Christmas Chocolate Cookie Recipes: 15 Deep, Dark Bakes for Cookie Season

If your cookie tin has a chocolate section, this is it. These christmas chocolate cookie recipes collect the bakes people reach for first: crackled crinkles, candy-studded m&m christmas cookies, fudgy brownie cookies, and the no bake christmas cookies that save the day when the oven is already full. Every recipe below comes with exact ingredients, real times, and the small cues that tell you a cookie is done, so you can bake a full chocolate lineup that looks impressive and tastes even better.

QUICK IDEA SUMMARY

• The key takeaway: Great chocolate christmas cookies come from three moves: good cocoa or real melted chocolate, a short chill for the dough, and pulling the tray while the centers still look slightly soft.
• The detail most people miss: Chocolate cookies keep setting on the hot pan. Bake until the edges look done and the centers look a touch underdone, or you will get dry cookies every time.
• What it costs or how long it takes: Most batches cost $4 to $9 in ingredients, take 10 to 25 minutes of hands-on time, and make 24 to 40 cookies.

At a glance

The recipes

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01. Classic Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

The signature look of chocolate christmas cookies: a dark, fudgy ball rolled in powdered sugar that cracks into a snow-dusted web as it bakes. The dough is mixed in one bowl, chilled until firm, and rolled generously so the cracks stay bright white against the chocolate. Bake a test cookie first if you want to check your crack pattern before committing the whole tray.

Prep: 20 min · Cook: 11 min · Total: 2 hr 35 min (includes chilling) · Yield: about 30 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (85 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, for rolling

Steps:

1. Whisk the cocoa powder, granulated sugar, and oil in a large bowl until it looks like wet sand. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, until glossy.
2. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt until no dry streaks remain. The dough will be very soft. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours, until firm enough to scoop.
3. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment. Put the powdered sugar in a shallow bowl.
4. Scoop tablespoon-size balls of dough and roll each one in powdered sugar until heavily coated. A thick coat is what makes bold cracks, so do not shake off the excess.
5. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges look set and cracked and the centers still look slightly soft. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then move to a rack.

Try it: Roll each ball in granulated sugar first, then powdered sugar. The double coat keeps the white layer from melting into the dough as it bakes.

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02. M&M Christmas Cookies

A soft, chewy chocolate chip base loaded with red and green candies is the cookie kids scan the whole tin for. A spoonful of cornstarch in the dough keeps the centers tender, and pressing a few extra candies onto the warm tops makes them look bakery finished. These are the fastest route to christmas chocolate chip cookies with a holiday face.

Prep: 15 min · Cook: 10 min · Total: 55 min (includes chilling) · Yield: about 36 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup (150 g) packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup red and green candy-coated chocolates, plus extra for the tops

Steps:

1. Beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for 2 minutes until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
2. Add the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt and mix just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and candies. Chill the dough for 30 minutes.
3. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Scoop 2-tablespoon balls onto parchment-lined sheets, spaced 2 inches apart.
4. Bake 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are light golden and the centers look soft and puffy. They finish setting as they cool.
5. Press a few extra candies into the warm tops, cool on the pan for 10 minutes, then move to a rack.

Try it: Save a small handful of candies for the tops instead of mixing them all in. Candies baked inside fade; candies pressed on warm cookies stay bright.

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03. Brown Butter Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies

Browning the butter gives these christmas chocolate chip cookies a toffee depth that plain melted butter cannot match, and dark chocolate chunks pool instead of holding their shape. A short rest in the fridge keeps them thick, and a pinch of flaky salt on top sharpens every bite. If you only bake one chocolate chip cookie this season, make it this one.

Prep: 25 min · Cook: 12 min · Total: 1 hr 10 min (includes chilling) · Yield: about 30 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
• 1 cup (200 g) packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups (315 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 1/2 cups (255 g) dark chocolate chunks
• 1/2 cup red and green candy-coated baking chips
• Flaky sea salt, for finishing

Steps:

1. Melt the butter in a light-colored pan over medium heat, swirling often, until it foams, smells nutty, and shows amber brown specks, 4 to 6 minutes. Pour into a bowl and cool 15 minutes.
2. Whisk the warm brown butter with both sugars. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla until smooth and glossy.
3. Fold in the flour, baking soda, and salt, then the chocolate chunks and candy chips. Chill 30 minutes.
4. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Scoop 2-tablespoon balls onto parchment-lined sheets.
5. Bake 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are deep golden and the centers look just set. Sprinkle with flaky salt and cool on the pan 10 minutes.

