Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes: 15 Simple Bakes Anyone Can Master

When your december calendar is packed but you still want a tray of homemade cookies on the counter, these easy christmas cookie recipes are the answer. Every recipe here is a simple christmas cookie recipe at heart, with short ingredient lists, no special equipment, and steps a first-time baker can follow without stress. You will find no-bake cookies, 3-ingredient favorites, one-pan bars, and quick and easy christmas cookies, most of them ready in 30 minutes or less. Pick one recipe tonight and you will have warm, homemade easy christmas cookies cooling on the rack before the second kettle boils.

QUICK IDEA SUMMARY

• The key takeaway: Easy does not mean plain. These easy holiday cookie recipes use smart shortcuts like cake mix, melted butter, and no-chill doughs to get real homemade flavor with a fraction of the work.
• The detail most people miss: Softened butter and a hot, fully preheated oven matter more than fancy ingredients. Cold butter and a lukewarm oven are the top two reasons simple cookies spread, toughen, or bake unevenly.
• What it costs or how long it takes: Most batches cost $4 to $9 in ingredients and take 20 to 35 minutes from bowl to cooling rack, and almost every dough freezes well for later.

At a glance

Group	Recipes	Total time
No-bake heroes	02, 11, 14	20–45 min
Three-ingredient wonders	01, 10, 12	20–25 min
Drop cookies, no chill	07, 08, 09, 13, 15	25–30 min
Rolled and shaped	03, 04, 05	20–55 min
One-pan bars	06	35 min

15 easy christmas cookie recipes, from no-bake to one-pan bars

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01. Three-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

An almost-empty pantry is no excuse when a cookie needs just three ingredients. Peanut butter, sugar, and one egg stir into a dough in two minutes, and the classic fork crosshatch makes them look like you fussed. They bake up crisp at the edges and chewy in the middle, and they are the cookie to hand anyone who claims they cannot bake.

Prep: 10 min · Cook: 10 min · Total: 20 min · Yield: about 18 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Steps:

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Stir the peanut butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla together in a bowl until a smooth, thick dough forms, about 1 minute.
3. Roll the dough into 1-tablespoon balls and space them 2 inches apart on the sheet.
4. Flatten each ball with a fork in a crisscross pattern, dipping the fork in sugar if it sticks.
5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges look set and the tops are matte. The centers will seem soft.
6. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes so they firm up, then move to a rack.

Try it: Press a few chocolate chips into the tops while the cookies are still warm for a melty finish.

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02. No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

When the oven is busy with dinner, this stovetop classic saves the day. A one-minute boil turns butter, cocoa, and sugar into a fudge-like sauce that sets around oats and peanut butter into glossy, chewy clusters. If you are hunting for easy christmas cookie recipes with few ingredients and zero oven time, start here.

Prep: 15 min · Cook: 5 min · Total: 50 min (includes 30 min setting) · Yield: about 24 cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Steps:

1. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and measure everything out before you start, because this recipe moves fast.
2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the sugar, milk, cocoa, and salt.
3. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil and boil for exactly 1 minute, stirring once or twice. Timing matters: too short and the cookies stay soft, too long and they turn crumbly.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until melted and smooth.
5. Fold in the oats until every flake is coated.
6. Drop heaping tablespoons of the mixture onto the parchment and let them set at room temperature for about 30 minutes, until firm and glossy.

Try it: Swap half the oats for shredded coconut for a chewy, snow-dusted twist.

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03. Cake Mix Christmas Sprinkle Cookies

A box of cake mix is the busiest baker’s secret weapon, and nobody has ever guessed it from the finished cookie. The dough takes five minutes, bakes soft and thick, and carries a blizzard of red and green sprinkles in every bite. These are the easy christmas cookies to make when kids want to help and time is short.

Prep: 10 min · Cook: 10 min · Total: 20 min · Yield: about 24 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 box (15.25 oz) white or vanilla cake mix
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup red and green sprinkles, plus 2 tablespoons extra for the tops

Steps:

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Stir the cake mix, oil, and eggs together until a soft dough forms. It will be sticky, and that is right.
3. Fold in the 1/2 cup of sprinkles gently so the colors do not bleed.
4. Scoop 1-tablespoon balls, roll them smooth with damp hands, and press a pinch of extra sprinkles on top of each.
5. Space the balls 2 inches apart and bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers look just barely glossy.
6. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then move to a rack. They stay soft for days.

