There’s something utterly magical about biting into rich, fudgy squares dotted with festive colors and textures—this Christmas Chocolate Brownie Bars Recipe delivers that cozy holiday spirit in every bite. It’s one of my favorite treats to bring out when the season calls for something extra special yet totally doable at home.

A close-up view of three thick square brownie pieces stacked vertically with the bottom piece on a wooden board. Each brownie has a dense dark brown base layer with a smooth texture and a top layer filled with small green, red, and brown candy-coated chocolate pieces embedded in a white, slightly crumbly layer. Around the brownies, scattered green and red candy pieces add vibrant color. The background is softly blurred, emphasizing the rich texture and colorful toppings of the brownies. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients & Why They Work
Make It Your Way
Step-by-Step: How I Make Christmas Chocolate Brownie Bars Recipe
Top Tip
How to Serve Christmas Chocolate Brownie Bars Recipe
Make Ahead and Storage
Frequently Asked Questions:
Final Thoughts
Christmas Chocolate Brownie Bars Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

I remember making this Christmas Chocolate Brownie Bars Recipe for a holiday party years ago, and the way everyone kept coming back for seconds convinced me to never skip it. It's incredibly festive and loaded with textures that will surprise and delight your taste buds.

Layered Goodness: The contrast between fudgy brownie, crunchy nuts, and gooey sweetened condensed milk makes each bite exciting.
Festive Appearance: Holiday M&Ms and sprinkles bring that cheerful pop of color perfect for sharing at any holiday gathering.
Simple Preparation: Despite looking fancy, it’s surprisingly straightforward—perfect if you want a great result without fuss.
Customizable Layers: You can tweak nuts, candies, or coconut to match your family’s favorites or any dietary needs.

Ingredients & Why They Work

Every ingredient in this Christmas Chocolate Brownie Bars Recipe plays a role—in richness, texture, or festive flair. Choosing quality chocolate and the right nuts makes a noticeable difference, so here’s why I rely on these staples.

Flat lay of semi-sweet chocolate chips in a small white ceramic bowl, a stick of salted butter unwrapped and whole, granulated sugar in a small white ceramic bowl, two large brown eggs with clean shells, one large egg yolk in a small white ceramic bowl, all-purpose flour in a small white ceramic bowl, a small white ceramic bowl with vanilla extract, a small white ceramic bowl with mixed chopped nuts, mini holiday M&Ms scattered neatly on the surface, regular holiday M&Ms in a small white ceramic bowl, sweetened flaked coconut piled in a small white ceramic bowl, sweetened condensed milk in a small white ceramic bowl, colorful holiday sprinkles in a small white ceramic bowl, all ingredients arranged with perfect symmetry on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p m7354615311229779997

Semi-sweet chocolate chips: They provide the deep chocolate flavor and melt beautifully for that fudgy brownie texture.
Salted butter: Adds richness and balances the sweetness, enhancing overall flavor.
Granulated sugar: Sweetens the brownies while helping with that classic chewy texture.
Eggs and egg yolk: Bind ingredients and contribute to the fudgy, tender crumb.
All-purpose flour: Gives structure; be careful not to overmix to keep brownies moist.
Vanilla extract: A small splash lifts chocolate flavor to the next level.
Nuts (optional): I love pecans here for crunch and a toasty nuance, but walnuts work great too.
Mini and regular holiday M&Ms: They add festive color and occasional bursts of sweetness—plus, they hold up well during baking.
Sweetened flaked coconut: Brings chewiness and a tropical hint that plays beautifully with chocolate.
Sweetened condensed milk: Creates that magical gooey layer that makes these bars unforgettable.
Holiday sprinkles: Pure fun and festivity sprinkled right on top.

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Note: You'll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Make It Your Way

I love tweaking this Christmas Chocolate Brownie Bars Recipe depending on the mood or who I’m serving. You absolutely should feel free to swap in your favorite mix-ins or adjust the sweetness to suit your palate.

Nut-free Variation: Once, I made these for a friend with nut allergies by simply omitting the nuts and adding extra coconut—it still had amazing texture and flavor.
Spicy Holiday Twist: Adding a pinch of cinnamon and a dash of cayenne gave an unexpected warmth and festive kick that I totally recommend trying.
Gluten-Free Version: Using a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend works well here, just be sure not to overmix for tender bars.

Step-by-Step: How I Make Christmas Chocolate Brownie Bars Recipe

The image shows a close-up view of square dessert bars arranged in a grid. Each square has three layers: a dark brown bottom layer that looks like a dense brownie, a middle layer of white cream or frosting, and a top layer decorated with red and green candy-coated chocolates, small green and red round sprinkles, dark brown chocolate chunks, and tiny white snowflake-shaped sprinkles. The candies and sprinkles are spread unevenly on the white top layer, creating a colorful and festive look. The dessert squares rest on a dark wooden surface shown between the gaps. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Step 1: Melt Butter and Chocolate Together

Start by lining your 9-inch baking pan with foil or parchment and spraying it lightly—that means easy removal later! Then, melt the butter and 1½ cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips together in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring in between. Be patient here because chocolate can seize if overheated. A smooth, glossy mixture is your goal.

