If you’re looking for a fun, festive, and totally indulgent treat this season, you’ve got to try this Christmas Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe. I absolutely love this because it combines all the sweet, salty, crunchy, and melty goodies you could dream of in one cookie — and trust me, my family goes crazy for it every single year. Whether you’re baking for a holiday party or just craving something special, these colorful, flavor-packed cookies will become your new go-to. Keep reading, and I’ll walk you through every step to help you nail these perfect holiday treats!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- All-in-One Flavor Explosion: Combines sweet, salty, and crunchy mix-ins for the ultimate cookie experience.
- Fun & Festive Look: The colorful M&M’s and sprinkles make these cookies perfect for holiday gatherings.
- Customizable Ingredients: You can swap out or add mix-ins based on your cravings or pantry stash.
- Easy to Make: Straightforward instructions with helpful tips to ensure success.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The magic of this Christmas Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe is in its mix of ingredients — the buttery dough acts as the perfect canvas for a joyful medley of textures and flavors. The balance is critical, so I’ll share my tips to help you pick the best pantry staples and avoid pitfalls.
- Salted butter: Make sure it’s softened to room temperature for optimal creaming with your sugars.
- Light brown sugar: Adds moisture and a lovely caramel undertone that’s essential here.
- Granulated white sugar: Provides balanced sweetness and helps with cookie crispness.
- Egg yolks: Using yolks instead of whole eggs keeps the texture tender and rich.
- Vanilla bean paste or extract: Adds warmth and depth; vanilla bean paste gives a little extra holiday flair.
- All-purpose flour: Properly measured to avoid dry or dense cookies; I recommend weighing for accuracy.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Work together to give just the right lift and chewiness.
- Salt: Enhances all the flavors and balances the sweetness.
- Red and green M&M’s: Classic festive colors and that signature candy crunch.
- White chocolate chips: Provide creamy sweetness that contrasts beautifully with salty mix-ins.
- Pretzel pieces: Bring a savory crunch to every bite.
- Potato chip pieces: This is my secret to that addictive salty pop—trust me, you want to try it!
- Red and green jimmies: Adds extra color, sparkle, and holiday cheer.
Variations
One of the things I adore about this Christmas Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe is how flexible it is. I’ve tweaked it here and there to suit different tastes and dietary needs, so don’t be shy—make it your own by swapping in your favorite mix-ins or adjusting sweetness levels.
- Nutty Twist: I sometimes add chopped pecans or walnuts for extra crunch and richness—it pairs beautifully with the sweet and salty base.
- Gluten-Free Version: Use a gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum; the cookies hold together well, and I never felt like I missed out on texture.
- Vegan Adaptation: You can swap the butter with vegan margarine and use flax eggs; the cookies come out just as tasty, though slightly softer.
- Extra Chocolatey: My family loves when I double up on chocolate chips and add mini peanut butter cups — it’s a full-on dessert extravaganza!
How to Make Christmas Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Creaming the Butter and Sugars
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F and lining two baking sheets with parchment paper. Then, grab your softened salted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Using an electric mixer, cream them together for about two minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy — this is important because properly creamed butter gives the cookies great texture and chewiness. I learned the hard way that rushing this step can make your cookies dense!
Step 2: Adding Egg Yolks and Vanilla
Next, mix in the egg yolks and vanilla bean paste or extract on medium speed for two more minutes. The mixture will become pale in color and wonderfully fluffy — this signals you’re on the right track and will result in rich, tender cookies.
Step 3: Mixing Dry Ingredients and Combining
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add these dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix just until combined. Overmixing at this stage can toughen your cookies, so keep a close eye and stop as soon as you don’t see streaks of flour.
Step 4: Folding in the “Kitchen Sink” Mix-Ins
This is the fun part! Gently fold in the red & green M&M’s, white chocolate chips, pretzel pieces, potato chip pieces, and jimmies using a spatula. I like to add a few extra mix-ins on top of the cookie dough balls before baking — it makes the cookies look super festive and irresistible. You can’t go wrong playing around with this step!
Step 5: Shaping and Baking
Scoop the dough into 20 equal balls, spacing them about two inches apart on your baking sheets. Pop them in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes. I aim for 10 if I want chewy centers and 12 for crispier edges. Here’s a little trick I discovered: when the cookies come right out of the oven, use a large circular cookie cutter to gently swirl each cookie into a perfect shape — it really helps everything stick together and look pretty.
Step 6: Cooling and Storing
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. This prevents them from breaking apart. Leftovers keep fresh for up to three days stored in an airtight container, but if you’re anything like me, they’ll disappear quickly!
Pro Tips for Making Christmas Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe
- Measure Flour Carefully: I always spoon flour into my measuring cup instead of scooping to avoid dense cookies; weighing flour is even better if you have a kitchen scale.
- Don’t Overmix Dough: Mix just until combined to keep your cookies tender and chewy — overworking can make them tough.
