Chocolate Chip Christmas Cookies Recipe brings chewy middles, crisp edges, and melty chocolate with a hint of cinnamon and vanilla. This batch suits busy holiday bakers and kids-at-heart, and it takes about 30 minutes start to finish. I bake a plate for my neighbors while my beagle negotiates for crumbs with big eyes.
Why You Should Try This Chocolate Chip Christmas Cookies Recipe
Chocolate Chip Christmas Cookies Recipe hits that bakery-style sweet spot with chewy centers and a festive crunch from optional sprinkles or crushed peppermint. You get no-chill dough, quick bake time, and consistent results. The dough accepts swaps like gluten-free flour blends and dairy-free butter, so everyone can join the cookie tray.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
(Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend if needed.) - 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
(Optional, but it gives a cozy holiday note.) - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to cool room temp
(Use dairy-free stick butter for a swap. I like Kerrygold or Plugra for rich flavor.) - 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
(Dark brown sugar makes chewier cookies with deeper caramel notes.) - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk, room temp
(The extra yolk keeps the centers fudgy.) - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips or chunks
(Mix semisweet and milk for balance. Guittard or Ghirardelli melt smoothly.) - 1/3 cup red and green sprinkles or 1/4 cup crushed candy canes, optional
(Pantry shortcut: use holiday chocolate chips to skip sprinkles.)
Equipment
- Mixing bowls, whisk, and rubber spatula
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Two rimmed sheet pans and parchment paper
- 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop
- Wire rack
How to Make Chocolate Chip Christmas Cookies
- Prep: 15 minutes
- Cook: 10 to 12 minutes per pan
- Total: about 30 minutes
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Line two sheet pans with parchment.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl. Set the bowl aside.
- Beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed until creamy and slightly fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Mix until smooth and glossy.
- Add the dry ingredients. Mix on low just until the flour disappears. Do not overmix.
- Fold in chocolate chips and any sprinkles or crushed candy canes.
- Scoop 1.5 tablespoon portions and space them 2 inches apart on the pans.
- Bake one pan at a time until edges set and tops look pale golden with soft centers, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Tap the pan once on the rack to settle the cookies. If you want perfect circles, nudge warm edges with a round cutter.
- Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then move cookies to a wire rack. Add extra chips on top while warm for a bakery look.
Tips & Tricks
- Measure flour with the spoon and level method to avoid dry cookies.
- Use cool room temp butter, not melty butter, for thicker cookies.
- Chill the dough 20 minutes if your kitchen runs warm and the dough feels sticky.
- Swap 2 teaspoons cornstarch for 2 teaspoons of flour for extra-soft centers.
- Pull cookies when centers look slightly underdone. Carryover heat finishes the job.
- Use light-colored aluminum pans for even browning. Dark pans brown faster.
- Stir in 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans for crunch.
- Add a pinch of flaky salt on warm cookies for a sweet-salty finish.
What to Serve with Chocolate Chip Christmas Cookies
Set out cold milk, hot cocoa with mini marshmallows, or a small espresso for contrast. Pair the cookies with peppermint bark, candied nuts, or fresh clementines for a balanced holiday spread. For dessert boards, add vanilla ice cream and let folks sandwich a scoop between two warm cookies. I call that instant cheer.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temp for 4 days. Freeze baked cookies for 2 months, and thaw at room temp for 20 minutes. Freeze scooped dough balls on a sheet pan, then transfer them to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Bake dough balls from frozen at 350°F and add 2 to 3 minutes to the bake time.
Nutrition Information
Approximate per cookie, based on 30 cookies: 165 calories, 9 g fat, 21 g carbs, 2 g protein, 13 g sugars, 0.8 g fiber, 125 mg sodium. Actual values vary by brand, mix-ins, and cookie size. I get 28 to 32 cookies with a 1.5 tablespoon scoop.