Try it: Chop a chocolate bar instead of using chips. The uneven shards and fine dust melt into layers through the whole cookie.

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04. No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

The most requested of all no bake christmas cookies: a stovetop fudge mixture stirred into oats and dropped by the spoonful. The whole recipe hinges on one timed minute of boiling, which is the difference between cookies that set glossy and cookies that stay sticky. They are the perfect backup when the oven is busy with dinner.

Prep: 10 min · Cook: 5 min · Total: 45 min (includes setting) · Yield: about 24 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter
• 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup (21 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups quick-cooking oats
• Red and green sprinkles, for the tops (optional)

Steps:

1. Line two baking sheets with parchment and measure everything out first. This recipe moves fast once the pot boils.
2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the sugar, milk, cocoa, and salt and bring to a full rolling boil.
3. Boil for exactly 1 minute, timed from when the whole surface is bubbling, stirring constantly.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until smooth. Fold in the oats until every oat is coated.
5. Drop heaped tablespoons onto the parchment, top with sprinkles if using, and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes until set and glossy.

Try it: If your kitchen is warm, set the trays in the fridge for 15 minutes. The cookies firm up faster and keep their shine.

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05. Christmas Crack Toffee Bars

Part cookie, part candy, this is the tray that disappears at every party: crisp saltines under a quick brown sugar toffee, a layer of melted chocolate, and a salty crunch on top. It is the one non-cookie entry in this list because a tin of christmas chocolate cookie recipes is simply not complete without it. Break it into rough shards for the most generous looking pile.

Prep: 10 min · Cook: 15 min · Total: 1 hr 25 min (includes chilling) · Yield: about 40 pieces

Ingredients:

• About 40 saltine crackers (a little more than 1 sleeve)
• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
• 1 cup (200 g) packed brown sugar
• 2 cups (340 g) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or crushed candy canes
• Flaky sea salt, for finishing

Steps:

1. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, then parchment, and arrange the crackers in a single tight layer, breaking pieces to fill gaps.
2. Melt the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Boil for 3 minutes without stirring, until it looks like thick caramel.
3. Pour the toffee evenly over the crackers and spread to the edges. Bake 5 to 6 minutes, until bubbling across the whole surface.
4. Scatter the chocolate chips over the hot toffee, wait 5 minutes, then spread into a smooth layer. Sprinkle with pecans or candy cane and a pinch of flaky salt.
5. Chill for 1 hour until fully firm, then lift out and break into pieces.

Try it: Use half pecans and half crushed candy cane. You get the classic version and the peppermint version on one tray.

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06. Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

Soft peanut butter cookies rolled in sugar with a chocolate kiss pressed into the center are a mid-century classic that still anchors every cookie exchange. The kiss must go on the second the tray leaves the oven, while the cookie is puffed and cracked, so it melts just at the base and sets as it cools. Unwrap the chocolates before you start baking, because there is no time mid-bake.

Prep: 20 min · Cook: 9 min · Total: 45 min · Yield: about 36 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar, plus 1/4 cup more for rolling
• 1/3 cup (67 g) packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 36 chocolate kiss candies, unwrapped

Steps:

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Beat the butter, peanut butter, and both sugars until fluffy. Beat in the egg, milk, and vanilla.
2. Mix in the flour, baking soda, and salt until a soft dough forms.
3. Roll into 1-inch balls, coat each in the extra granulated sugar, and place 2 inches apart on ungreased or parchment-lined sheets.
4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until puffed and lightly cracked on top. Do not let them brown deeply or they turn dry.
5. Press one chocolate kiss firmly into the center of each hot cookie. Cool completely on the pan so the chocolate sets without losing its swirl tip.

Try it: Freeze the unwrapped kisses for 10 minutes before baking. A cold kiss holds its pointy shape instead of slumping into a puddle on the hot cookie.

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07. Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

A dark cocoa dough with peppermint in the batter and crushed candy cane on top gives you the full chocolate mint experience in one bite. The peppermint extract goes in with the eggs so it blooms through the whole cookie, not just the topping. Crush the candy canes coarsely; dust melts, but small chunks stay crunchy and pretty.

