Santa’s Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

Santa’s Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies, an easy to make chocolate chip cookie recipe that brings smiles to young & old. Perfect recipe for Christmas Eve!

For as long as I can remember we have spent Christmas Eve baking goodies. The thought is always that we need to leave goodies out for Santa. The only thing is, we haven’t done the Santa thing in our house in SOOOOO many years. The kids are older & we have since moved past all that. But we still make treats. In fact, we make way more treats than we can reasonably eat. I can never decide & in my mind, it all has to happen on Christmas Eve (I don’t know why). I usually make 5-7 recipes, some of the favorites get axed towards the end when my energy is waning. But one thing we ALWAYS make are Santa’s Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes

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I have to say, it does get a bit rediculous. I start off Christmas Eve thinking, “these are all my favorites & we NEED THEM ALL”. But since this particular recipe requires a little planning ahead it’s always first. You see, the dough needs to chill overnight. I know, I know- that can be a total bummer. But it is absolutely essential for these cookies because it helps them keep their shape. Otherwise they spread out too far & lose all that beautiful volume in the center.

So what I like to do is whip up the dough the night before. Then I start my Christmas Eve morning with getting these baked. Then we have them to snack on while we make all the other goodies. I have to say though, these babies are so soft & chewy – they are usually gone in a flash. I’ll admit there have been a few occasions where we only had but a couple left to leave out for the jolly old guy. Now that the kids are older, it doesn’t matter so much. But when we were leaving out the plate of cookies & milk I made sure to set those aside ahead of time so we didn’t find ourselves with an empty cookie jar at the end of the night. 🙂

Santa’s Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

Did I mention that this is actually an award-winning recipe?? Oh yeah- these are the most buttery, soft & chewy cookies. Made a batch for a bake-off at my son’s work & brought home the top prize. Everyone who eats these always goes back for another & another. Definitely a hit at every party! You will fall in love- I’m sure of it.

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Santa's Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

Santa's Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies are the perfect treat to leave out with a glass of milk on Christmas Eve.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 11 minutes

Total Time 21 minutes

Servings 28 COOKIES

Ingredients

• 1 stick 1/2 cup butter - room temperature
• 1/4 cup margarine
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg- room temperature
• 2 cups all-purpose flour scooped lightly - not spooned into your measuring cup
• 1 3.4 ounce box instant vanilla pudding - not cook & serve
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup milk-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1-1/2 cups red & green- M&M's - divided

Instructions

1. In mixer bowl - beat butter, margarine, sugar & brown sugar together until fluffy
2. Add egg & vanilla - beat well
3. Add in flour, pudding mix, baking soda & salt - slowly stir first & then beat until all ingredients are completely incorporated.
4. Slowly stir in chocolate chips
5. Fold in 1/2 the M&M's
6. Remove beater, cover & refrigerate overnight
7. The next day preheat oven to 350 degrees
8. Roll dough into balls - it will be firm
9. Place dough balls on baking sheet & bake cookies for 9-12 minutes (mine were perfect at 11)
10. Remove & immediately top each cookie with a few white chocolate chips & M&M's before they cool.
11. Leave cookies on baking sheet to cool
12. Start with a cold cookie sheet with each batch to ensure that the cookies bake consistently.
13. Store in an airtight container at room temperature

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