Description

These festive Christmas cookie bars are loaded with chocolate chips, M&Ms, pretzels, caramels, and holiday sprinkles for the ultimate holiday treat. Soft, chewy, and easy to make, they’re perfect for parties or gift-giving!

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Cookie Dough:

3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg + 1 yolk (1 whole egg + 1 extra egg yolk)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour (add an extra 1/4 cup if dough is too runny)

Mix-Ins (Total 2 Cups):

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup red & green M&Ms
1/2 cup pretzels, broken into pieces
1/2 cup chewy caramels, chopped (e.g., Kraft or Werther’s Soft)
2 tablespoons holiday sprinkles (e.g., “jimmies”)

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Instructions

Preheat Oven:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or line a 9×13-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper.
Chop Caramels:
Cut each caramel into smaller pieces (Kraft caramels can be cut into 8 pieces each).
Mix the Wet Ingredients:
In a medium microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter for 20-30 seconds until just melted. Let it cool slightly if it’s steaming.
Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the melted butter. Stir with a spatula until combined. Add in the egg, extra egg yolk, and vanilla extract, mixing until well combined.
Add Dry Ingredients:
Stir in the baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Then add the flour, mixing until the flour is fully incorporated. If the dough is too runny, let it sit for 5 minutes to firm up. If it remains too soft, add an additional ¼ cup flour.
Add the Mix-Ins:
Stir in the chocolate chips, M&Ms, pretzel pieces, caramel pieces, and sprinkles until evenly distributed.
Press and Bake:
Press the dough evenly into the prepared baking pan. For an attractive finish, press a few extra mix-ins onto the top.
Bake at 350°F for 16-18 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the center is set. Some ovens may require up to 20 minutes.
Cool and Slice:
Remove from the oven and let the pan cool completely on a cooling rack. Slice into squares (12 large, 24 medium, or 48 bite-sized pieces) once cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Notes

Flour Tip: If the dough remains runny after 5 minutes, add an extra ¼ cup flour.
Chocolate Chips: Feel free to swap semi-sweet for milk, dark, white, or peanut butter chips.
Freezing: To freeze, cool bars completely and store in an airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 1-2 months.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 Square
Calories: 220kcal
Sugar: 18g
Sodium: 120mg
Fat: 11g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Unsaturated Fat: 3g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 28g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 2g
Cholesterol: 25mg