When I need a simple but festive snack during the holidays, I turn to dessert recipes like Grinch cookies, Christmas crack, crock pot candy and these fun Christmas cookie bars. Don’t forget some festive drinks on the side like a peppermint martini, Christmas Jello shots or a Jack Frost cocktail! You can never have too many Christmas cookie recipes, and these Christmas cookie bars are one of my all time favorites. They’re quick to make, and can easily be customized to suit your tastes.
Christmas Cookie Bars Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need unsalted butter, light brown sugar, vanilla extract, eggs, all purpose flour, baking powder, salt, Christmas M&M’s, chocolate chips and holiday sprinkles such as jimmies.
How Do You Make Christmas Cookie Bars?
Preheat the oven and line a square pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides. Coat the parchment with cooking spray. Melt the butter, then place it in a large bowl with the brown sugar and whisk to combine. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and mix until smooth. Next, add the flour, baking powder and salt to the bowl. Stir to combine until you have a batter. Fold in some of the M&M’s and sprinkles, along with the chocolate chips. Spread the cookie dough into the prepared pan, and top with more M&M candies and sprinkles. Bake until the cookie bars are set. Let the bars cool, then use the parchment paper overhang to lift the slab of cookies out of the pan. Cut into squares, then serve.
Tips For The Perfect Dessert
Use a ruler to cut your bars into perfectly even sized pieces. You can use holiday cookie cutters to cut your baked bars into tree or star shapes for an extra festive touch. I recommend using a high quality brand of chocolate chips like Ghirardelli or Guittard. Christmas cookie bars will stay fresh in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can also freeze your cookies for 2 months. Be careful not to overbake your cookies! The bars are ready when the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached.
Flavor Variations
While these holiday bar cookies are delicious as-is, you can easily change some of the ingredients.
Add-Ins: Feel free to swap out 1/2 cup of M&M’s for a different ingredient. Some great choices include crushed pretzels, nuts such as almonds or peanuts, toffee bits, peanut butter cups or even caramel bits. Chocolate: Not a fan of semisweet chocolate? Try using milk chocolate chips or white chocolate chips instead. Toppings: Finish your bars with a drizzle of white chocolate or a sprinkle of flaky sea salt for a festive and delicious result.
Christmas cookie bars are a must-have for any holiday gathering. They’re also great for gift giving and class parties!
