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Santa’s Cookies

Last Updated on October 6, 2022 by Kathryn Donangelo

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Santa’s Cookies are a must make this holiday season! These chewy and soft cookies will become his favorites! Perfectly sweetened and baked with two different types of chocolate chips, Christmas M&Ms, brown sugar, and butter. These festive cookies are such classic treats that are perfect for leaving on a plate on Christmas Eve. 

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One tray filled with Santa's cookies.

Santa’s Cookies

What do you think Santa’s favorite cookies are? Santa Claus will gobble these soft and buttery cookies up with a cold glass of milk in minutes! This fun Santa Cookies recipe is fun to bake with the kids during the holidays whenever the household is anticipating St. Nicholas and his reindeer.

Rich in chocolate with red and green M&Ms that are garnished with Christmas sprinkles, these cookies for Santa are simply delicious! Enjoy the holiday tradition of leaving freshly baked cookies in a cookie jar or out on a plate with milk to thank Santa for all of his hard work and gifts.

These cookies are ultra soft and chewy. the butter and two different types of sugar in this recipe allow these cookies to be the softest and easiest cookies to bite into. 

Complete holiday baking with my Classic Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, Snowman Cookies, Gingerbread Men Cookies, and M&M cookies. 

one Santa cookie broken in half with chocolate chips

Dry Ingredients

  • Sugar: Both brown and white granulated sugars are used for these M&M cookies to make them super soft. The secret is using two different types of sugars to make sure you have a gooey cookie center.
  • Flour: All-purpose flour is easy to use and allows these cookies to be fluffy and complete. You can of course make these cookies gluten-free by using a 1:1 gluten-free flour with xanthan gum. Whole wheat flour can also be used instead.
  • Baking Soda: A leavening agent in these cookies which helps them rise and form into the most perfect cookies. Cookies are not complete without baking soda.
  • Baking Powder: Both baking powder and soda allow these cookies to have a perfect crumb that is the right amount of chewy but firm. Be sure to measure these ingredients well or the cookies may turn out flat!
  • Salt: Just a little bit of salt is used to round these cookies out with the right amount of flavors.
  • M&Ms: Use Christmas M&Ms to keep these festive for Santa! Red, green, and white M&Ms are classic winter holiday colors. I also have this M&M cookie recipe that is just as good!
  • Chocolate Chips: I use a combination of white and milk chocolate chips to keep things rich in chocolate flavors. Santa will LOVE both types of chocolate in these cookies. Feel free to use only one type of chocolate such as dark and semisweet chocolate chips. You can even use dark chocolate chips if you think Santa likes dark chocolate.
  • Sprinkles: Christmas sprinkles are so much fun! Get creative with these cookies and use your favorite types of sprinkles! There are so many options like Christmas tree sprinkles, stars, jimmies, colored sugar, and more.

Wet Ingredients

  • Butter: Unsalted softened butter allows these cookies to be extra moist and buttery. Make sure to leave the butter out at room temperature so it can easily be creamed with the sugars! 
  • Egg: One whole egg and egg yolk are used in this recipe to create rich flavors that make these cookies stand out from the rest. Using egg yolks in cookies make the cookies have a cake-like texture that is so yummy. 
  • Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract allows these cookies to have bright flavors that are perfect with butter and sugars. I recommend using real vanilla! 

mixing chocolate chips, sprinkles, and M&Ms into cookie dough and placing cookie dough balls on baking sheet with parchment paper

How To Make Santa’s Cookies

STEP ONE: First, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper or grease them with butter or oil. Set them aside until ready to use.

STEP TWO: In a large bowl with a stand or electric mixer on medium speed, cream butter and both sugars until fully combined and fluffy. Next, add the whole egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until just combined. Be careful to not over-mix the cookie dough. 

top view of Santa cookies with sprinkles and M&Ms

STEP THREE: Add the measured flour, baking soda and powder, and salt. Continue to mix the dough until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated. You may have to scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

STEP FOUR: Finally, add the M&Ms, chocolate chips, and sprinkles. Mix the dough until just incorporated.

top view of baked cookies on marble surface

STEP FIVE: With a mini ice cream scoop or two tablespoons, scoop the cookie dough into round balls and place them onto the prepared baking sheet. If you would like an even better presentation, top the cookie dough with more chocolate chips, sprinkles, and M&Ms! 

STEP SIX: Bake the cookies for 9-10 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the cookie sheets for about ten minutes or so before transferring to a wire rack.