Try it: Use a chocolate cake mix with white sprinkles for a black-and-white bakery look.

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04. Soft Ginger Molasses Cookies

This is the simple gingerbread cookie recipe flavor profile everyone loves, without cutters, icing, or a long chill. Molasses and warm spices make a soft, crackled cookie that tastes like christmas in two bites. The dough is forgiving, the rolling is fun, and the whole kitchen smells incredible while they bake.

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

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 large egg
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar, for rolling

Steps:

1. Beat the butter and brown sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the molasses and egg until smooth.
2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a second bowl, then stir into the butter mixture until just combined.
3. Chill the dough for 30 minutes so the cookies stay thick.
4. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment.
5. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls, coat each in granulated sugar, and space 2 inches apart.
6. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until puffed and crackled on top with soft centers. Cool on the pan 5 minutes before moving.

Try it: Add 1/2 teaspoon of orange zest to the dough for a bright note that makes the spices pop.

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05. Powdered Sugar Snowball Cookies

Five ingredients, no eggs, and a double roll in powdered sugar: snowballs are the quiet overachievers of the cookie tray. The dough is mostly butter and flour with finely chopped pecans, so the cookies melt in your mouth instead of crunching. They keep for weeks, which makes them the smartest make-ahead cookie on this list.

Prep: 15 min · Cook: 15 min · Total: 30 min · Yield: about 36 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus 1 cup more for rolling
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup pecans, finely chopped

Steps:

1. Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Beat the butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar until creamy, then mix in the vanilla.
3. Stir in the flour and salt until a crumbly dough forms, then fold in the pecans and knead a few times until it holds together.
4. Roll into 1-inch balls and place 1 inch apart on the sheet.
5. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, until the bottoms are pale golden and the tops are still white. Do not let them brown.
6. Roll the warm cookies in powdered sugar, let them cool completely, then roll them a second time for a thick snowy coat.

Try it: Swap the pecans for mini chocolate chips if nut allergies are a concern.

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06. Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

All the flavor of the best christmas cookie recipes with none of the scooping, batch by batch. One pan, one press of the dough, one bake, and you slice 24 soft, chewy bars with crisp edges. Bars are the easiest way to feed a crowd, a classroom, or a cookie exchange without standing over the oven.

Prep: 10 min · Cook: 25 min · Total: 35 min · Yield: 24 bars

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup red and green candy-coated chocolates, for the top

Steps:

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment, leaving overhang for easy lifting.
2. Whisk the melted butter with both sugars until glossy. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla.
3. Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt until just combined, then fold in the chocolate chips.
4. Press the dough evenly into the pan with damp hands. Scatter the candy-coated chocolates over the top and press them in lightly.
5. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until the edges are golden and the center looks set but still soft.
6. Cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes, then lift out and slice into 24 bars.

Try it: Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the warm bars to make the chocolate taste deeper.

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07. Peanut Butter Blossoms

A peanut butter cookie wearing a chocolate kiss is about as classic as christmas baking gets, and the dough needs no chilling at all. Roll the balls in sugar for sparkle, bake, and press the candy in while they are hot so it melts just enough to stick. Kids are excellent at the pressing step, which makes this a family production line.

Prep: 15 min · Cook: 10 min · Total: 25 min · Yield: about 36 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/4 cup more for rolling
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 36 chocolate kiss candies, unwrapped

Steps:

1. Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line baking sheets with parchment. Unwrap the kisses now, not mid-bake.
2. Beat the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
3. Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt until a soft dough forms.
4. Roll into 1-inch balls, coat each in the extra granulated sugar, and space 2 inches apart.
5. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until puffed and lightly cracked.
6. Press one kiss firmly into the center of each hot cookie. Cool completely so the chocolate sets, about 30 minutes.

Try it: Freeze the unwrapped kisses for 10 minutes first so they hold their swirl shape on the hot cookies.

