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Nothing welcomes the holidays like sugar cookies, and these M&M Sugar Cookie Bars are the easy way to satisfy that cookie craving. Soft, chewy cookies loaded with Christmas candies.

Nothing says love like sugar cookies, but you don’t always have time to mix, roll and cut cookie dough. This M&M Sugar Cookie Bar recipe is the answer.

Whether you’re fixing these for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, July 4 or Halloween, these festive, chewy cookie bars will bring smiles.

Makes a small 8×8″ size dessert.
No need to chill the dough.
Use holiday M&Ms in any color for a festive look.
The sugar cookie sweetness and taste you know and love, without the work of rolling and using cookie cutters.
Make them in advance and freeze them for a later time. They freeze really well.

You should also try our Christmas tree butter cookies and chocolate chip sugar cookie bars!

Prepare.

Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line an 8×8 inch square baking dish with parchment paper.

creamed butter, sugar and eggs in a bowl

Mix.

In a medium bowl, cream together butter and sugar on medium speed (with a stand mixer or electric mixer) until soft and fluffy.
Add eggs and vanilla; mix until thoroughly incorporated. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl during mixing to make sure it all gets incorporated.
Add the dry ingredients: flour, salt and baking soda. Mix again just until combined, scraping the side of the bowl as needed.
Stir in the M&Ms.

Bake.

Press the sugar cookie dough into an even layer in the prepared pan.
Bake cookie bars until edges begin to golden, about 30 minutes.

Top with your favorite buttercream frosting (that you can color with food coloring) and add sprinkles or additional M&Ms on top.

Double the Recipe

Need more bars? No problem! Just double the recipe and bake them in a 12×17″ sheet pan (with 1″ sides). Since the pan is larger, the cookie bars will be thinner and take less time to bake. Bake the cookies in this size pan for about 17-20 minutes.

frosting spreading over sugar cookie bars — M&M Cookie Bars

frosted M&M sugar cookie bar — M&M Cookie Bars

Recipe Variations

Leave out the chocolate and frost the cookie bars with a colored frosting and sprinkles. They are great for birthdays like this.
Add mini chocolate chips and frost with chocolate buttercream.
Add in caramel bits and chocolate chips, then frost with chocolate buttercream and sprinkles with pecans.
Love peppermint? Add peppermint crunch baking bits, frost with vanilla frosting and add more peppermint bits on top. You can even swap out the vanilla extract for peppermint flavor for more of a minty punch.
Switch out the vanilla extract for almond extract.

Storage Instructions

The sugar cookie bars are safe to store at room temperature for up to 3 days. After that, freeze any leftovers. Wrap the bars in plastic wrap, then wrap again in foil or place them in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 8 weeks.

To thaw the cookies, place them at room temperature, but don’t open the package until the bars have fully thawed.

M&M Sugar Cookie Bars

4.53 from 21 votes

Nothing welcomes the holidays like sugar cookies, and these M&M Sugar Cookie Bars are the easy way to satisfy that cookie craving. Soft, chewy cookies loaded with Christmas candies.

Servings 25

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

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Ingredients

3/4 cup salted butter room temperature (6 ounces)
1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 grams
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 325 grams
3/4 teaspoon salt 6 grams
½ teaspoon baking soda 3 grams
1 1/4 cups mini M&Ms about 9 ounces
vanilla frosting optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line an 8×8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, cream together butter and sugar on medium speed (with a stand mixer or electric mixer) until soft and fluffy.
Add eggs and vanilla; mix until thoroughly incorporated.
Add the flour, salt and baking soda. Mix again just until combined, scraping the side of the bowl as needed.
Stir in the M&Ms.
Press the sugar cookie dough into an even layer in the prepared pan.
Bake cookie bars until edges begin to golden, about 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool completely.