Description
These Gooey Christmas Cookie Bars are festive blondies packed with colorful Christmas M&Ms and sprinkles, perfect for the holiday season. They're easy to make, with a soft, chewy texture and a buttery brown sugar base, ideal for sharing with family and friends or gifting during Christmas.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter (113g)
- 2 cups packed brown sugar (400g)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (248g)
- 1 cup Christmas M&Ms (or your favorite color)
- ½ cup Christmas sprinkles (use jimmies for best results)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13 inch metal pan with foil and spray well with cooking spray. Avoid using a glass pan for this recipe.
- Mix Butter and Sugar: Using a stand or hand mixer, cream together the unsalted butter and packed brown sugar until the mixture becomes crumbly and well combined.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the large eggs one at a time along with the vanilla extract, mixing until the batter is smooth and creamy.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Add the salt and baking powder to the mixture, then gradually mix in the all-purpose flour until just combined.
- Fold in Mix-Ins: Stir in the Christmas M&Ms and sprinkles evenly throughout the dough.
- Spread Dough in Pan: Spray your hands with cooking spray and spread the wet dough evenly in the prepared pan. Smooth the top with your hands to form an even layer, then sprinkle with any remaining M&Ms and sprinkles on top.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until the bars begin to turn golden around the edges. It's best to err on the side of underbaking since the bars will continue to set as they cool.
- Cool and Slice: Allow the bars to cool in the pan before lifting out using the foil. Slice into 24 bars and serve.
- Storage: Store the cookie bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or freeze for up to one month for longer storage.
Notes
- These bars are essentially holiday-themed blondies, perfect for festive occasions.
- Using jimmies sprinkles ensures the best texture and appearance compared to other sprinkle types.
- Spraying your hands with cooking spray makes spreading the wet dough easier and less sticky.
- Underbaking slightly is key to maintaining a gooey, chewy texture as the bars finish baking while cooling.
- This recipe is freezer-friendly—wrap well to maintain freshness for up to a month.
- Great for gifting during Christmas or enjoying throughout the holiday season.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 205 kcal
- Sugar: 26 g
- Sodium: 66 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
