Take something fun and different to your holiday cookie swap. Here's how to make kitchen sink Christmas cookies to celebrate the season.
The holiday season and cookies go hand in hand. Whether you’re baking a batch to leave out for Santa, or you’re making dozens before heading to a cookie swap, nothing beats a delicious, festive Christmas cookie.While there are plenty of tried and true classic Christmas cookies from chocolaty cookie options such as chocolate truffle cookies or gingerbread cutout cookies, we’re adding another must-bake cookie to the list: kitchen sink Christmas cookies.These cookies are the ideal balance between sweet and salty, with a soft, chewy texture. They use mix-ins such as potato chips and pretzels in a surprisingly delicious way and are paired with red and green M&M’s to dress them up for any holiday party.
What are kitchen sink cookies?
Have you ever heard the phrase “everything but the kitchen sink?” This is named for it! Kitchen sink cookies use just about anything you have in the pantry to create a wonderful balance of sweet and salty flavors, all wrapped up in a chewy cookie. While mix-ins are interchangeable, most kitchen sink cookies have chocolate in some form, along with salty components such as crushed chips and pretzels. Some even have an extra sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top.
Ingredients for Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies
- Butter: Butter is the base of this cookie recipe. It plays a key role in developing the texture and rich flavor of the cookies. Be sure you’re beginning your recipe with softened butter for best results.
- Brown sugar: Brown sugar plays a key role in developing the chewiness of this cookie. It also brings those delicious molasses notes to the cookie’s base flavor.
- All-purpose flour: Flour aids in building the structure of these cookies. It holds everything together for the ideal texture.
- Mix-ins: This Christmas kitchen sink recipe has a mixture of oats, crushed potato chips, crushed pretzels and festive red and green M&M’s in the mix. This adds sweet and salty flavor along with great crunch.
How to Make Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies
This recipe makes 28 cookies.Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2-1/3 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup sprinkles
- 3/4 cup oats
- 1 cup crushed potato chips
- 1 cup crushed pretzels
- 1 cup holiday M&M’s
Directions
Step 1: Preheat the oven
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2: Cream the butter and sugars
In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars. Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract.
Step 3: Mix in the dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients mixture, combining just until the dough comes together. Fold in the sprinkles.
Step 4: Add the mix-ins
Fold in the oats, potato chips and pretzels. Finish things up by mixing in the M&M’s.
Step 5: Scoop the cookie dough
Use a cookie scoop to scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough. Space the balls of dough evenly on the prepared baking sheet, with 12 cookies to a sheet. Add a few extra M&M’s, crushed chips, crushed pretzels or sprinkles on top.
Step 6: Bake and cool
Bake the cookies for 12 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.