Christmas Cookie Bars

These are the cookies we're leaving out for Santa tonight. The kids had fun helping me measure and stir (and taste, of course) these yummy cookie bars. Crushed candy canes add a barely-there peppermint flavor to the bars themselves, and the frosting puts that minty flavor over the top!

Christmas Cookie Bars
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 large eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2-3 candy canes, crushed
1 package mini semisweet chocolate chips
Frosting:
1/3 cup butter or margarine
3 cups powdered sugar
3 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. mint extract
Sprinkles, if desired

Cream butter and sugars in a bowl. Beat in vanilla and eggs. Combine flour, salt and baking soda, and beat slowly into creamed mixture. Stir in candy canes and chocolate chips.

Grease a 10x15 jelly roll pan. Spread cookie dough evenly in pan. Bake in a preheated 375 oven for 20-25 minutes. Let cool in pan before cutting into bars.

For frosting: Melt butter or margarine. Beat in powdered sugar, milk, and extracts. Spread on cookie bars. I cut the bars and then spread each one individually, or they could be frosted before being cut. If desired, top with sprinkles. Serve with a big glass of milk or eggnog, and enjoy!