Welcome back to The Cookie Elf File … and to easy cookie recipes! About once a week, The Elf sends you cookie recipes, cookie trivia and simple baking tips to give you easy ways to bake homemade cookies.

Last year, many of you asked that we start sending out Christmas cookie recipes sooner. Here we go with Day 1 - a Cookie Elf favorite!

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12 Days of Christmas Cookies

Day 1: Easy Chocolate Mint Layer Bar Cookies: No Mixing. None!

Image: The Cookie Elf

I love this recipe! Chocolate Mint Layer Bar Cookies are so easy, so festive, so rich, and so quick.

They’re a perfect way to kick off this year’s Christmas cookie baking.

Leave your mixer in the cupboard – you won’t need it. Instead, you simply pour or sprinkle each layer of ingredients into the baking pan, in order. When you’re done, just press down the whole shebang and pop it into the oven.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 25-30 minutes, divided
Makes 24-36 bars

Get the full recipe for Chocolate Mint Layer Bar Cookies … and check out our BarCookies Pinterest board for more layer bar cookie ideas.

Cookie Baking Tip: Toasty Coconut Is a Tip-Off!

Image: The Cookie Elf

See more helpful cookie baking tips on The Elf’s Baking Tips Pinterest Board .

Bake Easy All Holiday Season

In case you don’t have these in your kitchen already, get them now so you’re ready for the holidays!

Rachael Ray Bakeware and more baking pan sets	Cook Ware Stackable Baking Rack and other cooling racks for cookies	Hamilton Beach and other food processors

Minty and Easy Cookie Recipes

Happy baking,

Kathy, The Cookie Elf
www.cookie-elf.com