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These Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars are soft, chewy, and filled with chocolate chips and festive red and green M&M’s. I love making these during the holidays because I can bake an entire batch in one pan without rolling out dough or cutting individual cookies!
“They’re perfect for Christmas parties, cookie exchanges, or adding to a holiday dessert tray. And there’s no need for frosting because the chocolate and candies already make them plenty sweet!“
-Becky
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
These cookie bars have lightly golden edges, soft centers, and plenty of chocolate flavor from the chocolate chips and M&M’s. The brown sugar gives them a richer flavor and chewy texture, making them a little different from traditional sugar cookies.
Looking for more simple holiday treats? Be sure to check out these simple 3 Ingredient Sugar Cookies, Christmas Rice Krispie Treats, Christmas Cupcakes, Crispy Meringue Snowmen, or this delicious Homemade Peanut Butter Fudge. Need a holiday cocktail? Try this Fall Sangria or simple Pomegranate Martini!
Table of Contents
Ingredients You Will Need
- all-purpose flour: Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife so you don’t accidentally add too much.
- cornstarch: Helps keep the cookie bars soft and tender.
- baking soda: Helps the bars rise while baking.
- salt: Balances the sweetness of the dough and chocolate.
- unsalted butter: Use softened butter so it mixes easily with the sugars.
- brown sugar, packed: Adds moisture and gives the bars their chewy texture.
- granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and helps the edges turn lightly golden.
- eggs: Help bind the ingredients together.
- vanilla extract: Adds that classic homemade cookie flavor.
- red and green M&M’s: Give the bars their festive Christmas colors.
- semi-sweet chocolate chips: Add rich chocolate flavor throughout the cookie bars.
- The full list of ingredients and instructions is in the recipe card below.
Variations
- Different M&M’s: Change the candy colors to make these cookie bars for other holidays. Pink and red M&M’s are perfect for Valentine’s Day, and pastel colors work well for Easter.
- White Chocolate Chips: Replace the semi-sweet chocolate chips with white chocolate chips for a sweeter chocolate flavor.
- Christmas Sprinkles: Add a few red and green sprinkles to the dough for even more Christmas color.
- Extra Chocolate Chips: If you prefer more chocolate in your cookies, add a few extra chocolate chips to the dough or press them on top before baking.
How to Make Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, then lightly spray a 9×13 baking dish with with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Then set this mixture aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment to combine the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar and beat on medium high speed until combined and it looks like wet sand. Then add in the eggs and vanilla extract, continue mixing for 15-30 seconds. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture, until combined and a soft dough forms.
- Gently fold in the M&Ms and chocolate chips until they are blended into the dough.
- Transfer the sugar cookie dough to the prepared baking pan and spread it into an even layer.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the edges and they are golden brown. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs (not wet). The bars will puff up in the oven but will settle as they cool.
- Allow the bars to cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least an hour. Once cooled and cut into squares and serve!
Tips
- Don’t Overbake: The biggest thing to watch for is the center of the bars. The edges should be lightly golden, and the middle should look set rather than wet. If the center still looks like raw dough, bake for another 2–3 minutes and check again. Remember that the bars will continue to firm up as they cool.
- Measure Your Flour Carefully: If your cookie bars turn out dry or dense, too much flour could be the reason. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off instead of scooping directly from the bag.
- Use Softened Butter: Butter that’s too cold won’t mix as easily with the sugars, while melted butter can change the texture of the dough. Softened butter works best for this recipe.
- Don’t Overmix: Once you add the flour, mix just until everything is combined. Overmixing can make the cookie bars tougher instead of soft and tender.
- Spread the Dough Evenly: Try to keep the dough the same thickness throughout the pan so the edges and center bake as evenly as possible.
- Save Some M&M’s for the Top: For more visible Christmas colors, reserve a few candies and gently press them into the dough before baking. This is especially helpful if you’re making these for a Christmas dessert tray.
- Wait Before Cutting: Cutting the bars while they’re still hot can cause them to crumble or fall apart. Let them cool so they hold their shape when sliced.
FAQ’s
Absolutely! These bars stay soft for up to a week when stored in an airtight container. You can also bake the bars and if using frosting, frost them just before serving.
Place leftovers in an airtight container. Separate the layers with parchment paper or wax paper to prevent sticking if they are frosted or stacked. If storing at room temperature, they will stay fresh for 2-3 days. If storing in the refrigerator, they should be good for 3-7 days.
Yes! Wrap the un-frosted bars tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then store in the freezer for up to 3 months. I like to place a sheet of parchment paper in between single layer stacks of cookies so they don’t freeze together. When you are ready to use them, thaw at room temperature.
Use a spatula or lightly greased hands to press the dough evenly into the pan. Chilling the dough briefly can make it less sticky.
Sure! Use a larger pan or bake in two 9×13 pans. Adjust baking time slightly if using a larger pan or if the dough is going to be thicker.
If you need bars exactly the same size, use a ruler to measure before cutting and a sharp knife for even cuts.
More Easy Holiday Recipes
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Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars
Equipment
- Mixer
- Large Bowl
- Baking Dish
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup M and M's
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, then lightly spray a 9×13 baking dish with with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Then set this mixture aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment to combine the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar and beat on medium high speed until combined and it looks like wet sand. Then add in the eggs and vanilla extract, continue mixing for 15-30 seconds.
- Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture, until combined and a soft dough forms. Gently fold in the M&Ms and chocolate chips.
- Transfer the sugar cookie dough to the prepared baking pan and spread it into an even layer.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the edges and they are golden brown. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs (not wet).
- Allow the bars to cool in the pan on a wire rack. Once cooled, cut into squares and serve!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These cookie bars are a fast and simple way to make cookies! I love that they can be festive just by adding holiday candies!