Our Favorite Christmas Cookies plus dozens of others to share this holiday season. They’re great to make for holiday parties and functions or to package and give as gifts to neighbors, friends and family.
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’tis the season for Christmas Cookie recipes
One of our all-time favorite things to do this time of year is bake cookies!! It’s something we do all year long but something we especially look forward to during the holidays.
Making treats and assembling plates for neighbors, friends and church members is a common occurrence and a tradition we look forward to each year. That is why I’m sharing our classic Christmas Cookies recipe today (modified off of our classic Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe), along with dozens of other Christmas cookies that are great to enjoy this time of year!
Whether you’re baking up several types for a fun holiday party or only baking a few for a cozy night at home, I’ve listed several Christmas cookie recipes that I know you’ll love along with some tips and packaging ideas.
Christmas Cookie Tips
Most all of these recipes include tips and tricks in the post, but I wanted to include some general cookies tips here:
- Many cookies keep for about a week when stored in an airtight container. Including a piece of white bread helps keep the cookies soft.
- Most cookie dough can be frozen and stored for up to 3 months. This is especially helpful as December is particularly busy with shopping and other Christmas events. Keeping dough on hand will give you a quick freshly baked treat for any event.
- Line your pans with parchment paper, not only does it keep the cookies from sticking, but it makes for easy clean up.
how to package christmas cookies
Here are some of our top tips for packaging cookies this holiday season:
- The easiest is to put the cookies in a store bought holiday box or bin. Dress it up by putting piece of tissue paper, or holiday napkin, in the box before placing the cookies inside.
- Wrap in Cellophane: This is particularly pretty. Place cookies on a holiday plate and cover with plastic wrap. Then, place the plate in the center of a piece of cellophane, bring all the sides up over the plate and gather them together. Finally, tie closed with a holiday ribbon or tulle.
- Bake the cookies the same size and stack them in a large mouth mason jar. Cover the lid with Christmas fabric or paper. Tie a ribbon around the top.
- Save those Pringles cans! Wash and dry, then wrap the can with decorative holiday paper. Stack the cookies in the can, cover with the lid, and top with a gift wrapping bow.
- A brown lunch bag is pretty in its simplicity. Stack cookies in a brown lunch bag. Fold the top over and punch two holes. Thread a simple ribbon through, tulle or raffia also work, and tie the top closed.
Easy Christmas Cookies
These cookies don’t use very many ingredients and bake up quickly. They’re perfect to whip up for a quick treat for unexpected company, or to eat while you watch your favorite Christmas movie.
- Christmas Cookies – Using our basic chocolate chip recipe, we dress up these cookies in a variety of ways using Christmas sprinkles, red and green M&M’s, candy canes and dipping chocolate!
- Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies – Chocolate chip cookies half dipped in white chocolate and topped with holiday sprinkles.
- Almond Cookies – Soft and chewy cookies filled with almond extract, ground almonds, and topped with slivered almonds.
- Double Peppermint Crunch Cookies – Chewy cookies with peppermint extract, dipped in white chocolate and sprinkled with crushed candy canes.
- Black and White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies – Made from chocolate cake mix, chock full of white chocolate chips and peppermint M&M’s.
- Peppermint Cheesecake Cookies – Soft and yummy cookies made with cheesecake instant pudding and peppermint baking chips.
- Holiday Blossom Cookies – Sugar cookies made from a box mix, covered in red sprinkles and topped with a candy cane Hershey’s kiss.
- Red Velvet White Chocolate Chip Cookies – Thick and gooey red velvet cookies packed with white chocolate chips and perfectly underbaked.
Traditional christmas cookies
Here are some of my favorite cookies to make at Christmas. Some take a little more work than others, but are definitely worth it. They’re classics this holiday season, so be sure to check them out.
- Eggnog Cookies – Tasty eggnog cookies with hints of cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla and topped with an eggnog glaze.
- Italian Cookies – Soft and creamy and topped with a delicious glaze.
- Gingerbread Cookies – Classic gingerbread cookies with slightly crispy edges and a ginger molasses flavor.
- Christmas Thumbprint Cookies – Thumbprint cookies made from a pre-made mix and filled with red and green icing.
- Soft Gingersnaps – Super soft and chewy gingersnaps sprinkled with sugar. These cookies are made soft using a few secret ingredients.
