Santa Cookies are an essential part of the Christmas magic, and this year, we’re sharing the ultimate recipe that will undoubtedly become a cherished holiday tradition! Imagine soft, delightfully chewy, and perfectly sweet cookies with just the right touch of crispiness at the edges. This easy-to-follow recipe ensures you’ll whip up a batch in no time, leaving you plenty of moments to soak in the festive joy and create lasting memories.
Specifically designed as a small-batch recipe, these cookies are ideal for Christmas Eve, ensuring Santa gets a fresh, delicious treat without leaving you with an overwhelming number of leftovers. If you’re looking for more delightful small-batch cookie ideas, explore our Single Serve Chocolate Cookies or these comforting Oatmeal Cookies for any time of year.
Crafting the Perfect Cookies for Santa Plate: A Cherished Tradition
The tradition of leaving out a plate of delicious cookies and a glass of milk for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve is one that sparks joy and wonder in homes around the world. In our family, this ritual holds a special place, with the kids eagerly anticipating the moment we gather to bake Santa’s favorite treats. It’s more than just baking; it’s about fostering the magic of the season and creating cherished memories that last a lifetime.
Santa, as it turns out, has quite a refined palate, and these particular cookies have become his absolute favorite! Beyond his annual visit, my partner and I (or perhaps, our “inner Santas”) certainly appreciate a little extra fuel for the monumental task of wrapping presents, filling stockings, and orchestrating the perfect Christmas morning surprise. These delightful Santa Cookies are not just for the jolly man in red; they’re a treat for everyone involved in making the holidays sparkle.
This year, elevate your Christmas Eve tradition with a batch of these incredibly soft and flavorful cookies. They’re designed to impress even the most discerning connoisseur of confections (Santa included!). Imagine the delight on your children’s faces as they help prepare these special treats, knowing they’re contributing to the magic that unfolds overnight. Don’t forget to prepare some Reindeer Chow for his trusty team of reindeer – they need energy too!
Why You’ll Adore This Santa Cookies Recipe
- Unforgettable Flavor & Texture: Experience the perfect balance of soft, chewy centers with subtly crispy edges. Each bite is packed with rich, sweet flavor and festive chocolate candies.
- Effortlessly Easy: Forget the stand mixer! This recipe comes together in just one bowl with a spoon, making cleanup a breeze and the baking process stress-free.
- Perfect for Holiday Traditions: Whether it’s a quiet Christmas Eve or a bustling holiday party, these cookies are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser and a delightful addition to any festive occasion.
- Customizable Fun: While red and green M&M’s scream Christmas, you can easily adapt the colors for any celebration throughout the year.
- Small Batch Brilliance: The recipe yields a manageable batch, ensuring freshness and avoiding an overwhelming surplus, ideal for thoughtful gifting or a special family treat.
Essential Ingredients for Magical Santa Cookies
Crafting the perfect Santa Cookies requires a thoughtful selection of ingredients, each playing a crucial role in achieving that irresistible flavor and texture. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need:
- Unsalted Butter: The foundation of our cookies, unsalted butter adds rich flavor and helps prevent an overly greasy outcome. Melting it and allowing it to cool ensures the right consistency for mixing.
- Brown and White Sugar: This dynamic duo provides both sweetness and texture. Brown sugar contributes moisture, leading to a chewier cookie, while granulated white sugar ensures those delightful crispy edges.
- Egg: A single large egg acts as the binding agent, bringing all the ingredients together and providing essential structure to the cookies. Using it at room temperature helps it incorporate smoothly.
- Vanilla Extract & Maple Syrup: These flavor enhancers add depth and warmth. High-quality vanilla is a must, and a touch of maple syrup complements the sweetness with a subtle, comforting note.
- Cornstarch, Baking Soda, & Baking Powder: This powerful trio is key to the cookies’ perfect lift and tenderness. Cornstarch helps create a super soft texture, while baking soda and baking powder work together to ensure they rise beautifully and have a fluffy interior.
- Sea Salt: A pinch of fine sea salt is crucial for balancing the sweetness of the sugars and chocolates, enhancing all the other flavors.
- All-Purpose Flour: The primary structural component, all-purpose flour gives the cookies their body and chewiness. Proper measuring is essential to avoid dense or cakey results.
- Chocolate Chips & M&Ms: These additions bring joy and festive flair! Milk chocolate chips offer a creamy sweetness, while holiday M&M’s add a burst of color and a satisfying crunch. Feel free to use your favorite type of chocolate.
Quick Tip: Customize Your Holiday M&M’s!
