Description
These Chewy Christmas Snickerdoodles are a festive twist on the classic snickerdoodle cookie, featuring a delightful blend of holiday M&M’s, crunchy pretzels, and rich chocolate pieces. Browned butter adds a deep, nutty flavor while maintaining a soft and chewy texture perfect for holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Butter and Sugar
- 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
Eggs and Flavorings
- 2 large eggs, plus 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Mix-ins
- 1 1/4 cups holiday M&M’s (divided: 3/4 cup mixed in dough, remaining for topping)
- 1 cup mini pretzel sticks, crushed
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup dark chocolate chunks
Coating
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
- Brown the Butter: Add 1 stick of butter to a skillet over medium heat. Cook until it begins to brown and develop a nutty aroma, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat promptly and transfer the browned butter to a heatproof bowl. Chill in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to cool, but avoid freezing solid.
- Prepare Oven and Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and allow easy cleanup.
- Make the Dough: In a mixing bowl, beat the remaining stick of room temperature butter with the cooled browned butter and brown sugar until fully combined. Add the eggs and egg yolk one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract until the mixture is creamy. Gradually add the flour, baking soda, and salt, mixing until just combined.
- Fold in Mix-ins: Gently fold in 3/4 cup of the holiday M&M’s, crushed pretzels, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and dark chocolate chunks to evenly distribute through the dough.
- Form Cookies: Combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Scoop 2 to 3 tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll each into a ball. Roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture until coated. Arrange the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 3 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake and Add Toppings: Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes. Then, carefully rotate the baking sheet for even baking and gently press the remaining M&M’s into the tops of the partially baked cookies. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 2-3 minutes until the edges are set but the centers remain soft.
- Cool and Store: Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for several minutes; they will continue to cook slightly as they rest. Enjoy them warm or transfer to an airtight container once fully cooled. Store at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Notes
- Do not overbake the cookies; they should remain soft and chewy in the center.
- Freezing the browned butter briefly ensures it doesn’t melt the other butter when mixed in, maintaining the right texture.
- You can substitute holiday M&M’s with regular M&M’s or other festive candies, but be mindful of melting behavior.
- For a crispier cookie, bake a minute or two longer, but watch carefully to avoid drying.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 16g
- Sodium: 140mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
