Get ready to bake the ultimate holiday cookie inspired by Buddy the Elf himself! With every bite, these whimsical treats bring a touch of festive magic and a deliciously playful twist on a classic favorite.
This post is sponsored by American Dairy Association Mideast. All opinions are my own
Buddy The Elf Chocolate Chip Cookies
Inspired by Buddy’s whimsical spaghetti, this recipe is packed with fun toppings like M&Ms, chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, and crushed chocolate Pop-Tarts—all baked into my favorite chocolate chip cookie. You can expect a thick and chewy cookie with a surprise in every bite.
These would be perfect for movie nights, cookie exchanges, or as a fun treat for Elf fans. Don’t forget to pair it with a big glass of milk or a hot chocolate. If you’re looking for more Christmas movie-inspired desserts, be sure to grab the recipe for Grinch Cookies.
As we are settling into a long winter season, so are our friendly dairy farmers across the US. In the winter, cow care routines on dairy farms change. Wet, chilly air means bedding the cows more often, and barns may be equipped with curtains to protect cows from cold weather and whipping winds. Dairy farms operate 365 days a year and these farmers are committed to providing excellent care for their cows while producing safe and healthy milk.
What’s In an Elf Cookie?
Well, I am glad you asked. While there’s no actual spaghetti in the recipe (don’t worry!), these cookies capture Buddy’s joy and creativity in dessert form.
Besides your basic cookie ingredients like butter, sugar, flour, vanilla etc, it includes all of Buddy’s toppings for his spaghetti: M&Ms, mini marshmallows, and chocolate Pop-Tarts. Instead of chocolate sauce, I’m using chocolate chips and I’ve even included a touch of maple syrup in the cookie as well.
Additionally, this cookie uses cornstarch to help keep it super soft despite how thick it is.
How to Make Buddy The Elf Cookies
Before You Begin
- Set some aside some of the mixins to place on top of the cookie for a more festive look.
- Be sure to line a baking sheet with either parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet, as the gooey marshmallows will stick otherwise and can easily burn.
- Cream the butter and sugar, and add the liquid. Start by creaming the butter and sugar together until it’s well incorporated, similar to wet sand. Then add the eggs, vanilla and maple syrup, beating to combine.
- Next add the dry ingredients, beating until the flour is halfway combined. Stop the mixer and add in the marshmallows, M&Ms and chocolate chips, then mix until the dough is fully combined. If the mixer is struggling to keep up, try cracking the speed up a notch or two so it can mix the dough.
- Add the Pop-Tarts.The last step is to loosely fold in the chopped Pop-Tarts so they aren’t fully smashed into the cookie.
- Scoop and stack the dough. Use a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoon size) and stack one scoop of dough on top of another. This should roughly equal 4oz of dough. There’s no need to roll it into a ball as long as the dough is stacked, it will bake nice and thick. Place any additional topping the top or sides of the cookie.
- Bake in an oven preheated to 350F for approximately 14-16 minutes. Pull from the oven let them cool on a baking sheet for 15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Julianne’s Cookie Tips
- Slightly underbaked: The secret to keep these cookies super soft is to slightly underbake them in the middle. Look for browned edges and make sure the top of the cookie is not glossy (indicating that it is not done baking yet)
- Fix misshaped cookies: Melty marshmallows will caramelize on the edges of the cookie. Immediately when you take these out of the oven you can use a large, round cookie cutter, spatula or knife to push the edges of the cookie back towards the center resulting in a nice and round cookie.
- Add some toppings: For extra pretty cookies, reserve some of the mix ins to place on top of the cookie before baking.
For smaller cookies: Use a single scoop of dough (3 tablespoons size) and bake for 13-16 minutes.
Storing and Freezing:
- Baked cookies: Cookies will stay fresh when stored in an airtight container or Ziploc bag for up to 4 days on the counter.
- To freeze baked cookies, allow them to cool completely. You can wrap it individually tightly in plastic wrap first then place in a ziploc bag or container to prevent freezer burn. If you prefer not to wrap them, then you’ll need to place a piece of parchment paper between layers. Thaw on the counter before eating.
- To freeze cookie dough, flash freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a Ziploc bag. Cookie dough should be fully thawed to room temperature before baking.
For more information about dairy nutrition, to find delicious new recipes and to meet Ohio and West Virginia dairy farmers, visit www.Drink-MIlk.com, and follow the American Dairy Association Mideast on Facebook, X, Pinterest and Instagram.
More Christmas Desserts
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Buddy The Elf Cookies
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Total Time: 44 minutes
- Yield: 10 Cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Inspired by Buddy’s whimsical spaghetti, this recipe is packed with fun toppings like M&Ms, chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, and crushed chocolate Pop-Tarts—all baked into a my favorite chocolate chip cookie.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (220g) packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup (95g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) pure maple syrup (optional)
- 2 teaspoons (10ml) pure vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 cups (420g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (4g) cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon (5g) salt
- 1 teaspoon (4g) baking soda
- 1 cup of each: semi-sweet chocolate chips, M&Ms, mini marshmallow
- 4 Chocolate Pop-Tarts (2 packages), chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet. Set aside a handful of the mixin to place on top of the cookie.
- Beat the butter with the brown and granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed until well combined, 2-3 minutes until well creamed. Next, add the eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla extract and continue beating until well incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients. Stir to combine and slowly add the dry ingredients into the dough, mixing on low speed until half the flour is incorporated. Add the chocolate chips, M&Ms and marshmallows and continue to beat until incorporated, increasing the mixing speed as needed to complete the dough. Next, loosely fold in the chopped Pop-Tarts with a spatula so they aren’t fully smashed into the cookie.
- Using a large cookie scoop, portion out 2 scoops of dough (equivalent to 4oz), placing one on top of the other. No need to roll together. Place 3 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 13-16 minutes. The center of the cookie should be slightly underbaked but not too gooey or shiny on top. Remove from the oven, fix misshaped cookies immediately then allow to cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Slightly underbake the cookies: The secret to keep these cookies super soft is to slightly underbake them in the middle. Look for browned edges and make sure the top of the cookie is not glossy (indicating that it is not done baking yet).
- Fix misshaped cookies: Melty marshmallows will caramelize on the edges of the cookie. Immediately when you take these out of the oven you can use a large, round cookie cutter, spatula or knife to push the edges of the cookie back towards the center resulting in a nice and round cookie.
- For smaller cookies: Use a single scoop of dough (3 tablespoons size) and bake for 13-16 minutes.
Storage:
- Baked cookies: Cookies will stay fresh and stored in an airtight container or Ziploc bag for up to 4 days on the counter.
- To freeze baked cookies, allow them to cool completely. You can wrap it individually tightly in plastic wrap first then place in a ziploc bag or container to prevent freezer burn. If you prefer not to wrap them, then you’ll need to place a piece of parchment paper between layers. Thaw on the counter before eating.
- To freeze cookie dough, flash freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a Ziploc bag. Cookie dough should be fully thawed to room temperature before baking
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories:
- Sugar:
- Sodium:
- Fat:
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- Cholesterol:
Love the Buddy Elf Cookies. I made them for our family Christmas party on Dec 21, 24. Huge hit!!! Thank You!!
Thank you Pamela! I love that so much!