Santa’s Trashed Up Cookies combine all your favorite mix-ins into one irresistible holiday cookie. Whether the kids have been naughty or nice, these crowd-pleasers will disappear from the plate fast.
These cookies are a festive twist on classic chocolate chip cookies, packed with crunchy and sweet elements for a playful, textural bite. They’re perfect for leaving out for Santa, sharing at holiday parties, or gifting to neighbors and friends.
Memories of holiday excitement often center on the magic and spectacle of Christmas Eve. For many of us, those memories include the anticipation of Santa’s arrival, cookies on a plate, and the background hum of festive music. Even as adults, making special treats for children keeps that seasonal wonder alive.
Finding out childhood myths aren’t literally true can be bittersweet, but the rituals remain wonderful—especially the part where you bake, decorate, and share. Watching young faces light up when you mention Santa never gets old, so a big batch of these cookies is a simple way to recreate that joy.
These cookies are loaded with semi-sweet chocolate chips, colorful red and green M&M’s, crunchy pretzel pieces, and crushed Chex cereal for extra texture. The result is a sweet-salty, chewy-crisp cookie that feels festive and fun.
Santa’s Trashed Up Cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/3 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup crushed pretzels
- 1/3 cup red and green M&M’s
- 1/3 cup crushed Chex cereal
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the room-temperature butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and kosher salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in about three additions, mixing until just combined. The dough will be thick.
- Fold in the mini chocolate chips, crushed pretzels, M&M’s, and crushed Chex cereal until evenly distributed.
- Using an ice cream scoop or cookie scoop, portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing cookies about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the centers are set. Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
All images and text © Lauren Grier for The Curious Plate.
Santa’s Trashed Up Cookies are a joyful, flavorful addition to any holiday spread. The combination of sweet chocolate, colorful candy, and crunchy salty mix-ins creates a cookie that’s both nostalgic and modern—perfect for sharing at gatherings or leaving out on Christmas Eve for a very grateful guest.