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08. Spiced Oatmeal Cookies with White Chocolate

Oatmeal cookies get a christmas promotion with cinnamon, nutmeg, white chocolate, and tart dried cranberries. They are chewy in the middle, crisp at the edges, and sturdy enough for shipping to faraway family. This is the easy holiday cookie recipe to make when you want something that feels a little grown-up.

Prep: 15 min · Cook: 12 min · Total: 27 min · Yield: about 30 cookies

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Steps:

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment.
2. Beat the butter and both sugars until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
3. Stir in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, then fold in the oats, white chocolate chips, and cranberries.
4. Scoop 2-tablespoon mounds and space them 2 inches apart.
5. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are golden and the centers still look slightly soft.
6. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes before moving to a rack. They firm up as they cool.

Try it: Soak the cranberries in warm water for 10 minutes and pat dry so they stay plump instead of chewy-hard.

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09. Red and Green Candy Cookies

These are the easy xmas cookies that disappear first at every party, mostly because they look like a celebration. A simple vanilla drop dough loaded with red and green candies and chocolate chips bakes up thick and chewy. Press a few extra candies on top of the warm cookies and they look straight out of a bakery case.

Prep: 15 min · Cook: 11 min · Total: 26 min · Yield: about 30 cookies

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup red and green candy-coated chocolates
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Steps:

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment.
2. Beat the butter and both sugars until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
3. Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt until just combined, then fold in the candies and chocolate chips.
4. Scoop 2-tablespoon balls and space them 2 inches apart.
5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the centers look soft.
6. Press a few extra candies onto the tops while warm, then cool on the pan for 5 minutes.

Try it: Chill the scooped dough balls for 20 minutes if your kitchen is warm, for extra-thick cookies.

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10. Three-Ingredient Nutella Cookies

Chocolate hazelnut spread, flour, and an egg: that is the entire shopping list for these fudgy, brownie-edged cookies. If you love 3 ingredients christmas cookies that taste like you spent real effort, this is your recipe. They come out of the oven soft and stay chewy for days.

Prep: 10 min · Cook: 10 min · Total: 20 min · Yield: about 16 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chocolate hazelnut spread, such as Nutella
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts (optional)

Steps:

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. Stir the hazelnut spread, flour, and egg together until a thick, glossy dough forms, about 1 minute.
3. Scoop 1-tablespoon balls and space them 2 inches apart. Flatten each slightly with damp fingers.
4. Sprinkle the tops with chopped hazelnuts if using.
5. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still look soft and shiny.
6. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes. They are delicate warm and firm up as they cool.

Try it: Make a shallow thumbprint in each warm cookie and fill it with a dot of extra spread for a double-chocolate center.

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11. No-Bake Ritz Cracker Mint Cookies

Two-ingredient magic: a buttery cracker dipped in peppermint chocolate tastes uncannily like the famous thin mint cookie. There is no dough, no oven, and no way to mess it up, which is exactly what the busiest week of december calls for. Make a double batch, because they vanish from the freezer door faster than you expect.

Prep: 20 min · Cook: 0 min · Total: 40 min (includes 20 min chilling) · Yield: about 24 cookies

Ingredients:

• 24 buttery round crackers, such as Ritz
• 10 ounces dark chocolate melting wafers
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2 tablespoons crushed candy cane (optional)

Steps:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay out the crackers.
2. Melt the chocolate wafers in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second bursts, stirring between each, until smooth.
3. Stir in the peppermint extract.
4. Dip each cracker fully in the chocolate with a fork, tap off the excess, and set it on the parchment.
5. Sprinkle a pinch of crushed candy cane over each cookie while the chocolate is wet, if using.
6. Chill for about 20 minutes, until the coating is firm and glossy.

Try it: Store them in the freezer and eat them cold for the crispest, most mint-cookie snap.

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12. Cool Whip Cake Mix Cookies

Cake mix, whipped topping, and an egg whip into the lightest, puffiest cookies on this list, with a crackled powdered sugar coat. The dough is sticky, the rolling is messy, and the result is a soft, cloud-like cookie that tastes like cake in handheld form. Choose red velvet mix for the most festive color payoff.

