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Last Christmas, my kids raided our snack stash and found chips and pretzels left from holiday hangouts. My daughter had the bright idea to toss those into some cookie dough, and what started as a cleanup ended up as our new family holiday hit. You get these super soft treats packed with all kinds of yummy things – crunchy chips, salted pretzels, colorful M&Ms, sweet white chocolate. My son jokes and calls them garbage cookies, but they’re totally gold in my book!
Unstoppable Cookie Joy
Every bite’s an adventure. Sometimes you’ll crunch on a pretzel or catch a melty M&M. Potato chips might sound odd but oh man do they make these so snackable. When I whip up a batch, neighbor kids magically appear at our door. Even my mother-in-law – who claims she avoids “funky” cookies – keeps asking me to bake these. And the best part? You just need a spoon and bowl, no gadgets or mixers!
What You’ll Want On Deck
- Butter: Start with a cup melted but don’t forget to let it cool a bit or you’ll end up with cooked eggs.
- Brown Sugar: Pack it in tight for that chewy effect.
- Regular Sugar: Only half a cup goes in.
- Eggs: Two large ones, and don’t forget to let them warm up first.
- Vanilla: Real vanilla gives unbeatable flavor.
- Flour: About 2¼ cups all-purpose is perfect.
- Baking Soda & Powder: These bring the right lift and texture.
- Salt: Just a tiny shake.
- The Fun Add-Ins: Festive M&Ms, white chocolate chips, smashed potato chips, broken pretzels, and sprinkles if you're feeling fancy.
Super-Easy Cookie Steps
- The Last Step
- Once they’re out, I always press a couple more M&Ms and chips in – looks like bakery magic!
- Baking Time
- Now pop those chilled dough balls in and bake till the edges are just lightly golden. The centers should still be soft when you take them out.
- Chill Time
- Stick your scooped dough in the fridge to rest. Waiting’s tough, but don’t skip it – you want great cookies!
- Bringing It Together
- Carefully fold in your dry bowl ingredients, then pour in all your goodies – the fun stuff like chips, M&Ms, pretzels. My kids love dumping everything in and sampling the extras.
- The Sweet Part
- Grab your second bowl and combine cooled butter with both sugars. Whisk it up until it kinda looks like wet sand, toss in the eggs and vanilla, then mix again.
- Getting Started
- Melt the butter first and let it hang out until it’s not hot anymore. Mix up all your dry stuff in a separate bowl while you wait.
Change Up The Mix-Ins
One of my favorite things about these is you can toss in anything handy. I’ve swapped in butterscotch for white chocolate or crumbled leftover Halloween bars. My friend goes with coconut and dark chocolate and swears it’s like fancy candy. As long as the base dough stays the same, the add-in game is wide open!
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Big or Small – Your Call
Sometimes I’ll roll tiny ones for party trays – just grab a little spoon instead of a big one. Sprinkling on sea salt before baking takes them over the top – my husband says it makes them crazy good. On holidays I go wild with extra sprinkles and a white chocolate drizzle for a festive pop!
Get Ahead Of The Game
This is what helps me get perfect cookies every time. Don’t squish the flour into your cup or they’ll turn out too dense. That rest in the fridge is a must if you want them to hold their shape. Lining your pans with parchment makes cleanup laughably easy and keeps cookies from sticking.
Spot-On Baking Every Time
Don’t let these out of your sight while they’re in the oven – they can go from just right to too brown real quick. Lift them out when the edges look barely golden but the middle’s soft – that’s spot on! Take a pause and let them sit on the baking tray a few minutes so they set up just right.
Pro Cookie Vibes Made Easy
Here’s my trick for cookies that look like you bought them: Press a few more M&Ms and chips on top right after baking. They’ll melt in and look amazing. If they come out funny-shaped, gently nudge the warm cookies into a circle shape with a big round cutter or glass.
Stay Soft and Ready
These treats keep their softness days on end as long as you stash them airtight! I often freeze extra dough balls so I’m ready for surprise guests. You can put the frozen dough straight on the pan and just tack on a couple extra minutes in the oven. Fresh cookies in minutes – makes your whole place smell incredible!
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Why chill the dough?
Cold dough means nice, thick cookies with little spreading. Chilling really helps with the shape.
- → Cookie cutter trick?
If you want round cookies, use a cutter to nudge them into shape while hot. It works fast right out of the oven.
- → Best way to measure flour?
Lightly spoon flour into your cup and swipe off the extra on top. If you scoop with the cup, you'll squish in too much.
- → Mix-ins falling out?
Gently press extras onto cookies just after baking. They'll stick as everything cools down and stays soft.
- → Other mix-in ideas?
Pick any candy, chips, or nuts you like—just don't go overboard on the total amount.
Conclusion
These merry cookies overflow with candy chunks, pretzel snaps, and all the best mix-ins you can think of. Every bite is crunchy, sweet, and totally worth it.