M&M Holiday Cookie Bars Recipe - Easy and Sweet Holiday Treat

If you’re looking for an easy, colorful, and crowd-pleasing dessert, these M&M Cookie Bars check all the boxes. Buttery, chewy, and loaded with gooey chocolate chips and crunchy holiday M&Ms, they taste like your favorite chocolate chip cookie, only in a bar form and way easier to make.

This is one of those recipes I reach for every single year around the holidays ( or any time of the year with classic M&Ms). The dough comes together in one bowl, no chill time needed, and they bake up golden and soft in under 30 minutes. Best of all? You don’t have to scoop individual cookies. Just press the dough into a pan, pop it in the oven, and slice into perfectly chewy bars once they’ve cooled.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Quick & Easy – No chilling dough or shaping cookies. Just mix, press, and bake.
Festive & Fun – Holiday-colored M&Ms make them cheerful and eye-catching.
Perfect for Sharing – A pan of bars can easily be cut into squares to serve a crowd.
Customizable – Swap in peanut butter M&Ms, mini M&Ms, or even add sprinkles for extra flair.

Yield: 24 bars

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Bake Time: 25-30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

List of Ingredients:

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup unsalted butter (melted and slightly cooled)
1 cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup red and green holiday M&Ms ( plus extra for topping)

Cooking Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
In a medium-size bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set the bowl aside for later.
In a large bowl, blend the melted butter with both sugars until smooth and slightly fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir until incorporated, don’t overmix.
Fold in the chocolate chips and the M&Ms.
Press the dough evenly into your prepared pan. Sprinkle a few extra M&Ms on top.
Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the center is set.
Allow the bars to cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before slicing into squares.

Pro Tips:

For extra gooey bars, pull them out closer to 25 minutes.
Swap in dark chocolate or white chocolate chips for variety.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

FAQ’s

Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted?

You sure can, make sure to reduce the added salt in the recipe to a pinch or skip it entirely. It still tastes amazing.

Do I need to line the pan with parchment paper?

I would highly recommend it. It will make removing and cutting the bars way easier, and there’s less cleanup.

What if I don’t have red and green M&Ms?

Not a problem at all. You can use any color you like. This recipe works year-round. Try pastels for spring, or class M&Ms for a birthday vibe.

Can I freeze the cookie bars?

Absolutely! Once they’ve cooled, cut them and freeze them in a sealed container or a freezer bag. They’ll keep for up to 2 months. Just thaw at room temperature when you are ready to eat them.

Mine came out a bit dry – what happened?

They were probably baked a little too long. Try pulling them out closer to 25 minutes next time for a gooey center.

Can I make these ahead of time?

Yes! You can bake them 1-2 days in advance and store them in an airtight container. The flavor improves a bit as they sit.

Can I use peanut butter or mini M&Ms?

Totally! Peanut butter M&Ms, mini, or any seasonal variety all work well. Just keep the total mix in amounts around 1 cup.

Can I cut the recipe in half?

You sure can! Use an 8×8 or 9×9-inch pan and bake for around 20-25 minutes. Keep an eye on the edges.

Do these taste more like cookies or blondies?

Kind of both! They have the chewiness of a blondie but the flavor and vibe of a soft chocolate chip cookie, with bonus crunch from the M&Ms.

Are these super sweet?

They’re sweet in the best way, like a bakery-style cookie bar. The brown sugar adds depth, and the semi-sweet chocolate balances it out. Not overly sugary, but a treat.

Do the M&Ms melt?

The chocolate inside the M&Ms gets soft and slightly melty, but the candy shell holds its shape.

Expert Baking Tips

Don’t skip the parchment paper. Lining your pan with parchment will make it easy to lift the bars out in one piece, it keeps them from sticking, and helps with even baking.
Let the melted butter cool slightly. Hot butter can scramble your eggs or make the batter greasy. Let it sit for a few minutes before mixing it with the sugars.
Use room temperature eggs. Room-temperature eggs blend more smoothly into the batter and help with an even texture. If you’re short on time, place them in warm water for 5 minutes.
Don’t overmix the batter. Once you add the dry ingredients, stir just until combined. Overmixing equals tough bars.
Save some M&Ms for the top. Gently press a few extra M&Ms into the top of the dough before baking. This makes the bars look extra colorful and festive after baking.
Bake just until the center is set. Start checking at 25 minutes. The bars will continue to set as they cool. Overbaking can make the cookies dry instead of chewy.
Cool before slicing. Let the bars cool for at least 15-20 minutes in the pan so they firm up and cut cleanly. Warm bars may fall apart (but still taste amazing).
Clean your knife between cuts. For neat, bakery-style bars, wipe the knife with a warm, damp cloth between each slice.

M&M Holiday Cookie Bars Recipe – Easy and Sweet Holiday Treat