While our Santa Cookies shine with classic red and green M&M’s for Christmas, the fun doesn’t have to stop there! Get creative by swapping out the colors to match any celebration throughout the year. Imagine vibrant green M&M’s for St. Patrick’s Day, pastel shades for Easter, or patriotic red, white, and blue for July 4th. For everyday treats, simply use a mixed bag of M&M’s to add a burst of color and chocolatey goodness to any occasion!
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Make Irresistible Santa Cookies
Creating these magical Santa Cookies is simpler than you might think! Follow these easy steps for a perfect batch every time:
- Prepare the Butter: Begin by melting your unsalted butter in a very large, microwave-safe bowl. It’s crucial to let the melted butter cool completely to room temperature (this usually takes about 3-5 minutes in the refrigerator, or a bit longer at room temperature). If the butter is still hot when you add the sugars, it will melt them, resulting in greasy cookies with an undesirable texture.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Once the butter has cooled, stir in both the light brown sugar (firmly packed) and granulated sugar until the mixture is wonderfully smooth. Next, incorporate the large room-temperature egg, vanilla extract, and maple syrup. Continue stirring until all these wet ingredients are fully blended and smooth, creating a luscious base for your cookies.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Add the cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and fine sea salt to the wet mixture. Stir thoroughly until these dry leavening agents and seasonings are well combined and the mixture is smooth again. Finally, gently fold in the all-purpose flour. Be mindful not to overmix the dough; mix just until the flour streaks disappear to ensure tender cookies.
- Add Festive Chocolates: Now for the fun part! Gently fold in your milk chocolate chips and the festive Christmas M&M’s. Stir just enough to evenly distribute the chocolates throughout the dough without crushing the M&M’s or overworking the mixture.
- Chill the Dough: This step is non-negotiable for perfectly chewy cookies that hold their shape! Tightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Chilling prevents the cookies from spreading too much during baking and enhances their flavor.
- Prepare for Baking: While the dough is chilling, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. This prevents sticking and promotes even baking.
- Shape and Bake: Scoop out portions of dough, aiming for about 1.7 ounces per cookie if you have a food scale (this recipe should yield approximately 16 large cookies). Roll each portion into a tall, cylindrical shape rather than a flat ball (refer to the images in the post for the ideal shape and size). Place 6-8 cookie balls on your prepared baking sheet, leaving ample space between them to allow for spreading. Bake for 8-12 minutes, leaning towards underbaking them slightly. The cookies are ready when the edges begin to turn a light golden brown and the centers no longer appear wet. Remember, they will continue to set and firm up as they cool.
- Cool and Serve: For an extra festive touch, immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, gently press a few extra chocolate chips or M&M’s onto their warm tops. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy these warm, magical Santa Cookies, or prepare them for their intended recipient!
Storage and Freezing Tips for Your Santa Cookies
To ensure your Santa Cookies stay fresh and delicious, proper storage is key:
- Baked Cookies: For the best texture and flavor, we recommend enjoying these cookies within the first 1-2 days after baking. They will last up to 1 week when stored in an airtight container at room temperature, but they may gradually lose some of their initial softness and flavor quality. Always ensure cookies are completely cool before storing them to prevent condensation.
- Freezing Cookie Dough: For future baking sessions, you can easily freeze unbaked cookie dough balls. Simply scoop and roll the dough into individual balls (or tall cylinders, as described in the recipe). Place them on a parchment-lined tray and freeze until firm, about 1-2 hours. Once frozen solid, transfer the dough balls to a freezer-safe sealed container or heavy-duty freezer bag. They will keep well for up to 3 months.
- Baking from Frozen: When you’re ready to bake, you have two options: you can bake the cookies straight from frozen, adding an extra 1-3 minutes to the total baking time. Alternatively, you can let them thaw in the refrigerator for a few hours before baking as directed in the recipe. This makes fresh-baked cookies incredibly convenient!
Expert Tips for Baking the Best Santa Cookies
Achieving cookie perfection is all about the details. Here are some pro tips to ensure your Santa Cookies turn out flawlessly every time:
- Measure Flour Correctly: This is perhaps the most crucial tip for cookie success. Spoon your all-purpose flour into the measuring cup, then level it off with the back of a knife. Do NOT scoop the flour directly from the bag with the measuring cup, as this packs in too much flour, resulting in dry, cakey, and less flavorful cookies. For ultimate precision, a kitchen scale is highly recommended to weigh your ingredients.
- Room Temperature Egg: A room temperature egg incorporates more evenly into the butter and sugar mixture, leading to a smoother, more uniform dough and a better final cookie texture.
