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Christmas Bar Cookies Recipe

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3.9 from 8 reviews

These festive Christmas Bar Cookies are easy-to-make, colorful, and perfect for holiday celebrations. Featuring a soft, buttery base studded with semi-sweet chocolate chips and vibrant red and green M&M’s, topped with cheerful Christmas sprinkles, these cookie bars bring classic holiday flavors and fun in every bite. Ready in just 30 minutes, they make a delightful treat for parties, gift-giving, or cozy wintertime snacking.

  • Author: Emma
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 9 servings
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

  • ½ cup unsalted butter (melted, plus extra for greasing)
  • 1 large egg (room temperature)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar

Mix-ins and Toppings

  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • ½ cup red and green M&M’s (divided: ⅓ cup mixed into batter, remainder for topping)
  • ¼ cup Christmas jimmies (sprinkles)
  • Christmas sprinkles, for sprinkling over baked bars (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Brush an 8×8-inch square baking pan with some melted butter and line it with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides to allow easy removal of the bars after baking.
  2. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining melted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Then whisk in the egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated and the mixture is creamy.
  3. Add Dry Ingredients: Add the all-purpose flour and salt to the wet ingredients. Gently mix just until the flour is moistened; avoid over-mixing to keep the bars tender.
  4. Fold in Mix-ins: Carefully fold in ½ cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips, ⅓ cup of the red and green M&M’s, and the Christmas jimmies to distribute them evenly throughout the batter.
  5. Transfer and Top Batter: Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top evenly with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle the remaining M&M’s over the batter for a festive look.
  6. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until the top turns golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, indicating that the bars are fully baked.
  7. Cool and Decorate: Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool. While still warm, sprinkle additional Christmas sprinkles over the top, if desired. Once completely cooled, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the bars from the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into squares and serve.

Notes

  • Ensure the egg is at room temperature for better mixing and texture.
  • Do not over-mix the batter when adding flour to keep the bars tender and soft.
  • You can substitute Christmas jimmies with other colored sprinkles to customize for other occasions.
  • Using parchment paper with an overhang makes removing the cookie bars easy and prevents sticking.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
  • For extra richness, consider adding a pinch of cinnamon or a splash of almond extract to the batter.

Find it online: https://allcookedup.com/christmas-bar-cookies-recipe/