The first snowfall always brings me back to the kitchen. There’s something about the smell of butter and sugar mixing that feels like home. These Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies are my little December ritual—sweet, salty, chewy, and crammed with everything joyful. A cookie for when you just need to smile at the mess and grab another bite.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love These Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies
These cookies taste like Christmas in every bite. They’re soft and chewy, with little crunches of pretzels and chips. You get sweetness from white chocolate and red-green M&Ms, plus that pinch of salt that makes everything pop.
They also look festive on any cookie tray, sparkling with sprinkles and holiday color. And since the recipe uses one bowl and pantry staples, you can make them even on a busy night. Kids, neighbors, friends—everyone loves these cookies.
What Are Kitchen Sink Cookies?
The name says it all: they’ve got everything but the kitchen sink. Classic kitchen sink cookies mix in sweet and salty bits from whatever’s around.
This holiday version takes that same spirit but dresses it up for Christmas. M&Ms, chips, pretzels, and white chocolate melt together into the most comforting chaos. They’re indulgent, a little wild, and perfectly imperfect—just like the holidays.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
Core Ingredients
Butter gives richness. Brown sugar adds deep flavor and chewiness, while granulated sugar keeps the edges crisp. Flour, eggs, and vanilla hold it all together into a soft, thick dough that bakes beautifully every time.
Festive Mix-Ins
The magic happens here. Red and green M&Ms, white chocolate chips, broken pretzels, crushed potato chips, and sprinkles turn each cookie into a surprise bite. You’ll taste creamy, crunchy, and sweet all at once.
Substitutions
No pretzels? Try nuts or graham cracker bits. Swap white chocolate for dark or milk chocolate. For a dairy-free version, use vegan butter and chocolate. Gluten-free flour works too—just choose a 1:1 baking blend.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Make the Dough
Start by melting butter and letting it cool. Whisk your dry ingredients in one bowl: flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk the cooled butter with both sugars. Then mix in the eggs and vanilla. Combine wet and dry until just blended.
Add Mix-Ins
Fold in M&Ms, white chocolate chips, pretzels, crushed potato chips, and sprinkles. You can use your hands to make sure everything spreads evenly.
Chill and Bake
Scoop the dough into balls (about 1.5 ounces each). Chill for at least an hour so they bake thick and chewy. When ready, preheat your oven to 350°F. Bake six cookies per sheet for 13 to 15 minutes, turning halfway through.
Shape and Decorate
Once baked, gently reshape each cookie into a circle using a round cutter. Press in a few extra M&Ms or pretzels while warm for that bakery look. Let them cool just enough to hold—but still soft in the center.
Expert Baking Tips
Always measure flour by spooning and leveling, not scooping. This avoids dry cookies. Use room-temperature eggs so your dough mixes smoothly. And for picture-perfect cookies, reshape them while still warm, then top with extra candies.
Mix-In Ideas & Variations
Feel free to mix things up. Try butterscotch chips, coconut, or Oreo pieces. Add graham crackers or chopped candy bars. These cookies love leftovers, so raid your pantry and make them your own.
If you’re a cookie lover, you might also enjoy my best homemade chocolate chip cookies or check out these easy no bake cookie ideas for quick holiday treats.
FAQs
Can I make smaller cookies?
Yes, just bake them for 8 to 10 minutes. Watch closely since smaller cookies brown faster.
Why didn’t my cookies spread?
You probably used too much flour. Spoon and level instead of scooping to get the right texture.
How do I keep cookies chewy?
Use more brown sugar and avoid overbaking. They’ll finish cooking on the hot sheet after you pull them out.
Storage & Freezing Instructions
Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They stay soft and chewy.
You can also freeze dough balls for up to 3 months. Bake straight from the freezer, adding a few extra minutes. For thawing, leave in the fridge overnight or on the counter for about an hour.
Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies Recipe Card
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Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies | Sweet & Chewy Favorite
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 24 large cookies 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies pack sweet and salty joy into every bite. They bake up soft and chewy with crunchy mix-ins, colorful M&Ms, creamy white chocolate, and a festive sparkle. Perfect for parties, gifting, and cookie trays.
Ingredients
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
8 oz unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
1 ¼ cups dark brown sugar
¾ cup white granulated sugar
2 large eggs (room temperature)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup red and green M&Ms (plus extra for topping)
½ cup white chocolate chips (plus extra for topping)
½ cup pretzels, broken (plus extra for topping)
⅓ cup salted potato chips, crushed (plus extra for topping)
2 tbsp holiday sprinkles (jimmies recommended)
Instructions
1. Melt butter and let cool to room temperature for 20 minutes.
2. Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Whisk cooled butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth.
4. Whisk in eggs and vanilla until combined.
5. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix with a rubber spatula until just combined.
6. Fold in M&Ms, white chocolate chips, pretzels, crushed chips, and sprinkles.
7. Scoop 1.5 oz dough balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
8. Chill dough balls for 1 hour or freeze for 30 minutes.
9. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Bake 6 cookies per sheet for 13 to 15 minutes, rotating halfway.
10. Remove from oven and use a round cookie cutter to gently reshape into circles.
11. While warm, press extra mix-ins on top for decoration.
Notes
Measure flour by spoon and level to avoid dense cookies.
Chilling keeps cookies thick and chewy.
Underdone centers are fine. They continue to set on the sheet.
For extra chew, use more brown sugar than white.
Variations: butterscotch chips, toasted coconut, graham crackers, dark chocolate, peanut butter chips, chopped candy bars, Oreo pieces, nuts.
Storage: airtight up to 5 days.
Freeze dough balls up to 3 months. Bake from frozen with a few extra minutes.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Category: Christmas Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 274
- Sugar: 26 g
- Sodium: 126 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4.7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 36 mg
More Such Recipes
If you love baking for the holidays, try my patriotic 4th of July sprinkle cookies or these festive red, white, and blue cheesecake bars. For something simple, you’ll also like this simple peanut butter cookies recipe or fluffy watermelon cupcakes for summer parties.
Final Thoughts
These Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies capture everything I love about the holidays. They’re cozy, colorful, and fun to share.
Every bite tastes like laughter around the kitchen table, like family stories and warm lights on a cold night. So bake a batch, wrap a few for friends, and make your own cookie memories this season. You can find more inspiration and share your creations with me on Pinterest or Facebook.