Christmas Bar Cookies: 13 One-Pan Recipes That Fill the Whole Cookie Tray Without Baking Batch After Batch
Christmas bar cookies are the secret behind every overflowing holiday cookie tray you have ever admired. Instead of rolling, cutting and baking sheet after sheet, you press one dough into one pan, bake it once and slice it into two dozen neat squares. Our readers made holiday pie bars and the Christmas cookie box two of the most loved food galleries of the season, so we put the best of both into one pan. Below are 13 festive bars, from gooey seven layer magic bars and peppermint brownies to raspberry linzer squares and millionaire shortbread. Every recipe has a short shopping list and simple steps, and most of them freeze beautifully, so you can bake in November and still have a full tray ready when company knocks. Line the pan with parchment, let it cool completely and cut with a warm knife..
Seven Layer Magic Bars, the Christmas Bar Cookies That Vanish First
Every cookie tray needs one bar that disappears before the coffee is poured, and this is it. The classic seven layer bar starts with a buttery graham cracker crust, then piles on chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, coconut and pecans, all held together by a pour of sweetened condensed milk. For Christmas, swap half the chocolate chips for red and green candy-coated chocolates. The edges turn chewy and caramel-like while the middle stays soft and gooey, and the whole pan takes ten minutes of hands-on work..
You will need: 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 cup melted butter, 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk, 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, 1 cup butterscotch chips, 1/2 cup red and green candy-coated chocolates, 1 1/3 cups sweetened flaked coconut, 1 cup chopped pecans.
How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350°F and line a 9×13 pan with parchment. 2. Stir the crumbs and melted butter and press into the pan. 3. Pour the condensed milk evenly over the crust. 4. Layer the chips, coconut, pecans and candies on top and press down gently with your hands. 5. Bake 25 to 28 minutes until the coconut is golden. 6. Cool completely, then cut into 24 bars.
Gingerbread Bars With a Snowy Sugar Dusting
All the cozy spice of gingerbread men, none of the rolling pin, in Christmas bar cookies made for sharing. These dark, fudgy squares get their deep flavor from molasses, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon and a pinch of cloves, and they bake up soft and chewy like the best bakery bar. A heavy dusting of powdered sugar makes them look like they were left out in the snow. They taste even better on day two, once the spices settle in, which makes them a smart bake-ahead choice for busy December weekends and school parties.
You will need: 3/4 cup melted butter, 1 cup dark brown sugar, 1/2 cup molasses, 2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 1/4 cups flour, 2 tbsp cocoa powder, 2 tsp ground ginger, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp cloves, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, powdered sugar for dusting.
How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350°F and line a 9×13 pan with parchment. 2. Whisk the butter, brown sugar and molasses, then beat in the eggs and vanilla. 3. Stir in the flour, cocoa, spices, baking soda and salt until just combined. 4. Spread in the pan and bake 22 to 25 minutes until just set. 5. Cool completely, dust generously with powdered sugar and cut into squares.
Nanaimo Bars, Canada’s No-Bake Christmas Classic
No Canadian Christmas tray is complete without these three-layer beauties, named after the city of Nanaimo in British Columbia. A no-bake base of graham crumbs, cocoa, coconut and nuts sits under a thick, sweet vanilla custard buttercream, and a thin layer of chocolate seals the top. They are rich, so cut them into small squares and watch them disappear. These Christmas bar cookies need no oven at all, which makes them perfect for the week when the oven is booked solid with roasts and pies.
You will need: Base: 1/2 cup butter, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/3 cup cocoa powder, 1 egg (beaten), 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs, 1 cup sweetened coconut, 1/2 cup finely chopped almonds. Filling: 1/2 cup softened butter, 3 tbsp heavy cream, 2 tbsp vanilla custard powder, 2 cups powdered sugar. Top: 4 oz semisweet chocolate, 2 tbsp butter.
How to make it: 1. Line a 9×9 pan. 2. Melt the butter, sugar and cocoa in a bowl over simmering water, whisk in the egg and stir 2 minutes until thick. 3. Mix in the crumbs, coconut and almonds, press into the pan and chill. 4. Beat the filling ingredients until fluffy and spread over the base; chill 30 minutes. 5. Melt the chocolate with butter, spread on top and chill until set before cutting.
Peppermint Brownie Bars With Crushed Candy Cane Topping
Take a pan of fudgy brownies, add a cool peppermint cream layer and finish with a thin coat of chocolate, and you have the Christmas bar cookies that steal the show. The crushed candy cane on top adds crunch and that unmistakable holiday sparkle. Use a boxed brownie mix if the week is busy; nobody will know once the layers go on. Chill the pan well before slicing and wipe the knife between cuts for those clean, layered edges that look straight out of a bakery case.
You will need: 1 batch fudgy brownies baked in a 9×13 pan (or 1 boxed mix), 1/2 cup softened butter, 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tbsp milk, 1 tsp peppermint extract, 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, 1/3 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup crushed candy canes.
