50 Christmas Bar Recipes That'll Land You On Santa's Nice List
It's no surprise that Christmas cookies get all the hype this time of year, but hear us out: Christmas bars are actually where it’s at. They’re easier to make because there’s no scooping or rolling of cookie dough, they’re perfect for sharing at every holiday occasion, from potlucks to cookie swaps, and the layers, oh the layers. Since you assemble them in one pan, there’s SO much opportunity to layer in a ton of flavors (chocolate! caramel! cheesecake!). Check out our 50 Christmas dessert bars for inspiration, then leave a plate out for Santa—he’ll never know what hit him.
First things first, let’s make sure we’ve got our definition straight. For us, it’s about the shape (square, though triangles are welcome if you want to get creative) and the assembly more than what makes up a bar. Cookie bars are classic, so we’ve included our chocolate chip, M&M, gingerbread, and magic cookie bars. It’s not all about cookie flavors, though:
We think brownies—like our mint chocolate chip brownies, our pecan pie brownies, and our spiced hot chocolate brownies—count too. Ditto blondies, like our snickerdoodle blondies, our cookies 'n' cream blondies, and our gingerbread blondies. Bars involving cheesecake are also always a hit (and are SO much easier to make than the full-size version). Check out our lemon cranberry cheesecake bars, our hot fudge cheesecake bars, or our snickerdoodle cheesecake bars for ideas. Looking for something super simple?
Want even more holiday desserts? Check out our favorite easy holiday desserts, our top Christmas cakes, and our best cute Christmas treats too.
Christmas Blondies
We can't think of a better way to celebrate the holidays than these festive blondies loaded with M&M's, crushed Oreos, and chocolate chips.
Get the Christmas Blondies recipe.
French Silk Brownies
Gingerbread Blondies
While adorable gingerbread cookies are a holiday staple, gingerbread goes way beyond the classic cookies. Our newest obsession? Gingerbread blondies. The combination of spices and molasses used in this recipe turns the classic blondies into a festive winter treat fit to be served at any Christmas or holiday party.
Get the Gingerbread Blondies recipe.
Christmas Tree Brownies
These adorable Christmas trees are perfect for when you don't have a ton of time but still want to make something cute and festive. They're easy to assemble and the kids can even help decorate! Use your favorite brownie recipe or a boxed brownie mix, like we did here.
Get the Christmas Tree Brownies recipe.
Dirty Chai Blondies
The chewy yet tender brown sugar base here is swirled with chai spices and espresso-spiked caramel, then topped with a black tea glaze to create a decadent and satisfying snack. Skip the coffee shop pastry and enjoy this treat all holiday season long.
Get the Dirty Chai Blondies recipe.
Spiced Hot Chocolate Brownies
Mexican hot chocolate is a unique take on everyone's favorite winter beverage. It’s rich in chocolate, not too sweet, and the added spices will surprise yet comfort you. These brownies are inspired by their classic flavor, with a little something extra.
Get the Spiced Hot Chocolate Brownies recipe.
Lemon Cranberry Cheesecake Bars
Tart, tangy, and sweet, these cheesecake bars are sandwiched between a pastry crust that just happens to be super-easy to make (thank you, store-bought crescent roll dough!). Plus, we snuck in one of our favorite spice combos to add a cozy touch: pumpkin spice.
Get the Lemon Cranberry Cheesecake Bars recipe.
Copycat Klondike Bars
Klondike Bars are the perfect frozen treat, one we crave even when it's cold outside. They're a grocery freezer case staple, but what if we told you that they're easy to make at home with a simple no-churn ice cream and a two-ingredient DIY chocolate topping?
Get the Copycat Klondike Bars recipe.
Andes Brownie
A brownie that looks and tastes like Andes Mints are a dream come true for chocolate-mint lovers. Feel free to add some crushed peppermints to the top to make these extra festive.
Get the Andes Brownie recipe.
Peppermint Bark Brownies
This recipe can be as fancy or as simple as you want, depending on the type of brownies you make. TBH, this peppermint white chocolate frosting would be amazing on pretty much anything. You could even sub out the brownies for cookies or even... brookies! The delicious options are endless.
Get the Peppermint Bark Brownies recipe.
Nutella Blondies
In this recipe, chewy, sweet blondies are swirled with Nutella for a decadent, but SUPER easy holiday dessert. They only require one bowl, and swirling the Nutella on top is easier than it looks.
Get the Nutella Blondies recipe.
These have all the comfort of a chocolate chip cookie, with the added crunch of M&M's and the heft of a bar shape, making for a delicious treat that’s impossible to put down. Try them with seasonal M&M's to switch them up for holidays too.
Get the M&M Cookie Bars recipe.
No-Bake Buckeye Cheesecake Bars
Buckeyes are a beloved truffle made of a rich peanut butter filling that are dipped in chocolate. They're easy to make, but these no-bake cheesecake bars might be even easier—no individual rolling or dipping required!
Get the No-Bake Buckeye Cheesecake Bars recipe.
Maple Butter Blondies
Inspired by the cream cheese-maple sauce drizzled on the butter pecan blondies at Applebee's, these easy white chocolate chip blondies highlight a very underutilized baking ingredient: maple syrup. Feel free to use walnuts or pecans here, whichever you prefer.
Get the Maple Butter Blondies recipe.
These citrusy bars are the perfect make-ahead dessert. They need a long chill time, so pop 'em in the fridge and leave them overnight. The next day, you'll be rewarded with perfectly set squares you can take on the go. They're sure to brighten up even the grayest of winter days.
Get the Lemon Bars recipe.