Enjoy!  Serve these cookies on a cookie plate for Santa with a glass of chilled dairy or dairy-free milk. Santa may even like these cookies with Warm Chai Tea to keep him going through the big night with his sleigh and reindeer.

close image of baked Santa cookies with sprinkles, Christmas M&Ms, and chocolate chips

Recipe Variations

  • Switch out the different M&Ms for different holidays like Easter, Thanksgiving, Halloween, Fourth of July, Valentine’s Day, and more! 
  • Serve these cookies as ice cream sandwiches stuffed with vanilla, chocolate, cookies and cream, and even more delicious flavors of ice cream or even homemade frosting. 
  • Turn these into mini M&M cookies by scooping out a smaller portion of the cookie dough. 
  • Add some buttercream frosting to the tops of the baked cookies and top them with even more sprinkles and M&Ms! 
  • Make cookie bars by spreading the cookie dough into the bottom of a greased 13×9-inch baking dish and bake at 350 degrees F for 10-13 minutes. 
  • Feel free to use mini M&Ms. 
  • Instead of chocolate chips, add dried cranberries, raisins, or nuts.

six baked cookies on wire rack with M&Ms, sprinkles, chocolate chips

Pro Tips

  • Be sure to not over-mix the dough or the cookies could come out flat! 
  • Remove the cookies from the oven after nine or ten minutes to keep them soft and chewy. The cookies will harden as they cool. 
  • Use vegan butter, flax eggs, and dairy-free chocolate to make vegan cookies for Santa. 

one stack of Santa cookies on white plate with M&Ms, sprinkles, and chocolate chips

Leftovers & Storage

Store the leftover Santa cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for about four to five days. You can also transfer the cookies to the refrigerator and store them for up to a week. 

Freeze these cookies by placing them in a freezer-safe bag or container and placing them in the freezer for four months. Thaw the cookies by allowing them to defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating in the oven. 

You can also freeze the cookie dough. Just store it in an airtight freezer-safe container in the freezer until ready to use.

one tray of Santa cookies with sprinkles, M&Ms, and chocolate chips

More Popular Christmas Cookies

top view of baked Santa cookies on tray with M&Ms and sprinkles

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one tray filled with baked Santa cookies with M&Ms, sprinkles, and chocolate chips

Santa's Cookies

Santa's Cookies are a must make this holiday season! These chewy and soft cookies will become his favorites! Perfectly sweetened and baked with two different types of chocolate chips, Christmas M&Ms, brown sugar, and butter. These festive cookies are such classic treats that are perfect for leaving on a plate on Christmas Eve. 
5 from 18 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: christmas cookies, M&M cookies, santa cookies, santa's cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 30 cookies
Author: Kathryn Donangelo

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter; softened
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar; packed
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 whole egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 cup Christmas M&Ms
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
  • 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup Christmas sprinkles

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  • With an electric mixer or stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Do not overmix.
  • Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Continue to mix together until cookie dough is formed, scraping down the sides of a bowl with a spatula occasionally.
  • Add the M&Ms, chocolate chips and sprinkles and mix until incorporated.
  • With a mini ice cream scoop, or 2 tablespoons, scoop cookie dough into balls and place on the prepared cookie sheets. *Optional, add more M&Ms, sprinkles and chocolate chips to the tops of the cookies for presentation.
  • Bake for 9-10 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool on the cookie sheets for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Enjoy!
  • These make great cookies for Santa! 🙂 He will LOVE these!
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Notes

Tips
  • Be sure to not overmix the dough or the cookies could come out flat! 
  • Remove the cookies from the oven after nine or ten minutes to keep them soft and chewy. The cookies will harden as they cool. 
  • Use vegan butter, flax eggs, and dairy-free chocolate to make vegan cookies for Santa. 
  • Instead of chocolate chips, add dried cranberries, raisins, nuts, etc. 
How to Store Cookies
Store the leftover Santa cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for about four to five days. You can also transfer the cookies to the refrigerator and store them for up to a week. 
Freeze these cookies by placing them in a freezer-safe bag or container and placing them in the freezer for four months. Thaw the cookies by allowing them to defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating in the oven. 
You can also freeze the cookie dough! Just store it in an airtight freezer-safe container in the freezer until ready to use! 

Monday Christmas Cookie Recipes

This recipe was last updated October 6, 2022 to include additional and information. Originally posted November 8, 2021 By Kathryn Donangelo.

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Comments

  9. maps@devourdinner.com'Rebecca says

    5 stars
    How cute! These cookies are so scrumptious and so beautifully decorated! Can’t wait to make more for Christmas!

    Reply

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