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies – These fudgy chocolate crinkle cookies are soft, chewy, and dipped in powdered sugar.
- Snowball Cookies – Buttery soft snowball cookies loaded with crunchy pecans and rolled in powdered sugar.
- Cinnamon Roll Cookies – Bite sized rolled cookies covered in cinnamon sugar and drizzled with white chocolate.
- Turtle Thumbprint Cookies – Chocolate thumbprint cookies rolled in chopped pecans, filled with a caramel filling, and drizzled with chocolate.
Christmas Sugar Cookies
What is Christmas without Sugar Cookies cut into holiday shapes with red and green frosting? We have several different recipes that will give you that Christmas Cookie Fix.
- Soft Sugar Cookies – Our ALL-TIME favorite Sugar Cookie recipe! They are always so soft and have the best, creamy frosting with hints of almond.
- Peppermint Sugar Cookie – The softest sugar cookie with hints of peppermint and topped with a creamy peppermint frosting and candy cane pieces.
- Copy Cat Lofthouse Sugar Cookies – Make homemade lofthouse sugar cookies, just like the ones at the grocery store! Soft and chewy, topped with frosting and sprinkles.
- Candy Cane Kiss Sugar Cookies – Sugar cookies baked with a peppermint kiss and festive sprinkles on top.
- No Roll Sugar Cookie – No rolling pin needed for these delicious sugar cookies. Just drop, bake, and frost!
- Peppermint Oreo Sugar Cookies – All it takes to make these cookies is a package of your favorite box mix, crushed peppermint oreos, and Andes peppermint baking chips.
Go-to Christmas Cookie Recipe
So many delicious cookies to make this holiday season!!
With that in mind, I wanted to share the recipe we make most often during Christmas. It’s simple, it’s delicious, it gets rave reviews and it’s one even the kids can help make.
This recipe is filled with sprinkles and M&Ms and is great for gift giving or even for Santa’s plate. Its makes 3 dozen so it’s also great to make for any holiday function or party.
How to Make CLASSIC CHRISTMAS COOKIES
These are our go-to cookies to leave out for Santa AND to bring to holiday parties. They’re so yummy and festive. You really can’t go wrong with them. Here is how we make them.
CREAM + BEAT. Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter, oil and sugars. Add eggs and beat until fluffy.
DRY INGREDIENTS. Add baking soda, salt, powder, vanilla and flour. Mix well.
SPRINKLES + M&Ms. Fold in sprinkles. Use cookie scoop to put on greased cookie tray. Top with 4-5 M&Ms.
BAKE. Bake at 350 for about 8-10 minutes.
Let the cookies cool before adding them to Santa’s plate. Or you can STORE them in an air-tight container for up to 3 days. 😉
Christmas Cookies Variations
This recipe is so simple and so easy to change up!! Here are some other ways we like to enjoy these Christmas Cookies by using the same base recipe and modifying it just a bit. 😉
- White Chocolate Dipped Cookies – Make the cookies without adding M&Ms or sprinkles to the batter. Let set and then dip in melted white chocolate and sprinkle with holiday sprinkles.
- Candy Cane Bit Cookies – Make the cookies and add 1 tsp peppermint extract to the batter. Top with crushed candy canes and holiday chocolate chips.
- Candy Cane Kiss Cookies – Make the cookies with chocolate chips or peppermint chips and right after pulling them from the oven – add a Candy Cane Kiss!
- Chocolate Chip Cookies – can you really go wrong with the go-to classic recipe? I think not!!
Like I said – so easy to change up! And all of these are perfect for the holidays.
If you’re looking for a simple, festive and delicious Christmas goody, these ones will be perfect! And trust me when I say that Santa LOVES them too! ;D
We hope you enjoy our classic Christmas cookie recipe and the dozens of other shared today. Hopefully, they will be simple and perfect for all your cookie exchanges and holiday fun this season.
Christmas Cookies Recipe
These are our family's favorite Christmas cookie recipe! Not only are they delicious, but they are great for gifting to family, friends and neighbors or leaving out for Santa.
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3 cups flour
- 1/2 cup sprinkles (or mini chocolate chips)
- 1 cup M&Ms
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter, oil and sugars. Add eggs and beat until fluffy.
Add baking soda, salt, powder, vanilla and flour. Mix well.