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Softened butter and room-temp egg yolks cream together better and help your cookies rise evenly.
- Shape While Warm: Using a cookie cutter right after baking helps shape your cookies beautifully without breaking them.
How to Serve Christmas Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe
Garnishes
I love adding a few extra festive sprinkles or candy pieces on top just before baking to give these cookies a cheerful look. If you’re serving at a party, a light dusting of powdered sugar can add a snowy touch that makes them truly holiday-ready.
Side Dishes
Pair these cookies with a warm mug of hot cocoa or your favorite holiday coffee. They also go surprisingly well alongside a creamy vanilla ice cream scoop when you want a festive cookie sundae.
Creative Ways to Present
For Christmas parties, I’ve arranged these cookies on tiered platters sprinkled with pine greenery and cinnamon sticks for a rustic, festive display. Wrapping a few in cellophane with a colorful ribbon makes a sweet edible gift your friends and neighbors will adore, too!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Once cooled, I store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They usually stay fresh for about three days. If you want them softer the next day, just pop them in a microwave for a few seconds — they taste freshly baked!
Freezing
I’ve found these cookies freeze beautifully. I freeze the cookie dough balls individually on a tray, then transfer them to a freezer bag. When I want fresh cookies, I bake them straight from frozen, adding a couple of extra minutes to the baking time.
Reheating
To reheat baked cookies, I pop them in a 300°F oven for about 5 minutes. This warms them through without drying them out. Avoid microwaving too long or you’ll end up with a cookie that’s oddly rubbery!
FAQs
-
Can I substitute the potato chips with something else?
Absolutely! Potato chips add a salty crunch, but you can swap them for crushed corn chips, cheese crackers, or even crispy bacon bits if you like. Just keep the texture contrast in mind to maintain that fun “kitchen sink” vibe.
-
Why are the cookies sometimes dense or dry?
Most often, this happens when flour is scooped directly from the bag instead of being spooned or weighed. Flour packs down, leading to too much being added. Also, overmixing the dough or baking too long can dry out your cookies, so watch those steps carefully!
-
Can I freeze baked Christmas Kitchen Sink Cookies?
Yes, you can! Baked cookies freeze well if stored in an airtight container. I recommend thawing them at room temperature or warming them slightly in the oven before serving to bring back their fresh-baked charm.
-
Do I have to use egg yolks only?
Using only egg yolks is a trick to make these cookies especially tender and rich, but if you don’t have just yolks on hand, you can use whole eggs. Just know the texture might be slightly different—sometimes a bit cakier or less chewy.
Final Thoughts
When I first tried this Christmas Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe, I was blown away by how all the flavors and textures played together — it’s like a holiday party in your mouth! I love sharing this recipe with friends because it’s so easy to customize and always brings a smile. I hope you give it a try and enjoy every chewy, crunchy, sweet, and salty bite just as much as my family and I do. Happy baking and happy holidays!
Print
Christmas Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 20 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Christmas Kitchen Sink Cookies are a festive and fun twist on classic cookies, packed with a colorful mix of M&M’s, white chocolate chips, pretzel pieces, potato chip pieces, and red and green sprinkles. These cookies have a perfect balance of sweet, salty, and crunchy textures, making them a delightful treat for holiday celebrations.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 3/4 cup salted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
Mix-Ins
- 1/2 cup red and green M&M’s
- 1/3 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup pretzel pieces
- 1/3 cup potato chip pieces
- 2 tbsp red and green jimmies (sprinkles)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prepare for baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, add the softened salted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Use an electric mixer to cream them together for about two minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add Egg Yolks and Vanilla: Mix in the egg yolks and vanilla bean paste or extract on medium speed for two minutes, or until the batter becomes pale and fluffy.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the mixture. Mix until just combined without overmixing.
- Fold in Mix-Ins: Gently fold in the M&M’s, white chocolate chips, pretzel pieces, potato chip pieces, and red and green jimmies using a spatula until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Scoop Dough: Scoop the dough into 20 balls and arrange them about two inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Optionally, sprinkle a few extra mix-ins on top of each cookie dough ball for decorative effect.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. Bake 10 minutes for chewier centers and 12 minutes for crisper edges.
- Shape Cookies (Optional): When the cookies come out of the oven, use a large circular cookie cutter to gently swirl around each cookie to form a perfect circle and push everything together.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely for another 10 minutes.
- Store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days.
Notes
- Measure your flour properly by spooning it into your measuring cup and leveling it off with a knife, or better yet, weigh it. One cup of flour equals 125 grams to avoid using too much flour and ensure the best cookie texture.
- The optional use of a cookie cutter to shape freshly baked cookies helps achieve a perfect circle and neat appearance.
- Adding extra mix-ins on top of the scooped cookie dough balls before baking is optional but enhances the festive look of the cookies.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
