When describing my perfect day, I leave it to the expert, Buddy the Elf: “First we’ll make snow angels for two hours, then we’ll go ice skating, then we’ll eat a whole roll of Tollhouse cookie dough as fast as we can, and then we’ll snuggle.”
Oh yes, I love pretty much everything about this season, especially today, which, hello, is Christmas! Merry Christmas, everyone!!! I wish all of you a time of rest, relaxation, and never-ending Christmas cookies with family and friends.
As a lover of Christmas, I always leave cookies out for my main man, Santa Claus. This Christmas, I decided to gift Mr. Claus a special version of my favorite soft chocolate chip cookies. My parents (who are apparently friends with Santa?) told me that he loves chocolate cookies (interestingly enough, my parents do too!), so I tweaked the original recipe with some cocoa powder and Christmas-themed M&Ms.
My parents and I decided to taste-test them during our self-proclaimed intermission from Christmas in Wonderland (which, by the way, even Patrick Swayze’s acting skills couldn’t save). Since Christmas is all about indulgence, we made Santa Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches(!) which were, well, quite tasty. And then . . . the seat of my pj pants split. No, like really. (It’s possible that I predicted the future with those damn Junk in the Trunk Cookies.)
Look what S. Claus brought me!!!
I think perhaps, though, this is also a ringing endorsement for these cookies – good enough to split your pants! No? Okay, fine.
Here’s some trustworthy praise for these cookies: They were all gone this morning . . . and I, for one, hold Santa’s opinion in very high esteem (he also left me a note – and apparently reads my blog!). So yeah. Next year’s cookies for Santa? Or perhaps you can make them for him this afternoon in case he needs a rest on his way back to the North Pole. Seriously. K, I’m off to make Christmas brunch for my parents (Eggs Benedict, woohoo!) and watch some Home Alone 2. Best. Ever. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!
Oh my goodness…he gets wifi in the North Pole??
Santa’s (Soft Chocolate M&M) Cookies (Adapted from Award Winning Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies)
Yield: About 40 cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cups packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 (3.4 oz) package instant chocolate pudding mix
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 10. 2 cups Christmas M&Ms (I used plain, but you can also use mini)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and cocoa powder, then set aside.
- Cream together butter and both sugars. Beat in instant pudding mix until smooth.
- Beat in eggs and vanilla, then blend in flour mixture. Stir in M&Ms, then drop by rounded tablespoonful onto ungreased baking sheets.
- Bake for about 11 minutes in preheated oven.
