The edges of these cookies turn golden before the centers look quite finished, and that’s exactly when I pull the pan from the oven. Wait for the middle to look fully set and the cookies can lose the soft, chewy bite that makes them worth baking. Red and green M&M’s bring a crisp candy shell and a little color to every bite, while semisweet chocolate chips keep these Christmas chocolate chip cookies tasting like a classic chocolate chip cookie.
I mix the dough just until the flour disappears, then give it a 30-minute rest in the refrigerator. That short chill makes the dough easier to portion and gives the butter time to firm up again. The dough goes onto parchment-lined sheets with room between each scoop, and I bake one sheet at a time so I can watch for those golden edges. After five minutes on the baking sheet, the cookies are ready to cool on a rack, with soft centers and chocolate in every bite.
Kitchen Note
Give the dough the full 30 minutes in the refrigerator before scooping. The butter firms up, so the portions are easier to handle and less likely to spread into each other on the pan.
Save these Christmas chocolate chip cookies for a colorful holiday bake, with golden edges, soft centers, chocolate chips, and red and green candy in every batch.
Why the Centers Should Still Look Soft When the Edges Turn Golden
These cookies keep baking for a few minutes after they leave the oven. The hot baking sheet continues cooking the bottoms, and the centers firm as the cookies cool. If you wait until the middle looks completely set in the oven, that carryover heat can take them past soft and into dry or crisp territory.
Watch the edges first. When they’re golden and the centers still look slightly soft, take the sheet out; that’s the visual cue that matters more than expecting every part of the cookie to look finished at once. The 9-to-11-minute window gives you a useful range, but your eyes should decide where the cookies land within it. Leave them on the baking sheet for five minutes before moving them to a rack. That short rest lets the cookies settle without leaving them on the hot pan until they overbake.
What the Butter, Sugars, and Two Kinds of Chocolate Bring to the Dough
- All-purpose flour and baking soda — The flour gives the cookies their structure, while baking soda helps them spread and brown. Measure flour without packing it tightly into the cup; too much can leave the dough dry and the cookies dense. Use fresh baking soda for reliable lift.
- Unsalted butter — Softened butter creams smoothly with the sugars and gives the dough its rich base. It should yield when pressed but not look melted or greasy. Unsalted butter also lets the kosher salt in the dough stay controlled.
- Granulated and light brown sugars — The two sugars work together: granulated sugar supports spread and crisp edges, while packed brown sugar brings moisture and a softer chew. Pack the brown sugar into the measuring cup so the amount is consistent.
- Room-temperature eggs and vanilla — Room-temperature eggs blend into the creamed butter more evenly than cold eggs, and vanilla rounds out the sweetness. Set the eggs out while you gather the other ingredients so they aren’t refrigerator-cold when you mix.
- Semisweet chocolate chips and red and green M&M’s — Chocolate chips soften into familiar pockets of chocolate, while the candy shells add crunch and the holiday colors. Use chips you enjoy eating on their own; there’s no need for a specialty brand. Fold the mix-ins in gently so they’re distributed through the dough.
From Creamed Butter to Cookies With Golden Edges
Whisk the Dry Ingredients
Whisk the flour, baking soda, and kosher salt together in a medium bowl before starting the wet mixture. Break up any small flour lumps so the leavening and salt are spread through the dough. Set the bowl aside while you cream the butter and sugars. This keeps you from having to pause the mixer later to measure or whisk.
Cream the Butter and Build the Wet Mixture
Beat the softened butter with both sugars in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until creamy. Scrape down the bowl if butter or sugar clings to the sides, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Mix in the vanilla after the eggs are incorporated. If the mixture looks a little uneven as you add the eggs, keep mixing until it comes together before adding the flour.
Bring the Dough Together Without Overmixing
Add the flour mixture and mix on low just until no dry flour remains. Stop as soon as the last streaks disappear; continued mixing after that point can make cookies tougher. Fold in the chocolate chips and M&M’s until they’re spread through the dough. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes while the oven heats to 350°F.
Scoop, Bake, and Let the Cookies Set
Line two 18-by-13-inch baking sheets with parchment paper, then scoop the dough into 30 portions of about 2 tablespoons each. Arrange them about 2 inches apart so the cookies have room to spread. Bake one sheet at a time for 9 to 11 minutes, looking for golden edges and centers that still appear slightly soft. Cool the cookies on the sheet for five minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Two Easy Ways to Adapt These Holiday Cookies
Trade the Candy for More Chocolate
For a less colorful, more chocolate-forward cookie, replace the M&M’s with an additional cup of semisweet chocolate chips. The dough keeps the same general texture, but you’ll lose the candy-shell crunch and red-and-green contrast.
Make a Gluten-Free Batch
Replace the all-purpose flour with the same amount of a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend that includes xanthan gum. The cookies may have a slightly different texture from the original, but a blend designed for one-for-one baking is the most practical swap here.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Chilling firms them and takes away some of their soft texture, so let them come to room temperature before serving.
- Freezer: Freeze fully cooled cookies in an airtight container with parchment between layers for up to 2 months. Thaw them at room temperature while still covered to help keep them from drying out.
- Reheating: Warm one cookie in the microwave for about 8 seconds if you’d like the chocolate soft again. Avoid heating it for too long, since the candy shells and chocolate can get very hot before the cookie itself feels warm.
Questions That Come Up While Baking Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies
Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.
- Beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until creamy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time.
- Mix in the vanilla.
- Add the flour mixture and mix on low just until no dry flour remains.
- Fold in the chocolate chips and M&M's.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350°F.
- Line two 18x13-inch baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop the dough into 30 portions of about 2 tablespoons each.
- Arrange the portions about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are golden and the centers still look slightly soft.
- Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
- Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
