This Christmas Cookie Dough Recipe Makes 3 Types of Cookies (Holiday Time Saver!)
Wondering how to make Christmas cookie dough? This multi-use recipe is our secret weapon for busy holidays!
Need a simple way to make Christmas cookies?
Consider making one type of cookie dough, dividing it, and then adding a few different types of ingredients! This idea is actually pretty genius because you’re essentially making the dough once and then using it a few different ways to bake a variety of delicious homemade cookies!
Holiday baking made easy!
I love anything that makes spending time in the kitchen easier, so this Christmas cookie dough recipe is a great idea to streamline your holiday baking, all while also scoring multiple flavors of Christmas cookies!
Whether you’re baking holiday cookies for your family or as gifts, anyone will LOVE to bite into a soft, delicious cookie.
It all starts with a YUMMY Christmas cookie dough!
This is a nice all-purpose dough that you can turn into a wide variety of cookie variations by simply adding different chopped candies, baking chips, nuts, etc. The secret to this dough is a package of instant vanilla pudding. It creates such a soft, yet still chewy texture you’ll love. Even if you just bake plain vanilla cookies, with no add-ins, they are DELICIOUS – and my new favorite cookie!
The possibilities are endless, and today I’m sharing just three of the many different cookies you should consider making with a batch of this versatile dough.
Can you freeze Christmas cookie dough?
You bet! Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and store in an air tight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. If you’ve cut shapes from your dough, make sure to separate each shape with parchment paper prior to wrapping.
For more tips on freezing cookie dough, check out these tips from Martha Stewart
Pecan Toffee Cookies
For this variety, I mixed in some milk chocolate toffee bits and chopped pecan pieces to the dough before baking. I’m sure a chopped up Heath candy bar would work great, too!
Thumbprint Jam Cookies
Use your favorite jam to bake these fun cookies. Make a ball with the Christmas cookie dough, press with your thumb or the bottom of a measuring spoon, and fill with a 1/2 teaspoon of jam before baking. I finished them with a little bit of a powdered sugar sprinkle on top after they had cooled. SO DELISH!
Peppermint Chocolate Drizzle
I melted some chocolate chips in the microwave and drizzled that over the top of these cookies! Then I just topped with crush candy canes! So yummy, and these were my kids’ favorites!
How To Make Christmas Cookie Dough - 1 Recipe, 3 Types of Cookies
yield: 40 SERVINGS
Make this soft vanilla pudding dough, and use it as a base for many different cookies! Here are three yummy ways I used it.
Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough:
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 and 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3.4 oz box vanilla instant pudding mix
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
For Pecan Toffee Cookies:
For Peppermint Chocolate Drizzle:
- 3 candy canes, crushed
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
For Thumbprint Cookies:
- any flavor fruit jam (I used strawberry and orange)
- powdered sugar (for dusting)
Directions
1
To make the dough base:
In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed to combine butter and sugar until fluffy, about one minute. Add in the vanilla and both eggs, one at a time, until mixed in.
2
Add pudding mix, baking powder, and salt. Slowly incorporate the flour and beat on medium until dough forms, about a couple of minutes.
3
Divide Christmas cookie dough into thirds and chill for an hour or two. This is optional but recommended so they don't spread as thin.
4
For the Pecan Toffee:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix in toffee bits and pecans to the dough. Drop tablespoon-sized cookies onto a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 13 minutes. Let the cookies rest on the pan for a couple of minutes, then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack.
5
For Thumbprint cookies:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll tablespoon-sized balls cookies onto a baking sheet. Press indentation into each cookie using your thumb or the back of a measuring spoon. Place a 1/2 teaspoon of jam onto the cookies. Bake at 375 degrees for about 13 minutes. Let the cookies rest on the pan for a couple of minutes, then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack. Once cool, dust with powdered sugar.
6
For Peppermint Chocolate Drizzle:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drop tablespoon-sized mounds of dough on the baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for about 13 minutes. Melt chocolate chips in the microwave in a glass dish for 30 seconds at a time until melted. Drizzle over the top of each cookie using a spoon. Sprinkle crushed candy canes over the top. Move cookies to a cooling rack.
7
Once cooled, cookies can be stored in a covered container at room temperature for about 3 days, or 5-7 days in the fridge. This Christmas cookie dough makes about 40 cookies.
Additional Notes
Recipe adapted from CookieDoughandOvenMitt.com
My family flipped for these Christmas cookies!
Even my husband, who doesn’t get really excited over a cookie, loved this Christmas cookie dough. These would be so much fun for a family baking day at home with Christmas movies and hot cocoa! I’m sure this recipe would double and triple well if you wanted to make more varieties.
Want more cookie recipes? Check these out:
- Giant Cookie Cake
- Boxed Cake Mix Cookies
- 3-Ingredient Keto Peanut Butter Cookies
- Keto White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
- Sugar-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Keto Copycat Crumbl Cookies
- 3-Ingredient Flourless Fluffernutter Cookies
- Best Rolled Sugar Cookie Recipe
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Sugar-Free Snowball Cookies
- Keto Chocolate Brownie Cloud Cookies
- Salted Caramel Oatmeal Cookies
These cookies make a great addition to a hot chocolate charcuterie board!
I love this! All the cookies look so yummy!
Thanks Lori! Enjoy 😉
Hi Lina,
Thank you for all the yummy recipes!
Should the butter be room temperature?
Hi! Yes, softened is great. Thanks and I added that word to the ingredients. Enjoy!
Used this every year since you first posted. Love the chocolate and peppermint flavor the best!!
Oh Yay! Thanks for sharing Animity!
Lina,
Thanks for all you do. I’m going to try this.
Oh it’s my pleasure and enjoy these yummy cookies Lisha!
Two weeks ago I used the Toll House chocolate chip cookie recipe to make three different cookies – chocolate chip, chocolate & caramel chip and m & m cookies.
Yum! Those sounds delicious
They sound great but why do they have to be refrigerated after baking? Hate to give cookies to friends that have to be refrigerated.
Could you use sugar free pudding mix?
Thank you these cookies look so yummy
sure! Enjoy!
We made these tonight! Such a time-saver to use the same base dough and have different tasting cookies. Perfect to make a plate with, if we don’t eat them all first! Thanks for the brilliant idea!
Yay! i’m so glad! Enjoy!
Look yummy
Baking cookies still on the to do list
Thanks for sharing! Next time I would put in less sugar. It is way too sweet for me especially after adding the pudding mix. Great work Lina.
Can’t wait to make these. I’m going to try all three. Thanks so much for sharing!
Yay! You’re very welcome, Anne! Hope you enjoy! 🍪❤️