Description
These M&M Christmas Cookie Bars are a fun and festive treat for the holiday season! Made with buttery, chewy cookie dough and loaded with red and green M&Ms, they’re perfect for Christmas parties, cookie swaps, or gift-giving. Quick, easy, and customizable, these bars will become a holiday baking tradition!
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
Mix-Ins and Toppings:
- 1 ½ cups Christmas M&Ms (reserve ½ cup for topping)
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Your Pan:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
- Mix Wet Ingredients:
- Cream softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy (2-3 minutes).
- Add eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla extract.
- Combine Dry Ingredients:
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
- Add M&Ms and Mix-Ins:
- Fold in 1 cup of M&Ms and any optional mix-ins like chocolate chips or nuts.
- Spread the Dough:
- Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan.
- Sprinkle the reserved M&Ms on top, pressing them gently into the dough.
- Bake:
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the center is set.
- Cool and Slice:
- Let the bars cool completely in the pan. Use the parchment overhang to lift them out, then slice into squares or rectangles.
- Serve and Enjoy:
- Perfect for holiday parties, gift boxes, or an afternoon treat with hot cocoa!
Notes
- Customizations: Add crushed candy canes, holiday sprinkles, or nuts for extra flavor.
- Storage: Keep at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Holiday Variations: Use pastel M&Ms for Easter or red, white, and blue M&Ms for July 4th!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Bar
- Calories: ~180
- Sugar: 16g
- Sodium: 85mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 25mg