Holiday Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars with M&Ms and Pretzels
These Easy Holiday Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars blend your classic chocolate chip cookie with M&Ms, chocolate chips, and pretzels...
- Prep
- 15 mins
- Cook
- 40 mins
- Total
- 55 mins
- Makes
- 24 cookie bars
These Easy Holiday Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars take your classic chocolate chip cookie and add M&Ms, chocolate chips, and pretzels! Skip the cookie scoop and try this sweet-and-salty holiday cookie bar recipe. You'll be glad you did!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Many of the recipes I've shared, like my Blender Chocolate Mousse or Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge, are easy to make, and that's true. But these Easy Holiday Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are truly the simplest thing in my recipe box!
The dough for these chocolate chip cookie bars comes together quickly. Spread it evenly in the pan, and then it's ready to bake!
You get soft, chewy cookie bars with a perfect salty-sweet balance, and the best part is that the dough needs no chilling time!
Enjoy!
Ingredients You'll Need
The ingredients in the photo below go into these easy chocolate chip cookie bars. The bulleted items are the key ingredients that need a bit more explanation.
- All-Purpose Flour. I prefer King Arthur flour, but use whatever you already have!
- Unsalted Butter. Salted butter works in place of unsalted. Just leave out the salt called for in the recipe.
- Light Brown Sugar. I'm a big fan of the light brown sugar from ALDI, with Trader Joe's a close second.
- Holiday Themed M&Ms. Use any holiday-themed M&Ms you like! Peanut M&Ms are a fun option too!
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips. Milk chocolate chips or a semi-sweet chocolate bar chopped into small pieces also work. I like Ghirardelli, but use what you have!
- Salted Pretzels. Mini salted pretzels are my pick. Whatever kind you use, break it into small pieces.
For quantities and instructions, see the recipe card below.
How to Make the Recipe
Here's a brief overview of how to make these easy chocolate chip cookie bars. The full printable recipe, which you can view in US customary or metric measurements using the toggle switch, is in the recipe card below.
Step 1. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
Step 2. Cream the butter and both sugars together on medium-high speed until well blended.
Step 3. Beat in the large eggs one at a time, making sure each is fully mixed in. Then add the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Step 4. Lower the mixer to low speed and slowly add the whisked flour mixture until just combined.
Step 5. Fold in the M&Ms, chocolate chips, and pretzel pieces with a spatula. The dough will be thick and a little sticky.
Step 6. Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan. A flat spatula sprayed with baking spray helps push it into the corners.
Step 7. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 350ºF.
Step 8. Let the bars cool completely before cutting them into squares.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
To store these chocolate chip cookie bars, let them cool fully, then cut into slices and keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. A slice of bread in the container helps keep the bars soft! Kept in the refrigerator, they last up to 1 week.
To freeze the cookie bars, let them cool completely, slice them, and wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap. Store them in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
If you store the cookie bars in the refrigerator or freezer, bring them back to room temperature first so the chocolate-coated candies aren't rock hard when you bite in!
Helpful Tips
- To make the bars easier to lift out for cutting, add a parchment paper sling. Just be sure to spray the top of the parchment again after you add it.
- Fold in the M&Ms, chocolate chips, and pretzels with a spoon or spatula. Don't mix them in with the mixer.
- When pressing the dough into the pan, use a spatula that's been sprayed with flour-based baking spray on one side. That keeps the dough from sticking to it. This tip also comes in handy for my Classic Rice Krispie Treats and Chocolate-Vanilla Layered Rice Krispie Treats!
Recipe FAQs
What can I use in place of semi-sweet chocolate chips?Nearly any type of chocolate chip works here. You can swap the semi-sweet chips for milk, white, butterscotch, or peanut butter chips!
Can I use something in place of pretzels when making cookie bars?Yes! Try peanuts, Cheez-Its, or Goldfish crackers, for example. Whatever snack you choose, make sure it's salty.
If you tried this Easy Holiday Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars Recipe or any other recipe on my site, please leave a star rating and tell me what you thought in the comments below. Thanks for stopping by!
Holiday Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars with M&Ms and Pretzels
These Easy Holiday Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars blend your classic chocolate chip cookie with M&Ms, chocolate chips, and pretzels! Skip the cookie scoop and try this sweet-and-salty holiday cookie bar recipe.
- Prep
- 15 mins
- Cook
- 40 mins
- Total
- 55 mins
- Makes
- 24 cookie bars
Ingredients
- 3 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 cup Light Brown Sugar, firmly packed
- 3 Large Eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 cup Holiday Colored M&M's, plus a bit extra for topping
- 1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, plus a bit extra for topping
- 1 cup Salted Pretzels, broken into small pieces, plus a bit extra for topping
Method
- Set your oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350ºF.
- Generously coat a 9-inch x 13-inch baking pan with flour-based baking spray. If you want, add a parchment paper sling to the pan so the bars are easy to lift out. If you do, lightly spray the top of the paper too.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Set it aside.
- With a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, cream the unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar on medium-high speed until well combined.
- Beat in the large eggs one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated. Then mix in the vanilla extract.
- Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the whisked dry ingredients until just combined.
- With a spatula or spoon, fold in the M&Ms, chocolate chips, and broken pretzel pieces. The dough will be thick and a little sticky.
- Spoon the dough into the 13" x 9" baking pan and spread it evenly all the way to the edges. Clean hands or a spatula lightly sprayed with flour-based baking spray work well for this.
- Bake at 350ºF for 35-40 minutes, until the top is a nice light golden brown.
- Take the pan out of the oven and let the bars cool completely on a wire rack before cutting them into squares.
Baker’s notes
- To make the bars easier to lift out, add a parchment paper sling and spray the top of the paper after adding it. Fold in the M&Ms, chocolate chips, and pretzels with a spoon or spatula, never with the mixer. When pressing the dough into the pan, a spatula sprayed with flour-based baking spray on one side keeps the dough from sticking. To store the bars, let them cool fully, slice them, and keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. A slice of bread in the container keeps them soft! In the refrigerator they last up to 1 week. To freeze, let them cool, slice, and wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap, then store in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Bring refrigerated or frozen bars to room temperature before eating so the candy coating isn't too hard.
