Imagine this—it’s Christmas Eve. The last-minute Christmas shopping is finally done and you’re settling into your festively decorated home with your family. You grab your holiday apron, preheat the oven and decide what treats to bake for Santa. Will you opt for the classic chocolate chip cookies that are always a hit…or maybe a batch of irresistible chocolate pretzel rings?
How about a cookie recipe that includes BOTH—and more!
Santa’s Trash Is the Tastiest Thing You’ll Have All Season
You could bake the classic Santa-shaped sugar cookies, but what I’m about to share with you is definitely less traditional. Now, don’t get me wrong. When I say “trash,” I don’t mean using all the leftovers from Santa’s family dinner. I mean something much, much more delicious!
This cookie recipe will knock your socks off. It packs sweet and salty in every bite—no need to bake four different desserts when it’s all in one convenient package!
What’s in the Recipe?
Well, this recipe is a lot like any other cookie. You’ll start with the basics:
- 1 cup butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
But now, for the best part! You’ll also need:
- 3/4 cup crushed potato chips
- 3/4 cup crushed pretzels
- 1-1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup red and green sprinkles
- Flaky sea salt (for garnish)
You read that correctly…potato chips, chocolate, pretzels and sprinkles all together at last! Santa would be more than happy to receive these as compensation for all those gifts he’s bringing down the chimney.
See what kids around the world leave for Santa.
How to Make Them Your Own
The best part about these cookies is…you can mix and match to your heart’s content! Want to add some walnuts? Some caramel baking truffles? Go for it! No need to wait until Christmas to enjoy these tasty treats.
Cookie Recipes We Can't Wait to Share
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No-Bake Cookie Butter Blossoms
Chewy and sweet, these easy treats mix Rice Krispies, cookie spread and chocolate kisses in an unforgettable spin on an old favorite. —Jessie Sarrazin, Livingston, Montana Store your cookies in these adorable Christmas cookie tins!
Jeweled Coconut Drops
Red raspberry preserves add a festive flair to these tender coconut cookies. Perfect for holiday potlucks and cookie exchanges, these shaped cookies never last long when I make them for my husband and two sons. -Ellen Marie Byler Munfordville, Kentucky Find even more thumbprint coookie recipes.
Reindeer Tracks
This is the first cookie recipe I’ve ever created! It captures the essence of the holidays because there’s a trace of eggnog flavor in these adorable reindeer hoof prints. You can add red and green frosting to make them even more Christmasy or use brown sprinkles for a more natural reindeer look. —Pam Sano, Voorhees, New Jersey
Chocolate Mint Sandwich Cookies
I got this recipe from my daughter years ago. I've taken these chewy filled cookies and the treasured recipe to many cookie exchanges.
Chocolate Peppermint Snaps
This is one of my family's favorite cookies. My brother baked them for a Boy Scout fundraiser, and they were a top seller! They look like gingersnaps, but they're flavored with peppermint candies and are quite crispy. It's no wonder they're always such a hit.
Gingerbread Cookies with Lemon Frosting
When I spread these spicy gingerbread rounds with my lemony cream cheese frosting, I knew I had a hit. Cardamom and allspice add a hint of chai tea flavor. —Aysha Schurman, Ammon, Idaho
Peppermint Puff Pastry Sticks
I wanted to impress my husband's family with something you'd expect to find in a European bakery, and these chocolaty treats are what I came up with. The flaky pastry melts in your mouth. —Darlene Brenden, Salem, Oregon
French Macarons
Even decorated simply—a sprinkle of sugar, a drizzle of icing—these stylish beauties are part of our creative Christmas cookies collection. They will be the showstoppers on any cookie tray. —Josh Rink, Photo Stylist Taste of Home
Chocolate Toffee Peppermint Cookies
Chocolate and peppermint are a natural match, so I put them together in this easy cookie recipe. It's one of our favorite holiday cookies because it tastes delicious and there's no fussy decorating. —Carole Resnick, Cleveland, Ohio
No-Bake Christmas Wreath Treats
Cornflakes take the place of traditional rice cereal in these sweet no-bake Christmas cookies from our Test Kitchen. Dressed up with green food coloring and red candies, they're a fun addition to cookie platters and dessert buffets. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Chocolate Mint Creams
This recipe came from an old family friend and is always high on everyone's cookie request list. I make at least six batches for Noel nibbling and give some away as holiday food gifts. —Beverly Fehner, Gladstone, Missouri
Crinkle-Top Chocolate Cookies
When I baked these moist, fudgy cookies for the first time, my three preschool children went wild over them! But I like them because they're lower in fat and easy to mix and bake. —Maria Groff, Ephrata, Pennsylvania
Peppermint Kisses
These are fun, refreshing and low in fat! —Lynn Bernstetter, Lake Elmo, Minnesota.
