If you’re craving a cookie that’s bursting with holiday magic and a little bit of everything delicious, let me introduce you to my Christmas Cookie Sink Bites Recipe. These cookies are like the ultimate kitchen sink mashup of sweet, salty, and festive—all rolled into one chewy, bite-sized treat you won’t be able to stop eating. Keep reading because I’m sharing all my tips and tricks so you can nail these cookies at home and wow your family and friends this season!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One-Of-A-Kind Flavor Combo: Sweet M&M’s, salty pretzels, and even crunchy potato chips all mingle in every bite.
- Perfect Holiday Cheer: Red and green jimmies sprinkle festive colors over these crowd-pleasing treats.
- Easy Yet Impressive: Simple steps with ingredients you likely have, but the end result looks and tastes like you spent hours.
- Texture Explosion: Chewy centers, crispy edges, and a crunchy surprise in every bite.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This blend of ingredients balances richness, sweetness, and that salty crunch perfectly. Each component adds its own magic, and I’ve included some tips to help you pick the best versions for your batch.
- Salted butter: Softened butter creaminess is key here; don’t use melted or cold.
- Light brown sugar: Adds moisture and caramel notes for softness and flavor.
- Granulated sugar: Balances the brown sugar and adds crispiness to the edges.
- Egg yolks: Using yolks only keeps the cookies tender and rich.
- Vanilla bean paste or extract: Vanilla bean paste gives little flecks of vanilla and a deeper flavor, but extract works fine too.
- All-purpose flour: Use the spoon-and-level method or weigh your flour to avoid dry cookies.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Both work together for just the right rise and texture.
- Salt: Enhances all the flavors and balances sweetness.
- Red and green M&M’s: Festive colors plus a little crunch. Regular M&M’s work too, but the red and green really pop.
- White chocolate chips: Their creamy sweetness is a perfect contrast to salty bits.
- Pretzel pieces: Make sure they are broken fairly evenly for even crunch.
- Potato chip pieces: My secret salty crunch! Use regular or kettle-cooked chips for different textures.
- Red and green jimmies: Optional, but these little sprinkles add that holiday sparkle and fun texture.
Variations
I love mixing things up to keep these Christmas Cookie Sink Bites interesting, and you should too! Whether you want to cater to dietary needs or just want to experiment, there’s lots of room to play here.
- Gluten-Free Option: Swap all-purpose flour for a gluten-free blend—just make sure it includes xanthan gum for structure; I tested this with a mix I trust and the cookies still held up beautifully.
- Dairy-Free Swap: Use vegan butter and white chocolate chips made with vegan ingredients; I tried coconut oil before but the texture was a bit different—vegan butter kept things super close to the original.
- Nutty Twist: Toss in chopped pecans or walnuts for extra texture—I once added toasted pecans and received rave reviews for the added crunch.
- Spiced Up: Add a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg for a warm holiday flavor that pairs perfectly with the sweet and salty mix.
How to Make Christmas Cookie Sink Bites Recipe
Step 1: Get Your Base Creamy and Fluffy
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F and lining two baking sheets with parchment paper—trust me, this saves you so much cleanup time later. Then, cream the softened salted butter with both light brown sugar and granulated sugar using an electric mixer for about two minutes. Don’t rush this part! You want a light, fluffy mixture that looks pale—this sets the stage for tender cookies.
Step 2: Add the Egg Yolks and Vanilla Magic
Next, mix in the egg yolks and your vanilla bean paste or extract. I personally love the subtle flecks vanilla bean paste adds, but if you only have extract, that’s totally fine. Beat these together for another two minutes until the mixture lightens up and becomes fluffy again. This little extra beat really makes a difference in texture!
Step 3: Combine Dry Ingredients Then Fold in Fun Mix-ins
Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt separately so they’re thoroughly mixed. Add this to your wet ingredients and mix until just combined—don’t overmix or you’ll end up with tough cookies. Now comes the best part: gently fold in your festive M&M’s, white chocolate chips, pretzel pieces, potato chip bits, and festive jimmies. I always fold with a spatula to avoid smashing the mix-ins and keep all those layers of texture intact.
Step 4: Scoop, Optional Topping, and Bake
Scoop the dough into 20 equally sized balls and place them about two inches apart on your parchment-lined cookie sheets. Here’s a little secret I discovered: adding a few extra M&M’s, pretzels, or sprinkles on top of each cookie dough ball before baking makes the finished cookies look absolutely picture-perfect. It’s totally optional but adds that special “wow” factor.
Bake your cookies for 10–12 minutes. Ten minutes will give you chewier centers, while 12 minutes edges towards crispier edges—both are delicious, so it depends on your personal preference.
Step 5: Shape While Warm and Cool Properly
This is a trick I learned over time—right when the cookies come out of the oven, use a large circular cookie cutter to gently swirl around each cookie. Doing this nudges the cookie into a perfect round shape, pushing the mix-ins slightly together so everything looks uniform but still scrumptious. Let your cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool for another 10 minutes. This cooling step ensures they set nicely and aren’t too fragile.
Pro Tips for Making Christmas Cookie Sink Bites Recipe
- Flour Measurement Matters: I used to scoop flour directly before learning spoons and leveled or weighing is the way to go—too much flour means dry cookies every time.
- Soft Butter is Key: If you forget to soften your butter, just pop it in the microwave for 5 seconds at a time, no longer, to get that creamy texture perfect for creaming.
- Don’t Overmix: Once the flour goes in, mix just until combined; overmixing will make your cookies tough and not tender and chewy like you want.
