Okay, so here’s the thing about Christmas chocolate chip cookies—I’ve been making them wrong for years. Like, seriously wrong. Last December, I made a batch that literally looked like sad, flat pancakes with chocolate chips scattered on top. My kids took one look and asked if we could just order cookies from the bakery instead. Ouch.
But this year? This year I finally figured it out. And honestly, these are probably the best Christmas cookies I’ve ever made. (Don’t tell my grandma I said that.)
Table of Contents
Why I’m Obsessed With This Recipe
Look, I’m gonna be honest with you. I’ve tried at least fifteen different chocolate chip cookie recipes over the years. Some were too crispy. Some were weirdly cakey. And one—I kid you not—tasted like cardboard with chocolate chunks. My neighbor actually spit it out into a napkin when she thought I wasn’t looking. The polite smile she gave me afterward still haunts me.
These festive chocolate chip cookies though? They’re soft, chewy, and have that perfect slightly-underdone center that makes you want to eat the entire batch in one sitting. Trust me on this one.
The Secret Nobody Tells You
Here’s what I learned the hard way: cold butter is the enemy. I used to just throw everything together—cold butter straight from the fridge, room temperature eggs, whatever. Disaster. Complete disaster.
You need softened butter. Like, actually soft. Not melted (made that mistake too), but soft enough that you can press your finger into it. This makes SUCH a difference in how your Christmas chocolate chip cookie recipe turns out. The texture is just… chef’s kiss.
Oh, and another thing—don’t skip the brown sugar. I tried making these with all white sugar once because I ran out, and they tasted fine but didn’t have that deep, almost caramel-y flavor that makes these holiday chocolate chip cookies so addictive.
What You’ll Need
Shopping for ingredients is always an adventure at my house. Last week I forgot the vanilla extract TWICE. Had to go back to the store both times. Anyway, here’s what you actually need:
- 1 cup softened unsalted butter (seriously, let it sit out for like 30 minutes)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar (pack it down good)
- 2 large eggs (room temperature if you remember, but I usually forget)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt (I use sea salt because I’m fancy like that)
- 2 cups chocolate chips (I mix semi-sweet and milk chocolate)
- Optional: Christmas M&Ms, red and green sprinkles, or white chocolate chips
The optional stuff is what makes these easy Christmas chocolate chip cookies really festive. My 8-year-old insists on the M&Ms. My teenager refuses them and wants “classic” cookies. So I usually make half with M&Ms and half without. Peace in the family, you know?
Let’s Make These Holiday Baking Cookies
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F. I always forget this step and end up standing in my kitchen with cookie dough ready and a cold oven. Don’t be like me.
Step 2: In a big bowl (and I mean BIG, this makes a lot of dough), cream together that softened butter and both sugars. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer if you have one. Mix for about 2-3 minutes until it’s light and fluffy. It’ll look kinda pale and creamy. If it looks grainy, keep mixing.
Step 3: Add your eggs one at a time, mixing after each one. Then add the vanilla. Beat it all together for another minute or so. The mixture should look smooth and creamy now.
Step 4: In another bowl, whisk together your flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. I know, more dishes to wash. Sorry about that.
Step 5: Slowly add the dry stuff to the wet stuff. And I mean SLOWLY. Like, a little bit at a time. Mix on low speed until it’s just combined. Don’t overmix! This is where I used to mess up. Overmixing makes tough cookies, and nobody wants tough cookies.
Step 6: Fold in your chocolate chips (and any other festive add-ins like those Christmas M&M cookies ingredients). Use a wooden spoon or spatula for this part. I always steal a few chocolate chips at this point. It’s a cookie-making tradition.
Step 7: Here’s where people have different opinions. Some recipes say to chill the dough for an hour. I usually don’t have time for that, so I just bake them right away and they turn out great. But if you want thicker, chewier chocolate chip cookies for Christmas, stick the bowl in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour.
Step 8: Use a cookie scoop (or just a regular spoon) to drop dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Make them about golf ball size. Space them about 2 inches apart because these soft chocolate chip Christmas cookies spread a bit.
Step 9: If you’re using sprinkles or extra M&Ms, press a few into the tops of each cookie now. Makes them look super festive.
Step 10: Bake for 10-12 minutes. And here’s the key—take them out when they still look slightly underdone in the middle. The edges should be just barely golden brown, but the centers will look a little puffed and soft. They’ll keep cooking on the hot pan after you take them out.
Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes (I know it’s torture, but wait!), then transfer to a cooling rack.
My Random Tips That Actually Work
Speaking of random discoveries… I found out by complete accident that adding a tiny pinch of cinnamon to the dough makes these taste even more Christmas-y. Like, you can’t really taste the cinnamon, but it adds this warm, cozy thing that’s perfect for the holidays. My sister-in-law tried to figure out my “secret ingredient” for three years before I finally told her.
Also? If you accidentally overbake them (been there), dunk them in milk or hot chocolate. Still delicious.
And for the love of all that is holy, don’t use pre-shredded… wait, that’s for cheese. Never mind. But seriously, buy good chocolate chips. The cheap ones taste waxy. Ghirardelli or Guittard are my go-to brands.
Why These Are Perfect For Cookie Exchanges
These Christmas cookie ideas are perfect for holiday cookie exchanges. I brought them to three different Christmas parties last year and everyone asked for the recipe. One person even accused me of buying them from a bakery, which I took as the highest compliment.
They also freeze really well. You can freeze the baked cookies (just let them cool completely first) or freeze the dough in balls. When you want fresh cookies, just bake the frozen dough balls for an extra 2-3 minutes. Boom. Fresh classic chocolate chip Christmas cookies whenever you want them.
The Bottom Line
Look, I’m not saying these are going to change your life or anything. But they’re really, really good. My kids actually stopped asking for store-bought cookies. My husband hides them from himself because he has zero self-control. And my mother-in-law—who’s super picky about baked goods—asked if I’d make them for the family Christmas dinner.
If I can go from making flat cookie pancakes to these beauties, anyone can. Just follow the steps, don’t overmix, and for the love of everything, soften that butter.
Now go make these Santa’s chocolate chip cookies and tell me how they turn out! Seriously, I want to know if your family loves them as much as mine does. Drop a comment and let me know what festive add-ins you used.
Happy baking! (And may your smoke alarm stay silent and your cookies stay soft.) 🎄🍪
