Christmas Kitchen Sink Cookies
The holidays have a way of turning even the simplest days into cozy, memory-filled moments — and nothing says comfort like a batch of freshly baked Christmas kitchen sink cookies.
Prep Time 25 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Chilling Time 1 hour hr
Total Time 1 hour hr 35 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 28 servings
Calories 220 kcal
For the Cookie Dough:
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Mix-Ins (“Everything but the Kitchen Sink”):
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup white chocolate chips
- ½ cup crushed pretzels
- ½ cup toffee bits
- ¾ cup red and green M&M’s
- ⅓ cup shredded coconut optional
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans or walnuts optional
Prep the oven & your workspace
Take the butter out of the fridge so it can come to room temperature while you gather everything else.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and place the rack in the middle position.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set them near your workspace.
Measure and prep your mix-ins (chop nuts, crush pretzels if needed, separate out a few M&M’s to press on top later).
Pro tip: Make sure your oven is fully preheated — an oven that’s still coming up to temp is the sneakiest cause of flat cookies.
Cream the butter and sugars
In a large mixing bowl, add 1 cup softened unsalted butter.
Add 1 cup packed brown sugar and ½ cup granulated sugar.
Beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed for 2–3 minutes until the mixture looks pale, light, and slightly fluffy.
Scrape down the sides with a spatula, then add the eggs one at a time, beating briefly after each. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and mix just until combined.
Pro tip: Room-temperature butter creams with the sugars properly — if your butter is too cold the dough won’t trap air and the cookies won’t be as thick and tender.
Whisk the dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together 2½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt until uniform.
Give the flour mixture a quick sift or whisk to remove lumps and ensure even leavening.
Pro tip: Measure flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling with a knife (don’t scoop straight from the bag). Too much flour makes the cookies dry and cakey instead of thick and chewy.
Combine wet and dry — gently
Add the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture in two additions.
Mix on low speed (or fold with a spatula) until the flour is just incorporated — you should not see streaks of flour, but avoid overmixing.
Scrape the bowl and fold any remaining pockets of dry ingredients in by hand.
Fold in the mix-ins (“everything but the kitchen sink”)
Add 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, ½ cup white chocolate chips, ½ cup crushed pretzels, ½ cup toffee bits, ¾ cup red & green M&M’s, and any optional add-ins (⅓ cup shredded coconut, ⅓ cup chopped nuts) to the dough.
Fold gently with a rubber spatula until the mix-ins are evenly distributed.
Reserve a handful of M&M’s or chocolate chips to press on top of each dough ball right before baking for a prettier cookie.
Pro tip: Reserve colorful candies for topping — pressing a few on top after scooping keeps them visible and makes the cookies look festive.
Chill the dough (recommended for thick cookies)
For thick, bakery-style cookies, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30–60 minutes. For best flavor and texture, chill 2–24 hours.
If you’re short on time, place scooped dough balls on a tray and pop them in the freezer for 15–20 minutes to firm up.
Pro tip: Chilling solidifies the butter so the cookies spread less. This is the single easiest trick to turn a good cookie into the best cookie recipe ever for thick Christmas cookies.
Scoop and bake
Use a cookie scoop (about 2–3 tablespoons, golf-ball sized) to portion dough. Place scoops on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
Press any reserved M&M’s or chips gently into the tops of the dough balls for a picture-perfect finish.
Bake one sheet at a time in the preheated oven for 10–12 minutes. You want the edges to be set and lightly golden while the centers still look a tiny bit soft — they’ll finish cooking on the hot sheet.
If your oven runs hot or your cookies are very large, check at 9 minutes and be prepared to go up to 13 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through baking if your oven bakes unevenly.
Pro tip: Pull the cookies when the edges are set but centers are slightly underdone — this guarantees a soft, chewy center for those thick Christmas cookies.
Cool, serve, and store
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5–7 minutes so they firm up and don’t break when you move them.
Transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely (or enjoy warm — I won’t judge).
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Add a piece of bread or a slice of apple to the container to help keep them soft.
To freeze: freeze baked cookies in a single layer on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. You can also freeze scooped raw dough (flash-freeze scoops, then bag) and bake from frozen — add 1–2 minutes to the bake time.
Nutritional Value (per cookie, approximate):
- Calories: 220–250 kcal
- Fat: 12g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Sugars: 18g
- Protein: 3g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sodium: 150mg
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Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information provided on this website is an estimate only and is intended for general guidance. We cannot guarantee its accuracy and recommend consulting a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalized nutrition advice.
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