Chocolate Christmas Cookies Recipe

Chocolate Christmas cookies on a lined baking sheet.

5 from 2 votes

Chocolate Christmas Cookies Recipe

Chocolate Christmas Cookies are soft cocoa cookies filled with chopped red and green M&Ms and topped with festive candies.

Prep Time15

Cook Time8

Total Time23

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: cookies

Author: Kristyn Merkley

Ingredients

2 cups red and green M&Ms, divided
1 cup butter, softened
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups flour
⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Chop 1/2 cup M&Ms in a nut chopper and set aside.
In a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until fluffy.
Add flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and mix until combined.
Fold in chopped M&Ms.
Scoop cookies out onto a greased cookie sheet and top with red & green M&Ms. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
NOTE: I would not recommend topping the cookies with M&Ms after they are cooked. They tend not to stay on the cookie.

Notes

Recipe Tips.

Soften the butter before mixing so it creams smoothly with the sugar.
Chop some of the M&Ms for the dough so the candy spreads through every bite.
Add the whole M&Ms on top before baking so they stay on the cookies.
Bake just until the cookies are set, about 8 to 10 minutes, so they stay soft.
I would not recommend topping the cookies with M&Ms after they are cooked. They tend not to stay on the cookie.
Make-ahead tip: make the dough ahead and refrigerate it, or bake the cookies and freeze them for holiday trays later.

Store. Baked cookies need to cool completely on a wire rack, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. Adding a piece of white bread to the container will help keep the cookies soft.

Freeze. Place 1-2 cookies in fold top sandwich bags, place them together in a freezer Ziploc. You can also wrap them individually with plastic wrap, a fold top sandwich bag, or layer using parchment paper in between. They can keep in the freezer for 2 months.

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