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The holiday season is upon us, and there's no better way to celebrate than with some easy Christmas cookie recipes!
The joy of baking during the Christmas season extends beyond just creating delicious cookies; it's about spending time with loved ones, indulging in tasty treats, and embracing the holiday spirit.
With all the planning and preparations, it can be overwhelming to create complicated recipes. That's why I wanted to share a collection of easy Christmas cookie recipes that require just a few ingredients!
Also, these are great for cookie swaps! Cookie exchange parties are a popular tradition during the holiday season. If you're planning on hosting or attending a holiday cookie exchange party (or a virtual one!) you'll need a variety of holiday cookie recipes to choose from.
These recipes yield memorable cookies using just a handful of ingredients so you can whip up delicious cookies that everyone will love. And the best part? You can make them anytime, even when you're short on time or don't have much in the pantry.
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Christmas Cookie Recipes with Just a Few Ingredients
Chocolate Peppermint Shortbread Cookies
If you're a fan of chocolate, you're in luck! Chocolate peppermint shortbread cookies are perfect for the holiday season. This recipe uses simple ingredients like cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and crushed peppermint to create a festive cookie that's sure to impress at any holiday party. Drizzle or dip with white chocolate or melted chocolate chips!
Butterscotch Haystacks
Butterscotch Haystacks are uncomplicated, no-bake cookies that only require two ingredients. The primary components of these effortless treats are butterscotch chips and crispy chow mein noodles. However, you're welcome to add other ingredients to the mix, like chocolate, peanut butter, nuts, or mini marshmallows.
Whipped Shortbread Cookies
Whipped Shortbread Cookies just have 5 ingredients and the light butter cookie will melt in your mouth. Perfect recipe to add to your Christmas cookie trays.
No Bake Avalanche Cookies
Not a baker? These No Bake Avalanche Cookies are the perfect holiday cookie for you! Chocolatey, peanut buttery, and crispy, these cookies come together in just 20 minutes!
Chewy Amaretti Cookies
These delicious Chewy Amaretti Cookies are the perfect addition to your Christmas cookie box. Containing just five ingredients, they are so simple to make and taste amazing!
3 Ingredient Nutella Cookies
These deliciously easy 3-ingredient Nutella cookies are like a cake in soft cookie form! They're soft with crisp edges, have a rich nutty chocolate flavor and are so fragrant! Simple ingredients with no equipment needed.
4 Ingredient Matcha Shortbread Cookies
These delicious and easy Matcha Cookies are a 4-ingredient shortbread that is soft and crisp. They have a beautiful green color, taste wonderful and are so easy you can make them perfectly the first time! Sounds impressive but really simple! (Matcha is expensive so we also have a budget friendly option.)
Italian Wedding Cookies
Italian Wedding Cookies serve as a delightful indulgence, boasting a soft texture and a hint of nuttiness. This is a buttery shortbread enriched with finely crushed almonds. The exterior is dusted with powdered sugar, providing an attractive finish and an extra touch of sweetness.
Italian Butter Cookies
You won't find a better recipe for genuine Italian Butter Cookies anywhere else! They're reminiscent of those you'd find in an Italian bakery, but even more delightful. These cookies are soft, full of flavor, and brimming with luscious, buttery richness. Their preparation is incredibly straightforward and simple, making store-bought or bakery versions obsolete.
Christmas Thumbprint Cookies
This Christmas cookie recipe is all about bringing the holiday cheer and fun. They are surprisingly simple to make, requiring just 5 ingredients plus fillings. These thumbprint cookies boast a soft, tender texture and a buttery flavor that rivals those of Linzer Cookies. They're simply extraordinary.
Cornflake Christmas Wreaths
Christmas wreaths made from cornflakes are a delightful treat, incorporating ingredients like marshmallows, cornflake cereal, butter, vanilla extract, red candies, and green food coloring. Consider making these a staple of your holiday celebrations!
Shortbread Cookies
The beauty of shortbread cookies lies in their simplicity. The ingredients are basic - butter, sugar, powdered sugar, salt, some eggs, and flour. They're a delightful treat at any time, but they truly stand out when embellished with sugar during the holiday season.
Coconut Mexican Wedding Cookies
Mexican Wedding Cookies with a coconut twist offer a tender, crumbly texture that dissolves delightfully in your mouth at first bite. The prominence of coconut in this variation makes the cookies simply irresistible. The tropical hint of coconut paired with the festive spirit of Christmas creates an enchanting fusion that brings a warm, island vibe to your holiday celebrations.