How to make it: 1. Bake the brownies and cool completely. 2. Beat the butter, powdered sugar, milk and peppermint extract until fluffy, then spread over the brownies. 3. Chill 30 minutes. 4. Microwave the chocolate chips with cream in short bursts and stir smooth. 5. Spread over the mint layer and sprinkle with crushed candy canes. 6. Chill 1 hour, then cut into squares.
Layered Peppermint Bark Squares
If decorating forty cutout cookies sounds exhausting, these Christmas bar cookies are your new best friend. A layer of dark chocolate sets in a lined pan, a layer of creamy white chocolate goes on top, and a shower of crushed candy canes finishes the job. Cut it into neat squares instead of breaking it, and it stacks beautifully on a tray or in a gift tin. It takes about fifteen minutes of real work and no oven at all. Use good chocolate here, because there is nowhere for cheap chocolate to hide.
You will need: 12 oz semisweet or dark chocolate (chopped), 12 oz white chocolate (chopped), 1/2 tsp peppermint extract, 1/2 cup crushed candy canes.
How to make it: 1. Line a 9×9 pan with parchment. 2. Melt the dark chocolate in short microwave bursts, stir smooth and spread in the pan; chill 15 minutes until just set. 3. Melt the white chocolate, stir in the peppermint extract and spread over the dark layer. 4. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes and press lightly. 5. Chill 1 hour, lift out and cut into squares with a warm knife.
Pecan Pie Bars on a Shortbread Crust
All the gooey, caramel goodness of pecan pie, now in a form you can pick up with your fingers. A press-in shortbread crust bakes first, then gets a brown sugar and maple filling loaded with toasted pecans. Cut into small squares, these Christmas bar cookies feel rich and special, so a little goes a long way on the tray. They hold up well in a tin for gifting and travel to parties without a crumb out of place. A tiny pinch of flaky salt on top makes them sing.
You will need: Crust: 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 3/4 cup cold butter. Filling: 3 eggs, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup corn syrup or maple syrup, 1/4 cup melted butter, 2 tsp vanilla, 2 1/2 cups chopped pecans, flaky salt.
How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350°F and line a 9×13 pan. 2. Pulse the crust ingredients into crumbs, press into the pan and bake 18 minutes. 3. Whisk the eggs, brown sugar, syrup, melted butter and vanilla, then stir in the pecans. 4. Pour over the hot crust and bake 25 to 30 minutes until set. 5. Cool completely, sprinkle with flaky salt and cut into small squares.
Raspberry Linzer Bars With a Lattice Top
Linzer cookies are gorgeous, but cutting out all those tiny windows takes an afternoon. These Christmas bar cookies give you the same Austrian flavors, almond and cinnamon dough with bright raspberry jam, in a fraction of the time. Press most of the dough into the pan, spread the jam and lay strips of dough on top in a lattice, then dust with powdered sugar once cool. The ruby jam peeking through looks like stained glass on a cookie tray. They also keep for days, so bake them early.
You will need: 1 cup softened butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 cups flour, 1 cup almond flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 cup seedless raspberry jam, powdered sugar.
How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350°F and line a 9×9 pan. 2. Cream the butter and sugar, beat in the egg and vanilla, then mix in both flours, cinnamon and salt. 3. Press two thirds of the dough into the pan. 4. Spread the jam on top. 5. Roll the remaining dough into strips and arrange in a lattice. 6. Bake 35 to 40 minutes until golden, cool and dust with powdered sugar.
Millionaire Shortbread Squares
Three layers, one pan and pure luxury: crisp buttery shortbread, a thick layer of soft homemade caramel and a snap of smooth chocolate on top. These British favorites have become some of the most requested Christmas bar cookies in America, and it is easy to see why. Cook the caramel slowly and keep stirring so it turns a deep golden color without catching. For a festive look, swirl a little melted white chocolate through the dark chocolate with a toothpick, then sprinkle a few gold sugar pearls.
You will need: Shortbread: 1 cup butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 cups flour. Caramel: 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk, 2 tbsp golden or corn syrup. Topping: 7 oz dark or milk chocolate, 1 oz white chocolate.
How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350°F and line a 9×9 pan. 2. Mix the shortbread ingredients, press into the pan and bake 20 minutes; cool. 3. Melt the caramel ingredients in a saucepan and stir over medium heat 6 to 8 minutes until thick and golden. 4. Pour over the shortbread and chill 1 hour. 5. Melt the chocolate, spread on top, swirl in white chocolate and chill until firm before cutting.
Lemon Snowflake Christmas Bar Cookies
A tray full of rich Christmas bar cookies needs something bright, and these lemon bars are the palate cleanser everyone secretly loves. The tangy, silky curd sits on a buttery shortbread base, and a heavy snowfall of powdered sugar makes them look like little snowflakes. For extra charm, lay a paper snowflake stencil on each square before dusting. Fresh lemon juice makes all the difference here, so skip the bottle. Dust them just before serving, because the sugar slowly melts into the curd in the fridge.
