When the holiday season rolls around, there’s one kind of recipe every baker needs in their back pocket: a no-stress, crowd-pleasing Christmas cookie that looks festive, tastes incredible, and lets you throw in whatever you already have on hand. That’s exactly where Easy Christmas Kitchen Sink Cookies with M&Ms and Pretzels shine.

These cookies are thick, chewy, buttery, and loaded with texture—sweet chocolate, crunchy pretzels, and colorful holiday M&Ms all wrapped up in a soft, bakery-style cookie base. The name “kitchen sink” isn’t just cute marketing; it means you can toss in almost anything, making this recipe incredibly forgiving and endlessly customizable.

Perfect for Christmas parties, cookie exchanges, bake sales, gifting tins, or cozy nights with hot cocoa, these cookies are the definition of festive comfort food. Best of all, they’re simple enough for beginner bakers but impressive enough to earn compliments every single time.

Why You’ll Love These Christmas Kitchen Sink Cookies

There’s a reason kitchen sink cookies have become a holiday classic, and this Christmas version takes them to the next level.

First, texture. You get soft centers, crisp edges, melty chocolate, crunchy pretzels, and candy-coated chocolate in every bite. Second, visual appeal. The red and green M&Ms make these cookies instantly recognizable as Christmas treats without needing extra decorating time. Third, flexibility. You can easily adapt the mix-ins based on what you have in your pantry.

These cookies are also incredibly reliable. The dough holds its shape, bakes evenly, and freezes beautifully, making them ideal for holiday prep when time is tight.

Ingredients

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup Christmas M&Ms
¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup pretzels, roughly crushed
Optional: ½ cup chopped nuts, white chocolate chips, or toffee bits

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix.
Gently fold in the Christmas M&Ms, chocolate chips, and crushed pretzels until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Scoop the dough into large balls (about 2 tablespoons each) and place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2–3 inches apart.
Press a few extra M&Ms and pretzel pieces on top of each dough ball for a festive bakery-style look.
Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are set and lightly golden while the centers remain soft.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Pro Tips for Perfect Cookies

Don’t overbake. The secret to chewy cookies is pulling them out while the centers still look slightly underdone. They’ll firm up as they cool.

Use room-temperature butter. This ensures proper creaming and a consistent cookie texture.

Press mix-ins on top. Adding extra M&Ms and pretzels after scooping the dough gives your cookies that bakery-perfect appearance.

Crush pretzels gently. You want chunks, not crumbs, for maximum crunch and contrast.

Fun Variations to Try

One of the best things about kitchen sink cookies is how easy they are to customize.

Chocolate Lover’s Version: Add cocoa powder to the dough and swap in dark chocolate chunks.
White Chocolate Cranberry: Replace chocolate chips with white chocolate and add dried cranberries.
Peanut Butter Twist: Swap half the butter for creamy peanut butter and add peanut butter M&Ms.
Salted Caramel: Add caramel bits and sprinkle flaky sea salt on top after baking.

Serving Suggestions

Serve these cookies warm with a glass of cold milk, hot chocolate, or coffee. They’re also perfect stacked in holiday cookie tins, wrapped in cellophane bags with ribbon, or displayed on a Christmas dessert board.

For parties, pair them with gingerbread cookies, sugar cookies, and fudge for a well-rounded holiday spread.

Make-Ahead and Storage Tips

Make Ahead:
The dough can be prepared up to 48 hours in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before scooping.

Freezing:
Freeze dough balls for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time.

Storage:
Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

A Little Holiday Cookie History

Kitchen sink cookies became popular as a way to reduce waste while maximizing flavor—especially around the holidays when pantries are overflowing. Over time, they evolved into a beloved Christmas staple, combining sweet and salty flavors in one irresistible treat.

Adding festive M&Ms is a modern holiday twist that turns a practical recipe into a visually joyful one.

Final Thoughts

Easy Christmas Kitchen Sink Cookies with M&Ms and Pretzels are everything a holiday cookie should be: festive, flexible, comforting, and downright delicious. Whether you’re baking with kids, prepping for a cookie exchange, or just craving something sweet and nostalgic, this recipe delivers every single time.

Once you try them, don’t be surprised if they become your most-requested Christmas cookie year after year.

Easy Christmas Kitchen Sink Cookies with M&Ms and Pretzels

Soft and chewy Christmas kitchen sink cookies loaded with festive M&Ms, chocolate chips, and crunchy pretzels.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 12

Total Time 27

Servings: 24 cookies

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American, Autumn

Calories: 210