The magic of the holidays, for me, always starts with the scent of butter and vanilla filling the kitchen. When we gather for festive parties or need beautiful Christmas cookie gift ideas, I always turn to these Soft and Chewy Christmas Sprinkle Cookies. Forget the stress of rolling out dough! These beauties come together so quickly, and the best part is they are naturally soft and wonderfully chewy—no fussy chilling or rolling required. They are pure, unadulterated holiday cheer in one delicious, colorful bite. I just love how these simple holiday cookie recipes help us unfold beautiful new memories every December.
- Why You Will Love These Christmas Sprinkle Cookies
- Ingredients for Soft and Chewy Christmas Sprinkle Cookies
- Simple Steps to Make Perfect Christmas Sprinkle Cookies
- Tips for Making the Best Christmas Sprinkle Cookies
- Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Festive Sprinkle Cookies
- Making Ahead and Storing Your Christmas Sprinkle Cookies
- Serving Suggestions for Holiday Cookie Exchanges
- Frequently Asked Questions About Christmas Sprinkle Cookies
- Nutritional Estimates for Your Holiday Cookie Recipes
Why You Will Love These Christmas Sprinkle Cookies
If you need a simple Christmas baking win that looks incredibly festive, this is it. These cookies hit every mark for a successful holiday treat. They shine on a platter at any party!
- Incredibly Soft and Chewy: We aim for that perfect melt-in-your-mouth texture every time.
- Absolutely No Chill, No Roll: Scoop, coat, press, and bake! It’s perfect for when time is tight.
- Visual Pop: Loaded with red, green, and white sprinkles, they look instantly festive.
- Crowd Pleaser: They are delightful for cookie exchanges or as quick Christmas dessert ideas.
Ingredients for Soft and Chewy Christmas Sprinkle Cookies
When developing this recipe, I wanted to ensure we relied on pantry staples to create something truly special for your holiday baking sessions. This list emphasizes quality fats and the right balance of leavening agents to guarantee that signature texture. You’ll notice we use two separate amounts of sprinkles—I feel this is key to getting that gorgeous, dense coating on the outside while keeping the inside nice and clean. If you love experimenting with different spiced cookies, you might enjoy my recipe for Chai Spice Sugar Cookies next!
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (Make sure it’s actually room temperature, not melted!)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup Christmas sprinkles (I prefer a mix of red, green, and white jimmies or nonpareils for the dough)
- 1/4 cup extra Christmas sprinkles for rolling (This is for the outside coating!)
Simple Steps to Make Perfect Christmas Sprinkle Cookies
When you’re baking for holiday cookie exchanges, timing is everything, but these cookies really keep things breezy. We are moving quickly here, since these are no-roll wonders! Remember, the gentle mixing is what keeps the final product soft and chewy rather than tough. If you’re looking for more festive shaping ideas, I have a fun tutorial on classic red and green pinwheel cookies that you might want to try alongside these.
Preparing the Oven and Creaming Fats for Your Christmas Sprinkle Cookies
First things first, get your oven up to 350°F (175°C) right away. Line those baking sheets with parchment paper—trust me, it saves on cleanup! Now, in your biggest bowl or mixer, beat that softened butter and sugar until they look pale and genuinely fluffy. That fluffiness is where the softness starts!
Mixing Dry Ingredients and Combining Dough for Festive Sprinkle Cookies
While the butter is creaming, quickly whisk your flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in another bowl. Once your wet ingredients look good, beat in the egg and vanilla until they are just combined. Then, add the dry mix gradually, keeping the speed low—stop mixing the second you see no more streaks of flour. Now, gently fold in that first half-cup of Christmas sprinkles until you see them distributed throughout the dough.
Shaping and Coating Your Christmas Sprinkle Cookies
Time for the fun part! Scoop your dough into about 1.5 tablespoon balls. You want to set up a shallow dish with the remaining 1/4 cup of sprinkles. Roll each ball gently in the extra coating until it’s completely covered in holiday joy. Place them about two inches apart on the sheet, and then take the bottom of a glass and just gently press them down a tiny bit. Don’t crush them flat, just encourage them!
Baking Time and Cooling for Soft and Chewy Christmas Cookies
Bake them for between 9 and 11 minutes. You are looking for the edges to just be set; if the centers look slightly soft or underdone, that’s exactly what you want! They continue to cook once they come out. Let them sit right there on that hot baking sheet for a full five minutes to firm up before you carefully move them to a wire rack to cool completely. This resting period is crucial for that famous chewy center!
Tips for Making the Best Christmas Sprinkle Cookies
Baking these festive sprinkle cookies is simple, but a few small tweaks make all the difference between a good cookie and the absolute best holiday cookie. If you’re aiming for that signature soft and chewy texture we love, I have a couple of pointers from my development kitchen. For the absolute softest cookie imaginable—truly melt-in-your-mouth—try adding just one teaspoon of instant vanilla pudding mix into your dry ingredients. It’s my little secret for creating that fantastic, moist crumb that keeps everyone reaching for a second one. Want to see another recipe where I focus on ultimate softness? Check out my guide to the Best Snickerdoodle Soft & Chewy Recipe!
