EASY CHRISTMAS COOKIE BARS
One of my favorite things to do during the Holiday season is bake cookies! Nothing beats baking in a cozy kitchen when the weather is cold and dreary. Turn on some Christmas music and you’re set. These M & M Cookie Bars are basically blondies dressed up with holiday M&Ms and chocolate chips! These are the best bars for Christmas because they’re easy to make and freezer-friendly.
Make a batch to give away to family and friends or save them to enjoy through the holiday season on your goodie trays.
WHAT IS A BAR COOKIE?
A bar cookie is simply cookies made in a single pan and cut into bars afterwards. Simple prep, easy to bake, and perfect to feed a crowd. Simply cut into desired size pieces and you’re set! These tasty treats can be baked in a 8×8 pan, or made in a 9×13. Depending on the recipe and how many servings you need, the size pan can vary!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THESE M & M CHRISTMAS COOKIE BARS
Festive- using Holiday colored M & M’s. these are a festive addition to the Holiday season! Or, if you are making at a different time of year, adjust the colors to fit the Holiday
Easy- no scooping or waiting for multiple baking trays to finish. Simply prepare the cookie dough, spread into a pan, and bake
Chocolate Filled- using both M & M’s AND chocolate chips, these are packed with chocolate goodness in every bite
Freezer-Friendly- since these freeze perfectly, you can get a jump-start on your Holiday baking
INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR CHRISTMAS M & M COOKIE BARS
Using a few pantry staples and Holiday M & M’s, these cookie bars are a quick and easy treat to prepare! Check out the printable recipe card at the bottom for full ingredient amounts and directions.
Flour- all-purpose
Salt- omit this if using salted butter
Baking Soda- this is the leavening agent
Butter- unsalted as you add salt to the recipe
Brown Sugar- adds a slight toffee flavoring to the bars
White Sugar- good old-fashioned sugar adds just the right amount of sweetness
Egg- this binds the ingredients together and adds a rich flavoring
Vanilla Extract- I use homemade, but try to use pure versus imitation
Chocolate Chips- semi-sweet is my go-to, but any type works
M & M’s- if making these at Christmas, try to use Holiday colors
HOW TO MAKE M & M COOKIE BARS
Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease a 9 x 13 baking pan.
Melt the butter in the microwave. Set aside to allow to cool slightly.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda. Add the brown sugar, white sugar, egg, and vanilla extract to the melted butter.
Once combined, slowly add in the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
Fold in the chocolate chips and ½ cup of M & M’s.
Spread dough evenly into prepared pan.
Sprinkle remaining M & M’s on top of spread dough and lightly press into dough.
Place pan in preheated oven and bake for about 25-30 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before slicing and serving!
BAKING TIPS
Feel free to add additional festive touches to these bars such as frosting and/or sprinkles
To make these even prettier, add EXTRA M & M’s to the bars when they come out of the oven.
Make sure you don’t overcook these. They should be slightly golden on top and start pulling away from the sides. Use a toothpick to check if they are cooked through.
Use aluminum foil or parchment paper to line the pan prior to greasing as this makes it easier to remove the bars from the pan and slice.
Scoop and level flour with a butter knife to avoid adding too much flour to these bars as the texture and consistency changes if you over-pack the measuring cup.
VARIATIONS TO TRY
Seasonality- change up the M & M’s to fit the Holiday or season
Sprinkles/Frosting- add some festive touches to the top of these bars once baked and cooled
Chocolate– change up the chocolate chips or add in a variety. Semi-sweet, milk chocolate, white chocolate, and/or peanut butter chips all work great
STORAGE
To store: M&M bars will keep at room temperature stored in an airtight container for about 4 days, or about 6 days in the refrigerator.
Freezer: Place in an airtight, freezer-safe container. These will last in the freezer for 3 months.