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A close-up shot of a thick and chewy Christmas cookie bar, showing the soft texture and the colorful M&Ms and sprinkles baked inside.

Christmas Cookie Bars: The Easiest Festive Treat

The easiest Christmas Cookie Bars recipe! These soft, chewy, no-chill bars are packed with festive sprinkles and M&Ms, then topped with a simple buttercream frosting. Perfect for holiday parties and cookie exchanges.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 24 bars
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 250
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Cookie Bars
  • 1 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 1.5 cups light brown sugar packed
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 cup Christmas M&Ms divided
  • 0.5 cup Christmas sprinkles divided
For the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2-3 tbsp heavy cream or milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • 1 9x13 inch Baking Pan
  • 2 Mixing Bowls
  • 1 Electric Mixer

Method
 

Cookie Bar Preparation
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until well combined. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
  3. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt to the wet ingredients. Mix with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
  4. Gently fold in 1/2 cup of the Christmas M&Ms and 1/4 cup of the sprinkles.
  5. Evenly press the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.
  6. Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before frosting.
Frosting and Decorating
  1. In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low.
  2. Add the vanilla and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream, then beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add more cream if needed.
  3. Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled bars. Immediately top with the remaining M&Ms and sprinkles.
  4. Let the frosting set for about 30 minutes before cutting into 24 bars.

Notes

Do Not Overbake: For the chewiest texture, remove bars from the oven when the edges are just golden and the center is set.
Cool Completely: Ensure bars are at room temperature before frosting to prevent melting.
Parchment Paper Sling: Leaving an overhang of parchment paper makes it easy to lift the entire block of bars out of the pan for clean cutting.