CHRISTMAS CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies

Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies are super soft and chewy, and with colorful Christmas M&M candy are absolutely the most perfect and popular cookie on my Christmas cookie trays – and I’ll let you in on a secret – they are Santa’s favorite!

Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies

SIMPLY THE BEST CHEWY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE!

Isn't it funny how the simple cookies from childhood are everyones' favorites? When I ask my kiddos at the beginning of each Christmas season to give me list of their Christmas Cookie "must-haves", these soft and chewy cookies always make the list!

Christmas M&M & Chocolate Chip Cookies

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE SECRETS:

These cookies are soft-baked, thick, chewy, and incredibly moist!  Here are the secrets to this wonderful recipe:

• Underbake the cookies - they will sit on the baking sheets after leaving the oven, and will continue to cook and darken in color as they sit.
• Add cornstarch!  You'll be amazed at the difference cornstarch will make to cookie dough.  It helps your dough remain more compact during the baking process, leaving the cookies soft, thick and puffy.
• Use more brown sugar than white sugar.  Cookies made this way are moist and remain softer over time, due to the molasses in the brown sugar.  Brown sugar also gives the cookies a more chewy (less crispy) texture.
• Chill the dough overnight before baking.  The cookies will spread less in the oven and bake up much thicker when the dough is chilled.
• Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.  It really does make a difference!

Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies

These family favorites are totally loaded with chocolate - semi-sweet chocolate chips, and Holiday M&M's - making them even more special!

You can also add different types of chocolate chips - dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate are certainly not off limits!  Change it up even more by adding a handful of snow-caps, and your favorite nuts to the mix, to create your favorite soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie.

What's your holiday favorite cookie?  Hope you love these as much as we do!

CHRISTMAS CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies are super soft, thick and chewy, and with colorful Christmas M&M candy are absolutely the most perfect and popular cookie on my Christmas cookie trays – and I’ll let you in on a secret – they are Santa’s favorite!
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Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
¾ cup unsalted butter (1.5 sticks) (melted and cooled)
2 -1/4 cups (280g) all-purpose flour (sifted & spooned into measuring cup)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (150g) light brown sugar, loosely packed
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk (room temperature)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup Christmas M&M candies (regular or miniature size)
 
HOW I MAKE THESE:

1. In a small bowl, melt butter and cool slightly. 
2. Remove eggs from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature (or place in warm water for 5 minutes).
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch and salt; set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and white sugar together until no brown sugar lumps remain. Whisk in the egg, then the egg yolk, and the vanilla. 
5. Add half of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mix together just until blended; add remaining flour mixture and again mix just until blended. The dough will be very soft, yet thick.  Stir in the chocolate chips.
6. Cover the dough and chill overnight. Chilling is mandatory!
7. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and allow to slightly soften at room temperature for 1 hour.
8. Preheat the oven to 325F degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
9. Roll the dough into balls, about 3 Tablespoons each (a large OXO cookie scoop is 3 tablespoons). The dough will be crumbly, but the warmth of your hands will allow the balls to stay intact. Roll the cookie dough balls to be taller rather than wide, to ensure the cookies will bake up to be thick.  Put 8 balls of dough onto each cookie sheet.  Press a few more chocolate chips and M&M’s on top of the dough balls, if desired.
10. Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes – cookies will be starting to turn golden and tops will be set. The cookies will look soft and under-baked, but they will continue baking on the baking sheet after you remove from the oven.  Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.
11. Store cookies in covered container at room temperature, with parchment paper between the layers.

YIELD:  24 Cookies
 
COOKIE SECRETS: 

• MAKE AHEAD:  This is one of my favorite Christmas cookies to make ahead of time.  You can make the cookie dough and chill in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days; allow to come to room temperature before baking.
• FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS:  Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months – place in airtight container in single layers separated with parchment paper.  Unbaked cookie dough balls can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw before baking.
• BUTTER:  You can substitute salted butter, but reduce salt in the cookie dough to ¼ teaspoon.
• CORNSTARCH:  This is the secret to soft and chewy cookies – don’t skip it!
• EGGS AT ROOM TEMPERATURE:  If a recipe calls for room temperature or melted butter, it’s good practice to use room temperature eggs as well.  To bring eggs to room temp quickly, place the whole eggs in a glass or bowl of warm water for 5 minutes. 
• VANILLA:  I recommend using pure vanilla extract for this recipe, as it is a key flavor and will make your cookies taste and smell wonderful!
• HOLIDAY CHANGE-UP:  Replace the Christmas M&M’s with other holiday M&M’s, you can use either regular size M&M’s or miniature M&M candies. 
• Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.  

Originally posted December 2014; revised and reposted December 2020.
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