Description
Santa's Favorite Cookies are soft and pillowy brown sugar pudding cookies packed with festive red and green sprinkles and Christmas M&Ms. These easy-to-make cookies feature a rich buttery flavor combined with vanilla and pudding mix for extra softness, perfect for holiday celebrations and gifting.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 3/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 (3.4 ounces) box Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix (not sugar free)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
Mix-ins and Toppings
- 1/4 cup red and green sprinkles (or any colors)
- 3/4 cup Christmas M&Ms (or any color of M&M)
Instructions
- Cream Ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until smooth and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated.
- Add Dry Mix: Add the instant vanilla pudding mix, baking soda, and salt to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Then gradually add the all-purpose flour, mixing until just combined.
- Incorporate Mix-ins: Fold in the red and green sprinkles along with the Christmas M&Ms evenly through the dough to distribute festive colors and candies.
- Chill Dough Balls: Scoop 2 tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat baking mat. There is no need to space them apart at this stage. Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silpat mats. Remove the chilled dough balls, spacing them about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies for 11 minutes or until the edges just begin to turn golden brown, keeping the centers soft and pillowy.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store Properly: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze them for up to one month for longer storage.
Notes
- Chilling the dough is essential to prevent spreading and to create the cookies' signature soft texture.
- You can substitute Christmas M&Ms with any colorful candy or chocolate chips based on preference.
- Use parchment paper or silpat mats to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- These cookies keep well at room temperature but are best enjoyed fresh for optimal softness.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free baking flour blend.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 127 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 57 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 18 mg