- Shape while Warm: Using a cookie cutter on warm cookies creates those perfectly round, bakery-style bites I get asked about every single year.
How to Serve Christmas Cookie Sink Bites Recipe
Garnishes
While the cookies are festive enough on their own, I like to sprinkle a little extra red and green jimmies on top before baking for an extra pop of color. Sometimes, I add a pinch of edible glitter for holiday parties. You’ll find that these simple touches make your presentations stand out without much extra effort.
Side Dishes
Pair these cookie bites with a hot cup of cocoa topped with whipped cream or even with a glass of cold milk. For brunch or holiday gatherings, set out alongside fresh fruit and warm spiced cider for a delightful contrast of flavors.
Creative Ways to Present
I like to arrange these Christmas Cookie Sink Bites on a rustic wooden platter with sprigs of pine and some cinnamon sticks for a festive vibe. Wrapping a few in clear cellophane tied with a red ribbon makes adorable gift packages. Last year, I even created a DIY cookie tower for a Christmas party—it was a big hit and so much fun to put together.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I store leftover Christmas Cookie Sink Bites in an airtight container at room temperature where they stay fresh for up to three days. If you live somewhere warm or humid, I recommend storing them in the fridge sealed tightly; just let them come to room temp before eating for best texture.
Freezing
These cookies freeze beautifully! I wrap individual cookies in parchment and then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. When I’m ready to enjoy, I thaw them at room temperature for about 30 minutes. They maintain their chewy-crisp magic even after freezing.
Reheating
If you want warm cookies, pop a few in the microwave for 10-15 seconds or reheat in a 300°F oven for about 5 minutes. This refreshes their softness and wakes up the flavors—just don’t overheat or they’ll dry out!
FAQs
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Can I use whole eggs instead of just egg yolks in this recipe?
You can substitute whole eggs, but the cookies might be a bit less tender and rich since egg whites can make baked goods firmer. If you only have whole eggs, try using two eggs instead of two yolks, but be aware the texture may shift slightly.
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What’s the best way to measure flour for this recipe?
The best method is to spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife rather than scooping directly from the bag. Even better, if you have a kitchen scale, weigh 1 cup as 125 grams to get the most consistent results, which helps prevent dry, crumbly cookies.
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Can I make these cookies ahead and freeze the dough?
Absolutely! Scoop the dough into balls and freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a container or bag. When you’re ready to bake, just add a couple of extra minutes to the baking time and bake straight from frozen.
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Why do you recommend shaping cookies with a cookie cutter after baking?
This is my little secret to give your cookies that professional bakery look. Swirling a cookie cutter around warm cookies pushes the dough into a perfect circle without squashing your mix-ins too much. Plus, it helps keep cookies uniform in size for pretty presentation.
Final Thoughts
I absolutely love how this Christmas Cookie Sink Bites Recipe turns out every single time—it’s like a party in your mouth with every bite. When I first tried this recipe, I was amazed at how simple ingredients come together to create something that tastes both nostalgic and excitingly new. My family goes crazy for these, especially at holiday parties and cookie exchanges. Honestly, once you make them, you’ll want to keep a batch around all season. So, grab your mixing bowl and dive in—these cookies are a guaranteed winner that’ll make your holiday baking stress-free and joyful!
Print
Christmas Cookie Sink Bites Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 20 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Christmas Kitchen Sink Cookies are a festive, colorful treat loaded with a delightful mix of M&M’s, white chocolate chips, pretzel pieces, potato chip pieces, and sprinkles. They offer a perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors with a chewy center and crisp edges, making them an irresistible holiday favorite.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 3/4 cup salted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
Mix-Ins
- 1/2 cup red and green M&M’s
- 1/3 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup pretzel pieces
- 1/3 cup potato chip pieces
- 2 tbsp red and green jimmies (sprinkles)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare baking sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside to ensure easy cleanup and prevent sticking.
- Cream butter and sugars: In a large bowl, add softened salted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Using an electric mixer, cream together for two minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy, creating a smooth base for the cookie dough.
- Add egg yolks and vanilla: Mix in the egg yolks and vanilla bean paste or extract on medium speed for two minutes until the mixture is pale in color and fluffy, incorporating air to help the cookies rise.
- Combine dry ingredients: In the same bowl, add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined to avoid overworking the dough, which can result in tough cookies.
- Fold in the mix-ins: Gently fold in the M&M’s, white chocolate chips, pretzel pieces, potato chip pieces, and sprinkles using a spatula until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Form cookie dough balls: Scoop the dough into 20 equal balls and arrange them two inches apart on the prepared baking sheets to allow for spreading during baking.
- Optional decoration: Add a few extra mix-ins on top of the scooped dough balls to give the cookies a festive and appealing look, though this step is optional.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. Bake for 10 minutes if you prefer chewier centers, or up to 12 minutes for crisper edges.
- Shape cookies (optional): Immediately after removing from the oven, use a large circular cookie cutter to gently swirl around each cookie, giving them a perfect round shape and helping to push the mix-ins together.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely for an additional 10 minutes.
- Store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days to maintain freshness and texture.
Notes
- Measure your flour properly by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off with a knife or weigh your flour for accuracy (1 cup flour = 125 grams) to avoid dense cookies.
- Using a cookie cutter right out of the oven helps create neat, uniform cookies and pushes the ingredients together, enhancing the cookie’s appearance.
- Adding a few extra mix-ins on top before baking is optional but adds a festive look to your cookies.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 140mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0.1g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