Fold in sprinkles. Use cookie scoop to put on greased cookie tray. Top with 4-5 M&Ms.
Bake at 350 for 7-8 minutes.
These look so yummy, I love the festive sprinkles and M&M’s, they totally get me in the spirit! 😀
Those cookies look soooo yummy and fun to make! My son is 7, just the perfect age for cookie baking!! What brand/where did you find those cute holly berry and leaves sprinkles please?
I found them at good ol’ Target! Right near all their Christmas plates and things.
These came out wonderful… great recipe and they are so festive! There are so many cookie recipes out there and I’m always nervous about trying new recipes but these are so great I will be adding to my recipe book! Thank you for sharing !
These turned out amazing!!
Yay!! Thank you for letting me know!!
I`ve never been disappointed in one of Kristyns recipe`s!! My family loves them!
You are so sweet!!! Thanks so much Mary!!
Love to learn how to made easy and Quick cookies… Thank you
Yay..I’m glad!! I hope you like these! Thanks so much!
These cookies turned out beautiful and delicious. I made these to take to a ministry where toys were given out to kids in need. They cookies were on the table with many other kinds and these were most often first choice because they were so festive and attractive (and the m&m’s). Thanks for this wonderful recipe it was used to bless some precious kids. Each batch made 3 dozen cookies using a cookie scoop. They were very consistent and easy to make. I was so pleased with them ! Recipe perfect and timing as is !
That is wonderful!! Thank you so much for sharing that! Thank you!
Yummy. I’m going to try them with my daughter.
Hope you both like them!! 🙂
Wonderful recipies; thank you
Thanks so much! I Hope you like the ones you try 🙂
I’m glad I found this recipe! My cookies always go paper thin flat! These stayed plump and beautiful. Thank you!!
I’m glad they stayed plump for you! Thanks so much!
These are my favorite cookies to eat around Christmas time! They’re so easy to make and they taste delicious!
We made these cookies last year & I can’t wait to make them this year!! They are so festive & delicious & perfect for cookie exchanges!
These were so fun to make. I love that you can change the m&m colors depending on the season/holiday.
PS I love the Behind the scenes pictures
Can the dough be made the night before and refrigerated?
Yes, it could 🙂 Enjoy!!
I was wondering what the conversion of 1/2 cup batter equals in grams?
Thanks
I’m sorry, but I really don’t know 🙁
Look festive and easy to make! I am not a baker!
They really are! Thank you 🙂 I hope you give them a try!
What type of oil works best?
Who doesnt like a cookie that taste good and is easy to make? Not only is it pretty but you can change it to your liking. Perfect cookie for christmas giving!
This looks delicious! I plan to use your recipe to make cookies this year. Does the M & M get baked also?
Maureen | http://www.littlemisscasual.com
Yes 🙂 I sure hope you like these! They are my fav!
So darling! Can’t wait to makE with my kids. GreaT addition to the christmas cookie platter.
Have fun making them with the kids! Thank you 🙂
I made these and they were super easy, but mind turned out a little salty? i know i only put in 1/2 tsp of salt, just like the recipe said…anyone have any idea why? was is because i used salted butter?
I like to use unsalted butter when baking. That could be why.
The main recipe doesn’t call for chocolate chips, yet i swear i see them in the photos. What gives?
Could just be broken m&m’s. You could for sure add chocolate chips.
Gotcha. Appreciate the prompt response, kristyn. Enjoy your holidays!
You too 🙂
Very tasty and cute! They are a hit in our house!
I am so glad they are!! Thank you for letting me know!
I just took a batch out of the oven. Are they supposed to be super soft, almost still undercooked? Will they harden when cold?
They are soft, but they do harden a little when they set. You can always add a couple minutes, if they are too gooey.
I dont havea cookie scoop. Would one table be the right measure?
No right or wrong. Just use a regular sized spoon to get a scoop. You can really make them as big or as small as you want.
I have made 135 of these over the past 3 days to give as Christmas gifts. This recipe is so easy. Decoration variation is endless. Thank you for a great recipe. I will be using it for years to come. Merry Christmas!
Awe, thank you so much!! I hope you have a Merry Christmas as well 🙂
These are delicious!!!! tested them out tonight before making them for a cookie exchange party, and wow!!! so good. i made some without m&ms and they’re great that way too. truly the perfect cookie. mine stayed very full and were the right amount of crispy on the outside but gooey on the inside. i baked them for a little longer. 350 for 9 minutes. they seem to get even more delicious as they settle.