Austrian Coconut Busseri
Delicious coconut "busserl" cookies, also called coconut kisses, with an easy-to-make recipe! For coconut and cookie lovers, an easy holiday cookie recipe and absolute must for Christmas cookie baking.
Kolaczki
Kolaczki are indulgent, flaky cookies with a pastry-like texture, made with a cream cheese dough and filled to the brim with jam. While they are a staple in Polish cuisine, variations in preparation methods and name spellings exist across different regions. These cookies are an excellent addition to holiday baking or special occasions. Crafting these treats only requires five basic ingredients and a little patience!
Nutter Butter Santas
Looking for a fun and easy Christmas cookie? These adorable Santa Claus Cookies are made with Nutter Butter Cookies and festive candies for a tasty treat that adults and kids can decorate and enjoy!
Nutter Butter Angels
If you need a cute and unique cookie this holiday season, make these adorable Angel Nutter Butter Cookies. Taking store-bought cookies to the next level will be the talk of your party or event.
3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Blossoms
Among the plethora of Christmas cookie recipes out there, peanut butter cookies are a classic choice. These easy peanut butter cookies require just a few ingredients and are absolutely delicious. With just the right amount of peanut butter, brown sugar, and pure vanilla extract, you'll have a batch of these tasty treats ready in no time. For those with dietary restrictions, keep scrolling for a great gluten-free option!
These classic 3 peanut butter blossoms are totally flourless, gluten-free and can be made with only 3 ingredients. They are perfect as a little baking exercise when you’re ready to break into the festive holiday mode.
Cardamom Cookies
Cardamom Cookies are buttery, crisp and mildly sweet and so soft that they truly melt in your mouth!
5 Ingredient Raspberry Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies
This easy five ingredients thumbprint cookie recipe, combines the richness of cheesecake with the tartness of raspberries for a truly delicious cookie experience.
Vegan Easy Slice & Bake Cookies
These easy 5-ingredient cookies are inspired by Pillsbury slice-and-bake cookies, and are perfect for holiday gifting. I always keep a roll in the freezer for cookies on demand!
Checkerboard Cookies
Despite their intricate appearance, Checkerboard Cookies are surprisingly easy to make! This mix of vanilla and chocolate shortbread is incredibly buttery and soft, yet it has the perfect crumble. The checkerboard pattern never fails to impress, leaving everyone curious about your baking secrets!
Candy Cane Cookies
Candy cane cookies are delightful treats that embody the spirit of the festive season. These simple cookies are characterized by their distinctive red and white specks, reminiscent of a traditional candy cane.
4 Ingredient Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
With merely four ingredients, Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies are an enjoyable and straightforward baking project. These delectable treats are ideal for festive holiday platters, birthday celebrations, baby showers, or simply to satiate your sweet tooth whenever the craving strikes.
Soft Butter Cookies
Soft Butter Cookies are a treat that is as delicate and tender as it gets, and boasts a melt-in-your-mouth buttery goodness that is simply irresistible! What sets these cookies apart is their classic swirl design — a feature that not only makes them visually appealing but also incredibly easy to recreate at home.
Every bite of these cookies offers a burst of buttery flavor that will have you reaching for more. Their soft texture complements the rich taste, making them a perfect choice for those who appreciate the finer things in life.
Sour Cream Cookies with Pearl Sugar
These sour cream cookies sprinkled with pearl sugar are made into a delicious dough in no time, thanks to their three simple ingredients. Just cut them out, decorate and bake, and an indescribably delicious and gorgeous Christmas cookie is ready!
Royal Icing
Ok, so this technically isn't a cookie, but royal icing is the perfect cookie topper and only requires a few ingredients! This icing tastes great and is the perfect way to decorate cutout cookies or sugar cookies. It also makes a great sticky layer to add crushed candy canes or other Christmas candies (just be sure to replace the lemon extract with vanilla!)
Gluten Free Christmas Cookie Recipes with Few Ingredients
Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies
These scrumptious Peanut Butter Cookies are not only gluten-free but also dairy-free. What's more, you can whip them up in a single bowl! In just 20 minutes, from start to finish, you can indulge in these delightful treats that are absolutely delectable.
Gluten Free Shortbread Cookies
These Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies are the perfect Christmas sweet treat. Easy to make and containing just five ingredients.
