These Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies are soft, chewy, and packed with chocolate chips, M&M’s, and festive sprinkles. Browned butter gives them a richer, deeper flavor than a classic chocolate chip cookie, while a short chill helps them bake up thick with gooey centers. They’re perfect for Christmas cookie trays, gifting, or baking with family.
🔍 At a Glance
- ⏱️ Ready in: 57 minutes (25 min. prep, 20 min. chill, 12 min. bake)
- 👥 Serves: 16 cookies
- 📌 Main Ingredients: Browned butter, chocolate chips, M&M’s
- 🔥 Cook Method: Oven
- 😋 Flavor Profile: Sweet, buttery, chocolatey
- 📝 Great For: Christmas baking, holiday cookie trays, cookie exchanges
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
- Browned butter adds deep flavor: Browning the butter with milk powder creates toasted, nutty notes that make these cookies taste richer and more bakery-style.
- Cornstarch and extra yolk keep them chewy: Cornstarch helps tenderize the dough, while the extra yolk adds richness and keeps the centers soft.
- A short chill helps the cookies stay thick: Chilling the dough firms it up so the cookies spread less and bake with soft centers and lightly crisp edges.
Ingredients & Why They Matter
- Unsalted Butter: Creates rich flavor and structure. Browning it gives these cookies a deeper, nuttier taste.
- Low Fat Milk Powder: Adds extra milk solids, which makes the browned butter taste even richer and more caramelized.
- Cold Water: Helps cool the browned butter slightly and adds back a little moisture lost during browning.
- Brown Sugar: Adds moisture and helps create a soft, chewy texture.
- Granulated Sugar: Helps the cookies spread and gives the edges a light crispness.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the sweetness and rounds out the chocolate flavor.
- Eggs + Egg Yolk: Bind the dough and add richness. The extra yolk helps keep the cookies soft and chewy.
- All-Purpose Flour: Gives the cookies structure.
- Cornstarch: Helps create a softer, more tender texture.
- Baking Powder: Adds a little lift.
- Baking Soda: Helps the cookies spread and brown properly.
- Morton Kosher Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavor of the chocolate.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: Add classic chocolate chip cookie flavor without making the cookies overly sweet.
- M&M’s: Add festive color and extra chocolate.
- Christmas Sprinkles: Add holiday color and a little texture.
Find the full ingredient list and exact measurements in the recipe card below.
Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies Step by Step
- Brown the Butter: Place the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt it completely, then whisk in the milk powder until combined. Continue cooking for 5 to 8 minutes, whisking often, until the butter is golden brown, smells nutty, and has browned bits at the bottom of the pan.
💡Tip
Don’t skip the browned butter. It adds a deeper, nuttier flavor that makes these cookies taste more bakery-style.
- Stir in Water: Remove the pan from the heat and pour the browned butter into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the cold water to cool it slightly.
- Mix Ingredients: Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract to the browned butter. Whisk until smooth and combined, about 1 minute. If the mixture still feels hot, let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes before moving on.
- Add Eggs: Add the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, whisking well after each addition until smooth and fully combined.
- Prepare the Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt for about 30 seconds. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined and no dry streaks remain.
- Fold in the Mix-Ins: Stir in the chocolate chips, M&M’s, and Christmas sprinkles until evenly distributed.
- Shape and Chill: Use a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the dough. If the dough feels too sticky to shape, place it in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes until it firms up. Roll each portion into a ball, then shape it so it is taller than it is wide, almost like a cylinder. Place the shaped dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill for 20 to 30 minutes, or until firm.
💡Tip
Chilling the dough helps prevent excess spreading so the cookies bake up thicker with soft centers.
- Preheat Oven & Arrange: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Arrange the chilled cookie dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart, about 6 to 8 cookies per standard baking sheet. Press extra M&M’s and sprinkles on top for a more festive look.
- Bake & Enjoy: Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the edges are set and lightly golden and the centers still look slightly underbaked. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Pro Tips for Perfect Cookies
- Measure the flour carefully: Too much flour can make the cookies dry and dense. For best results, use a kitchen scale.
- Let the butter mixture cool before adding the eggs: Warm is fine, but hot butter can cook the eggs.
- Shape the dough taller than wide: In testing, this helped the cookies bake up thicker.
- Top the dough before baking: Pressing a few extra M&M’s and sprinkles on top makes the finished cookies look more festive.
- Bake one test cookie first: This can help you check the spread and decide if the dough needs a few more minutes of chilling.
Common Mistakes
- Skipping the chill: Warm dough spreads more and can leave you with thinner cookies.
- Overmixing the dough: Once the flour goes in, mix just until combined so the cookies stay tender.
- Overbaking: Pull the cookies when the centers still look slightly soft. They will continue to set on the hot baking sheet.
- Adding too many mix-ins: Too many chocolate chips or candies can make the cookies spread unevenly or fall apart.
Swap It Up: Variations to Try
- White chocolate version: Replace the semi-sweet chocolate chips with 1 cup white chocolate chips.
