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–+ servings
Santa nutter butter bars cut into 24 bars.
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Santa Nutter Butter Cookie Bars

These Santa Nutter Butter Cookie Bars are the ultimate holiday treat. They’re festive, fun, and guaranteed to make everyone smile. Made with a soft, chewy peanut butter cookie bar base that’s topped with adorable Santa Nutter Butters, these cookie bars are perfect for cookie exchanges, holiday parties, or a fun activity with the kids!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword santa nutter butter cookie bars
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 24 bars
Calories 239kcal
Author Tawnie Graham of Kroll's Korner

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
  • 2 cups dark brown sugar packed
  • 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter Skippy or Jif recommended
  • 2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp. fine salt
  • 1 Tbsp. whole milk
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 3/4 tsp. baking powder
  • 5 Nutter Butter cookies chopped, for folding into dough
  • Additional Nutter Butter cookies for decorating as “Santas”
  • Flaky maldon sea salt optional
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Make Santa Nutter Butters: Gently separate the nutter butters for the Santas because you’ll only use 1/2 of each cookie to press on top of the bars. Use melted white chocolate, red-colored sugar or sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, and mini red M&M's to create Santa hats, beards, and eyes. I used this Taste of Home post for reference.
    Additional Nutter Butter cookies for decorating as “Santas”
    Decorated nutter butter santas.
  • Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal. (I like to spray the pan with nonstick spray, then line it with parchment, so when you spread the batter on the parchment, it’s stable in the pan). Set aside.
  • Whisk butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter and dark brown sugar until smooth and glossy.
    2 cups dark brown sugar, 1 cup unsalted butter
    Side-by-side image of whisking the brown sugar and melted butter together in mixing bowl.
  • Add peanut butter: Add the peanut butter and whisk to combine.
    3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
    Side-by-side of whisking the peanut butter with melted butter and sugar.
  • Whisk remaining wet ingredients: Mix in the eggs, yolk, salt, milk, and vanilla until fully incorporated.
    2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk, 1/2 tsp. fine salt, 1 Tbsp. whole milk, 2 tsp. vanilla extract
    Side-by-side image of adding the vanilla, eggs, milk and salt to wet ingredients and mixing to combined.
  • Whisk dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder.
    1¾ cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 tsp. baking powder
    Side-by-side image of whisking flour and baking powder together.
  • Combine wet and dry ingredients: Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and gently fold until just combined. Do not over-mix.
    Side-by-side image of adding the dry ingredients to the wet to form cookie bar dough.
  • Fold in cookies: Stir in the 5 chopped Nutter Butters. I like to place them in a plastic zip-top baggie and chop them into small pieces.
    5 Nutter Butter cookies
    Side-by-side image of adding the chopped nutter butter into cookie dough and mixing to combine.
  • Bake: Spread the dough evenly into the prepared 9x13 pan. Bake for ~20-25 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center looks slightly underbaked. Do not overbake because the bars will continue to set as they cool. Start Timer
    Spreading cookie bar dough into prepared 9x13 inch pan.
  • Cool & decorate: Once out of the oven, gently press the Santa Nutter Butter on top of the bars. Allow bars to cool completely in the pan, 1-2 hours. Start Timer
    Flaky maldon sea salt
    Topping baked nutter butter cookie bars with decorated and plain Nutter Butters.
  • Slice and enjoy: Remove from the pan and slice into squares. Garnish with flaky sea salt if desired. (You can chill bars prior if you want really nice clean cuts). Enjoy!
    Nutter butter cookie bars cut into slices.

Notes

  • Prepare your pan: I like to spray my 9x13 baking pan with nonstick spray, then line it with parchment paper, so when you spread the batter onto the parchment paper, it’s stable in the pan and doesn't slide around everywhere.
  • Allow the melted butter to cool: Allow the melted butter mixture to cool before adding it to the eggs (or it will cook the eggs and we don’t want that!).
  • For the cleanest cuts: If you want really nice, clean cuts, pop the bars into the refrigerator to chill for a bit. Then run your knife under hot water, wipe dry, slice, and repeat. It makes every bar look bakery-perfect.
  • Store: Store these cookie bars in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Try to store the bars in a single layer to avoid smudging or flattening the decorated Santas on top.
  • Freeze (undecorated bars): For best results, freeze the bars without the decorated Santa Nutter Butters on top. Bake and cool completely, then wrap the whole slab tightly in plastic wrap and a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then add the decorated Santa Nutter Butters on top when ready to eat.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie bar | Calories: 239kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 113mg | Potassium: 89mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 257IU | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg