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Home » Holiday Recipes » Christmas Cookies

Christmas Cookies

Published: Nov 30, 2020 · Modified: Feb 4, 2021 by Allison · 32 Comments

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Our favorite Christmas Cookie recipes, including our go-to recipe for soft and chewy cookies that are filled with M&M’s and sprinkles. 

Christmas cookies on a plate with red and green sprinkles and candiesGet 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!

Cookies filled with red and green M&M's and Christmas sprinkles

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!

Collage of cookies

Classics

  • Cut Out Sugar Cookies – A Christmas classic! These soft-baked cut out cookies hold their shape and bake up beautifully!
  • Brown Sugar Molasses Cookies – Super soft and chewy cookies packed with brown sugar and molasses and topped with a creamy molasses frosting. 
  • Ginger Molasses Cookies – These cookies are perfectly spiced and they stay chewy for days. 
  • Chocolate Peppermint Cookies –  Chocolate peppermint cookies dipped in white chocolate and sprinkled with crushed candy canes. 

Collage of cookies

  • Easy Sugar Cookies – The easiest sugar cookies ever! These drop cookies taste like they came from a bakery. 
  • Chocolate Chip Cookie Brittle – Crispy, crunchy, buttery cookie brittle loaded with chocolate chips and pecans.
  • White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies – Soft centers, crisp edges, white chocolate chips, and macadamia nuts.
  • Chocolate M&M Cookies – These cookies are loaded with three kinds of chocolate, including holiday M&M’s!
  • Snickerdoodle Cookies – Two special ingredients make this recipe a family favorite.

Collage of cookies

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.

Christmas cookie dough with M&M's and red and green sprinkles.

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).

Christmas cookies on a plate with red and green sprinkles and candies

M&M Christmas Cookies

Our go-to Christmas Cookie recipe! Soft and chewy cookies that are filled with M&M's and sprinkles.
5 from 52 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
Author: Allison - Celebrating Sweets

Ingredients

  • 1½ cups plus one tablespoon all purpose flour, see note
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened but still cool
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar, lightly packed, make sure it's fresh and soft
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1½ cups M&M's or a mixture of M&M's and chocolate chips, divided
  • ¼ cup holiday sprinkles

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 at this point. This makes sure 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.

Video

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.
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.
Glass bowl over a chocolate chip cookie on a 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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Comments

  1. Christine

    December 13, 2022 at 3:51 pm

    5 stars
    Absolutely delicious!

    Reply
    • Allison

      December 14, 2022 at 8:39 am

      I’m glad you enjoyed them. 🙂

      Reply
  2. Marcy

    December 16, 2022 at 4:10 pm

    Can I refrigerate the dough overnight?

    Reply
    • Allison

      December 17, 2022 at 7:01 am

      Yes. I would scoop them first and refrigerate the dough balls. You will likely need to add a minute or two to the bake time if you’re baking them from the fridge. Enjoy!

      Reply
  3. Pamela

    December 17, 2022 at 11:23 am

    5 stars
    I give this recipe Christmas M&M cookies a ten. OMG so delicious.
    Yes, I followed the directions, including chilling dough for 15 minutes etc.
    My oven took a little longer to bake, but I watched every time I added a minute.
    Soft & chewy just like stated.

    Reply
    • Allison

      December 19, 2022 at 10:50 am

      I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. 🙂

      Reply
  4. Stephanie

    December 18, 2022 at 4:31 pm

    5 stars
    I tried several M&m cookie recipes and this was by far the winner. They came out perfect and taste delicious!

    Reply
    • Allison

      December 19, 2022 at 9:01 am

      Yay! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂

      Reply
  5. Kayla

    December 18, 2022 at 5:45 pm

    5 stars
    Made these this weekend but substituted the flour for Bob’s red mill 1 to 1 baking flour. They were so good. I was going to freeze them for Christmas baking gifts but I think I’ll have to make a second batch to share! Yum! And very quick and easy to whip up a batch. Will definitely be making again.

    Reply
    • Allison

      December 19, 2022 at 9:00 am

      I’m so glad! Thanks for sharing your experience. 🙂

      Reply
  6. claudia

    December 19, 2022 at 7:38 pm

    can i use cake flour instead of all purpose flour?

    Reply
    • Allison

      December 22, 2022 at 6:34 am

      You’re welcome to try it. You might want to add an extra tablespoon or two. Enjoy!

      Reply
  7. Christine shields

    December 26, 2022 at 12:48 am

    5 stars
    They were hit this Christmas definitely gonna make them again

    Reply
    • Allison

      December 28, 2022 at 4:09 pm

      I’m so glad! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

      Reply
  8. Barbara M

    December 30, 2022 at 1:22 pm

    5 stars
    These are the best M&M cookies I’ve ever made. Most recipes turn out a flat cookie. These are a nice soft cookie that doesn’t flatten out when cooled and they taste great.

    Reply
    • Allison

      January 10, 2023 at 11:09 am

      I’m glad you enjoyed them!

      Reply
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aboutHi, I'm Allison! I'm a busy wife and mom with a passion for cooking and baking. This is where you'll find my favorite homemade recipes, designed to help you make every day delicious! Read more....

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