If you’re looking for a festive, crowd-pleasing treat that captures all the spirit and indulgence of the holiday season, Best Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies are always my first recommendation. Packed with chocolate chips, toffee bits, pretzels, M&M’s, and more, these cookies live up to their name: everything but the kitchen sink goes in, and the result is a delightfully chewy, crunchy, and colorful bite every single time. Whether you’re baking for a cookie swap, holiday brunch, or just craving a cozy afternoon snack, these cookies are pure merry magic!
Ingredients You’ll Need
The magic of these cookies is how simple ingredients come together for a big, bold holiday flavor. Each one is chosen for a purpose—whether it’s to boost texture, add color, or deliver that essential Christmas sweetness. Here’s what you’ll need (plus a few optional add-ins to make your batch truly your own):
- All-purpose flour: The backbone of the dough, giving your cookies structure and their classic chewy bite.
- Baking soda: Lends a little lift so your cookies don’t end up overly dense.
- Baking powder: Works with baking soda for the perfectly tender texture.
- Salt: Just a pinch livens up all the flavors and balances the sweetness.
- Unsalted butter (softened): Adds richness, moisture, and that heavenly buttery taste.
- Brown sugar (packed): Brings caramel notes and ensures those irresistible chewy edges.
- Granulated sugar: Contributes sweetness and helps achieve those golden, crisp-tender edges.
- Large eggs: For binding your dough and providing a bit of lift and moisture.
- Vanilla extract: Gives warmth and depth you simply can’t skip in any cookie.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Classic bursts of melty chocolate in every bite.
- White chocolate chips: For a creamy, sweet contrast to the semi-sweet chips.
- Crushed pretzels: Adds a salty, crunchy element that makes every bite a delight.
- Toffee bits: Pockets of sweet, buttery crunch that make these cookies extra special.
- Holiday M&M’s: Colorful, chocolatey, and oh-so-festive—because Christmas cookies should be fun!
- Shredded coconut (optional): For a tropical twist and a little extra chewiness.
- Chopped pecans or walnuts (optional): Adds a lovely nuttiness and satisfying crunch.
How to Make Best Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies
Step 1: Mix the Dry Ingredients
Start by whisking together your flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. This step makes sure each bite has the perfect balance and helps your cookies bake evenly all the way through.
Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugars
In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer (or plenty of elbow grease) to cream together the softened unsalted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. You’re looking for a light and fluffy texture—this is where the classic cookie magic begins! Creaming well helps your cookies turn out thick and tender.
Step 3: Add Eggs and Vanilla
Beat in the eggs, one at a time, letting each fully incorporate before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla extract. This combination adds richness, a luscious soft crumb, and that signature cozy aroma that signals “holiday baking” is underway.
Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures
Gradually add the dry ingredients to your wet mixture, blending until just combined. Take care not to overmix—this simple step keeps your cookies delightfully tender and avoids them turning tough.
Step 5: Fold in All the Mix-Ins
The real fun begins: gently fold in the semi-sweet and white chocolate chips, crushed pretzels, toffee bits, holiday M&M’s, and (if using) shredded coconut and nuts. Every fold adds a new pop of flavor and texture, so don’t be afraid to embrace the chaos—this is the heart of Best Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies!
Step 6: Scoop, Bake, and Cool
Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, drop rounded balls of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes, just until the edges are set and gently golden while the centers remain soft. Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack.
How to Serve Best Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies
Garnishes
For a dazzling, bakery-worthy touch, sprinkle extra M&M’s or a pinch of flaky sea salt over the cookies right as they come out of the oven. A light drizzle of melted white or dark chocolate is also wonderful and sets beautifully once cool, making an already festive treat even more eye-catching.
Side Dishes
Serve your Best Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies alongside a big mug of hot cocoa, spicy chai, or classic eggnog for peak holiday comfort. A scoop of vanilla or peppermint ice cream is fabulously decadent if you’re feeling extra celebratory!
Creative Ways to Present
Wrap stacks of cookies in pretty parchment or cellophane, tie with a bright ribbon, and tuck them into a holiday tin for sweet, homemade gifts. Layer them on a platter with candied nuts and chocolate-dipped fruit, or build a whimsical cookie tower centerpiece for your dessert table. These cookies are conversation starters, so show off their colorful mix-ins with clear jars or festive boxes!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Keep your Best Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies fresh by storing them in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay wonderfully soft and chewy for up to four days—if they last that long!
Freezing
Both the unbaked dough and baked cookies freeze exceptionally well. Freeze unbaked dough balls on a sheet, then transfer to a zip-top bag for “bake-on-demand” treats, or freeze fully baked cookies and thaw as needed for a taste of Christmas any time.
Reheating
To bring back that just-baked warmth, pop a cookie in the microwave for about 8-10 seconds or reheat a tray of cookies in a 300°F oven for a few minutes. This gently melts the chocolate and revives all those wonderful textures.
FAQs
Can I customize the mix-ins in Best Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies?
Absolutely! That’s what makes Best Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies uniquely fun—swap in any nuts, candies, or dried fruits you love. Crushed peppermint candies and dried cherries are two of my favorite festive twists.
Do I have to chill the dough?
Chilling is optional but highly recommended if you want thicker cookies with less spread. Just 30 minutes in the fridge makes a noticeable difference, especially with all those delicious mix-ins!
What’s the best size for scooping the dough?
A standard tablespoon or a small cookie scoop gives you the perfect-size cookies for sharing, gifting, or, let’s be honest, sneaking straight from the cooling rack.
Are these cookies safe for nut allergies?
If nuts are a concern, simply leave out the pecans or walnuts (and double-check your other mix-ins for cross-contamination). The cookies are still irresistibly good with all the other additions.
Can I make these gluten free?
Yes! Substitute your favorite gluten-free baking blend for the flour, and make sure your mix-ins are certified gluten free. You’ll still get all that joyful crunch and rich flavor.
Final Thoughts
Few treats capture holiday cheer quite like a batch of Best Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies. They’re bursting with surprises in every bite, and so easy to make your own. Gather your mix-ins, preheat the oven, and spread some sweet, colorful joy—you and your loved ones are going to adore these cookies!
Print
Best Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies Recipe
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Yield: 36 cookies 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Best Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies are loaded with a variety of delicious mix-ins, making them the perfect festive treat for the holiday season. Packed with chocolate chips, pretzels, toffee bits, and more, these cookies are sure to be a hit at any holiday gathering.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup crushed pretzels
- 1/2 cup toffee bits
- 1/2 cup holiday M&M’s
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut (optional)
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
Dry Ingredients:
Wet Ingredients:
Mix-Ins:
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Cream butter and sugars: In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add wet ingredients: Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla extract.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients until just combined.
- Stir in mix-ins: Fold in chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, pretzels, toffee bits, M&M’s, coconut, and nuts if using.
- Bake: Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10–12 minutes or until edges are golden but centers remain slightly soft.
- Cool and enjoy: Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
- You can swap in any mix-ins you like such as crushed candy canes, dried cranberries, or other nuts.
- Chill dough for 30 minutes before baking for thicker cookies.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 95 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
