Description
Delight in Santa’s Cookies, a festive double chocolate chip cookie recipe loaded with red and green M&M candies. These soft and chewy cookies incorporate instant vanilla pudding for extra moisture and a perfect holiday treat that’s easy to make and irresistible to eat.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter (softened)
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 egg
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 small box instant vanilla pudding mix (3.4 ounces, dry, instant)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Add-ins
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 cup red and green M&M candies
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, cream the softened butter with brown sugar and sugar for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add Vanilla and Egg: Mix in the vanilla extract and the egg thoroughly until well combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, instant vanilla pudding mix, baking soda, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening and flavoring agents.
- Mix Dry into Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing until just incorporated.
- Stir in Chocolate Chips: Fold in most of the semi sweet and white chocolate chips, reserving some for topping. Cover the dough and chill it in the refrigerator for at least one hour to firm up.
- Prepare Oven and Baking Sheet: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Very lightly grease a baking sheet by misting with cooking spray and wiping off excess with a paper towel.
- Shape Cookies: Roll dough into golf ball-sized balls using about 3 tablespoons of dough per cookie. Place them spaced on the prepared baking sheet.
- Top Cookies: Press the reserved chocolate chips and red and green M&M candies gently into the tops of each cookie ball to ensure they’re visible after baking.
- Bake: Bake cookies for 12 minutes until set but still slightly underdone in the center for a soft texture.
- Cool and Store: Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for freshness.
Notes
- Use instant pudding mix only, not cook-and-serve or other types, for best texture.
- Chilling the dough solidifies fats for better flavor and prevents spreading during baking.
- Pressing chips and M&Ms on top keeps them visible and colorful after baking.
- If you prefer softer cookies, reduce baking time slightly but watch for doneness.
- Store cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to one week.
- For a festive twist, swap the M&Ms for holiday-themed sprinkles or other candy pieces.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 238 kcal
- Sugar: 26 g
- Sodium: 186 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 13 mg
