Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
If you’re looking for a festive treat that feels like a warm holiday hug, you’ve come to the right place. This Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe is truly fan-freaking-tastic and one of the coziest ways I know to celebrate the season in your kitchen. Soft, chewy, and sprinkled with Christmas colors, these cookies bring joy with every bite — and trust me, they’re way easier to make than you’d think. I can’t wait to share all my tips so you nail them on your first try!
Why This Recipe Works
- Balanced Sweetness: Combining both brown and white sugars creates a perfect chewy texture with rich caramel undertones.
- Festive Twist: The sprinkling of red, green, and white confetti not only looks adorable but adds a fun pop of texture.
- Double Chocolate Delight: Mini semi-sweet and white chocolate chips create a melty, gooey contrast in every bite.
- No Chilling Needed: Skip the wait and bake straight away, making this perfect for last-minute gifting or holiday cravings.
Ingredients & Why They Work
Every ingredient in this Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe is chosen to create that ideal balance of gooey inside and slightly crispy outside texture with a festive flair. Plus, I’ll share some insider tips so your shopping is smart and your cookies turn out fabulous.
- Salted Butter: Melting it first helps create a chewy cookie base, and using salted butter enhances the overall flavor contrast.
- Light Brown Sugar: Adds moisture and a deep molasses flavor that keeps the cookies soft and rich.
- White Sugar: Boosts crispiness around the edges for that perfect textural balance.
- Large Egg: Provides structure and tenderness, making the cookie soft but not cakey.
- Vanilla Extract: The secret flavor lifter that turns simple ingredients into comfort food magic.
- All-Purpose Flour: The sturdy backbone of these cookies, ensuring they hold together well without being dry.
- Ground Cinnamon: Adds a subtle holiday warmth – start small if you’re new to cinnamon in cookies!
- Baking Soda: Gives the cookies a little lift and helps with browning.
- Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances all the other flavors.
- Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: The classic indulgent melty spots throughout the cookie.
- White Chocolate Chips: Adds creamy sweet pockets that contrast the semi-sweet chocolate delightfully.
- Christmas Red/Green/White Mix Sprinkles: Flat confetti sprinkles tend to taste better and offer a nicer texture, but any festive sprinkles will do!
Tweak to Your Taste
I absolutely love tweaking this Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe depending on my mood or who I’m baking for. Don’t be shy about making it yours—there are great ways to customize without losing that classic cozy vibe.
- Add Nuts: Sometimes I toss in chopped walnuts or pecans for an extra crunch that pairs really well with the chocolate.
- For Less Cinnamon: If you’re on the fence about the spice, start with half a teaspoon or omit it totally—it still tastes amazing and keeps everyone happy.
- Use Gluten-Free Flour: I’ve swapped in a 1:1 gluten-free blend with success, just watch the bake time since it can vary.
- Switch Up Sprinkles: Different colors or even edible glitter can make these cookies fit any holiday theme or party mood.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Prep Your Oven and Dry Ingredients
First things first: preheat your oven to 350°F (that’s about 177°C for my metric friends!). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper—this is a game-changer for easy clean-up and helps the cookies bake evenly. Next, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl until combined. This makes sure your spices and leaveners are evenly distributed, so every cookie tastes just right.
Step 2: Mix Your Wet Ingredients
In a larger bowl, mix your melted butter with the brown and white sugars until smooth and glossy. It won’t be fluffy like creamed butter, but that’s totally okay since your melted butter helps make these cookies soft and chewy. Next, crack in your egg and beat it well, then pour in the vanilla extract. Everything should look shiny and well combined.
Step 3: Combine Wet and Dry, Then Add Fun Bits
Now add your flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir just until you see no more dry patches. Be gentle here—overmixing can make cookies tough. Finally, fold in your mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and festive sprinkles using a spatula or wooden spoon. This part is my favorite because the dough instantly looks joyful and perfect for holiday moments.
Step 4: Scoop and Bake
Use a two-tablespoon cookie scoop or just eyeball similar-sized mounds, spacing them evenly on the parchment-lined cookie sheet. You should get about 16 cookies. Bake for 11 minutes — they’ll look soft and slightly underbaked in the center, but that’s exactly what you want! Let them cool on the cookie sheet for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. This resting time lets the cookies finish their soft, gooey magic while setting perfectly. If you want them a tiny bit less ooey, try 12 minutes baking but still let them sit before cooling.
Pro Tips for Making Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
- Butter Temperature Matters: Melting the butter just until fully liquid but not hot helps the sugars dissolve properly, leading to a smoother dough consistency.
- Don’t Skip the Rest: Leaving the cookies on the baking sheet after removing them from the oven lets residual heat finish the job without drying them out.
- Use Parchment Paper: It stops cookies from spreading too much and browning unevenly — plus cleanup is a breeze!
- Watch Your Oven: Every oven is a little different, so if your cookies look done earlier or later than the recipe says, adjust accordingly to avoid burnt edges or underbaked centers.
