Let’s get something straight: chocolate chip cookies are not Christmas cookies. They may be easy, they may be delicious, but they are not holiday special. But a simple swap of red and green M&Ms kicks up the Christmas quotient and our recipe is truly one of the best.
Looking for other holiday cookie recipes? Check out our Season’s Eatings cookie roundup.Â
Quick tips
- Refrigerate the dough for 1-2 hours to help the cookies keep their shape and not flatten out.
- Brown the butter if you want to add a rich toffee-like flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 cups + 2 Tbsp. flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 1/2 sticks butter, melted and cooled until warm
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
- 2 t. vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups red and green holiday M&M’s
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, soda and salt. Set aside.
- Mix the butter and both sugars until thoroughly blended. Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix at low speed just until combined. Stir in the M&M’s; don’t use a mixer for this step or they will get broken up.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour, though could do it overnight.
- Scoop out 2 tablespoons of dough and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.
- Bake cookies until they’re light golden brown and the outer edges begin to set, about 12-15 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through. These cookies look under done in the middle, but they are not. Don’t overcook.
- Let cookies cook on baking sheets for 5 minutes. Remove and let fully cool on baking rack.
