Roth Family Favorites: The Best Holiday Cookie Recipe

I grew up in Virginia and while we didn’t spend a ton of time in the kitchen cooking, when we weren’t outside building something in the garage, I was in the kitchen whipping something up for my family to eat.

But when the holidays rolled around and it was cold outside, we would gather in the kitchen and eat Christmas cookies. Of course, we sampled those we made, but also some that were dropped off by friends, neighbors, and family.

My favorite? I have no idea if the cookie in question has an “official” name so let’s just say it ranked high on my cookie and holiday checklist.

Chocolate chips? Check. Pays homage to the holiday classic, the candy cane? Yep. Is it chewy, crispy and crunchy? You better believe it. I remember calling it ‘3 Chip Wonder’ when I was a kid, so I’m sticking with it. And so is Hazel.

The cookie dough itself is based on a classic chocolate chip recipe, but it’s the chip trio that makes it so special and so delicious. I came to love and look forward to this cookie throughout my childhood so it always makes me smile when my family and I break out the ingredients all the way across the country here in California every holiday season.

Now that I’m an adult, you absolutely can find me in the kitchen — a lot. Cooking, snacking, stirring and, of course, making treats with Hazel and tasty dinners with Brett. Cooking is really all about building. Mixing and layering flavors that come together to make a single tasty whole. Whipping up something off the cuff or following a recipe is pretty much what I do on a job site, only in the kitchen you can eat it!

Without further adieu, here is the holiday cookie that fills me with joyful nostalgia and that’s become a Roth Family tradition.

How To Make The Best Holiday Cookie

Makes 5 Dozen (yep, I said 5 dozen so plan on gifting some!)

INGREDIENTS

• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• ½ cup milk chocolate chips
• ½ white chocolate chips
• ½ cup finely crushed candy canes

PREPARATION

The Mixing

1. Heat your oven to 375º
2. Mix the flour, baking soda and salt in a smallish bowl.
3. Beat your softened butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl until the mix is creamy.
4. Add one egg to the dough mix and beat it in the dough. Then add and beat your second egg.
5. Gradually add the dry mix of flour, baking soda and salt into the wet mix of butter, vanilla, sugar and eggs, stirring until well combined.
6. Stir in the semi-sweet chocolate chips, the milk chocolate chips and the white chocolate chips.
7. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
8. Sprinkle the crushed candy cane on top of each cookie.

The Baking

1. Bake for 9 - 11 minutes. They should look golden brown!
2. Cool on the baking for 2 minutes.
3. Remove them with a spatula to a wire cooling rack to cool completely and harden up a bit.
4. Enjoy the magic of the 3 Chip Wonder!

If you make these, please let me know if you love them as much as I do in the comments. Happy Holidays!