M&M’s Christmas Cookie Bars are the ultimate holiday treat—soft, chewy, buttery, and bursting with the perfect mix of festive add-ins like Oreo pieces, Christmas M&M’s, and melty chocolate chips. Baked as bars instead of individual cookies, they save time without sacrificing flavor, making them ideal for busy holiday schedules. With a warm vanilla cookie base, pops of colorful chocolate candy, and delicious cookie crunch, these bars slice beautifully and bring instant Christmas cheer to any dessert table. They’re perfect for parties, cookie exchanges, edible gifting, or cozy family baking traditions, delivering crowd-pleasing flavor in every bite.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
These bars bake up thick, soft, and chewy with minimal effort—no scooping required. The combination of crushed Oreos, chocolate chips, and festive M&M’s gives each bite texture, color, and holiday fun. They slice neatly, travel well, and stay soft for days, making them perfect for parties, gifting, and make-ahead baking.
M&M’S Christmas Cookie Bars
M&M’s Christmas Cookie Bars are everything we love about holiday baking wrapped into one easy, festive dessert. Instead of shaping individual cookies, these bars are made by pressing the dough into a pan and baking it as a single sheet—giving you soft, chewy cookie perfection with bright pops of Christmas color in every slice. These bars combine a buttery vanilla cookie base with the crunch of crushed Oreos, the chocolatey goodness of semisweet chips, and the cheerful mix of red-and-green M&M’s, making them a true Christmas crowd-pleaser.
What makes this recipe so special is its simplicity. With straightforward ingredients and quick prep, you can whip up a batch even on the busiest December days. The bars bake evenly and stay soft for days, making them excellent for holiday gatherings, cookie exchanges, homemade Christmas gifts, or after-school treats during the season. Their vibrant color and layered textures look gorgeous on any festive dessert table.
These cookie bars deliver everything people love about classic cookies—but with less work and more visual impact. They cut cleanly into neat squares, pack easily into cookie tins, and complement hot chocolate, eggnog, or milk. Their flavor is nostalgic yet exciting, offering the perfect balance of sweet, chewy, crunchy, and chocolatey goodness.
Whether you’re baking with kids, prepping for a holiday party, or simply craving something sweet and festive, these M&M’s Christmas Cookie Bars are guaranteed to bring joy and holiday magic to every bite.
Servings & Time
Servings: 16 bars
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25–30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
Cooking spray
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
8 Oreos, crushed
1/2 cup Christmas M&M’s
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×9-inch pan with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and vanilla; mix until fully combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture and beat until just combined.
Fold in crushed Oreos, M&M’s, and chocolate chips.
Press dough evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake 25–30 minutes until golden and slightly soft in the center.
Let cool completely, then slice into squares.
Tips
Ingredient Substitutions
Use holiday-themed Oreos for extra color.
Swap semisweet chips for white chocolate or milk chocolate.
Add chopped walnuts or pecans for crunch.
Make-Ahead Tips
Bars stay soft for 3–4 days when stored airtight.
Freeze sliced bars for up to 2 months.
Dough can be prepared 24 hours ahead and chilled.
Serving Variations
Drizzle with melted white chocolate for a festive finish.
Top with holiday sprinkles before baking.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream for a decadent treat.
Avoid Mistakes
Don’t overbake—edges should be lightly golden but center slightly soft.
Press dough evenly to ensure uniform thickness.
Let bars cool fully before slicing to prevent crumbling.
M&M'S Christmas Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 3/4 cup 1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 8 Oreos crushed
- 1/2 cup Christmas M&M’s
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x9-inch pan with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and vanilla; mix until fully combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture and beat until just combined.
- Fold in crushed Oreos, M&M’s, and chocolate chips.
- Press dough evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake 25–30 minutes until golden and slightly soft in the center.
- Let cool completely, then slice into squares.
Notes
Ingredient Substitutions
- Use holiday-themed Oreos for extra color.
- Swap semisweet chips for white chocolate or milk chocolate.
- Add chopped walnuts or pecans for crunch.
Make-Ahead Tips
- Bars stay soft for 3–4 days when stored airtight.
- Freeze sliced bars for up to 2 months.
- Dough can be prepared 24 hours ahead and chilled.
Serving Variations
- Drizzle with melted white chocolate for a festive finish.
- Top with holiday sprinkles before baking.
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream for a decadent treat.
Avoid Mistakes
- Don’t overbake—edges should be lightly golden but center slightly soft.
- Press dough evenly to ensure uniform thickness.
- Let bars cool fully before slicing to prevent crumbling.
