These Peppermint Bark Cookies and Cream Bars will save you time in the kitchen! There is no need to cut out and frost cookies one by one when you have these delicious cookie bars.

6 square slices of cookie bars with Oreos and crushed candy canes

This is a sponsored recipe on behalf of the American Dairy Association Mideast.

Sugar Cookie Bars

Sugar cookie bars are a great option for holiday baking because they save you time by not cutting and frosting individual cookies.

You can also slice sugar cookie bars into small, bite-sized pieces for cookie trays or leave them a traditional size if serving for dessert.

A tray of cookie bars with crushed Oreos, white frosting, and crushed candy canes

Peppermint Bark Cookies and Cream Bars

These Peppermint Bark Cookies and Cream Bars are soft and thick with a delicious homemade frosting. The crushed chocolate cookies and candy canes make these bars festive and delicious!

A pan of cookie bars beside frosting, crushed cookies and candy canes

How to Make This Festive Holiday Dessert

  • Prepare the cookie dough
  • Bake the cookie bars
  • Prepare the frosting
  • Crush chocolate cookies and candy canes
  • Frost and decorate the cookie bars
  • Slice and serve!

American Dairy Association Mideast

I am very proud to partner with the American Dairy Association Mideast.

Dairy farmers are committed to help nourish communities and provide wholesome, nutritious, affordable food.

In Ohio and West Virginia, cows on about 1,600 dairy farms produce about 663 million gallons of milk each year. Did you know that 95% of U.S. dairy farms are family-owned and operated?

Milk and Cookie Bars for Santa

Using milk vs. water when cooking makes recipes creamier and adds nutrition. Milk can make scrambled eggs fluffier, too! Get more ideas for easy hacks that make recipes tastier and add bone-building nutrients—simply by using milk.

And don’t forget to leave out a glass of milk and a plate of these sugar cookie bars for Santa!

Looking down on a stack of three cookie bars iced with candy canes and Oreo cookies
Looking down on a stack of three cookie bars iced with candy canes and Oreo cookies

Peppermint Bark Cookies and Cream Bars

Yield: 24 bars
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Total Time: 38 minutes
These Peppermint Bark Cookies and Cream Bars will save you time in the kitchen! No need to cut out and frost cookies one by one when you can have these delicious and festive cookie bars.
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Ingredients

Cookies

  • 1 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract, see notes
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 5 candy canes, crushed
  • 20 chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed

Frosting

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, see notes
  • 1/4 cup milk, or whipping cream

Instructions
 

For the Cookies

  • PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish (or use parchment paper), set aside.
  • In the bowl of your mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, CREAM the butter and sugar for 2 minutes.
  • ADD the eggs, vanilla, and almond extract.
  • In a separate bowl, SIFT together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Slowly ADD to wet ingredients 1 spoonful at a time until incorporated. A dough will form and pull away from the sides of the mixer bowl when ready.
  • DROP by heaping tablespoons onto a greased baking dish, and press down with your fingers to flatten evenly.
  • BAKE for 20 minutes until golden in color. Remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Frosting

  • In the bowl of your mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, CREAM the butter for 2 minutes. Slowly ADD powdered sugar, salt, and extract.
  • ADD milk or cream to thin the frosting to the desired consistency. YOU MAY NOT NEED to add all of the milk. DRIZZLE the milk in slowly while mixing until it is a soft consistency easy enough to spread.
  • SPREAD frosting over cooled sugar cookie bars.
  • Decorate with crushed chocolate cookies and candy canes.

Video

Notes

  • For the cookie bars, you can omit the almond extract. Substitute with vanilla if desired.
  • For the frosting, vanilla extract will give a slight tint to the frosting so use clear vanilla if you want a brighter white frosting.

Nutrition

Calories: 282kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 56mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 21g, Calcium: 22mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: christmas, cookies, frosting, oreo, peppermint

Original recipes and images © In Katrina’s Kitchen

Did you make this recipe?Tag @katrinaskitchen on Instagram with the hashtag #katrinaskitchenrecipes
Collage image with text reading Peppermint Bark Cookies and Cream Bars showing stacked cookies and a close up of the frosting.

More Sweet Peppermint Desserts

Try our Peppermint Bark Cream Cheese Spritz– two ways!

You will love this unique Potato Chip Peppermint Bark.

Everyone will be asking for a sip of these Candy Cane Steamers.

frosted cookie bars with white icing, cookie pieces, and crushed candy canes

For more information about dairy nutrition, to find delicious new recipes and to meet Ohio and West Virginia dairy farmers, visit www.Drink-Milk.com, and follow the American Dairy Association Mideast on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

Three slices of Peppermint Bark cookie bars, stacked.