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Santa’s Trash Cookies are an amazing Christmas cookie recipe that contains pretzels, chocolate chips, potato chips, and sprinkles. These are the ultimate salty and sweet Christmas cookie with a crunch!
Yes, these cookies have potato chips in them! Have you every had potato chip cookies?
Santa’s Trash Cookies Ingredients
To make these unique Christmas cookies, you will need the following (go to the recipe below for exact amounts and instructions):
- Butter, salted: I used salted butter, but you can use unsalted butter
- Sugar, brown
- Sugar, granulated
- Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Flour
- Cornstarch: The cornstarch softens the cookies a little bit which changes the texture from chewy to more cake-like (but still delicious)
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Pretzels
- Chocolate chips: I used milk chocolate chips, but you can also use semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips if desired. See notes for more suggestions on add-ins that can be used in these cookies.
- Original potato chips
- Christmas sprinkles: your sprinkles don’t have to be Christmas themed, but I think it’s a fun addition. The sprinkles add another crunch, so I wouldn’t omit them completely.
How to Make Santa’s Trash Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Make the batter. In a bowl, cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract until just combined. Add in flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just incorporated.
- Add the “trash” ingredients. Fold in pretzels, chocolate chips, potato chips, and sprinkles.
- Bake the cookies. Drop spoonfuls of the cookies onto the cookie sheet, two inches apart. Bake in the oven for 7-10 minutes.
- Let cool for five minutes before transferring to the cooling rack.
Storage Instructions
Store these cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to one week. They can also be frozen for up to 3-6 months.
Optional Add-Ins
The beautiful thing about trash cookies is that you can dump whatever you want in them! These particular cookies include the four ingredients above, but I would recommend adding your favorite of anything!
- If you are a fan of peanut butter, add some peanut butter chips, peanut butter M&Ms, or peanut butter cups.
- Adding red and green mini M&Ms or regular size ones is also a great addition.
- Others like white chocolate chips or chunks, dark chocolate chips, or semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- You could try butterscotch chips or caramel bites.
- If you are a big fan of nuts, use almond pieces, walnut pieces, or peanut pieces.
- Even adding some crushed peppermint candies would be a great idea!
But whatever you do, enjoy the cookies! Oh, and put some out by the fireplace for Santa too. You know, with a glass of milk. I mean, they are his trash after all!
More Christmas Cookie Recipes
- Chewy Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Christmas Lights Sugar Cookies
- Mint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Christmas Monster Cookies
- Classic Shortbread Cookies
- Eggnog Cookies
- Snow Globe Cookies
Santa’s Trash Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter softened
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup pretzel twists chopped
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- ½ cup crushed wavy original potato chips
- ¼ cup Christmas sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a bowl, cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy.
- Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract until just combined.
- Add in flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just incorporated.
- Fold in pretzels, chocolate chips, potato chips, and sprinkles.
- Drop spoonfuls of the cookies onto the cookie sheet, two inches apart.
- Bake in the oven for 7-10 minutes.
- Let cool for five minutes before transferring to the cooling rack.
Video
Nutrition
The nutrition information is calculated using online nutrition calculators and may not be accurate. It is provided as a general guide only.
The recipe and photos contained herein are the property of Emily Enchanted© and may not be copied.
Donna
Wednesday 30th of November 2022
I had high hopes for these cookies, forturnately, the recipe is amazing! I scooped and leveled the flour. I proceeded with mix-ins. Being the meticulous baker I am, I added additional chocolate chips, pretzels, potato chips and sprinkles to the tops of each cookie for presentation. Cornstarch made a "soft and thick" texture of the cookies. They came out as flat and crispy, so I must have done something wrong somewhere. I only made a test batch, will try again later!
Emily Enchanted
Friday 5th of August 2022
I love this recipe because they are both chewy and crunchy! So good!
Neva
Thursday 23rd of December 2021
I made them exactly by the recipe. They don't look anything like the photo. They spread a lot! Mine were very flat. If I were to make them again I would chill the dough. I wasn't impressed with the taste. I would give them a 6 1/2 out of 10.
Emily
Wednesday 21st of December 2022
@Neva, we have updated the recipe to correct an issue with the ingredients.
Emily Enchanted
Friday 24th of December 2021
@Neva, are you at altitude by chance?
Brittany Butler
Monday 20th of December 2021
The sugar sizes, how many eggs not vanilla extract are listed under ingredients, upsetting was trying to make these for Christmas today
Brittany Butler
Monday 20th of December 2021
@Brittany Butler, I refreshed my page and they appeared !
Lindsay Troy
Saturday 18th of December 2021
Can I use chips that aren't wavy? My husband grabbed wrong ones
Emily Enchanted
Saturday 18th of December 2021
@Lindsay Troy, sure! They just might not be as crunchy.