- Peppermint version: Add 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract with the vanilla and top the baked cookies with 2 to 3 tablespoons crushed candy canes.
- Chocolate chunk version: Replace the chocolate chips with 6 ounces chopped semi-sweet or dark chocolate.
- Nutty version: Fold in 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts with the mix-ins.
- Smaller cookies: Use a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop and bake for 9 to 11 minutes.
What To Serve With This Recipe
If you’re building a holiday cookie tray or Christmas dessert spread, pair these cookies with a few other festive favorites:
- Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread Cookies: Buttery slice-and-bake cookies with tart dried cranberries, crunchy pistachios, and white chocolate drizzle.
- Easy Maamoul Recipe: A beautiful holiday cookie filled with sweet date paste and flavored with warm spices.
- Old Fashioned Ginger Snaps: Chewy, cozy cookies with classic molasses and ginger flavor.
- Christmas Peanut Butter Blossoms: A festive twist on the classic peanut butter blossom that is perfect for cookie exchanges.
These cookies are also great with hot chocolate, coffee, or a cold glass of milk.
Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies
These Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies are made with browned butter for rich flavor and loaded with chocolate chips, M&M’s, and festive sprinkles. They bake up thick, soft, and chewy with lightly crisp edges. Perfect for holiday cookie trays, Christmas parties, or baking with family.
Equipment
- Saucepan
- 3 Tablespoon Cookie Scoop
Ingredients
- 1 cup 2 sticks; (227 g) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup (28 g) low fat milk powder
- 2 Tablespoons cold water
- 1 cup (200 g) brown sugar
- 2/3 cup (133 g) sugar
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, plus one egg yolk
- 3 cups (390 g) all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt*
- 1 cup (6 ounces) semi sweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup M&Ms, plus more for topping
- 1/3 cup Christmas sprinkles, plus more for topping
Instructions
- Brown the Butter: Place the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt it completely, then whisk in the milk powder until fully combined. Increase the heat slightly and cook, whisking constantly, until the butter turns golden brown and has a nutty aroma (about 5-8 minutes).1 cup 2 sticks; (227 g) unsalted butter, 1/4 cup (28 g) low fat milk powder
- Stir in Water: Remove the pan from heat and pour the browned butter into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the cold water to cool it slightly.2 Tablespoons cold water
- Mix Ingredients: Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract to the browned butter. Whisk until smooth and combined. At this stage, the mixture should be cool enough to add the eggs without cooking them. If it still feels warm, simply place it in the freezer for a few minutes to bring it down to room temperature.1 cup (200 g) brown sugar, 2/3 cup (133 g) sugar, 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- Add Eggs: Add the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.2 large eggs, plus one egg yolk
- Prepare the Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.3 cups (390 g) all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt*
- Fold in the Mix-Ins: Stir in the chocolate chips, M&Ms, and Christmas sprinkles until evenly distributed.1 cup (6 ounces) semi sweet chocolate chips, 3/4 cup M&Ms, plus more for topping, 1/3 cup Christmas sprinkles, plus more for topping
- Shape and Chill: Use a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the dough. If the dough feels too sticky to shape, place it in the freezer for a few minutes until it firms up and becomes easier to handle. Roll each portion into a ball, then shape it so it’s taller than it is wide (like a cylinder). Place the shaped dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze the cookie dough balls for 20-30 minutes or until firm. After freezing, transfer the dough balls to an airtight container or cover them on the baking sheet and store them in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days if you are not baking them right away.
- Preheat Oven & Arrange: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Arrange the chilled cookie dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart (6-8 per standard size baking sheet) Press extra M&Ms and sprinkles on top for decoration.
- Bake & Enjoy: Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers look slightly underbaked. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below!
Notes
- Morton Kosher Salt: If using table salt instead, use about 3/4 teaspoon.
- Low Fat Milk Powder: This boosts the browned butter flavor, but the cookies still work without it.
- Chill the dough for 20 to 30 minutes: This helps the cookies bake up thicker and spread less.
- Bake until the centers still look slightly soft: They will continue to set as they cool.
- Top with extra M&M’s and sprinkles before baking: This makes the cookies look more festive and bakery-style.
Nutrition
Calories: 413kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 272mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 35g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQs
Can I make this dough ahead of time?
Yes. After shaping the dough balls, refrigerate them for up to 2 days or freeze them for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen and add 1 to 2 extra minutes.
Can I skip browning the butter?
You can, but the cookies will not have the same rich, caramelized flavor. Browning the butter makes a big difference here.
Can I make these smaller?
Yes. Use a 1 1/2 tablespoon scoop and bake for 9 to 11 minutes.
Why did my cookies spread too much?
The dough was likely too warm or needed a longer chill. For best results, bake the dough straight from the refrigerator after chilling.
How should I store these cookies?
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 to 5 days. To keep them softer, add a slice of sandwich bread to the container. You can also freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months.
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