Prep: 15 min · Cook: 10 min · Total: 55 min (includes chilling) · Yield: about 28 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup (150 g) packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1 1/4 cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup (28 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 3/4 cup (128 g) dark chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup crushed candy canes, for topping

Steps:

1. Beat the butter and both sugars until fluffy. Beat in the egg, yolk, vanilla, and peppermint extract.
2. Add the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt and mix just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Chill 30 minutes.
3. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Scoop 1 1/2-tablespoon balls onto parchment-lined sheets.
4. Bake 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers look soft and slightly shiny.
5. Sprinkle the crushed candy cane over the hot cookies and press very lightly. Cool on the pan 10 minutes.

Try it: Swap the chips for chopped mint chocolate candies if you want the full andes mint christmas effect in every bite.

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08. Fudgy Brownie Cookies

Everything a corner brownie does, in cookie form: shiny crackled tops, chewy edges, and a center that stays fudgy for days. The trick is whipping the eggs and sugar until glossy before the melted chocolate goes in, which builds that paper-thin crust. Work quickly once the batter is mixed, because it firms up as the chocolate cools.

Prep: 15 min · Cook: 10 min · Total: 25 min · Yield: about 24 cookies

Ingredients:

• 8 oz (225 g) dark chocolate (60 to 70 percent), chopped
• 1/4 cup (57 g) unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (50 g) packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup (42 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 cup (85 g) chocolate chips

Steps:

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Melt the chopped chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl over simmering water or in short microwave bursts. Stir smooth and cool 5 minutes.
2. Beat the eggs, both sugars, and vanilla with an electric mixer for 3 full minutes, until thick, pale, and glossy.
3. Pour in the melted chocolate and mix on low just until combined. Fold in the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt, then the chocolate chips.
4. Rest the batter for 10 minutes. It will thicken from pourable to scoopable.
5. Scoop 1 1/2-tablespoon mounds onto parchment-lined sheets and bake 9 to 11 minutes, until the tops are shiny and cracked and the edges look set. Cool completely on the pan.

Try it: Underbake by 1 minute if you want a molten center, and serve slightly warm with coffee. The texture is closer to a truffle than a cookie.

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09. Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies With Ganache

A tender chocolate shortbread-style dough pressed in the middle and filled with glossy ganache is the most elegant cookie in this collection. Press the indent twice, once before baking and once while the cookies are warm, so the well stays deep enough for a real spoonful of filling. A pinch of flaky salt or a few holiday sprinkles on the ganache finishes them.

Prep: 25 min · Cook: 12 min · Total: 1 hr 10 min · Yield: about 30 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup (135 g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup (28 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 4 oz (113 g) dark chocolate, finely chopped
• Holiday sprinkles or flaky salt, for finishing (optional)

Steps:

1. Beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Add the flour, cocoa, and salt and mix into a soft dough.
2. Roll into 1-inch balls and place on parchment-lined sheets. Press a deep indent into each ball with your thumb or the back of a round teaspoon.
3. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges look set. Re-press the indents gently while the cookies are warm, then cool completely.
4. Heat the cream until steaming, pour over the chopped chocolate, rest 2 minutes, and stir from the center until glossy. Let the ganache thicken for 10 minutes.
5. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of ganache into each well. Rest 30 minutes until set before stacking.

Try it: Fill half the batch with ganache and half with raspberry jam for a two-flavor tray that looks planned, not patched together.

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10. Hot Chocolate Cookies With Marshmallow Centers

A mug of hot cocoa translated into a cookie: cocoa dough, a melted marshmallow cap, and a dusting of cocoa on top. The marshmallow goes on for only the last 2 minutes of baking, just long enough to puff and slump over the cookie like foam. Serve them the day you bake them, while the tops are still stretchy.

Prep: 20 min · Cook: 10 min · Total: 1 hr (includes chilling) · Yield: about 24 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup (150 g) packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup (28 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons dry hot cocoa mix
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 3/4 cup (128 g) chocolate chips
• 12 large marshmallows, halved crosswise

Steps:

1. Beat the butter and both sugars until fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
2. Add the flour, cocoa, hot cocoa mix, baking soda, and salt; mix until combined, then fold in the chocolate chips. Chill the dough 30 minutes.
3. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Scoop 2-tablespoon balls onto parchment-lined sheets, spaced well apart.
4. Bake for 8 minutes. Quickly top each cookie with a marshmallow half, cut side down, and return to the oven for 2 minutes, until puffed and glossy.
5. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes and dust lightly with extra cocoa or hot cocoa mix before serving.