3-Ingredient Classic Gluten-Free Vegan Shortbread Cookies (Allergy-Free)
These soft 3-ingredient Classic Gluten-Free Vegan Shortbread Cookies are allergy-free and sugar-free! A simple sweet biscuit for coffee or tea and an essential holiday recipe!
Grain Free Italian Wedding Cookies
Snowball cookies are a classic nutty, buttery, sweet holiday dessert with many forms: Italian wedding cookies, Mexican wedding cookies, or Russian tea cakes! But this almond-based recipe for Grain-Free Italian Wedding Snowball Cookies is gluten-free, vegan, paleo, keto, and sugar-free! Just 4 ingredients, they're a healthy low-carb addition for the Christmas cookie tray!
Sugar Free Nutella Thumbprint Cookies
Made these Sugar-free Nutella Thumbprint Cookies with almond flour and my easy peasy homemade nutella. Delicious, low-carb and gluten-free treat for the holidays!
Scottish Shortbread Butter Biscuits
This simple, 3 ingredient only copycat recipe for keto & gluten-free Walkers Butter Biscuits, a Christmas favorite! Make a soft and buttery Scottish shortbread that’s even better than the original!
3-Ingredient Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies (Gluten-Free, Vegan, Keto)
The easiest classic Christmas cookie now with a gluten-free, vegan, grain-free, keto, & sugar-free recipe! These healthy 3-Ingredient Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies are so quick & easy to make and taste just like grandma's!
Easy Tips for the Best Christmas Cookies
- Use room temp ingredients unless otherwise noted.
- Always opt for unsalted butter so you can control the salt content in your recipe.
- When baking, remember to preheat your oven as per the instructions.
- Use parchment paper to prevent sticking and keep your cookie sheet mess free.
- Store your cookies in an airtight container to keep them fresh, or freeze them in a zip lock bag for longer storage.
- Lastly, don't forget the final touch - a dusting of granulated sugar, colored sugar, or extra sugar for that festive sparkle.
Ingredients to Keep on Hand
To ensure a successful holiday baking season, it's essential to have certain key pantry ingredients on hand. These ingredients are commonly used in most Christmas cookie recipes, making them foundational items to include in your shopping list.
- All-purpose Flour: The base of majority of cookie recipes, all-purpose flour provides structure to your cookies
- Granulated Sugar and Powdered Sugar: Used for sweetness and texture, granulated sugar is a must-have. Powdered sugar, also known as confectioner's sugar, is often used for icings or to dust over the top of cookies for a festive touch
- Brown Sugar: Adds a rich, caramel-like flavor to cookies, and contributes to a moist, chewy texture
- Vanilla Extract: A common flavor enhancer in many cookie recipes
- Eggs: Provide structure and stability within the batter, and add moisture to the cookies
- Butter: Gives cookies their rich flavor. Unsalted butter is typically preferred to control the salt content
- Milk and Cream: Used in various recipes for moisture, flavor, and texture
- Spices: Ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice are common spices in holiday cookies, especially gingerbread cookies
- Baking Essentials: Baking powder and baking soda are crucial leavening agents that make your cookies rise.
- Extras: Items like chocolate chips, peanut/nut butters, cocoa powder, jams, dried fruits (like cranberries), nuts, and extracts (like almond or peppermint) can add variety and flavor to your cookies.
- For a quick and easy option, consider making cookies using cake mix for chocolate cake mix cookies. Chocolate cake mix cookies and other easy cake mix cookie recipes are not only delicious but also incredibly simple to make. Just add a few ingredients to your favorite cake mix, roll dough and bake.
Remember, each recipe may require additional specific ingredients, but with these staples on hand, you'll be prepared to tackle most Christmas cookie recipes this holiday season.
No matter what your baking skills are, these easy Christmas cookie recipes with few ingredients will help you create homemade cookies that are perfect for your holiday cookie platters. After all, nothing says "Merry Christmas" like a batch of freshly baked cookies. 🙂
Stefano R. Baldari
Liz;
I recently read your recipe for Semolina Biscotti, and made them a few weeks ago. I followed your recipe to the letter and they baked superbly, and they were absolutely delicious! The next time I make them, though, I'm going to change the recipe slightly, I will use 10 oz. of semolina flour and use 6 oz. of all-purpose flour. I like the taste of semolina, so in other recipes I have, I use slightly more semolina flour and less all-purpose flour than the original recipes call for, doing so brings out more of the semolina flavor.