Soft & Chewy Christmas M&M Cookie Bars
Delight in these soft and chewy Christmas M&M cookie bars, bursting with festive red and green M&Ms, rich brown sugar, and melty chocolate chips. Perfectly buttery with a tender center, these bars make an ideal holiday treat for parties, cookie exchanges, or last-minute baking delights.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookie bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
Add-ins
- 1 cup Christmas M&Ms
- ½ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the melted unsalted butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until the mixture is smooth and combined.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the two large eggs and the tablespoon of vanilla extract until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Gradually fold in the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt until just combined. Be careful not to overmix to keep the cookie bars soft and chewy.
- Fold in M&Ms and Chocolate Chips: Stir in the festive Christmas M&Ms and chocolate chips evenly throughout the dough.
- Press Dough into Pan: Transfer the dough into the prepared baking pan, pressing it evenly to create a uniform layer for consistent baking.
- Bake the Bars: Bake in the preheated oven for 22 to 25 minutes, or until the edges are set and golden while the center remains softly cooked.
- Cool and Slice: Allow the cookie bars to cool completely in the pan before slicing into squares to ensure clean cuts and the perfect chewy texture.
Notes
- For an enhanced chewy texture, avoid overbaking; the center should still look slightly soft when pulled from the oven.
- Using parchment paper makes cleanup easier and prevents sticking.
- Store cookie bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days to keep them fresh.
- Feel free to substitute the Christmas M&Ms with regular or peanut M&Ms according to preference.