You will need: Crust: 1 cup softened butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 2 cups flour, pinch of salt. Filling: 4 eggs, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1/4 cup flour, 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice, zest of 2 lemons. Powdered sugar for dusting.
How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350°F and line a 9×13 pan. 2. Mix the crust ingredients, press into the pan and bake 18 to 20 minutes until lightly golden. 3. Whisk the eggs, sugar, flour, lemon juice and zest until smooth. 4. Pour over the hot crust and bake 20 to 22 minutes until the center is set. 5. Cool, chill 2 hours, dust with powdered sugar and cut.
No-Bake Dark Chocolate Fruit and Nut Bars
When the oven is already full of ham and pie, these no-bake Christmas bar cookies come to the rescue. Melted dark chocolate gets stirred together with toasted nuts, crunchy cookie pieces and a handful of dried berries, then pressed into a lined pan and topped with even more ruby red fruit. Once chilled, they slice into rich little squares that look like jewels on the tray. Dried cranberries, cherries or goji berries all work, so use what you have. They keep for two weeks in the fridge.
You will need: 14 oz dark chocolate (chopped), 3 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp honey, pinch of sea salt, 1 cup toasted almonds or hazelnuts (chopped), 1 cup crushed graham crackers or butter cookies, 1 cup dried cranberries, cherries or goji berries, divided.
How to make it: 1. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment. 2. Melt the chocolate, butter and honey together and stir in the salt. 3. Fold in the nuts, cookie pieces and half the dried fruit. 4. Press into the pan and scatter the remaining fruit on top, pressing lightly. 5. Chill 2 hours until firm, then cut into small squares.
Chocolate Mint Layered Bars
These three-layer Christmas bar cookies look like they came from a fancy chocolate shop, yet they need no oven at all. A chocolate cookie crumb base, a pale green mint buttercream and a glossy chocolate top come together with just a little chilling time between layers. Their soft green middle is pure Christmas, and the cool mint flavor balances all the caramel on the tray. Cut them small, since they are rich, and keep them in the fridge until the party so the layers stay crisp and clean.
You will need: Base: 2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs, 1/2 cup melted butter. Filling: 1/2 cup softened butter, 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 3 tbsp milk, 1 tsp peppermint extract, 2 drops green food coloring. Top: 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, 3 tbsp butter.
How to make it: 1. Line a 9×9 pan. 2. Mix the crumbs and melted butter, press into the pan and chill 15 minutes. 3. Beat the filling ingredients until fluffy and spread over the base; chill 20 minutes. 4. Melt the chocolate chips with butter and spread on top. 5. Chill 1 hour, then cut with a warm knife.
Chocolate Toffee Crunch, the Easiest Christmas Bar Cookies of All
Grandma called it Christmas crack, and one bite explains the name. A bubbling butter and brown sugar toffee goes over a pan of saltine crackers, bakes for just five minutes, and then chocolate chips melt into a glossy layer on top. Scatter chopped pistachios or almonds and a pinch of sea salt, then break it into rustic pieces once it is firm. It makes a huge batch of Christmas bar cookies for very little money, which is why it fills so many holiday gift tins every December.
You will need: 40 saltine crackers, 1 cup butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, 1 cup chopped pistachios or almonds, flaky sea salt.
How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400°F and line a sheet pan with foil and parchment. 2. Lay the crackers in a single layer. 3. Boil the butter and brown sugar for 3 minutes, stir in vanilla and pour over the crackers. 4. Bake 5 minutes. 5. Scatter the chocolate chips, wait 3 minutes and spread smooth. 6. Top with nuts and salt, chill until firm and break or cut into pieces.
Cherry Almond Christmas Bar Cookies
Close out the tray with a bar that tastes like a holiday bakery. An almond-scented shortbread base gets a layer of cherry filling, then a crumble of the same dough and sliced almonds on top, finished with a thin almond glaze. These Christmas bar cookies are a gorgeous ruby red when you cut them, and the almond extract makes the whole kitchen smell like the holidays. Want more ideas for the dessert table? Try our holiday pie bars that feed a crowd next.
You will need: 1 cup softened butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 4 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp almond extract, 3 cups flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling, 1/2 cup sliced almonds. Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tbsp milk, 1/4 tsp almond extract.
How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a half sheet pan. 2. Cream the butter and sugar, beat in the eggs, vanilla and almond extract, then mix in the flour and salt. 3. Spread two thirds of the batter in the pan. 4. Spoon the cherry filling over the top, then drop the remaining batter in small spoonfuls. 5. Sprinkle with almonds and bake 30 to 35 minutes. 6. Cool, drizzle with glaze and cut.
