Making Christmas cookies with my boys is one of my favorite traditions during the holiday season, but we always struggle to decide which recipes to make. So, I combined a few of our favorites to create easy Christmas cookies that have it all. Consider them a “kitchen sink” Christmas cookie!
With a sweet sugar-cookie-like base, gingerbread-inspired molasses flavor, and chocolate chips and candy pieces in every bite, this holiday cookie recipe is a fun treat everyone in my family can agree on.
Recipe Highlights
I like to make a variety of treats during the holidays, but this was has risen to the top of the must-make list for a few reasons:
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- We have quite a few allergies and intolerances to navigate in my house. So, I love that these cookies are easy to customize and modify to make them egg free, dairy free, vegan, and gluten free to fit all our needs
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- With a quick baking time, these cookies turn out lightly crisp around the edges with a soft chewy center
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- The prep time is quick and the instructions are so simple that even my youngest son can help make this recipe
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- I love to prep these cookies in advance to keep on hand for last-minute teacher gifts, after-school treats, and leaving out for Santa
Ingredient Highlight: Dye-Free Sprinkles
Food dyes contain lots of artificial ingredients and have been associated with some health concerns including some behavioral and developmental issues. So, for my boys, I do my best to stay clear of them when I can. Unfortunately, many dye-free store-bought options can be pricey.
Most of the time, I order these Christmas softies natural sprinkles online. I like them because they’re completely dye-free, gluten-free, corn-free, soy-free, and vegan. Plus they look and taste like classic sprinkles but are a great option for those with various allergies.
Use A #20 Scoop
I don’t know about your little ones, but my boys always fight over who gets the biggest cookie. Therefore, to eliminate any controversy, I use a #20 cookie scoop to portion the dough. It makes 12 even-sized cookies that fit nicely on my baking sheet and look like they came from a fancy bakery.
Make Them Egg Free
My original Christmas cookie recipe contains a large egg, but I’ve had success making these cookies egg-free, too. To do so, in a small bowl, I combine 1 tablespoon of ground flax meal with 3 tablespoons of water. Once combined, I set the mixture aside for about five minutes to thicken.
Then, I use it in place of the egg, stirring it into the dough when I would normally add the egg. If the cookie dough seems too dry after stirring, add 1-2 teaspoons of water before incorporating the mix-ins. I find that when using an egg substitute the dough is best when left to chill in the fridge for several hours or overnight.
Make Them Vegan
Personally, I’m not 100% vegan, but I do avoid dairy. That said, I’ve found that using ghee or grass-fed dairy has been a successful way for me to still enjoy dairy while being lactose-intolerant.
But I’ve also tested a completely vegan version of these cookies, and it turned out great! To make the recipe vegan, I use a flax egg as described above.
Then, I make a few additional swaps: use vegan butter, non-dairy chocolate chips, and vegan candy pieces or sprinkles. Again, the texture is best when the dough is chilled for several hours or overnight before baking. Once baked, the taste and texture are so similar to the original cookies that no one in my family even notices they are 100% plant based.
How To Serve
My personal favorite way to enjoy these Christmas cookies is with a cold cup of almond milk. I’ve also paired them with our dairy-free gingerbread hot cocoa or sparkling cider. For a party, I arrange them on a platter with more of my favorite Christmas cookies and treats.
How To Store
Once cooled, transfer the cookies to an airtight storage container and store them at room temperature for 5-7 days. Or, you can freezer them for up to 3 months. I recommend placing a sheet of parchment paper between each cookie to prevent them from sticking together. Before serving, thaw the cookies at room temperature.
The unbaked cookie dough stores well, too. Once formed into a disc, I wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Or, for a longer-lasting option, I portion the dough and freeze it on a baking tray until solid. Then, I transfer the cookie dough to a sealable bag and freeze it for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, I bake the dough from frozen, adding a few extra minutes as needed.
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Ana’s Christmas Cookies
The ultimate “kitchen sink” Christmas cookies recipe! These easy holiday treats are sweet, buttery, full of molasses flavor, and studded with chocolate chips and candy-coated chocolate pieces. They’re crisp around the edges and chewy in the center.
Ingredients
- 1 stick (½ cup) salted or unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (see Notes for vegan option)
- ¾ cup cane sugar
- 1 large egg (see Notes for egg-free option)
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (see Notes for gluten-free option)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- ¼ cup candy-coated chocolate pieces (I use a mix of these dye-free sprinkles and just the green candies from these candy-coated chocolate pieces)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet (or two smaller baking sheets) with parchment paper and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a mixing bowl with a hand mixer), cream together the butter, sugar, egg, molasses, and vanilla.
- Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; mix slowly until all flour is incorporated.
- Using a wooden spoon, fold in the chocolate chips and candy-coated chocolate pieces by hand.
- Scoop the dough into 12-14 round portions (a #20 cookie dough scoop works great for this) and place on the prepared baking sheet. Leave at least 2 inches between the dough mounds, allowing space for them to spread out slightly during baking.
- Bake until the centers are set and the cookies are lightly golden brown on the edges, 12 to 15 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling.
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Notes
To make egg-free: In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon ground flax meal with 3 tablespoons of water. Stir and let stand for 5 minutes until thickened, kind of like an egg white. Use in place of the egg in the recipe. If the dough seems too dry, add 1-2 teaspoons of water to the dough before adding the chocolate chip and pieces/sprinkles and mix well to incorporate. The texture is best when the dough is chilled before baking (for several hours or overnight).
To make vegan: Follow directions for using a flax egg (above) and use vegan stick butter, dairy-free chocolate chips and vegan candy pieces and sprinkles.
To make gluten free: Use an equal amount of Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour in place of the all-purpose flour.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: Per cookie (1/14th of recipe)
- Calories: 200
- Fat: 9 g
- (Sat Fat: 5 g)
- Sodium: 207 mg
- Carbohydrate: 28 g
- (Fiber: 1 g
- Sugar: 15 g)
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
Dietary
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditional sugar cookies, snowball cookies (similar to Russian tea cakes and Mexican wedding cookies), peanut butter blossom cookies, snickerdoodle cookies, kolachkes, pizzelles, linzer cookies, krumkake, macarons, shortbread, florentines, horn cookies, Dutch speculaas, biscotti, reganadas, German pfeffernuesse, and gingerbread cookies are some of the most popular holiday cookies around the globe.
Of course, you can never go wrong with simple sugar cookies or chocolate chip cookies, but I love to add some extra festive cheer with buttery, cranberry, pecan, white chocolate, and peppermint flavors.
The photos in this blog post were taken by Casey Colodny of The Mindful Hapa.
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