Prep: 10 min · Cook: 12 min · Total: 22 min · Yield: about 24 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 box (15.25 oz) cake mix, any flavor (red velvet is a favorite)
• 1 tub (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar, for rolling

Steps:

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. Stir the cake mix, whipped topping, and egg together until a very soft, sticky dough forms.
3. Put the powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. Drop teaspoonfuls of dough straight into the sugar and roll them around with a spoon until coated and ball-shaped. The sugar is your flour here; do not try to roll with bare hands.
4. Space the coated balls 2 inches apart on the sheet.
5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until puffed, crackled, and set at the edges.
6. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes before moving. They stay soft and cakey.

Try it: Chill the mixed dough for 20 minutes first and the scooping gets noticeably easier.

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13. Easy Snickerdoodles, No Cream of Tartar

No cream of tartar in the pantry? Baking powder steps in and the cookies never miss it. You get the same tangy-sweet cinnamon crust and soft, pillowy middle that make snickerdoodles a top-five christmas cookie. The dough needs no chilling, so this is a 25-minute, start-to-snack recipe.

Prep: 15 min · Cook: 10 min · Total: 25 min · Yield: about 28 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• For the coating: 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Steps:

1. Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line baking sheets with parchment.
2. Beat the butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
3. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt until a soft dough forms.
4. Mix the coating sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl.
5. Roll the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls and coat each generously in the cinnamon sugar.
6. Space 2 inches apart and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until puffed and just set. They should look slightly underdone in the very center. Cool on the pan 5 minutes.

Try it: Pull them a minute early and let the pan finish the job; that is the secret to the softest centers.

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14. Cornflake Christmas Wreath Cookies

Green cornflake wreaths with red candy berries are pure retro christmas, and they are completely no-bake. Melted marshmallow binds the flakes the same way it does in cereal treats, and shaping the wreaths is a genuinely fun job for kids. They add the one bright green note every beige cookie tray needs.

Prep: 20 min · Cook: 5 min · Total: 55 min (includes 30 min setting) · Yield: about 18 wreaths

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 4 cups mini marshmallows
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Green gel food coloring, about 1/2 teaspoon
• 6 cups cornflake cereal
• 1/4 cup red cinnamon candies

Steps:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment and lightly butter your fingertips. This mixture is sticky.
2. Melt the butter in a large pot over low heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until fully melted and smooth, about 4 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and food coloring until evenly green.
4. Fold in the cornflakes gently until every flake is coated, working fast before it sets.
5. Drop heaping tablespoons of the mixture onto the parchment and, with buttered fingers, shape each into a ring with a hole in the center.
6. Press 3 cinnamon candies onto each wreath as berries. Let them set for about 30 minutes until firm.

Try it: Work in small batches and keep the pot over the lowest heat so the mixture stays pliable while you shape.

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15. White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Sweet white chocolate and tart cranberries are the most christmas-looking flavor pair in the drop cookie world. A whisper of orange zest makes the whole batch taste brighter and more expensive than it is. These hold up beautifully on a cookie tray for two or three days, which puts them high on the make-ahead list.

Prep: 15 min · Cook: 11 min · Total: 26 min · Yield: about 30 cookies

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon orange zest (optional but recommended)
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries

Steps:

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment.
2. Beat the butter and both sugars until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and orange zest.
3. Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt until just combined, then fold in the white chocolate chips and cranberries.
4. Scoop 2-tablespoon balls and space them 2 inches apart.
5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the centers look soft.
6. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then move to a rack.

Try it: Roughly chop half the cranberries so their tartness spreads into every bite instead of landing in pockets.

Pro tip: Scoop every dough on this list into balls and freeze them solid on a tray, then bag them with the recipe name and bake temperature written on the bag. Frozen dough balls bake straight from the freezer, just add 1 to 2 minutes, so you can serve warm cookies on any december night without mixing a thing.

If your holiday baking continues past cookies, our collection of easy dessert recipes covers the cakes, bars, and no-bake sweets that round out a dessert table. You can also browse the full christmas recipes collection for more seasonal baking ideas.

Three rules for easy christmas cookies that taste homemade

Simple recipes forgive a lot, but these three habits are what separate a good tray from a great one.

