NEW RECIPE: M&M Christmas Cookie Bars

Do you enjoy making holiday treats for neighbors, co-workers, or loved ones? Then you need to make these M&M Christmas Cookie Bars! These cookie bars give you the classic chocolate chip cookie with a holiday m&m flare giving you two of America's favorite treats combined!

This is easy to make and the perfect holiday gift or hosting treat!

Ingredients

• 2 sticks of butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup of granulated sugar 
• 1 cup of firmly packed golden brown sugar
• 3 large eggs 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups of all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1 1/2 cups of Christmas M&M's , plus more for topping
• 1 cup of mini chocolate chips, plus more for topping
• 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a 9x13 baking dish with foil, leave some overhang to make removal easier.
3. Spray foil generously with nonstick cooking spray.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until fluffy.
5. Add in eggs and vanilla extract and continue to beat.
6. Lower speed of mixer and add flour, baking soda and salt and mix until combined.
7. Add M&M's and mini chocolate chips and give a final stir, reserving some M&M's, mini chocolate chips and white chocolate chips for topping cookie bars.
8. Transfer cookie dough to prepared baking dish.
9. Press additional M&M'S, mini chocolate chips and white chocolate chips into top of cookie dough.
10. Bake 35 to 40 minutes on oven rack in lower third of oven to prevent over browning.
11. Let cool completely and cut.

adapted from FOOD NETWORK MAGAZINE CHOCOLATE LOVER’S COOKBOOK