Copycat Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars
This is the easiest Starbucks copycat recipe. These chewy blondies are studded with white chocolate chips and cranberries and then get a sweet orange cream cheese frosting and an extra drizzle of white chocolate just for fun.
Get the Copycat Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars recipe.
Snickerdoodle Blondies
While we love classic snickerdoodles, when we're craving a fun holiday dessert, we turn to these cookie-inspired blondies every single time. Perfectly tender and chewy (with a cinnamon-sugar topping), these blondies get that signature snickerdoodle texture and flavor without cream of tartar.
Get the Snickerdoodle Blondies recipe.
Mint Chocolate Chip Brownies
These brownies have a secret layer of Andes Mints under all that glorious green frosting and on top for even more minty flavor.
Get the Mint Chocolate Chip Brownies recipe.
Honey & Peanut Butter Blondies
These blondies are like a honey & peanut butter sandwich, in dessert form. They're thick and chewy with all of the honey flavor shining through—they're sure to make you feel like a kid again.
Get the Honey & Peanut Butter Blondies recipe.
Red Velvet Cookies & Cream Bars
If you love our cookies & cream brownies and red velvet cake, these bars are for you. They'll make a festive, unique addition to any holiday dessert table.
Get the Red Velvet Cookies & Cream Bars recipe.
Pecan Pie Brownies
We're not willing to leave pecan pie behind at Thanksgiving, so we're baking these brownies all the way through the holiday season.
Get the Pecan Pie Brownies recipe.
Orange Creamsicle Bars
These triple-layered orange bars have us feeling all nostalgic for the classic frozen Popsicle treat that inspired them. But we won’t linger on it for too long because, just like their inspiration, these bars are irresistibly good. They’re creamy, dreamy, and the perfect blend of citrusy orange and vanilla.
Get the Orange Creamsicle Bars recipe.
Rolo Stuffed Blondies
Decadent doesn't even BEGIN to describe these blondies. Try them with any variety of chocolate candies (we bet Heath bars or Twix would be great too!).
Get the Rolo Stuffed Blondies recipe.
Cheesecake-Swirled Ghirardelli Brownies
We’re no strangers to jazzing up a store-bought baking mix, and these cheesecake-swirled brownies are the perfect example. Because it's a solid brand with a focus on fine chocolate, these bars are a step above the rest that'll impress anyone you share them with this holiday.
Get the Cheesecake-Swirled Ghirardelli Brownies recipe.
Blondies do have more fun, especially when they're stuffed with both Oreos and Hershey's Cookies 'N' Creme Bars. Life is GOOD.
Get the Cookies 'N' Cream Blondies recipe.
Salted Caramel Brownies
We think this recipe is pretty fudgin' awesome, but if you want to use a boxed brownie mix instead, feel free. Here it's all about the creamy caramel sauce. Don't skip the Maldon—it's crucial for getting that light hit of salt without making the whole dessert taste salty.
Get the Salted Caramel Brownies recipe.
Cookies 'N' Cream Millionaire Shortbread
Just when we thought a millionaire shortbread couldn’t get richer, we switched up the classic recipe to feature layers of chocolate shortbread, chocolate caramel, and an added bonus of a cookie 'n' cream filling.
Get the Cookies 'N' Cream Millionaire Shortbread recipe.
Magic Cookie Bars
Though dump cakes might be the easiest dessert to make, these bars are a close second. And we'd reckon that these are even more customizable and more delicious. We encourage you to find your ideal flavor and ingredient combinations to discover the true magic of these bars.
Get the Magic Cookie Bars recipe.
Nanaimo Bars
This easy and delicious dessert bar hails from Canada, and we can't get enough of it (and its gorgeous layers)! Its first layer is chocolate, second is a custard-y buttercream, and the third (the best TBH) is a stellar combo of graham cracker crumbs, coconut, and toasted pecans. 😍
Get the Nanaimo Bars recipe.
Peanut Butter Pretzel Butterscotch Blondies
Love a salty-sweet dessert? Prepare to meet your new obsession. Studded with pretzels and butterscotch chips, these rich peanut butter blondies rival any brownie or magic bar out there.
Get the Peanut Butter Pretzel Butterscotch Blondies recipe.
Oreo Cheesecake Bars
With layers of chocolate chip cookie dough, Oreos, and cheesecake, these are EVERYTHING. Did we mention they only have 8 ingredients?!
Get the Oreo Cheesecake Bars recipe.
Oatmeal Fudge Bars
These bars are filled with the creamiest, dreamiest, fudgiest chocolate fudge ever. It's so amazing, we made its layer just as thick as the oatmeal cookie. 😈 You're welcome!
Get the Oatmeal Fudge Bars recipe.
Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars
Snickerdoodle blondies + creamy cheesecake = MAJOR success. Don't worry if the top of the cheesecake isn't perfectly covered with cookie dough. It's meant to be a little bit crumbly. 😉
Get the Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars recipe.
Cookie Lovers Cheesecake Bars
These cheesecake bars have a chocolate chip cookie crust and are topped with Chips Ahoy and Oreos to drive the theme home. The blue is just for fun, so feel free to skip it or change it up for red or green.
Get the Cookie Lovers Cheesecake Bars recipe.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
If you're looking for an easy treat with a nostalgic taste, how about everyone’s all-time favorite chocolate chip cookie, but in bar form? No rolling or scooping little balls, no multiple sheet pans, AND you can store them right in the pan you baked them in. 😍
Get the Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars recipe.
These are kind of like if cheesecake and hot chocolate came together in one perfect bar. They're a chocolate lover's dream.
Get the Hot Fudge Cheesecake Bars recipe.
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