Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
If you’re looking for the ultimate festive treat this holiday season, I’ve got just the thing for you. This Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe is one of my all-time favorites – seriously, it’s fan-freaking-tastic. These cookies bring together the perfect soft, chewy texture with a delightful hint of cinnamon and festive sprinkles that just scream Christmas joy. If you’ve ever wanted to impress family or friends with a cookie that tastes like a holiday hug, keep reading because I’m sharing every single detail to help you nail it.
Why This Recipe Works
- Perfect Balance of Spices: The cinnamon adds just enough warmth without overpowering the chocolates.
- Chewy Yet Soft Texture: Melting the butter beforehand creates that irresistible softness inside while edges remain slightly crispy.
- Festive Fun with Sprinkles: Adding Christmas-colored sprinkles makes these cookies instantly holiday-ready and visually joyful.
- Dual Chocolate Delight: Using both semi-sweet and white chocolate chips gives every bite a burst of complementary sweetness.
Ingredients & Why They Work
The magic behind this Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe lies in simple yet carefully chosen ingredients. Each one plays a part in giving you tender, flavorful cookies that are festive and totally crave-worthy. Before you grab your grocery list, I’ll walk you through why I love these ingredients and share some shopping tips along the way.

- Salted Butter: Melting it softens the dough and helps create that buttery richness; I prefer salted for just a touch of savory contrast.
- Light Brown Sugar: Adds moisture and a subtle caramel note that deepens the cookie’s flavor without being overpowering.
- White Sugar: Helps achieve the perfect cookie crispness around the edges without making it too crunchy.
- Egg: Binds everything together and contributes to the chewy texture.
- Vanilla Extract: Brings out the sweetness and rounds out all other flavors.
- All-Purpose Flour: This recipe needs no fancy flour variety – simple and effective for the right crumb.
- Ground Cinnamon: Offers festive warmth; start with less if you’re unsure—it’s easier to add more next time.
- Baking Soda: Helps the cookies rise just slightly, giving a nice lift without losing chewiness.
- Salt: Enhances all the sweet flavors and balances the taste.
- Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: Small chips melt evenly, ensuring chocolate in every bite.
- White Chocolate Chips: The creamy sweetness complements the semi-sweet chips perfectly.
- Christmas Sprinkles: I love flat confetti sprinkles for softness, but harder ones work too – just depends on your texture preference.
Tweak to Your Taste
One of my favorite things about baking is making recipes your own. This Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe really encourages personalization—after all, the holidays are all about creating memories, not stress. I usually stick to the base recipe, but sometimes I mix in my favorite nuts or try a different type of festive sprinkle.
- Variation: Once, I swapped out half the mini chocolate chips for chopped pecans and it added such a lovely crunch and depth to the cookies—definitely give that a try!
- Dairy-Free Version: I’ve experimented using coconut oil instead of butter for vegan friends, and it worked well though the texture gets a bit different—so test a small batch before you go big.
- Less Sweet: If you prefer a less sweet cookie, reduce the white sugar to 2 tablespoons and keep the brown sugar—it keeps moisture but cuts down on total sweetness.
- Cinnamon Level: Play around with cinnamon amounts; I usually start with half a teaspoon if I’m sharing with people new to cinnamon in cookies.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Prep and Mix Dry Ingredients
First, preheat your oven to 350°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper—you’ll thank yourself later for easy cleanup. In a small bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, baking soda, and salt using a fork. This ensures everything is evenly blended and ready to deliver consistent flavor in every bite.
Step 2: Cream Together Butter and Sugars
In a large bowl, pour in your melted butter (make sure it’s just melted, not too hot), then add the brown and white sugars. Mix well until smooth and combined. This creamy sugary base is the heart of your cookie texture. Then, crack in your egg and whisk everything together before adding the vanilla extract for that signature warmth.
Step 3: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
Slowly add the flour mixture to your wet ingredients, stirring gently with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until everything just comes together—don’t overmix or you’ll risk tough cookies. The dough should be soft but able to hold shape when scooped.
Step 4: Stir in Chocolate Chips and Sprinkles
This part is my favorite: folding in the mini semi-sweet and white chocolate chips along with those festive Christmas sprinkles. I like to use flat confetti sprinkles because they add color and softness, but if you’re going for crunch, the harder styles work, too. Mix gently to evenly distribute without breaking the chips.
Step 5: Scoop and Bake with Care
Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scooper or just scoop mounds of that delicious dough onto your parchment-lined tray, aiming for about 16 cookies total. Bake them at 350°F for 11 minutes—no peeking! They’ll look soft and slightly underbaked, which is exactly how you want them. Let them rest on the sheet for at least 10 minutes to finish “baking” and firm up before moving to a cooling rack.
Step 6: Adjust for Your Perfect Doneness
If you like cookies that are just a little less ooey-gooey, add an extra minute or so. I’ve learned that ovens can vary a lot, so keep an eye and adjust the time a touch until you hit your perfect texture—soft with a gentle crisp on the edges is my sweet spot.
Pro Tips for Making Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
- Melted Butter Magic: Don’t overheat the butter in the microwave—just melt until fluid, so your cookies stay tender and don’t get greasy.
