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ELF Food Group cookies on a wooden tray.

ELF Cookies

These giant cookies were inspired by everyone's favourite elf, Buddy, from one of my favourite Christmas movies ever. I guess you could make these normal sized, but that wouldn't really be in the Christmas spirit would it? And of course, they include all four important Elf food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns, and yes…syrup! I made and tested 4 different versions of this recipe to make sure it would be delicious—these are chewy and delicious, with a little bit of bitter complexity from the dark brown sugar and maple syrup. These are a super fun cookie to make for a Christmas cookie swap or gift box—give this recipe a try and let me know how they turned out!
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings: 6 Giant cookies
Course: Dessert
Ingredients Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 290 g All-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp Baking soda
  • ½ tsp Salt
  • 115 g Unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 200 g Packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 Large egg at room temperature
  • 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
  • 105 g Pure maple syrup
  • 100 g M&M’s candy Red & green if possible. Any flavour M&Ms you like, I used a combo of plain and peanut butter
  • 4 Chocolate fudge Pop Tarts Each cut into ½” pieces and frozen solid for at least an hour
  • 55 g Candy canes Chopped into pieces about ¼” in size
  • 18 pieces Candy corn for giant cookies, or 40–48 for regular sized cookies
  • 6 regular Marshmallows or 36 mini marshmallows for giant cookies, or 60–72 mini or 20–24 regular marshmallows for regular sized cookies

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350˚F (180˚C) and adjust oven rack to middle. Line three baking sheets with parchment or silicone baking mats.
  2. Into a medium bowl add the 290 g All-purpose flour, 1 tsp Baking soda, and ½ tsp Salt.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, measure the 115 g Unsalted butter and 200 g Packed dark brown sugar. With the paddle attachment cream the butter and sugar together on medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula. You can make these cookies with a hand mixer instead, but the creaming process may take a couple minutes longer.
  4. Add the 1 Large egg, 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract, and 105 g Pure maple syrup, and mix on medium high speed until very light and fluffy, about 7–8 more minutes. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula at least once during this process.
  5. Add the flour mixture, and mix on the lowest speed until just combined and no more than 20 seconds. Scrape the bowl.
  6. Add the 100 g M&M’s candy and chopped frozen 4 Chocolate fudge Pop Tarts, and mix on low speed until just combined, and no more than 10 seconds. Use the rubber spatula to fold through the dough gently to ensure the mix-ins are evenly distributed.
  7. Use a large cookie scoop or a ⅓ cup measuring cup to make dough balls for giant cookies (or use a regular cookie scoop or a couple tablespoons to make regular sized cookies). Use your thumb to make an indent in the dough ball and insert 5–6 regular Marshmallows for giant cookies, or 2–3 marshmallows for regular cookies. Pinch the ball closed and roll into a smooth ball in your hands.
  8. For giant cookies, place only 2 balls per cookie sheet. For regular sized cookies place as many as will fit with at least 3” (7.5 cm) of space in between, or about 6–8 cookies per sheet.
  9. Bake one sheet at a time for 14–16 minutes for giant cookies (or 12–14 minutes for regular sized) until the cookies are puffed, spread, and have just started to darken around the edge. Set a timer, but also pay attention to doneness cues as every oven is different and your baking time could be very different from mine. Turn the baking sheet halfway through to ensure even baking.
  10. Immediately after taking a sheet out of the oven, carefully press 55 g Candy canes and 18 pieces Candy corn pieces into the tops of the cookies. Allow the cookies to cool for about 10 minutes on the baking sheet, before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

Video

Notes

These cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a month.