Description
These festive Christmas Sandwich Cookies are soft, chewy, and bursting with colorful holiday M&Ms, mini chocolate chips, and sprinkles. Sandwiched with fluffy, tri-colored buttercream frosting, they are perfect for holiday celebrations and gift-giving.
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups holiday M&Ms
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips
- ½ cup holiday sprinkles
For the filling:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 5 cups sifted powdered sugar
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- Green gel food coloring
- Red gel food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and fine sea salt. Set this mixture aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the softened butter with granulated and brown sugars on medium speed for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Incorporate the eggs one at a time into the butter mixture, ensuring each egg is fully mixed before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing slowly until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing.
- Add Mix-ins: Fold in the holiday M&Ms and mini chocolate chips evenly throughout the dough.
- Incorporate Sprinkles: Gently stir in the holiday sprinkles to distribute color and texture evenly.
- Shape Cookies: Scoop 2 tablespoons of dough and roll it into a ball, shaping them slightly taller than wide to minimize spreading during baking. Repeat for all dough.
- Bake: Place the dough balls on the prepared trays and bake in the preheated oven for 11-12 minutes until edges are lightly golden and the tops appear dry. Avoid overbaking to keep cookies soft.
- Decorate Fresh Cookies: Immediately after removing from the oven, press additional M&Ms, chocolate chips, and sprinkles on top for a festive appearance. Allow cookies to cool for 10 minutes on the sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Buttercream Filling: While cookies bake, beat softened butter in a stand mixer with paddle attachment until smooth and creamy.
- Add Powdered Sugar and Flavorings: Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing fully after each addition. Add a pinch of salt, vanilla extract, and whole milk, mixing until fully incorporated. Beat on medium-high speed for 3 minutes until the frosting is fluffy.
- Color the Frosting: Divide the frosting evenly into three bowls. Add red gel food coloring to one, green gel food coloring to another, leaving the third plain. Stir each until the desired color is achieved.
- Assemble Sandwich Cookies: Fill three piping bags or plastic bags with each color. Pipe a dollop of each colored frosting onto the bottom side of half the cookies.
- Complete Sandwiches: Top each frosted cookie with another cookie and gently press down to create a sandwich. Serve immediately or store appropriately.
Notes
- Do not overbake cookies as they are meant to be soft and chewy.
- Rolling the dough into slightly taller balls prevents excessive spreading on baking.
- For even color distribution in the frosting, mix food coloring thoroughly but avoid adding too much to maintain frosting texture.
- Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend suitable for baking, adjusting cornstarch as needed.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Baked Good, Cookies, Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American, Traditional