eggs: Bind everything together and contribute to the chewy, tender crumb.
- Vanilla extract: Infuses the dough with warm, comforting flavor that tastes like home.
- White chocolate chips: Lend creamy pockets of sweetness that pair perfectly with colorful candies.
- Red and green M&M’s: Instantly make these bars look festive and provide a pop of chocolate crunch.
- Holiday sprinkles: The finishing touch for that unmistakable Christmas sparkle.
- Chopped walnuts or pecans (optional): Add a delightful crunch and nutty depth (skip if you want nut-free bars!).
How to Make Christmas Cookie Bars
Step 1: Prep Your Pan and Oven
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on the sides—this makes lifting out the bars a breeze once they’re cooled. The parchment also helps prevent sticking, so cleanup is a snap!
Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together your flour, baking soda, and salt. This step ensures even distribution of the leavening and salt, so every bite of your Christmas Cookie Bars is perfectly soft and balanced.
Step 3: Cream Butter and Sugars
Grab a large mixing bowl and cream the softened butter with both the brown sugar and granulated sugar. You want the mixture to look light and fluffy—this step is what gives your bars their irresistible, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Step 4: Add Eggs and Vanilla
Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla extract. These ingredients bring richness and that classic holiday cookie flavor to your bars.
Step 5: Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures
Gradually add the dry ingredients to your wet mixture. Mix just until combined—overmixing can make the bars tough, so stop as soon as you no longer see streaks of flour.
Step 6: Fold in the Fun
Now for the best part: fold in the white chocolate chips, red and green M&M’s, festive sprinkles, and chopped nuts if you’re using them. Stir gently to distribute all those bright pops of color and texture throughout the dough.
Step 7: Spread and Top
Scoop the dough into your prepared pan and spread it out evenly. For an extra festive finish, press a few more M&M’s and sprinkles onto the top of the dough before baking. This simple step makes your Christmas Cookie Bars look bakery-worthy!
Step 8: Bake to Perfection
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the edges are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean (a few moist crumbs are perfect). Let the bars cool completely in the pan—this helps them set up so you get neat, beautiful slices every time.
How to Serve Christmas Cookie Bars
Garnishes
A little extra flair goes a long way with these bars! Before serving, add a few more sprinkles or a light dusting of powdered sugar for that snowy holiday look. You can even drizzle on some melted white chocolate for a decadent finish that feels ultra-special.
Side Dishes
These Christmas Cookie Bars shine next to a big mug of hot cocoa or a glass of cold milk. If you’re hosting a party, pair them with a platter of fresh fruit or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a dessert spread that hits all the right notes.
Creative Ways to Present
For gifting, wrap individual bars in festive cellophane or place them in a holiday tin lined with parchment. If you’re serving at a gathering, arrange the bars on a tiered cake stand with sprigs of holly or rosemary for a touch of greenery. You can even cut them into fun shapes with cookie cutters for an extra dose of holiday cheer!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Keep your Christmas Cookie Bars fresh by storing them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days. If you’re stacking them, place parchment or wax paper between layers to prevent sticking.
Freezing
These bars freeze beautifully! Once cooled and sliced, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container, separating layers with parchment. They’ll keep for up to three months—just thaw at room temperature when ready to enjoy.
Reheating
If you love that fresh-from-the-oven warmth, pop a Christmas Cookie Bar in the microwave for about 10 seconds. This brings back the gooey chocolate and makes the flavors sing all over again!
FAQs
Can I make these bars nut-free?
Absolutely! Just leave out the walnuts or pecans and you’ll still have irresistibly soft and chewy Christmas Cookie Bars packed with plenty of festive flavor and crunch from the candies.
Can I use different colored M&M’s for other holidays?
Yes, that’s one of the best parts! Swap in pastel colors for Easter, orange and black for Halloween, or any color combo you like to make these cookie bars work all year long.
Do I need to chill the dough?
No chilling required for this recipe! The dough is ready to go straight into the pan and bake, making these bars perfect for last-minute holiday cravings or busy schedules.
What’s the best way to cut clean squares?
Wait until your bars are completely cool, then use a sharp knife (wiping it clean between cuts) for the neatest slices. That parchment paper overhang also makes it easy to lift the whole slab out before cutting.
Can I double the recipe?
You sure can! Just bake in two separate pans for even cooking, or use a larger sheet pan if you have one and keep an eye on the bake time, as it may need to be adjusted slightly.
Final Thoughts
There’s just something magical about baking a batch of Christmas Cookie Bars and sharing them with the people you love. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or trying this recipe for the first time, you’ll find these bars are easy, festive, and completely irresistible. Give them a try this holiday season and watch them disappear—happy baking!
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Christmas Cookie Bars Recipe
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 24 bars 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Delight in these festive Christmas Cookie Bars, a perfect holiday treat combining chewy cookie dough with white chocolate chips, colorful red and green M&M’s, holiday sprinkles, and crunchy nuts. Easy to prepare and great for sharing, these bars bring a joyful burst of flavor and color to your seasonal celebrations.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Mix-ins and Toppings
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup red and green M&M’s
- 1/2 cup holiday sprinkles
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal of the bars after baking.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt until well blended. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter together with the light brown sugar and granulated sugar until the mixture is light, fluffy, and creamy.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time to ensure smooth incorporation, then add the vanilla extract and mix well.
- Mix Dry Ingredients into Wet: Gradually add the whisked dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring gently just until combined to avoid overmixing.
- Fold in Mix-ins: Fold in the white chocolate chips, red and green M&M’s, holiday sprinkles, and the chopped nuts if using, distributing them evenly throughout the dough.
- Spread Dough in Pan: Evenly spread the cookie dough into the prepared baking pan and gently press a few extra M&M’s and sprinkles onto the surface for a festive appearance.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the edges turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool and Slice: Allow the cookie bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Once cooled, use the parchment overhang to lift the bars out and slice them into 24 equal pieces for serving.
Notes
- These cookie bars freeze exceptionally well; wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Perfect for holiday gifting—package in festive tins or boxes.
- Feel free to swap the red and green M&M’s for other candies or sprinkles to suit different seasonal themes.
- For nut allergies, omit the walnuts or pecans or substitute with seeds.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 95mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