Lemon Snowflakes
You’ll need just four items to whip up these delightful cookies. Confectioners’ sugar highlights the cracked tops to give them their snowflake appearance. —Linda Barry, Dianna, Texas
Festive Thumbprints
I never cared for jam-filled thumbprints, so I decided to fill them with frosting instead. This makes them easy to ship, which you can’t do with the sticky jam filling. I sent these to my daughter while she was serving in Iraq, and they made the long haul in perfect condition. —Wendy Schlueter, Babbitt, Minnesota
Chocolate Caramel Kiss Cookies
I make this cookie every Christmas with my family. It’s a fun twist on a classic peanut butter blossom because of the cinnamon in the batter and the caramel kiss on top. We love the cinnamon-caramel combination, but you could switch out the kiss with a different festive flavor. —Kristen Heigl, Staten Island, New York
Double Whammy Eggnog Cookies
These cookies are an amazing way to use extra eggnog. They've become a new family classic. — Teresa Morris, Laurel, Delaware
Santa's Coming Cookie Puzzle
This clever confection is easy to make with store-bought cookie dough and is entirely edible to boot! Blanched almonds make it simple for little hands to grasp the puzzle Pieces, which are completely removable.—Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Holiday Almond Tassies
I make so many of these fancy tassies, I use up a 7-pound container of almond paste every year! They’re one of my family’s holiday favorites. —Donna Westhouse, Dorr, Michigan
Spearmint Thins
No time to bake Christmas cookies from scratch? Create a tasty treat in little more than half an hour by doctoring butter-flavored crackers with vanilla chips and mint candies.—Kathleen Felton, Fairfax, Iowa
Frosted Anise Sugar Cookies
These soft, cake-like cookies have a pleasant anise flavor that's distinct but not overpowering. I add red and green sprinkles for Christmas, but you could decorate them to suit any occasion.—Janice Eanni, Willowick, Ohio
Triple-Ginger Gingersnaps
Ginger cookies are holiday hits. To package these Christmas cookies, tuck them into clean, recycled coffee cans wrapped in decorative paper. With a glue gun, add ribbon or trim. —Jessica Follen, Waunakee, Wisconsin
Hot Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
This is a variation of the cookies my mother made when I was growing up. Now my 13-year-old daughter and I bake them together. They’re always a huge hit! The taste is like rich holiday hot chocolate baked into a scrumptious cookie. —Larry Piklor, Johnsburg, Illinois
Fruitcake Christmas Cookies
As holiday gifts, these rich fruit-and nut-filled cookies are pretty and practical. These are great make ahead Christmas cookies —the taste actually gets better over time! —Julia Funkhouser, Carson, Iowa
Holly Wreaths
I've never come across another spritz cookie like this - one calling for cream cheese as an ingredient. That helps to keep these wreaths moist a long time, while also adding a delicious flavor. —Dee Lein, Longmont, Colorado
Chocolate Snowballs
This is my favorite Christmas cookie recipe. The cookies remind me of the snowballs I'd pack as a child during winters here in Wisconsin. —Dee Derezinski, Waukesha, Wisconsin
Cream Cheese Spritz
A hint of orange and cinnamon highlights these Christmastime classics. I like to add colorful sprinkles before baking them. The recipe is from a booklet that came with a cookie press in the 1950s...and I still have the press! —Sarah Bedia, Lake Jackson, Texas
Chocolate Gingersnaps
When my daughter, Jennifer, was 15 years old, she created this recipe as a way to combine two of her favorite flavors. They're great with a glass of milk. —Paula Zsiray, Logan, Utah
Triple-Chocolate Peppermint Treats
Santa is sure to stop by your house if you leave these minty chocolate cookies waiting for him. They're quick and easy for the whole family to make together. —Teresa Ralston, New Albany, Ohio
Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
Guests will stand in line to kiss the cook when these treats are served! For a change of pace, try them with chunky peanut butter, too. —Canada60, Tasteofhome.com Community
Drizzled Gingerbread Biscotti
After stumbling across a community recipe for gingerbread biscotti, I made several batches and tweaked it to our tastes. These became an instant obsession at our house.—Susan Board, Palmer, Alaska
Raspberry Pistachio Thumbprints
Thumbprint cookies are a Christmas classic, and I especially like my updated version with pistachios. The rich, buttery bites are not only delicious, but they are also pretty enough to give for gifts—if you manage to share them! —Laura Murphy, Columbus, Mississippi
Silver Bells
My mom and grandma are known for their signature Christmas cookies. I decided to create my own, inspired by one of my favorite Christmas songs. Edible shimmer dust gives them their iconic shine. Look for the dust in the cake decorating section of craft or grocery stores. —Crystal Schlueter, Northglenn, Colorado
Holiday Rum Balls
I use this recipe for special occasions with my wonderful family and friends. The treats are so easy to make and pack a festive rum punch. — Diane Duschanek, Council Bluffs, Iowa
Cinnamon Sugar Crackle Cookies
I get lots of compliments on these crunchy cookies. They're always part of my Christmas cookie platter. —Sarah Miller, Wauconda, WashingtonThe post ‘Santa’s Trash’ Will Definitely Be Your New Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipe appeared first on Taste of Home.
Melany Love