Try it: Briefly pass the marshmallow tops under the broiler for 20 to 30 seconds if you want a toasted, campfire finish. Watch them constantly, they color fast.

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11. Chocolate Snowball Cookies

The classic tea-cake shape gets a cocoa upgrade: buttery, nutty, and rolled twice in powdered sugar so they look like fresh snowballs. The first roll melts into a sweet glaze on the warm cookie; the second roll, after cooling, gives the thick white coat. Chop the pecans very fine so the balls roll smooth and slice clean.

Prep: 20 min · Cook: 14 min · Total: 50 min · Yield: about 36 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar, plus 1 1/2 cups more for rolling
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (21 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup (85 g) mini chocolate chips

Steps:

1. Beat the butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla.
2. Add the flour, cocoa, and salt and mix until a crumbly dough comes together. Fold in the pecans and mini chips.
3. Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place on parchment-lined sheets.
4. Bake 13 to 15 minutes, until the bottoms are just set and the tops look dry. They should not brown.
5. Cool for 5 minutes, roll the warm cookies in powdered sugar, and cool completely on a rack. Roll a second time for a thick snowy coat.

Try it: Swap the pecans for finely chopped walnuts and add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon for a spiced, Mexican wedding cookie style twist.

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12. Andes Mint Grinch Cookies

A soft green sugar cookie base studded with chopped mint chocolates and finished with one small red heart is the playful entry in this list, and the plate kids empty first. Gel food coloring gives a clean green without thinning the dough, and the heart goes on while the cookies are warm so it sticks. Keep the green pale; a light hand reads festive, a heavy hand reads swamp.

Prep: 15 min · Cook: 10 min · Total: 55 min (includes chilling) · Yield: about 30 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (50 g) packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• Green gel food coloring
• 1 3/4 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup chopped mint chocolate candies (about 28 pieces) or mint chocolate chips
• Red heart sprinkles, for the tops

Steps:

1. Beat the butter and both sugars until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and peppermint extract, then add gel coloring a little at a time to a medium green.
2. Add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt and mix just until combined. Fold in the chopped mint chocolates. Chill 30 minutes.
3. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Scoop 1 1/2-tablespoon balls onto parchment-lined sheets.
4. Bake 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers look soft. The green darkens slightly as it bakes, so pull them early rather than late.
5. Press one red heart sprinkle into the top of each warm cookie and cool on the pan for 10 minutes.

Try it: Hide a chopped mint chocolate inside each dough ball instead of folding them in. Every cookie gets a molten mint pocket in the center.

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13. Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookies

This recipe takes the layered look of a classic bark recipe and rebuilds it as a sturdy cookie: a dark chocolate base, a thin white chocolate cap, and a snowfall of crushed candy cane. Because the base is a sliceable, scoopable dough, you get neat rounds instead of random bark shards. Let the base cool completely before adding the white chocolate or the layers will slide.

Prep: 20 min · Cook: 11 min · Total: 1 hr 5 min (includes chilling) · Yield: about 28 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (42 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 8 oz (225 g) white chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup crushed candy canes

Steps:

1. Beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and peppermint extract.
2. Add the flour, cocoa, and salt and mix into a firm dough. Chill 30 minutes.
3. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Scoop 1 1/2-tablespoon balls, flatten slightly with your palm, and bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops are matte.
4. Cool the cookies completely on a rack, about 30 minutes. Melt the white chocolate in short microwave bursts, stirring between each, until smooth.
5. Spoon or spread about 2 teaspoons of white chocolate over each cookie, sprinkle with crushed candy cane, and rest 20 minutes until set.

Try it: Dip half of each cookie instead of capping the top for a two-tone look that shows off the dark base.

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14. Italian Chocolate Spice Cookies (Toto)

From the italian cookies christmas tradition, toto are soft, walnut-studded chocolate balls warmed with cinnamon, clove, and orange, then dipped in a thin vanilla glaze. They are built for keeping: the spice deepens over two or three days, which makes them ideal early bakes. Roll the dough balls small, since they puff into generous rounds.

