Description
These Gooey Christmas Cookie Bars are festive blondies packed with holiday M&Ms and sprinkles. They are moist, chewy, and perfect for holiday gatherings or gift giving. Easy to make and freezer-friendly, they bake up golden with a gooey center and are sure to be a crowd-pleaser during the Christmas season.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter
- 2 cups (400g) packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 cups (248g) all-purpose flour
Mix-ins and Toppings
- 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 baking pan with foil and spray it well with cooking spray. Avoid using a glass pan to ensure even baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a stand or hand mixer, mix the unsalted butter and packed brown sugar together until the mixture becomes crumbly.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract until the batter is smooth and well combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Add salt, baking powder, and all-purpose flour to the wet mixture. Stir everything together until just combined.
- Incorporate Mix-ins: Gently fold in the Christmas M&Ms and sprinkles, reserving some to sprinkle on top.
- Spread the Batter: Spray your hands lightly with cooking spray to prevent sticking, then spread the wet batter evenly into the prepared pan using your hands. Sprinkle the remaining M&Ms and sprinkles on top.
- Bake the Bars: Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until the edges start to turn golden. Be careful not to overbake; the bars should remain slightly underbaked to keep their gooey texture as they cool.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before slicing into 24 bars. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to a month.
Notes
- To get perfectly even bars, spray your hands with cooking spray before smoothing the batter in the pan—this helps with spreading the sticky dough.
- The bars are best enjoyed slightly underbaked for gooey texture and will firm up as they cool.
- Use a metal pan instead of glass to ensure proper baking and browning.
- You can swap Christmas-themed M&Ms and sprinkles for any color or type to customize for other occasions.
- These bars freeze well; wrap tightly and freeze for up to one month for future treats.
- Make extra batches to gift during the holiday season; they are great homemade gifts!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- 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
