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Chewy Chocolate Chip Christmas Cookies Recipe for Holiday Baking

A stack of colorful sprinkle cookies on a white plate, with a glass of milk in the background. The cookies are decorated with green, yellow, white, and red sprinkles.

There’s something magical about this season: the kitchen is warm, the oven is on, holiday music plays in the background, and old family recipes come out of the drawer. These Chocolate Chip Christmas Cookies are a favorite in my house — simple, classic, and reliably perfect every time.

They stay soft in the center, develop a light golden edge, and get a festive finish with holiday sprinkles. I’ve tested and adjusted this recipe to dial in the ideal texture, and I’m sharing the tips that help these cookies come out the same way for you. You’ll find a few more holiday dessert ideas in the recipe summary.

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A person holds a measuring cup of granulated sugar and a measuring cup of brown sugar over a metal mixing bowl with two sticks of butter inside. Baking ingredients and containers are visible in the background.
A metal mixing bowl with creamed butter and sugar, eggs, and vanilla being combined with a pink spatula; a hand mixer and kitchen containers with fruit designs are in the background.
A pink spatula rests in a metal mixing bowl containing a mound of white flour on top of a brown dough mixture, ready to be combined for baking.
A pink spatula rests in a metal mixing bowl filled with light tan cookie dough, partially mixed and creamy in texture.
A large metal mixing bowl with cookie dough and chocolate chips, being stirred with a pink spatula on a wooden countertop in a kitchen. A yellow container is in the background near a white sink and cabinets.
A hand holds a Wilton Under the Christmas Tree sprinkles container above a bowl filled with colorful holiday sprinkles shaped like stars, beads, and rods. A metal mixing bowl is in the background on a wooden surface.

Best sprinkles!

A person with red nail polish scoops raw chocolate chip cookie dough from a metal bowl using a cookie scoop. A festive spatula and flowers are visible in the background.
A hand places a ball of cookie dough covered in colorful sprinkles onto a parchment-lined baking tray. Several similar cookie dough balls are already on the tray, ready to be baked.
A plate of colorful sprinkle cookies with chocolate chips and festive decorations sits next to a glass of milk on a kitchen counter.
A stack of festive cookies with colorful sprinkles sits on a white plate next to a glass of milk, with a checkered teapot and kitchen background visible behind them.
A close-up of a stack of cookies covered with colorful sprinkles on a white plate, with a glass of milk in the background.
Two festive cookies with colorful holiday sprinkles sit on a white plate next to a glass of milk. The cookies have green, red, yellow, and white decorations, creating a cheerful, celebratory look.
A woman in a striped hoodie smiles while holding a sprinkle cookie and a glass of milk in a bright kitchen. A wire rack with cookies, a plate, and a vase of flowers are on the wooden counter in front of her.

👝 How to Store Leftovers

Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for several days, or freeze for longer storage. Separate layers with parchment to keep the sprinkles intact.

🤔 Common Questions

Do I need to chill the dough?

Chilling is optional. These cookies bake well without chilling, but refrigerating the dough for 30–60 minutes will yield a slightly thicker cookie.

Why are my cookies flat?

Flat cookies usually mean the butter was too warm or the oven wasn’t fully preheated. Use butter that’s softened but still cool and allow the oven to reach temperature before baking.

A stack of colorful sprinkle cookies on a white plate, with a glass of milk in the background. The cookies are decorated with green, yellow, white, and red sprinkles.

Chocolate Chip Christmas Cookies

These cookies are soft in the center with lightly golden edges and festive sprinkles on top. The recipe is straightforward and forgiving, making it perfect for holiday baking with family.

They’re great for cookie exchanges and make a cheerful plate to serve with milk. Try the optional add-ins to customize them for your crowd.

5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Course Dessert
Cuisine American

Servings 6 people

Equipment

  • 1 Mixing Bowl
  • 1 Whisk
  • 1 Cookie Scooper
  • 1 Cooling Rack
  • Cookie Sheets

Ingredients

  • 1½ cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened but still cool
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar lightly packed
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips Nestlé Toll House recommended

Optional Add-Ins

  • Crushed M&M’s
  • An extra ½ cup chocolate chips for a more chocolate-forward cookie
  • Holiday sprinkles (Wilton “Under the Christmas Tree” recommended)

Instructions

 

Preheat the Oven

  • TIP: Preheat your oven 30 minutes before baking so it reaches a steady temperature for even baking.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

Mix the Dry Ingredients

  • Whisk together flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl. If using unsalted butter, add ¼ teaspoon salt. Set aside.

Cream the Butter & Sugars

  • Butter should be softened but still cool; too warm and the cookies will spread. In a large bowl, beat butter with granulated and brown sugar on low, then increase speed and mix 2 minutes until light and fluffy.

Add Egg & Vanilla

  • Add the lightly beaten egg and vanilla to the butter mixture. Mix on medium just until combined, about 30 seconds.

Add Dry Ingredients

  • Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low until no dry flour remains.

Fold in Chocolate Chips

  • Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula. Add extra chips or crushed M&M’s if desired.

Scoop & Decorate

  • Use a cookie scoop to portion heaping scoops of dough. Lightly roll the top in your hands to smooth, then dip the tops into holiday sprinkles. Place dough balls on prepared baking sheets, leaving space between cookies.

Bake

  • Bake at 350°F for 8–12 minutes, depending on your oven. I usually remove mine at about 10 minutes when edges are set and centers still look soft.
  • Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Video

Keyword best cookies, chocolate chip cookies, christmas cookies, easy cookies
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