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    Home » Recipes » Christmas

    Christmas M & M Cookie Bars

    Modified: Nov 12, 2024 · Published: Dec 8, 2022 by Kristin · This post may contain affiliate links. · 6 Comments

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    Christmas M & M Cookie Bars– soft, gooey, and loaded with both chocolate chips AND M&M’s throughout! Easy to make and perfect for cookie exchanges or goodie trays!

    chocolate chips and m & m's throughout blondies

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    Jump to:
    • Easy Christmas Cookie Bars
    • What is a Bar Cookie?
    • Why you’ll love these M & M Christmas Cookie Bars
    • Ingredients Needed for Christmas M & M Cookie Bars
    • How to make M & M Cookie Bars
    • Baking Tips
    • Variations to try
    • Storage
    • More Christmas Cookie Recipes to try
    • Kitchen Equipment Used
    • Easy M & M Cookie Bars

    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!

    chocolate packed cookie bars

    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

    1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease a 9 x 13 baking pan.
    2. Melt the butter in the microwave. Set aside to allow to cool slightly.
    3. 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.
    4. Once combined, slowly add in the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
    5. Fold in the chocolate chips and ½ cup of M & M’s.
    6. Spread dough evenly into prepared pan.
    7. Sprinkle remaining M & M’s on top of spread dough and lightly press into dough.
    8. Place pan in preheated oven and bake for about 25-30 minutes.
    9. 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.

    cookie bars that have both chocolate chips and m&m's throughout

    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.

    Christmas M & M Cookie Bars made with chocolate chips and m&m's

    More Christmas Cookie Recipes to try

    Christmas Kitchen Sink Cookies

    Peanut Butter Blossoms

    Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

    Peppermint Bark

    Macaroon Kisses

    Chocolate Crinkle Candy Cane Cookies

    Christmas Puppy Chow

    Kitchen Equipment Used

    Mixing Bowls– these bowls are my fav, plus they hold up for YEARS

    Hand Mixer– I prefer using a hand mixer and love this one, but if you have a stand mixer, that works too

    9 x 13 Baking Pan– aluminum pans tend to cook a bit more evenly versus glass with these bars

    Stand Mixer– you can’t go wrong investing in a stand mixer as there are so many uses, but a hand mixer works too

     

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    chocolate chip cookies made into bars and made with added m&m's

    Easy M & M Cookie Bars

    Recipe by: Kristin
    Packed with red and green M&M's and chocolate chips, these flavorful cookie bars make for a fun and festive Christmas dessert.
    4.50 from 12 votes
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    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 25 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Dessert, Snack
    Servings 24
    Calories 185 kcal

    Equipment

    • Mixing Bowls
    • 9x13 baking pan

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 cups flour
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • 10 tablespoon butter
    • ¾ cup brown sugar
    • ¼ cup white sugar
    • 1 egg
    • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 cup chocolate chips (I use semisweet but any work)
    • 1 cup M & M's, divided (use Christmas colors if going for a festive look)

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease a 9 x 13 baking pan.
    • In a small bowl, 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!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 185kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 2gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 125mgPotassium: 25mgFiber: 1gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 175IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @TheCookinChicks or tag #TheCookinChicks!

    Recipe updated 12/8/22

     

    More Christmas

    • Avalanche Cookies on a white and black plate.
      Avalanche Cookies
    • a sticky bun breakfast ring on a serving platter.
      Sticky Bun Breakfast Ring
    • a creamy cocktail made with only a few ingredients.
      Salted Caramel White Russian
    • Christmas Cookie Collection
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    Comments

    1. Ivy says

      November 29, 2020 at 6:46 pm

      Experienced baker here. Followed the instructions exactly and the dough was so hard it broke the attachment on my Kitchen-aid and my daughter is crying over the list cookies.

      Reply
      • Kristin says

        November 30, 2020 at 10:19 am

        Oh no! Thats terrible! I have no idea what could have happened. It is a thicker dough, but shouldn’t have been so hard it broke anything! So sorry!!

        Reply
    2. Jamie says

      February 14, 2019 at 1:55 pm

      5 stars
      These came together so quickly and easily, Love recipes like this

      Reply
      • Kristin says

        February 16, 2019 at 12:26 pm

        Yea! Glad you enjoyed them! Change up the color M & M’s for St Patty’s Day coming up!

        Reply
    3. Jamie says

      January 02, 2019 at 5:44 pm

      I am going to make these using the Valentine’s day M&Ms

      Reply
      • Kristin says

        January 03, 2019 at 9:57 am

        Great idea! Enjoy!

        Reply
    4.50 from 12 votes (11 ratings without comment)

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    Welcome to The Cookin' Chicks…I am so glad you've stopped by! I am Kristin, a busy mom of 3, a wife, and a family chef! There are three things that motivate me each day - Family, Faith, and FOOD! I, along with the occasional help of friends and family, want to share my food creations with you! So, I invite you to join me around my dinner table through the recipes that I will share with you here. I hope you will enjoy the journey as much as I do!

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