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You won't believe how these cookies came to be! I was trying to clear out my pantry before the holidays last year and had bits of everything - half bags of M&Ms, broken pretzels, crushed chips from my kids' lunchboxes. Instead of tossing them, I threw them all into cookie dough and wow! My family went absolutely nuts over them. Now they actually crush up snacks on purpose just to make these cookies. My daughter calls them 'treasure cookies' because every bite's got something special hidden inside!
Why These Are Always Gone First
Let me tell you why everyone fights over these cookies at our house. First off, they've got this amazing mix of sweet and salty - think chocolate and potato chips in every bite! Plus they're super easy to make. I mean, when's the last time crushing chips was part of a recipe? My kids think it's hilarious that we're actually supposed to break things up. Even my husband who claims he's 'not a sweets person' can't stop eating them. And the best part? No fancy equipment needed - just one bowl and your hands!
What You'll Need
- Butter: Melt it and let it cool while you hunt down all your mix-ins
- Brown and White Sugar: Both kinds make them extra yummy
- One Egg: Let it warm up on the counter we don't want cold eggs in our warm butter!
- Vanilla: The real stuff makes such a difference
- The Usual Dry Stuff: Flour, baking soda and powder, plus a pinch of salt
- The Fun Stuff: Holiday M&Ms (I grab extra because snacking happens), white chocolate chips, pretzels (break 'em up), potato chips (crushing these is great stress relief!), and festive sprinkles
Let's Make Some Magic
- Get Started
- Melt that butter first thing then let it hang out and cool. Nobody likes scrambled eggs in their cookies! While you're waiting mix up all your dry ingredients.
- The Fun Part
- Mix your butter and sugars they should look like wet sand. Drop in your egg and vanilla give it a good mix.
- Bring It Together
- Add your dry stuff bit by bit. Don't go crazy mixing just until it looks like dough.
- Time For Treasure
- Here's where it gets fun! Dump in all your goodies M&Ms chips pretzels the works. My kids love helping with this part even if half the M&Ms mysteriously disappear.
- Chill Out
- Scoop them into balls and pop them in the fridge. Perfect time to clean up our mess or snack on leftover mix-ins!
- Bake 'Em Up
- Space them out on your pan and watch the magic happen. Your kitchen's going to smell amazing!
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My Secret Tips
Here's what I've learned from making these about a million times. Don't skip chilling the dough - I know it's hard to wait but warm dough means flat cookies! While they're still hot from the oven press some extra M&Ms and pretzel pieces on top makes them look like they came from a fancy bakery. And if your dough feels too dry add an extra spoonful of melted butter. Works like magic every time!
Mix It Up
The best thing about these cookies is you can throw in whatever you want! Sometimes I use leftover Halloween candy chopped up. My son loves adding Oreo pieces. Once I used butterscotch chips and everyone went crazy for them. During summer we make them with plain M&Ms and call them beach day cookies. Just keep the basic dough the same and go wild with the mix-ins!
Keeping Them Fresh
If you somehow have leftovers (which honestly never happens at my house), just pop them in an airtight container. They'll stay good for about 5 days but good luck keeping them around that long! You can also freeze the dough balls and bake them straight from frozen just add an extra minute or two. Perfect for surprise visitors or late-night cookie cravings!
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Why chill the dough?
- Chilling prevents cookies from spreading too much and deepens the flavors. The butter needs to firm up for the right texture.
- → Can I skip the potato chips?
- While you can omit them, the potato chips add a unique salty crunch. Try substituting with extra pretzels to keep the salty element.
- → Why use melted butter?
- Melted butter creates chewier cookies with a better texture. Just make sure it's cooled to room temperature before using.
- → How do I store these?
- Keep in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days. The chips and pretzels may soften slightly but will still taste great.
- → Can I freeze the dough?
- Yes, scoop into balls and freeze up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen, just add 1-2 minutes to baking time.