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Christmas Cookie Bars

Christmas cookie bars bake in a 9x13-inch pan with semisweet chocolate chips and red and green M&M's in every bite. The edges turn golden while the center stays soft, and the parchment overhang makes the cooled bars easy to lift and slice.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 28 minutes
Cooling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 43 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 225
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2.25 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp table salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 0.75 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs large
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips divided
  • 1 cup M&M's red and green, divided

Equipment

  • 1 9x13-inch baking pan

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F and line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang to lift out the bars.
  2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.
  3. Beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl until creamy, about 2 minutes.
  4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla extract.
  5. Mix in the flour mixture on low speed just until no dry streaks remain.
  6. Fold in 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips and 3/4 cup of the M&M's, then press the dough evenly into the prepared pan.
  7. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips and 1/4 cup M&M's over the dough and gently press them in.
  8. Bake for 24–28 minutes, until the edges are golden and the center looks set.
  9. Cool completely in the pan, about 1 hour, then lift out with the parchment and cut into bars.

Notes

For clean cuts, let the bars cool completely before lifting them from the pan. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. For a dairy-free variation, use dairy-free butter, chocolate chips, and candy-coated chocolates.