How to Serve Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Garnishes
When I’m serving these cookies for family gatherings or holiday parties, I love to dust them lightly with powdered sugar for a snowy touch. Sometimes a tiny drizzle of melted white chocolate adds a fancy flair that’s surprisingly easy to do and gets oohs and ahhs every time.
Side Dishes
These cookies pair beautifully with classic pairings like a tall glass of cold milk or a cozy mug of spiced hot cocoa. For adult gatherings, hot mulled wine or eggnog rounded out the experience in my kitchen.
Creative Ways to Present
Gift giving gets extra special when you arrange these cookies on a festive platter lined with parchment and tied with a sprig of rosemary or cinnamon stick. Or wrap stacks in cellophane tied with a matching ribbon for a delightful homemade present anyone will cherish.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I keep leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, layering parchment paper between stacks so they don’t stick together. The cookies stay soft and fresh — no need for refrigeration unless you’re dealing with very warm climates.
Freezing
Want to bake ahead? I freeze the raw cookie dough in scooped balls on a tray, then transfer to a sealed freezer bag for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, pop them straight on a parchment-lined sheet and add a minute or two to the baking time. It’s a real time-saver for busy holiday weeks!
Reheating
To revive leftovers, I warm cookies in a 300°F oven for 5-7 minutes. This trick brings back that just-baked softness and melty chocolate without drying them out. Alternatively, a quick 10-second zap in the microwave works if you’re in a hurry.
FAQs
-
Can I substitute melted butter with softened butter in this recipe?
While softened butter is typically creamed with sugar in many cookie recipes, this Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe relies on melted butter for its chewy texture. If you use softened butter, the cookies may turn out denser and less chewy, so I recommend sticking to melted butter here for best results.
-
Why add both semi-sweet and white chocolate chips?
The mix of semi-sweet and white chocolate chips creates a lovely balance of deep cocoa richness and creamy sweetness, making every bite more interesting and festive. You can always adjust the ratio to suit your chocolate preferences or omit one type if you prefer.
-
Can I make these cookies gluten-free?
Absolutely! I’ve had success swapping in a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. Just be mindful that your baking time might vary slightly, so keep an eye on the first batch to avoid overbaking.
-
What kinds of sprinkles work best?
Flat confetti-type sprinkles tend to taste better and add a nicer texture to the cookies compared to harder, chunkier sprinkles. However, any colorful holiday sprinkles will add festive charm, so choose what you like or have on hand.
-
Is it okay if the cookies seem soft when I take them out of the oven?
Yes! This is key for getting that perfect chewy and gooey center. Letting them rest on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes lets carryover heat finish baking without drying out the cookies. Resist the urge to transfer immediately—they’ll firm up beautifully as they cool.
Final Thoughts
This Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe holds a special place in my heart. Every year, baking these cookies feels like wrapping up the joy and warmth of the holidays in a bite. I hope you find as much comfort and delight in making and sharing them as I do. So grab your mixing bowl, put on some holiday tunes, and get ready for a delicious, joyful baking experience that’ll fill your kitchen with magic and your loved ones with smiles.
Print
Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 16 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Delight in these festive Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies, bursting with a blend of semi-sweet and white chocolate chips, subtle cinnamon spice, and colorful holiday sprinkles. These soft and chewy treats are perfect for holiday gatherings or gift-giving.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cups all purpose white flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 stick salted butter (1/2 cup) melted
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Add-ins
- 1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup Christmas red/green/white mix sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper to ensure easy removal and clean-up.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, thoroughly mix together the flour, ground cinnamon, baking soda, and salt using a fork.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, light brown sugar, and white sugar until well blended. Add the egg and mix thoroughly, followed by the vanilla extract.
- Add Dry to Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until fully incorporated.
- Fold in Chips and Sprinkles: Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and festive sprinkles until evenly distributed.
- Portion Dough: Use a 2 tablespoon cookie scooper or form two tablespoon mounds of dough and place them on the prepared cookie sheet, making approximately 16 cookies.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 11 minutes. Remove from oven and allow the cookies to remain on the cookie sheet for at least 10 minutes to finish baking and set while they cool gently.
- Alternative Baking Time: For slightly less gooey cookies, extend baking time to 12 minutes, then let rest on the cookie sheet for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
- Cool Completely: Transfer cookies to a cooling rack to cool fully before serving or storing.
- Adjustments: Adjust baking time as needed if your oven runs hotter or colder to achieve desired texture.
Notes
- Use melted butter at room temperature for easy mixing and soft cookies.
- If unsure about cinnamon, start with 1/4 teaspoon to suit your taste.
- Flat confetti sprinkles are recommended for better texture, but other sprinkles work fine.
- Allow cookies to cool on the cookie sheet after baking to avoid breaking due to softness.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- For a softer cookie, slightly underbake and allow residual heat to finish baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