Yes, they do get more delicious! Thank you so much for giving them a try & for letting me know!
mY GRANDKIDS ARE GOING TO LOVE THESE! dO YOU KNOW IF THESE FREEZE WELL? i’D LIKE TO MAKE THE COOKIE BALLS AHEAD, FREEZE THEN BAKE FOR A BIT LONGER THE DAY i NEED THEM. OR JUST MAKE THE COOKIES THE WEEK AHEAD AND FREEZE. aNY ADVICE? tHANK YOU!
Yep, they should be ok 🙂 Have fun & enjoy!
My batter turned out crumbly. Any idea why?
I wish I knew for sure. I know too much flour, using margarine instead of butter, or over cooking can cause crumbly cookies. Did you happen to do any of those, if not, I’m not sure?? They aren’t a crumbly cookie, so they shouldn’t have turned out that way.
Flavor turned out amazing, but same issue with mine, it turned out crumbly? and very dense when cooking them….I softened the butter in the microwave, would that cause crumbly batter/cookies?
Was the butter melted? There are a few reasons cookies can become crumbly, like to much flour, over-baking, butter substitutes…but, I’m not sure what exactly caused yours to do that?
Can you freeze these after making them?
I haven’t, but you sure could 🙂
What type of oil do you use?
I just used vegetable oil 🙂 Enjoy!
I lost my favorite recipe for christmas m&m cookies and stumbled upon this one. For some reason my cookies came out incredibly greasy/oily. They taste pretty good but definitely not something I feel comfortable sharing.
Oh, I am sorry they did. They aren’t supposed to, so I am not sure what happened. Thank you for trying them!
I was wondering if you could make these and use cookie cutters instead of the scoop ?
Can I use Extra Virgin olive oil instead of vegetable oil? They look great I got kisses and such to make more versions of it. Nice to have a common base! Baking makes the world go around, and a little sweeter!!?
I agree! I have not tried the extra virgin olive oil, so I am not sure if it would change the recipe.
These turned out PERFECT. Crisp on the outside soft in the inside. Best To eat not too long after BAKED.Thanks for the recipe.
Glad to share!! Thank you so much!
I made these Christmas cookies, and they were abs d. I am making ahIn with peppermint choClYe bark. I made with candy cane hershey kiss, and they were ama. The baTter was delish. Imade with kinG auth flour.
I am so glad you liked them! Thank you for sharing that!
These turned out great! making a second time today to share with extended family
Yay!! So glad! Thank you for letting me know!
Such a festive cookie! THese are going to be great to share with friends and family during the holidays! Such a simple recipe to follow and every batch turned out perfectly!
Fantastic cookies <3 On my first try cookies came out flat and pale (after 7min in the oven), but i changed the oven settings to the baking mode and let it bake for 10-12min and they came out really nice, thank you for the prefect recipe 🙂
You are so welcome! I am glad they turned out! Thank you!
Love all the variations!! These are perfect & so good!! We like adding the mini chocolate chips & sprinkles with the m&m’s.
This combination is irresistible! What a delicious idea!!…..it looks so yummy!!…and the picture is so great and presentative!.
Thank you so much!
PlEase check your RECIPE !!
It said one teaspoon of salt. My son was making cookies for a gift eXchange. I told him that was to much salt. He insisted to use that much BECAUSE he wanted to follow the recipe. They now taste like something i would feed the cows for a treat. It is 10:16 pm and i am having to clean Up and start a new recipe. I got my books out and sugar cookies 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of salt depending on how many cookies it is making. Please try your recipes before you post them and have someone proof read them.
I am sorry you feel that way. I do check every recipe. I would never share anything that I thought was too gross or that I wouldn’t eat. Most recipes I have seen call for anywhere between 1/2-1 1/4 teaspoon of salt. It is very normal. Maybe he accidentally used a tablespoon?
What kind of flour did you use? All purpose, self rising? Thanks
I like to use all-purpose flour in most recipes 🙂
We love this cookie! Festive, fun, aNd deliSh! Its a go to!
Made these two days in a row BECAUSE they DIDN’T last the fiRst day and we all wanted more!