• Start with room-temperature ingredients: Butter that gives slightly when pressed and eggs left out for 30 minutes blend faster, trap more air, and bake into tender cookies instead of dense ones. Cold ingredients are the number one cause of tough, greasy results.
• Do not overbake, ever: Pull cookies when the centers still look a touch soft and glossy. Carryover heat on the hot pan finishes them, and that last minute in the oven is the difference between chewy and crunchy.
• Measure the flour loosely: Spoon flour into the cup and level it off, or weigh it at 120 grams per cup. A scooped, packed cup can add 20 percent more flour, which is enough to turn any easy recipe dry and cakey.

How to store and freeze your cookie haul

A big baking day only pays off if the cookies still taste fresh on day five. Here is how to keep them that way.

• Room temperature storage: Keep cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days, with a slice of sandwich bread tucked inside for drop cookies. The bread goes stale and the cookies stay soft. Store crisp and soft cookies in separate containers so they do not trade textures.
• Freezing baked cookies: Freeze fully cooled cookies in a single layer, then bag them for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes, or warm them in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5 minutes to bring back the fresh-baked edges.
• Freezing dough for later: Portion dough into balls, freeze solid, and store in labeled bags for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at the same temperature, adding 1 to 2 minutes, and skip thawing entirely.

Questions readers ask

What are the easiest christmas cookies for a total beginner?

The three-ingredient peanut butter cookies (recipe 01) and the no-bake chocolate oatmeal cookies (recipe 02) are the easiest starting points. Neither needs a mixer, a chill, or any decorating skill, and both are nearly impossible to ruin if you follow the times given.

Which of these recipes use only 3 ingredients?

Three recipes here stick to a true 3-ingredient base: the peanut butter cookies (recipe 01), the Nutella cookies (recipe 10), and the Ritz cracker mint cookies (recipe 11), which need just crackers and chocolate plus a drop of peppermint extract. They are the best picks when the pantry is nearly bare.

What are the best easy christmas cookies for a cookie exchange?

Choose cookies that travel well and look festive with zero last-minute work: the cake mix sprinkle cookies (recipe 03), the red and green candy cookies (recipe 09), and the snowball cookies (recipe 05). All three hold up for days, stack neatly in tins, and taste better on day two.

How far ahead can I make christmas cookies?

Most baked cookies keep 5 days at room temperature and 3 months in the freezer. Snowballs and snickerdoodles are the best long keepers, while frosted and no-bake cookies are happiest eaten within the first 3 to 4 days. Baking one or two batches a week through december beats one exhausting marathon day.

Can I freeze cookie dough and bake it later?

Yes, and it is the single best trick for stress-free holiday baking. Scoop the dough into balls, freeze them solid on a tray, then store in a labeled bag for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen at the recipe temperature and add 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time.

Why did my cookies spread into one big sheet?

The usual causes are butter that was melted or too soft, an under-measured flour amount, or a warm baking sheet between batches. Chill scooped dough for 20 minutes, always cool your pans, and spoon and level the flour instead of scooping from the bag.

What are some easy no-bake christmas cookies?

The no-bake chocolate oatmeal cookies (recipe 02), Ritz cracker mint cookies (recipe 11), and cornflake wreaths (recipe 14) need no oven at all. They are lifesavers when the oven is booked for dinner or when kids want a project that stays far away from heat.

How do I keep soft cookies soft for days?

Store them airtight with a slice of plain sandwich bread, which donates its moisture to the cookies. Keep the container at room temperature, away from the stove, and refresh the bread slice every 2 days. A 10-second microwave warm-up also brings back that fresh-baked softness.

People Also Ask

What is the most popular christmas cookie?

Sugar cookies and peanut butter blossoms consistently top the most-searched lists, with gingerbread close behind. Peanut butter blossoms earn their spot because they are simple, pretty, and the chocolate kiss makes them instantly recognizable on any tray.

How many cookies should I bake for christmas?

Plan on 6 to 8 cookies per person for a party tray, and about 3 dozen per variety if you are gifting or doing an exchange. For most households, five or six varieties at one batch each, roughly 12 to 15 dozen cookies total, covers parties, gifts, and home snacking.

What cookies can I make with very few ingredients?

Three-ingredient peanut butter cookies, Nutella cookies, and cake mix cookies are the strongest few-ingredient options. All three skip the long shopping list entirely and rely on one hero ingredient, peanut butter, hazelnut spread, or cake mix, to do the heavy lifting.