Also, don’t skimp on the sprinkles themselves! The quality really shows. Jimmies (the long, skinny ones) tend to blend in nicely without affecting the dough structure too much, but if you use large, thick sanding sugar, they can sometimes make the cookie spread a little more during baking. Stick to colorful, high-quality holiday sprinkles for the biggest festive payoff!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Festive Sprinkle Cookies
Let’s talk specifics about what goes into these cookies, because the ingredients really dictate the final experience! Since we are aiming for something soft and chewy, not crisp, the type of sprinkles you use matters more than you might think for these festive sprinkle cookies. If you use sanding sugar, it tends to melt more and can sometimes thin out the dough, making the cookie spread a bit thin. I always recommend jimmies or nonpareils because they hold their shape better.
If you missed it earlier, I have to bring up that instant vanilla pudding mix substitution again—it’s the secret weapon for extra-creamy holiday treats. Just 1 teaspoon mixed in with your dry ingredients acts like a moisture magnet and really maximizes that ‘melt-in-your-mouth’ quality we are looking for. If you are planning on glazing these later, you might want to check out my recipe for Sugar Cookie Icing Recipe That Hardens, but honestly, these are perfect just as they are!
Making Ahead and Storing Your Christmas Sprinkle Cookies
One of the best parts about these Christmas sugar cookie bars—I mean, cookies—is how well they hold up for gifting and making ahead! Since this dough is so easy, you can definitely get ahead in your holiday baking timeline. You can prepare the dough entirely, scoop the balls, coat them in the extra sprinkles, and then arrange them on a baking sheet. Cover that sheet tightly with plastic wrap and chill them in the refrigerator for up to three days. Just remember, if you chill them, you might need to add a minute or two to the baking time since they go into the oven a bit colder.
When it comes to storing the baked cookies, maintaining that soft, chewy texture is key. You’ll want an airtight container, of course. One little trick I always use when storing cookies meant for gifting or sharing later is to place a slice of bread—any soft white bread works—into the container with the cookies. Change the bread slice every couple of days if it gets hard. That moisture transfer keeps these Christmas sprinkle cookies feeling fresh-from-the-oven soft! They are fantastic for making a big batch you can share throughout the whole season.
Serving Suggestions for Holiday Cookie Exchanges
These cheerful cookies truly shine when they are part of a greater holiday spread. For those bustling holiday cookie exchanges, presentation is almost as important as taste! I always suggest setting up a bar where guests can select their favorites, maybe next to an elegant pot of coffee or rich, dark hot chocolate. Since these are so buttery and sweet, they pair wonderfully against something tart or warmly spiced.
If you are hosting a larger holiday party, you should absolutely consider serving these alongside a pitcher of my easy Mulled Wine Recipe. The warm spices in the wine complement the simple sweetness of the cookie beautifully. It just screams cozy, effortless entertaining, which is exactly what the season should be about!
Frequently Asked Questions About Christmas Sprinkle Cookies
I always get so many thoughtful questions when I share a recipe I truly love, especially during the busy holiday season! Here are a few things I hear most often regarding these simple, colorful treats. If you’re already thinking about other quick options, you can always look at my collection of no-bake cookies too!
How do I keep these christmas sprinkle cookies soft for days?
This is my favorite part of storing them! For the very best results in maintaining that soft texture, store the cooled cookies in a truly airtight container at room temperature. To boost the softness even more, place half a slice of plain white bread inside the container with them, ensuring the bread isn’t touching the cookies directly if you can help it. Remember to swap out the bread every couple of days for a fresh piece!
Can I use different colored sprinkles for these festive sprinkle cookies?
Absolutely! Feel free to use whatever colors match the vibe you are going for, whether it’s just red and green or a rainbow mix. What matters is the type. I highly recommend sticking to jimmies or nonpareils because sanding sugar tends to melt and can cause the dough to spread more while baking. For these, we want the structure to hold up beautifully.
Are these easy Christmas baked goods suitable for baking with kids?
Oh, yes, these are perhaps the most kid-friendly recipe on the entire site! They are perfect for baking with kids for Christmas. The mixing is straightforward—no complex creaming techniques required—and the best step is rolling the dough balls in the final coating of sprinkles. It’s messy, fun, and requires zero precision, making them fantastic easy Christmas baked goods for little helpers!
Nutritional Estimates for Your Holiday Cookie Recipes
As we wrap up our baking adventure, it’s helpful to have a general idea of what’s in these delicious treats for your holiday planning. Please keep in mind that these figures are estimates based on the ingredients listed. Since we all use slightly different brands of butter or sugar, the final counts can vary a bit in your kitchen. This recipe yields about 24 cookies, with one cookie being the serving size.
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 12g
- Fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Protein: 2g
Soft and Chewy Christmas Sprinkle Sugar Cookies
Create soft, chewy Christmas sprinkle sugar cookies that are simple to make and perfect for holiday parties or gifting. These cookies use colorful holiday sprinkles for a festive look without complicated rolling or decorating.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 11 min
- Total Time: 26 min
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup Christmas sprinkles (red, green, and white jimmies or nonpareils)
- 1/4 cup extra Christmas sprinkles for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until just combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Stir in the 1/2 cup of Christmas sprinkles until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Place the extra 1/4 cup of sprinkles in a shallow dish.
- Scoop the dough into balls, about 1.5 tablespoons each. Roll each ball gently in the extra sprinkles until coated.
- Place the dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between them. Gently press down slightly on the top of each ball with the bottom of a glass to flatten them slightly.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers still look soft.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- For extra soft cookies, consider adding 1 teaspoon of instant vanilla pudding mix to the dry ingredients.
- Use high-quality, festive sprinkles for the best color payoff.
- These cookies are excellent for Christmas cookie gift ideas.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 85mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg