Ingredients I use
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups chocolate chips
- 1 cup crushed candy canes
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- Snowflake sprinkles, for decoration
I soften the butter so it creams easily with the sugars and traps air, which helps the cookies bake thick and tender. I crush the candy canes fairly small so they distribute evenly and don’t leave big sharp chunks; anything from fine bits to small shards works. I keep the snowflake sprinkles just for decorating the tops so they stay visible after baking.
How I make Winter Wonderland Chocolate Chip Christmas Cookies
I cream the butter and sugars
First, I preheat my oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper so the cookies don’t stick and the bottoms brown gently. In a large mixing bowl, I add the softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. I cream them together with a mixer on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. This usually takes a few minutes and is what gives the cookies their soft, chewy texture.
I add eggs and vanilla
Once the butter and sugars are fluffy, I beat in the eggs one at a time. I add the first egg, mix until it’s fully incorporated, then add the second egg and mix again. I stir in the vanilla extract until the batter looks smooth and glossy. At this point, the mixture should be thick but pourable.
I whisk the dry ingredients and combine
In another bowl, I whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt so the leaveners are distributed evenly. Then I gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed or by hand until just combined. I stop mixing as soon as I don’t see streaks of dry flour; overmixing here can make the cookies tough.
I fold in the mix‑ins
With the dough just combined, I fold in the chocolate chips, crushed candy canes, and white chocolate chips. I use a spatula to gently stir until everything is evenly distributed, making sure the candy cane bits and chips are scattered throughout the dough so every cookie gets some of each.
I scoop, decorate, and bake
Using a spoon or a small cookie scoop, I drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving a couple of inches between each one so they have room to spread. Once the dough is portioned, I decorate the tops by sprinkling on snowflake sprinkles—either just a few on each cookie or a light scatter over the whole tray. Then I bake the cookies for about 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers still look slightly soft.
When they come out of the oven, I let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes so they set and the melted candy cane bits firm up. Then I transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.