If your holiday season craves a touch of magic, these Festive Chocolate Chip Cookies for a Merry Christmas deliver everything you love about classic cookies, wrapped in twinkling red and green. Imagine biting into a soft, buttery cookie bursting with gooey chocolate, dotted with cheery M&Ms and sprinkles—it’s like Christmas morning with every bite. This recipe is easy, endlessly versatile, and guaranteed to light up your dessert table and your loved ones’ faces. Whether you’re baking for cookie swaps, Santa, or midnight snacking under the glow of the tree, these cookies promise to be the star treat of your Merry Christmas celebration!

Festive Chocolate Chip Cookies for a Merry Christmas Recipe - Recipe Image

Ingredients You’ll Need

These cookies come together with pantry classics and a few festive touches that make every bite feel like a celebration. Each ingredient has a special role: giving crisped edges, chewy centers, or merry pops of color!

All-purpose flour: Gives structure to the cookies, ensuring they’re sturdy but tender.
Baking soda: Helps lift the cookies just enough for that ideal soft center.
Salt: Just a touch brings out all the sweet and chocolatey flavors.
Unsalted butter (softened): Adds rich flavor and ensures a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Packed brown sugar: Lends moisture and a caramelly depth for a chewy bite.
Granulated sugar: Balances the brown sugar and helps create lightly crisp edges.
Large egg: Binds the dough and gives structure—classic cookie magic!
Large egg yolk: The extra yolk makes the cookies especially rich and chewy.
Vanilla extract: Brings out the warmth and homey scent that all Christmas cookies need.
Semisweet chocolate chips: The classic chocolate gooeyness that everyone hopes for in each cookie.
Red and green holiday M&Ms: For festive pops of color and crunch that shout “Merry Christmas!”
Holiday sprinkles (optional): Add a joyful, sparkly finish to make each cookie a little celebration.

How to Make Festive Chocolate Chip Cookies for a Merry Christmas

Step 1: Prepare Your Baking Sheets

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper, so nothing sticks—and cleanup stays simple. These first steps set you up for cookie success without any hassle.

Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisking ensures the leavening is evenly dispersed, which means every cookie bakes up just right: gently puffed, not too flat, not too thick!

Step 3: Cream Butter and Sugars

Grab a large bowl and beat the softened butter together with both sugars until the mixture looks light and fluffy. This step aerates the dough, which gives your Festive Chocolate Chip Cookies for a Merry Christmas that dreamy soft texture everyone adores.

Step 4: Add Eggs and Vanilla

Mix in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract to the creamed mixture until everything is beautifully blended. The extra yolk is a secret weapon for richness—trust me, you’ll taste the difference!

Step 5: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

Gradually add your dry ingredients to the wet mix, stirring until a dough starts to form. It’s okay if it looks a little thick; that means you’re right on track for cookies that hold their shape but stay chewy in the middle.

Step 6: Add the Festive Mix-Ins

Gently fold in the semisweet chocolate chips, holiday M&Ms, and sprinkles (if using). Each stir brings more color and texture, turning classic dough into Festive Chocolate Chip Cookies for a Merry Christmas that look as joyful as they taste.

Step 7: Scoop the Dough

Use a cookie scoop or rounded tablespoon to shape the dough into balls, placing them about 2 inches apart on your prepared sheets. For extra beauty, press a few extra M&Ms or sprinkles on top—this makes every cookie photo-ready!

Step 8: Bake

Bake the cookies for 9 to 11 minutes. You want the edges lightly golden, but the centers still look slightly soft—cookies will continue setting as they cool, staying perfectly chewy.

Step 9: Cool and Enjoy

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes (if you can resist!), then transfer to a wire rack. The wait is the hardest part, but it’s worth it for that ideal cookie texture.

How to Serve Festive Chocolate Chip Cookies for a Merry Christmas

Garnishes

Add a final sprinkle of holiday sprinkles or a drizzle of white chocolate over the cooled cookies for dazzling, bakery-style treats. Setting out a tray of these colorful cookies with a sprinkle of edible glitter makes them irresistible to guests of all ages.

Side Dishes

Serve alongside mugs of hot cocoa, cold milk, or eggnog for the ultimate holiday treat. These cookies also pair marvelously with a platter of sliced fruits or a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream—the perfect way to balance sweetness and decadence.

Creative Ways to Present

Package these Festive Chocolate Chip Cookies for a Merry Christmas in clear bags tied with red and green ribbon for instant homemade gifts. Stack them in a cookie tin lined with festive tissue paper, or arrange them in a spiral on a decorative plate—a guaranteed centerpiece for your holiday table.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Keep any leftover Festive Chocolate Chip Cookies for a Merry Christmas in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. This helps maintain their soft centers and chewy edges, and keeps holiday stress to a minimum—you’ll always have a sweet bite ready!

Freezing

These cookies freeze beautifully. Place cooled cookies in a single layer in a freezer-safe bag or container, separating layers with parchment. They can be stored frozen for up to three months, meaning holiday cheer can last long past December.

Reheating

If you want that fresh-from-the-oven taste, just warm a cookie in the microwave for about 10 seconds. The chocolate gets gooey all over again, making your Festive Chocolate Chip Cookies for a Merry Christmas taste like you just baked them!

FAQs

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Absolutely! Prepare the dough up to 48 hours in advance and refrigerate it, well-covered. This actually deepens the flavors and sometimes gives an even chewier cookie once baked.

What if I don’t have M&Ms?

No worries. You can swap in chunks of white chocolate, chopped peppermint bark, or festive-colored candies. The cookies will still come out looking and tasting perfectly seasonal.

Can I use salted butter?

If that’s what you have on hand, go for it—just reduce the added salt to a pinch. Your Festive Chocolate Chip Cookies for a Merry Christmas will still taste wonderful.

How do I keep cookies soft?

Store them with a slice of bread in the container; the bread helps keep the cookies moist and chewy for several days. It’s a simple trick, but it really works!

Can the recipe be doubled?

Definitely! If you’re baking for a crowd or gifting tins of cookies, just double every ingredient. Be sure to use a large bowl and bake in batches for best results.

Final Thoughts

There’s something undeniably magical about baking (and sharing!) Festive Chocolate Chip Cookies for a Merry Christmas. These cookies capture the warmth and cheer of the holidays in every bite. So gather your favorite people, turn up the holiday music, and treat yourselves to a batch or two—they just might become your new Christmas tradition!

Festive Chocolate Chip Cookies for a Merry Christmas Recipe

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4.7 from 6 reviews

Author: admin
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 24 cookies 1x
Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

These festive chocolate chip cookies are perfect for spreading holiday cheer. Packed with chocolate chips, colorful M&M’s, and optional holiday sprinkles, these cookies are a merry addition to any Christmas celebration.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients:

3/4 cup unsalted butter (softened)
3/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Mix-ins:

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup red and green holiday M&Ms
1/4 cup holiday sprinkles (optional)

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Instructions

Preheat the Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until creamy. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, mixing until smooth.
Combine and Fold In: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips, M&Ms, and sprinkles if using.
Bake: Scoop the dough into rounded tablespoons and place on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 9–11 minutes until golden. Cool on a wire rack.

Notes

For extra holiday flair, press a few M&Ms and sprinkles on top of the dough balls before baking.
Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week or freeze for longer storage.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American