Ingredients:

  • 9 cups all-purpose flour
  • 4 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 4 tbsp cornstarch
  • 4 cups unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 cups granulated white sugar
  • 3 cups packed dark brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 6 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 2 cups red and green M&Ms
  • 1 tbsp sea salt flakes for topping

Instructions:

  1. Prep the oven and trays. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line four large baking sheets with parchment paper. Note: Using parchment is better than silicone mats for this recipe as it helps the bottom of the cookies crisp up better.
  2. Cream the fats and sugars. In your 6 quart stand mixer, combine the 4 cups of softened butter, 3 cups white sugar, and 3 cups dark brown sugar. Beat on medium high for 5–7 minutes until the mixture looks like pale, fluffy frosting.
  3. Emulsify the eggs. Add the 4 eggs and 2 egg yolks one at a time. Wait until each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. Pour in the 2 tbsp vanilla extract. Note: This prevents the batter from breaking or looking curdled.
  4. Whisk the dry base. In a separate massive bowl, whisk together the 9 cups of flour, 4 tsp baking soda, 2 tsp fine sea salt, and 4 tbsp cornstarch. Ensure there are no clumps of soda.
  5. Combine carefully. Set the mixer to the lowest speed. Slowly add the dry ingredients in three batches. Stop the mixer the second you see the last streak of white flour vanish.
  6. Fold in the festive bits. Use a sturdy spatula (or the lowest mixer setting) to fold in the 6 cups of semi sweet chocolate chips and 2 cups of M&Ms until they are evenly distributed through the mountain of dough.
  7. Portion the dough. Use a #40 cookie scoop to drop 1.5 tablespoon balls of dough onto the sheets, spaced 2 inches apart.
  8. Bake in batches. Bake for approx. 10 minutes per tray. Wait for the edges to turn golden brown while the centers still look slightly underdone and soft.
  9. The finishing touch. Immediately sprinkle a tiny pinch of sea salt flakes over the hot cookies.
  10. Cool and set. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes. This carryover cooking finishes the centers without drying them out. Move to a wire rack to cool completely.