Prep: 25 min · Cook: 12 min · Total: 1 hr · Yield: about 40 cookies

Ingredients:

• 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (42 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• For the glaze: 1 1/2 cups (180 g) powdered sugar, 2 to 3 tablespoons milk, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, holiday sprinkles

Steps:

1. Whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder, spices, and salt in a large bowl.
2. In a second bowl, beat the sugar and butter until combined, then beat in the eggs, milk, vanilla, and orange zest. The mixture may look slightly curdled; that is fine.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix into a soft, slightly sticky dough. Fold in the walnuts. Rest the dough for 15 minutes so it firms up.
4. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll walnut-size balls and place on parchment-lined sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the tops look matte and the bottoms are set. Cool completely.
5. Whisk the glaze ingredients into a thin, pourable icing. Dip the top of each cookie, add sprinkles, and rest until the glaze sets, about 30 minutes.

Try it: Swap the vanilla glaze for a lemon glaze (lemon juice instead of milk). The citrus lifts the spice and is the version many Sicilian bakeries sell.

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15. Chocolate Cherry Cordial Cookies

A dark chocolate cookie wrapped around a maraschino cherry, finished with a glossy chocolate drizzle, tastes like the boxed candy in cookie form. The single most important step is drying the cherries thoroughly; wet cherries steam the dough and slide out. Save a splash of the cherry juice for the drizzle if you want a pink tint and extra cherry flavor.

Prep: 20 min · Cook: 11 min · Total: 1 hr (includes chilling) · Yield: about 30 cookies

Ingredients:

• 30 maraschino cherries, drained, with 2 teaspoons of juice reserved
• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup (150 g) packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup (28 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• For the drizzle: 1/2 cup (85 g) chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon coconut oil

Steps:

1. Spread the drained cherries on paper towels and pat very dry. Let them air-dry while you make the dough.
2. Beat the butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
3. Add the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt and mix into a soft dough. Chill 20 minutes so it wraps without sticking.
4. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Take a tablespoon of dough, flatten it in your palm, wrap it around a cherry, and roll smooth so the cherry is fully sealed. Place seam side down on parchment-lined sheets.
5. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the tops look set and slightly cracked. Cool completely, then drizzle with the chocolate chips melted with the coconut oil (stir in the reserved cherry juice for a pink tinge).

Try it: Chill the wrapped balls for 10 minutes before baking. Cold dough keeps the cherry centered and stops the cookies from spreading into lopsided rounds.

Pro tip: Treat cocoa like flour. Measure it by spooning it into the cup and leveling, never by scooping from the tin, because packed cocoa can add a full tablespoon extra and turn a fudgy dough dry and bitter. If a chocolate dough ever feels stiff, a teaspoon of milk fixes it faster than extra butter.

More christmas baking to try

Chocolate is only one aisle of the cookie tin. For the buttery classics, sugar cookie cutouts, and the quick bakes that round out a tray, work through our easy christmas cookie recipes next, and browse the full christmas recipes collection for cakes, candies, and drinks to serve alongside.

Three rules for chocolate christmas cookies that taste bakery made

Chocolate forgives a lot, but not these three things. Get them right and even the simplest recipe in this list tastes like it came from a good bakery.

• Use two chocolates: A dough built on cocoa alone tastes flat, and one built on melted chocolate alone can bake up greasy. Pairing cocoa with chips, chunks, or a ganache filling gives you flavor at two depths, which is why most recipes here use both.
• Chill the dough, even when it feels optional: Thirty minutes in the fridge firms the butter, deepens the cocoa flavor, and stops thin, greasy spread. Overnight is even better for the chip cookies; the flour hydrates and the centers stay chewy.
• Pull them early: Chocolate cookies hide browning, so color is a liar. Bake until the edges look set and the centers look slightly soft and shiny, then let the hot pan finish the job for 10 minutes before moving them.

Storing and making ahead

A chocolate cookie stash is a gift to your future self in the busiest weeks of December. Here is how to keep every batch at its best.

