Let’s dive into the Christmas baking season with some festive holiday bar cookies. Many bakers prefer bar cookies because they don’t involve scooping out or cutting dough into individual pieces before baking. Simply spread the dough in a pan, bake, and cut them up afterward. Here are three easy and tasty ideas:

Peppermint Shortbread Bar Cookies

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2-1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon shortening
• 1/4 cup crushed peppermint candy canes
• 3 tablespoons holiday sprinkles

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with baking parchment and spray paper with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, beat butter and powdered sugar. Add egg and vanilla; beat again. Add flour and salt, mixing to make a cohesive dough. Roll into ball and place in center of baking sheet. Gently press out dough into a 9-by-11-inch rectangle, as evenly as possible. Bake 10-12 minutes, until golden brown.

Cut into 20 rectangles; let cool completely.

Place chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat 30 seconds and stir. Repeat heating and stirring in 15-second intervals until chocolate is melted. Spread mixture over each cookie. Top with peppermint candies and sprinkles. Store in sealed container. Makes 20 bars.

Approximate nutritional information, per bar: 180 calories, 7 g total fat, 4.5 g saturated fat, 20 mg cholesterol, 75 mg sodium, 26 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 8 g sugar, 2 g protein

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Rocky Road Squares

• 8 graham crackers
• 1-1/2 cups unsalted almonds, coarsely chopped and toasted
• 1 cup marshmallow cream
• 1 bag (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 can (14 ounces) condensed milk

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with graham crackers, breaking them to fit if necessary. Bake until crackers are lightly toasted and fragrant, about 8 minutes.

Sprinkle crackers with almonds and dollop with marshmallow cream.

In a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pan of simmering water, combine chocolate chips and condensed milk and melt, stirring occasionally, until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Pour over marshmallow cream. Working quickly, swirl chocolate and marshmallow together with a thin-bladed knife. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.

Cut into 18 bars. To store, tightly wrap in plastic and store in refrigerator up to 2 days. Makes 18 bars.

Approximate nutritional information, per bar: 290 calories, 15 g total fat, 5 g saturated fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 60 mg sodium, 36 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 28 g sugar, 6 g protein

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Chocolate Ginger Cookie Bars

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for pan
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Line bottom with a strip of baking parchment, leaving an overhang on two sides; butter paper. Dust paper and sides of pan with cocoa; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together cocoa, flour, ginger, pumpkin pie spice and baking soda; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together butter, brown sugar, molasses, egg and sour cream until smooth. Add flour mixture; stir just until moistened (do not over-mix). Stir in chocolate chips. Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely in baking pan. Once cooled, use edges of parchment to lift bars from pan. Transfer to cutting board; cut into 16 squares. Before serving, dust bars with powdered sugar, if desired. Makes 16 bars.

Approximate nutritional information, per bar (not including optional powdered sugar): 140 calories, 6 g total fat, 4 g saturated fat, 25 mg cholesterol, 50 mg sodium, 21 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 12 g sugar, 2 g protein

More Hawaiian Electric Co. recipes are available at hawaiianelectric.com.