Easy Christmas Kitchen Sink Cookies with M&Ms and Pretzels

When it comes to holiday baking, nothing beats a cookie that has a little bit of everything — and that’s exactly what these Easy Christmas Kitchen Sink Cookies with M&Ms and Pretzels deliver. Sweet, salty, chewy, crunchy, colorful, and completely irresistible, these cookies are the ultimate crowd-pleasing Christmas treat.

Kitchen sink cookies get their name because they include “everything but the kitchen sink.” This festive Christmas version leans into that idea with classic holiday mix-ins: red and green M&Ms, crushed pretzels for salty crunch, melty chocolate chips, and cheerful sprinkles. The base cookie dough is soft, buttery, and perfectly balanced so every add-in shines without overpowering the cookie itself.

These cookies are especially perfect during the busy holiday season because they’re easy, flexible, and forgiving. You don’t need to chill the dough, the ingredients are pantry staples, and the mix-ins can be customized based on what you already have. They bake up thick and chewy in the center with crisp edges — exactly what most people want in a holiday cookie.

Whether you’re baking for Christmas parties, cookie exchanges, school events, gift boxes, or just cozy nights at home, these Christmas kitchen sink cookies are guaranteed to disappear fast.


Why These Christmas Kitchen Sink Cookies Are a Holiday Favorite

  • No dough chilling required
  • Loaded with sweet and salty mix-ins
  • Thick, soft, and chewy texture
  • Perfect for cookie swaps and gifting
  • Easy to customize with what you have

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup red and green M&Ms
  • ½ cup crushed pretzels
  • ½ cup chocolate chips (milk or semi-sweet)
  • ¼ cup holiday sprinkles (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
  3. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until fully combined.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
  5. Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined.
  6. Gently fold in M&Ms, crushed pretzels, chocolate chips, and sprinkles.
  7. Scoop dough into 2-tablespoon portions and place on prepared baking sheets, spacing 2–3 inches apart.
  8. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until edges are set but centers are still soft.
  9. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Pro Tips for Perfect Kitchen Sink Cookies

  • Don’t overbake — they firm up as they cool
  • Press a few extra M&Ms on top before baking for bakery-style looks
  • Crush pretzels into medium chunks, not crumbs
  • Use room-temperature butter for best texture

Festive Variations

White Chocolate Version:
Swap chocolate chips for white chocolate chips.

Peanut Lover’s Version:
Add ¼ cup chopped peanuts or peanut butter chips.

Extra Chewy Version:
Replace 2 tablespoons of flour with cornstarch.

Gluten-Free Option:
Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.


Perfect for Holiday Gifting

These cookies hold up beautifully in holiday cookie boxes and tins. Their colorful appearance makes them especially eye-catching alongside classic sugar cookies, gingerbread, and chocolate crinkle cookies.

Wrap stacks in parchment and twine, or arrange in festive tins for easy homemade gifts that everyone loves.


Storage & Make-Ahead Tips

Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Dough can be refrigerated for up to 48 hours or frozen for up to 2 months. Bake straight from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to bake time

Easy Christmas Kitchen Sink Cookies with M&Ms and Pretzels

Soft and chewy Christmas cookies loaded with M&Ms, pretzels, chocolate chips, and festive sprinkles.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 27 minutes
Servings: 18 cookies
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American, Holiday
Calories: 210

Ingredients
  

Cookie Dough
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar packed
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg large
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1.75 cups all-purpose flour
  • 0.75 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.75 cup red and green M&Ms
  • 0.5 cup pretzels crushed
  • 0.5 cup chocolate chips
  • 0.25 cup holiday sprinkles optional

Equipment

  • Mixing bowls
  • Baking sheet
  • Hand mixer
  • Wire rack

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets.
  2. Cream butter and sugars until fluffy.
  3. Add egg and vanilla, mixing well.
  4. Whisk dry ingredients and add to dough.
  5. Fold in M&Ms, pretzels, chocolate chips, and sprinkles.
  6. Scoop dough and bake 10–12 minutes.

Notes

Do not overbake for best chewy texture.