• On the counter: Store baked cookies in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to 5 days, with a slice of sandwich bread in the tin to keep soft cookies soft. Keep crinkle cookies in a single layer or between parchment so the powdered sugar coat stays white.
• In the freezer: Freeze scooped dough balls on a tray, then bag them for up to 3 months and bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes. Baked cookies also freeze for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature in the closed container so condensation lands on the tin, not the cookies.
• For gifting and shipping: Sturdy bakes travel best. Snowballs, toto, thumbprints, and the toffee bars survive mailing in tins with parchment between layers, while marshmallow-topped hot chocolate cookies are a serve-at-home cookie.

Questions readers ask

What are the most popular christmas chocolate cookie recipes?

Crinkle cookies, peanut butter blossoms, and chocolate chip cookies are the most popular christmas chocolate cookie recipes year after year, because they look festive with almost no decorating skill. Crinkles crack on their own, blossoms need only a chocolate kiss pressed into the center, and a brown butter chocolate chip cookie reads holiday-ready with red and green candies folded in.

How do I keep chocolate cookies soft for days?

Store them in an airtight container with a slice of fresh bread, and slightly underbake them in the first place. The bread gives up its moisture to the cookies, and a center that looked barely set when it left the oven stays fudgy instead of drying out. Reheat a cookie for 8 to 10 seconds in the microwave to bring back the just-baked texture.

Can I freeze chocolate cookie dough before christmas?

Yes, almost every dough in this list freezes well for up to 3 months. Scoop the dough into balls, freeze them solid on a tray, then store them in a labeled bag. Bake from frozen at the same temperature and add 1 to 2 minutes to the time. The exceptions are the no bake cookies, which are already finished, and the bark cookies, which should be topped after baking.

Why did my crinkle cookies not crack?

The dough was too warm or the powdered sugar coat was too thin. Warm dough absorbs the sugar as it bakes, so the surface never dries and splits. Chill the dough for a full 2 hours, roll the balls until they look completely white, and use the double-coat trick: granulated sugar first, then powdered sugar.

What chocolate is best for christmas chocolate chip cookies?

A chopped dark chocolate bar around 60 percent cacao gives the best christmas chocolate chip cookies, because the shards melt into pools and the fine dust flavors the whole dough. Chips hold their shape better and work well for structure. Many bakers use both: chunks for melt, a handful of chips for even distribution.

How long do homemade chocolate christmas cookies stay fresh?

Most stay fresh for about 5 days in an airtight container at room temperature, and the spiced toto and snowballs actually improve on days two and three. Cookies with ganache or marshmallow should be eaten within 3 days. For longer storage, freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months and thaw them in the closed container.

Which cookies should I leave out for santa?

Blossoms, crinkles, and chocolate chip cookies are the classic santa cookies because they hold up at room temperature for hours without drying out or melting. Set out two or three with a glass of milk, and choose cookies without soft toppings; ganache thumbprints and marshmallow cookies are better eaten the same evening they are made.

Can I make these recipes dairy free or vegan?

Yes, several adapt well: the no bake cookies work with coconut oil butter substitutes and oat milk, and the crinkles already use oil instead of butter. For the rest, swap in a plant-based butter stick (not a soft spread) and a flax egg, and check that your chocolate is dairy free. Seek out the vegan christmas biscuits style recipes if you want formulas tested fully plant-based from the start.

People Also Ask

What is christmas crack made of?

Christmas crack is made of saltine crackers, a quick toffee of butter and brown sugar, and a layer of melted chocolate, usually finished with nuts or crushed candy cane. It bakes in about 15 minutes, chills until firm, and breaks into shards. Recipe 05 above is a full version, and the best christmas crack recipe trick is boiling the toffee for a full 3 minutes so it sets crisp.

How do you keep m&m cookies from spreading too thin?

Chill the scooped dough for at least 30 minutes, measure the flour by spooning and leveling, and bake on parchment rather than a greased pan. A teaspoon of cornstarch in the dough also helps the centers stay thick and soft. If cookies still spread, your butter was likely too warm when it went into the bowl.

What are the best chocolate christmas treats to give as gifts?

Sturdy, stackable bakes make the best chocolate christmas treats for gifting: snowball cookies, spiced toto, ganache thumbprints, and the toffee bars all travel well and keep for days. Pack them in tins with parchment between the layers, and add a note with the bake date. Avoid marshmallow-topped cookies in shipped boxes, since the tops stick to everything.