Christmas Cookies {easy, delicious, make ahead}
Our favorite Christmas Cookie recipes, including our go-to recipe for soft and chewy cookies that are filled with M&M’s and sprinkles.
Get excited! It’s time for holiday baking… eeekk! I have a brand new cookie recipe for you, as well as a list of our other favorite cookies that are perfect for the season. Let’s get to it!
Reader Favorites
- Holiday M&M Cookies (pictured above, recipe below) – These soft and chewy cookies are filled with red and green M&M’s and topped with festive sprinkles. You can also try my M&M Cookie Cake.
- Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies – Big soft cookies filled with Andes Mints, mint chips, and chocolate chips.
- Sprinkle Cookies – Use Christmas sprinkles in these soft and chewy sugar cookies.
- Peanut Butter Butterscotch Cookies – A delicious twist on peanut butter cookies! You’ll love the pairing of peanut butter and butterscotch chips.
- Kitchen Sink Cookies – Use up your leftover “mix-ins” for these tasty cookies. Fill them with chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, coconut, dried fruit, nuts, toffee bits, and more!
Classics
Freezing Christmas Cookies
- Freeze baked cookies: Scoop-and-drop cookies and shortbread cookies usually freeze well. Something super delicate or topped with frosting is probably best consumed right away. Store baked cookies in the freezer for up to 3 months. TIP: Double wrap the cookies so they stay fresh. I place the cookies in a zip top bag and then place the bag in a freezer safe food storage container.
- Freeze cookie dough: This is my favorite make-ahead method because it allows you to have freshly baked cookies in a short period of time. Freeze cookie dough balls and bring them to cool room temp before baking (or thaw in the fridge overnight). Depending on how cool the dough is you might need to add a minute or two to the bake time. Store cookie dough in the freezer for up to 2 months. TIP: To freeze cookie dough, place the dough balls on a baking sheet and freeze until firm. Then place the dough balls into a zip top bag (I often double bag them).
Packaging Christmas Cookies
Want to mail cookies to friends or family? It is best to choose a sturdy cookie, preferably nothing too delicate. Wrap the cookies really well so they stay fresh. I like to double wrap the cookies by placing them in zip top bags and then placing them in a reusable plastic storage container. If possible, mail the cookies using an expedited method so they get there when they are still fresh.
Our Favorite Basic Cookie Recipe
The recipe below is based off of our popular M&M Cookies. This version uses red and green sprinkles and M&M’s to make them extra festive. Here’s how to make them:
- Cream butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.
- Add egg and vanilla.
- Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Beat until fully combined.
- Stir in M&M’s and chocolate chips.
- Scoop the dough into balls. Roll the dough balls in sprinkles and top with a few extra M&M’s.
- Bake!
Why these M&M Christmas Cookies are the best
Soft and chewy – Crisp edges and soft centers. Perfection!
Ease – This recipe comes together quickly and easily.
No chill time – Ready in minutes!
Freezer friendly – Freeze the baked cookies (up to 3 months) or the dough balls (up to 2 months).
Recipe
M&M Christmas Cookies
Our go-to Christmas Cookie recipe! Soft and chewy cookies that are filled with M&M's and sprinkles.
from votes
Print Pin SaveSaved!Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 9 minutes
Total Time: 29 minutes
Servings: 15 - 20 (recipe can be doubled)
Calories: 200kcal
Ingredients
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and both sugars for 1-2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla extract, mixing until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. On low speed, add in flour mixture and mix until just combined.
Gently stir in M&M's and chocolate chips. I usually add about 1 generous cup into the batter, and the rest get pressed on top of the cookies before baking.
Place the sprinkles in a shallow bowl.
Scoop balls of cookie dough, between 1½ and 2½ tablespoon portions. Gently press a few M&M's onto the top of each dough ball then press the top of each ball into the bowl of sprinkles. You can bake the cookies right away (they'll be on the thinner side) or chill the dough balls in the fridge for about 15 minutes to ensure they bake up with a nice thickness.
Place dough onto prepared baking sheets leaving an inch or two for spreading. I like to make sure the dough balls are mounded higher rather than wider so that the cookies aren't too thin.
Bake for 8-11 minutes (see note), until the edges of the cookies are set but the center is still slightly underdone; this will create a soft cookie. See note about shaping the cookies as soon as they come out of the oven.
Place the baking sheets on wire racks and allow the cookies to cool completely. They will firm up as they cool.
Notes
TO PROPERLY MEASURE FLOUR: Fluff the flour with your measuring cup, scoop a heaping portion, and level it off with the back of a knife OR spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off. BAKING TIME: Adjust according to the size of dough balls. CHILLING DOUGH: If you like thicker cookies, or you accidentally over-softened your butter (it's no longer cool to the touch), you can chill the dough for one hour before baking. HOW TO GET PERFECTLY ROUND COOKIES: Option 1: Immediately after the cookies come out of the oven place a round glass, bowl, or cookie cutter (larger than the cookie) upside down over the top of the cookie. Gently but quickly swirl the glass/bowl/cookie cutter in a circular motion. The edges of the cookie will bump against the inside of the glass creating a perfectly round shape. Note: This only works when the cookies are hot, straight from the oven, and still on the warm baking sheet.
Option 2: Immediately after the cookies come out the oven use the back of a spoon to gently push the edges inward to create clean edges and a perfect round shape.Nutrition
Calories: 200kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 73mg | Potassium: 39mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 190IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
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