- Sprinkle Selection Matters: Flat confetti sprinkles melt slightly and keep a nice soft texture compared to the harder ones—I always choose these for a better bite.
- Rest Your Cookies: Leaving the cookies on the baking sheet after baking allows the heat to finish the soft setting, preventing them from breaking when transferring.
- Watch Your Oven: Every oven bakes differently—use these times as a guideline but watch the edges for slight golden hints to go by.
How to Serve Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Garnishes
I tend to keep garnishes simple here since the sprinkles add enough festive cheer, but sometimes I dust a tiny bit of powdered sugar over the cooled cookies for a snowy effect. If I’m feeling extra festive, a drizzle of melted white chocolate on top gives the cookies that extra-special touch that guests love.
Side Dishes
These cookies go beautifully with a mug of rich hot chocolate or a cup of spiced eggnog – perfect for cozy winter nights. I also like setting a platter of these with holiday tea blends for afternoon munching during festive gatherings.
Creative Ways to Present
I once arranged these cookies in a giant star shape on a wooden board for a Christmas party, using extra red and green sprinkles to highlight the edges. Wrapping a stack in festive cellophane tied with a ribbon makes a thoughtful homemade gift that friends rave about every year!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Store your cookies in an airtight container at room temperature—ideally with a slice of bread inside to keep them soft for up to 5 days. The bread trick really works, and your cookies stay fresh and tender, not dried out.
Freezing
I recommend freezing the unbaked cookie dough in scooped balls on a tray, then transferring them to a freezer bag. This way, you can bake fresh cookies any time you want without starting from scratch. The dough freezes really well for up to 3 months!
Reheating
Pop leftover cookies in the oven for a few minutes at 300°F or microwave for 10-15 seconds to revive that fresh-baked softness. Just be careful not to overheat or they’ll get tough quickly.
FAQs
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Can I make this Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe vegan?
Yes! Swap out the butter for a dairy-free margarine or coconut oil and use a flax or chia egg as an egg replacement. Keep in mind texture and flavor might vary slightly, so I suggest testing a small batch first.
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What if I don’t have mini chocolate chips?
Regular-sized chocolate chips or chopped chocolate bars work just fine—mini chips just distribute more evenly, but bigger chunks add a nice melty surprise, too!
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Why do you melt the butter instead of creaming it?
Melting the butter helps achieve a softer, chewier texture in the cookies, which is perfect for this recipe. Creaming butter works for fluffier cookies but for holiday chews, melting is the way to go.
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Can I double this recipe for a bigger batch?
Absolutely! Just double all the ingredients and make sure to bake your cookies on multiple sheets, rotating them halfway through for even baking.
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How do I know when the cookies are done baking?
Look for slightly golden edges with softer centers—they’ll firm up as they cool on the tray. Avoid waiting until they’re fully set in the oven to keep them chewy and tender.
Final Thoughts
I adore this Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe because it’s not just about the cookies—it’s about creating warm, joyful moments in the kitchen. Every time I bake these, the house fills with that comforting aroma that immediately puts me in the holiday spirit. I’m confident you’ll love how easy it is to make and how irresistible they are to eat. So, gather your ingredients, turn on your favorite holiday tunes, and get ready to bake a batch that everyone will be begging you to share. Trust me, you’ve found your new go-to Christmas cookie!
Print
Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Total Time: 26 minutes
- Yield: 16 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies are festive, soft, and bursting with holiday flavors including cinnamon and colorful sprinkles. Perfectly baked to a tender texture with a delightful mix of semi-sweet and white chocolate chips, these cookies make a joyful treat for the holiday season.
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 and Toppings
- 1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup Christmas red/green/white mix sprinkles (flat confetti sprinkles preferred)
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy cleanup.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a small bowl, stir together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt evenly using a fork.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter with the light brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Add the egg and mix thoroughly, then stir in the vanilla extract.
- Add dry mixture: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined to avoid overmixing and tough cookies.
- Fold in chips and sprinkles: Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, gently stir in both types of chocolate chips and the Christmas sprinkles until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Portion dough: Using a 2 tablespoon cookie scooper or your hands, form dough mounds of 2 tablespoons each and place them spaced on the prepared cookie sheet, making about 16 cookies total.
- Bake cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 11 minutes. Then remove from oven and allow cookies to rest on the sheet for at least 10 minutes so they can finish baking and set while staying soft.
- Cool and serve: After resting, transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely. For slightly less gooey cookies, bake for 12 minutes before letting rest for 10 minutes.
- Adjust if needed: Keep in mind oven temperatures may vary, so adjust baking time accordingly if cookies under or over bake.
Notes
- Use flat confetti sprinkles for better texture as opposed to harder sprinkles.
- Start with 1/4 tsp cinnamon if unsure about the cinnamon flavor, then increase to 1 tsp as preferred.
- Resting cookies on the baking sheet after baking is important to allow proper setting and retain softness.
- Adjust baking time slightly if your oven runs hot or cold for the best results.
- Use a cookie scooper to ensure even-sized cookies and uniform baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 120 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


