Christmas cookies don’t need to be complicated to taste amazing. With a few pantry staples and a couple of smart tricks, you can bake a variety of cookies that look festive and taste like home. These recipes are easy enough for beginners but delicious enough to impress even picky guests.
Whether you’re baking for a cookie exchange, a holiday movie night, or Santa’s plate, you’ll find something here you’ll want to make every year.
What Makes This Special
These cookies keep the focus on flavor, texture, and ease. You’ll use one base dough to create three classic cookies: sugar cookies, chocolate crinkles, and peanut butter blossoms. Fewer bowls, fewer dishes, and more time to enjoy the season.
They’re also flexible.
Swap sprinkles, change extracts, or roll dough in different coatings to match your style. And because the doughs chill quickly, you can bake in short bursts between holiday errands.
Shopping List
- Butter: 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks), unsalted, softened
- Granulated sugar: 1 1/2 cups
- Brown sugar: 1 cup, packed
- Eggs: 4 large
- All-purpose flour: 5 1/2 cups total
- Cocoa powder: 3/4 cup (unsweetened, natural)
- Baking powder: 2 teaspoons
- Baking soda: 2 teaspoons
- Salt: 1 1/2 teaspoons
- Vanilla extract: 2 tablespoons
- Milk: 2–3 tablespoons (for consistency)
- Confectioners’ sugar: 1 cup (for rolling crinkles)
- Peanut butter: 1 cup (creamy)
- Chocolate kiss candies: 36–48 pieces (unwrapped)
- Sprinkles or colored sugar: For decorating sugar cookies
- Optional flavors: Almond extract, peppermint extract, orange zest
Instructions
- Make the Base Dough: In a large bowl, cream 1 cup butter with 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in 2 eggs and 1 tablespoon vanilla until smooth.
In another bowl, whisk 3 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix just until combined. If dry, add 1–2 tablespoons milk.
This is your sugar cookie base.
- Chill the Dough: Divide the base dough in half. Wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes. Chilled dough holds shape and bakes more evenly.
- Sugar Cookies (Cut-Outs or Drop):
- For cut-outs: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Roll chilled dough to 1/4 inch on lightly floured surface. Cut into shapes. Place on lined baking sheets.
Sprinkle with colored sugar if you like. Bake 8–10 minutes until edges are just set. Cool before frosting or adding more decorations.
- For drop: Scoop 1 tablespoon mounds, roll in granulated sugar, flatten slightly, and bake 8–10 minutes.
- For cut-outs: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Chocolate Crinkles: In a bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and 1/2 cup brown sugar until creamy.
Beat in 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Whisk 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Combine wet and dry, then chill 45 minutes.
Roll 1 tablespoon scoops in confectioners’ sugar and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10–12 minutes until crackled tops appear. Don’t overbake.
- Peanut Butter Blossoms: Mix 1 cup peanut butter, 1/2 cup butter, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar plus 1/2 cup brown sugar until smooth. Beat in 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
Stir in 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Form 1-inch balls, roll in granulated sugar, and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 8–9 minutes. Press a chocolate kiss in the center right after baking.
Let set before moving.
- Cool and Store: Let cookies cool on the sheet 2–3 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Cool completely before storing to keep textures just right.
Keeping It Fresh
Store cookies in airtight containers at room temperature for 4–5 days. Separate soft cookies from crisp ones so moisture doesn’t travel and ruin textures. To keep soft cookies tender, tuck in a slice of bread or a few marshmallows and replace every day or two.
Want to get ahead? Freeze dough balls for drop cookies on a sheet, then bag and freeze for up to 2 months.
Bake straight from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes. Baked cookies also freeze well; wrap tightly and thaw at room temperature.
Health Benefits
These cookies are a treat, but there are still a few positives. Peanut butter adds protein and healthy fats, which can help you feel satisfied with fewer pieces. Cocoa in the crinkles brings antioxidants and deep chocolate flavor without heavy frosting.
Consider small tweaks if you want a lighter touch.
Use 50% whole wheat pastry flour in the sugar cookies for more fiber and a tender crumb. You can also scale back sugar by 10–15% in any of these recipes without losing the holiday magic.
Pitfalls to Watch Out For
- Skipping the chill: Warm dough spreads too much and bakes unevenly.
- Overmixing flour: Mix just until combined to avoid tough cookies.
- Overbaking: Take cookies out when edges set and centers look slightly soft. They firm up as they cool.
- Hot sheets, new batches: Using a hot baking sheet makes cookies spread.
Let sheets cool or rotate with extras.
- Wrong measuring technique: Spoon and level flour. Scooping packs the cup and leads to dry cookies.
Variations You Can Try
- Peppermint twist: Add 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract to sugar cookies. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes right after baking.
- Orange vanilla: Stir 1 teaspoon orange zest into the base dough.
Top with a light vanilla glaze.
- Spiced crinkles: Add 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne to the chocolate crinkle dough for warmth.
- Almond snow: Swap vanilla for almond extract in sugar cookies and dust with confectioners’ sugar once cooled.
- Peanut butter swap: Use almond butter and top with a dark chocolate square for a gluten-friendly option if you use a gluten-free flour blend.
FAQ
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes. Wrap dough tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Let chilled dough soften slightly before rolling or scooping.
How do I get thick, soft sugar cookies?
Chill the dough, roll a bit thicker (about 1/4 inch), and pull them from the oven when the edges just set.
Don’t wait for browning on top.
Why aren’t my crinkles crackling?
They need cold dough and a generous coating of confectioners’ sugar. If the dough is warm or the coating is thin, you’ll lose that dramatic look.
What if I don’t have cookie cutters?
Use a glass to cut circles, or make drop sugar cookies by scooping and flattening. Decorate with sprinkles or a quick glaze.
Can I reduce the sugar?
You can cut sugar by up to 15% in most of these recipes.
The texture may be slightly less tender, but the cookies will still be tasty.
How do I keep chocolate kisses from melting on peanut butter blossoms?
Press the candy in right after baking, then move the cookies to a cool counter or the fridge for a few minutes to set the chocolate.
What’s the best way to frost sugar cookies?
Use a simple icing of confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla. Start thick, then thin as needed. Let cookies cool fully before icing to prevent melting.
Can I make these gluten-free?
Yes.
Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour with xanthan gum. Chilling the dough is even more important for shape and texture.
Do I need a stand mixer?
No. A hand mixer works well.
For small batches, you can even cream by hand with a sturdy spatula and some patience.
Final Thoughts
With one grocery run and a little planning, you can bake a spread of cookies that looks festive and tastes like tradition. Keep the steps simple, watch the bake times, and lean on chilling to get those picture-perfect results. And remember, a tray of slightly different shapes and sizes just proves they’re homemade.
That’s the charm—and the flavor—everyone loves at Christmas.