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Looking for a speedy, festive snack that'll fill your home with Christmas aromas? These holiday cookie bars are basically supercharged blondies, decked out in seasonal colors with M&Ms and sprinkles! They're ideal for holiday exchanges, family gatherings, or just keeping on hand when you need something sweet.
What Makes These Special
Let's face it - who's got time to shape dozens of cookies during the hectic holidays? These bars deliver all that chewy deliciousness in a single pan. Just combine, dump, bake, and cut! They're also great to freeze ahead, so you'll always have a tasty treat ready when friends drop by unexpectedly.
Ingredients List
- Butter: 1/2 cup unsalted, softened - leave it out about an hour
- Brown Sugar: 2 cups packed - this creates that amazing chewiness!
- Eggs: 2 large ones, cold from the refrigerator works fine
- Vanilla: 1 teaspoon - using pure extract really counts here
- Salt: 1/2 teaspoon to cut through sweetness
- Baking Powder: 1 teaspoon for just enough rise
- Flour: 2 cups all-purpose - nothing fancy needed
- Holiday M&Ms: 1 cup of festive red and green ones
- Sprinkles: 1/2 cup Christmas colors - jimmies work best
How To Make Holiday Cookie Bars
- Prep Time
- Heat your oven to 350°F and put foil in a 9x13 pan. Don't forget to spray it with cooking spray so nothing sticks!
- Create Your Foundation
- Cream your butter and brown sugar together until well mixed. Don't stress if it looks a bit grainy at first!
- Incorporate Liquids
- Toss in your eggs and vanilla. Keep mixing until everything looks smooth and blended.
- Add Dry Components
- Toss in salt and baking powder, then slowly add flour. Don't overmix here - just until everything comes together.
- Add Some Color
- Gently stir in most M&Ms and sprinkles - keep some aside to put on top!
- Fill Your Pan
- Push the mixture into your pan (it'll be pretty thick!). Scatter remaining M&Ms and sprinkles on top for a pretty finish.
- Into The Oven
- Bake for 22-25 minutes. You want the edges slightly golden, but the center might still look soft - that's how you get gooey bars!
Foolproof Results
You know what's awesome about these bars? They never fail! No complicated steps or fancy tools needed - just mix stuff together and bake. They come out soft and chewy every single time, and the brown sugar gives them this amazing almost-caramel flavor you'll love.
Seasonal Variations
What's cool about this recipe? You can adapt it for any time of year! Just swap out the candy colors and sprinkles - try orange and black for Halloween, pink and red for Valentine's, or light pastels for Easter. Same tasty treat, completely different look!
Pro Tricks
Wanna know my top trick for these bars? Let that foil hang over the edges a bit when lining the pan - you can lift the whole thing out so easily. And here's another good one: take them out when they're slightly underdone. They'll finish cooking as they cool, giving you that perfect chewy texture.
Storage Advice
After your bars cool down, put them in an airtight container. They'll stay nice and chewy for about a week - if anyone leaves them alone that long! Want to prep ahead? They freeze really well for up to a month. Just wrap them tightly and thaw whenever you want a sweet treat.
Custom Touches
Feel free to switch things up with these bars! Try adding some crushed nuts, use different candy pieces, or even pour melted chocolate over the top. The base recipe is so reliable, it's hard to go wrong. Get creative and start your own holiday baking tradition!
Summary
Love these? Try candy blondies next. Or make sweet holiday bark. Both quick and festive.
Recipe FAQs
- → Need different candy?
Any colors work. Plain M&Ms fine. Mix kinds maybe. Just need bright stuff. Makes it festive.
- → How keep em good?
Box em up tight. Week stays fresh. Freeze three months. Stack with paper. If they last that long!
- → Want no wheat kind?
Special flour works. Check mix box good. Still gets soft. Might need more wet. Watch bake time.
- → Need em real chewy?
Take out early. Middle bit soft. They set more cold. Trust your eyes. Better bit under.
- → Change for other times?
Switch colors up. Match the day. Different candy. Same good base. Makes any party.
- → Getting too brown?
Watch time close. Lower heat bit. Move pan down. Cover with foil. Check early maybe.
- → Taking em places?
Box em up good. Stack with paper. Keep em flat. Take extras maybe. Worth careful pack.
- → Need em faster?
One bowl works. Have stuff ready. Quick mix fine. Still needs bake time. Worth short wait.
- → Making big batch?
Double works fine. Need bigger pan. More time maybe. Watch middle done. Space in oven helps.
- → Want more sweet?
More candy works. Extra sprinkles. Frosting maybe. Even drizzle top. Don't go too much.
- → Not setting right?
Bake bit longer. Check your temp. Middle should set. Let cool more. Patient works best.
- → Candy melting weird?
Save some for top. Press in gentle. Add last minute. Watch heat good. Colors stay bright.