Step 2: Mix in Sugar, Eggs, and Vanilla

Beat in the granulated sugar until glossy, then add the vanilla and eggs (2 whole plus 1 yolk). I use a hand mixer here for easy incorporation, but a vigorous whisk works fine too. The batter should be thick and shiny—almost like brownie batter you want it to be dense but not dry.

Step 3: Add Flour and Bake the Base

Gently fold in the flour until just combined—don’t overmix or you'll lose that tender chew. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes. The edges will look set, and the center will jiggle slightly. This is exactly how it should be before adding the layers.

Step 4: Layer and Top

Now the fun part: sprinkle the nuts first, followed by half the remaining chocolate chips, and half the holiday M&Ms. Then cover it all with the shredded coconut. Pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the top, gently spreading it to cover every corner. Finish by sprinkling the rest of your chocolate chips, M&Ms, and those cheerful holiday sprinkles.

Step 5: Final Bake and Cool

Bake for another 25 minutes until the edges turn golden and the center is set and starting to brown. If the top looks like it’s browning too fast, tent it with foil loosely. Let the bars cool completely before cutting so the layers set perfectly without crumbling.

Top Tip

From multiple batches, I’ve learned that using parchment or foil with a good nonstick spray or butter is a lifesaver for lifting the brownie bars out without damaging those beautiful layers. Also, resist the urge to slice them while still warm—it can be tempting, but perfect squares need patience.

Even Layering: Try to spread the sweetened condensed milk evenly by pouring in a slow, zigzag motion and then gently spreading with a spatula.
Microwave Melting: Melting chocolate in intervals and stirring avoids burning and helps you get that glossy texture essential for fudgy brownies.
Cooling Completely: I always let these bars cool fully in the pan on a wire rack to avoid crumbling and keep clean edges when cutting.
Tenting with Foil: If you notice the topping browning too fast, foiling loosely extends baking without overcooking.

How to Serve Christmas Chocolate Brownie Bars Recipe

Christmas Brownie Bars - Serving Suggestion

Garnishes

I like to keep the garnishes simple but festive—extra holiday sprinkles or a light dusting of powdered sugar does wonders. Occasionally, I’ll add a few whole nuts on top before baking for a rustic look that signals the nutty crunch inside.

Side Dishes

These bars pair wonderfully with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream to balance their richness. For a drink, a hot cup of spiced cocoa or a peppermint latte complements that festive chocolate perfectly.

Creative Ways to Present

For holiday parties, I sometimes cut these into bite-sized squares and serve them on a tiered dessert tray with Christmas-themed cupcake liners—makes them look extra special and portable for guests to grab. Wrapping small squares in cellophane tied with a ribbon also turns them into lovely edible gifts.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Store your Christmas Chocolate Brownie Bars in an airtight container at room temperature. I usually keep mine fresh for up to a week, and they maintain their chewy, fudgy texture beautifully without drying out.

Freezing

These bars freeze well, too! I slice them first, layer with parchment paper inside a freezer-safe container, and thaw at room temperature when I’m ready for a treat. The texture holds up, and the flavors stay vibrant.

Reheating

If you want to warm them up, I pop the bars in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds to soften the chocolate without melting the candies or coconut topping. Just enough to bring out that fresh-baked warmth.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I use different chocolate chips for this recipe?

Absolutely! While semi-sweet chocolate chips provide that classic flavor and balance of sweet and bitter, you can substitute with dark, milk, or even white chocolate chips depending on your preference. Just keep in mind different chocolates will affect the sweetness and richness.

What if I don’t have sweetened condensed milk?

Sweetened condensed milk is key to that fudge-like layer, but if you can’t find it, you could try making your own by simmering milk and sugar until thickened. However, the texture and flavor might differ slightly. Alternatively, you can omit it, but the bars won’t be as gooey or rich in that spot.

Can I make these bars vegan or dairy-free?

Making these bars vegan or dairy-free would require substitutions such as vegan butter and dairy-free chocolate chips. You’d also need to substitute the eggs with flax or chia egg alternatives. Keep in mind that these swaps can affect texture and flavor, so try a test batch first. Sweetened condensed coconut milk is an option for the condensed milk layer.

How do I know when the brownies are done?

The base brownies are done when the edges look set and the center jiggles slightly but isn’t liquidy. After adding the layers and baking again, the bars are finished when the edges turn golden and the topping is set and lightly browned. Tent with foil if browning too quickly on top. Cooling completely before cutting is crucial for clean slices.

Final Thoughts

This Christmas Chocolate Brownie Bars Recipe has become my go-to when I want a dessert that’s festive, flavorful, and feels truly special without requiring hours in the kitchen. I hope you enjoy making and sharing these luscious, layered bars as much as I do—once you try them, they’ll be your favorite holiday treat too!