- Don’t Skip the Chill Time: Chilling the dough is essential. It prevents the cookies from spreading too thin, concentrates the flavors, and results in a chewier texture. If you’re short on time, even 30 minutes is better than none!
- Avoid Overmixing: Once you add the flour, mix only until just combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can lead to tough cookies.
- Underbake Slightly: For soft and chewy cookies, always err on the side of underbaking. The cookies will continue to cook slightly from residual heat on the baking sheet after they come out of the oven. Look for lightly golden edges and a top that is no longer visibly wet.
- Tall Cylinders, Not Flat Balls: Shaping the dough into tall cylinders helps them bake into beautifully thick, chewy cookies with that perfect domed top, rather than flat, crispy discs.
- Quality Ingredients Matter: Use good quality butter, vanilla, and chocolate chips. The better your ingredients, the better your cookies will taste.
Frequently Asked Questions About Santa Cookies
- Can I make these Santa Cookies ahead of time?
- Absolutely! You can prepare the cookie dough up to 3 days in advance and store it, tightly covered, in the refrigerator. Alternatively, you can freeze individual dough balls for up to 3 months (see storage tips above).
- What if I don’t have maple syrup?
- While maple syrup adds a wonderful subtle depth of flavor, you can substitute it with an equal amount of light corn syrup or simply omit it and add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract, though the flavor profile will be slightly different.
- My cookies spread too much. What went wrong?
- Common reasons for excessive spreading include: butter being too warm (ensure it’s cooled to room temp after melting), not chilling the dough sufficiently, or too much flour (due to incorrect measuring). Always make sure your butter isn’t hot and your dough gets its full chill time!
- Can I use different types of chocolate?
- Yes! Feel free to customize with your favorite chocolates. White chocolate chips, dark chocolate chunks, or even a mix of different types would be delicious. Just ensure the total quantity remains the same.
- How many cookies does this recipe yield?
- This small-batch recipe is designed to make approximately 16 large, perfectly sized cookies, ideal for a special Christmas Eve treat or a small gathering.
More Festive Christmas Treats to Enjoy
If you’re still in the mood for holiday baking or looking for more delightful ideas, explore these other fantastic recipes from our collection:
- Amazingly Easy 3-Ingredient Christmas Cookies
- Delicate Mexican Wedding Cookies coated in powdered sugar
- Thoughtful DIY Christmas Gifts with free printable tags
- Irresistible Christmas Snack Mix perfect for holiday hosting
- Adorable Reindeer Cookies made to look just like Rudolph
Pin Recipe
Print Recipe
Santa Cookies
Ho ho ho! These Santa Cookies are incredibly soft inside, delightfully crispy outside, and super easy to make—requiring just one bowl and a spoon, no mixer needed! They are the perfect treat for Christmas Eve.
Video
Watch our step-by-step video tutorial for making perfect Santa Cookies!
Equipment
- Sheet pan (15″ x 10″)
- Parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt (reduce if using table salt or if sensitive to salt)
- 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips (or semi-sweet or dark chocolate—whichever is your favorite)
- 1/2 cup holiday M&M’s
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a very large, microwave-safe bowl. Once melted, refrigerate it for 3–5 minutes or until at room temperature. The butter can’t be hot when you add in the sugars or it will melt the sugar and make the cookies greasy.
- Once butter is cooled to room temperature, stir in brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth. Add egg, vanilla extract, and maple syrup. Stir again until smooth.
- Add cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Again, stir until smooth. Add in the correctly measured (see note below on flour measurement) flour and mix until just combined. Don’t overmix. Add chocolate chips and M&M’s. Gently stir until combined.
- Tightly cover the bowl and chill for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
- Roll dough balls into tall cylinders (see picture in the article for shape and size). Place 6–8 cookie balls on a sheet, allowing plenty of room to spread. Dough balls should be about 1.7 ounces if you have a food scale (the batch should make about 16 total cookies).
- Bake 8–12 minutes, erring on the side of underbaking to keep them soft and chewy. The cookies will firm up a little more out of the oven, so take them out as soon as the edges start to lightly brown and the top is no longer wet looking.
- Optional: Press a few extra chocolate chips or M&M’s onto the tops of the cookies as soon as you remove from the oven. Allow cookies to cool on the sheet pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
Recipe Notes
Flour Measurement Note: Proper flour measurement is crucial. If you press a measuring cup directly into a bag of flour, you’ll pack in too much, leading to cake-y and less flavorful cookies. Instead, spoon flour into your measuring cup and then level the top with the flat side of a table knife. For the most accurate results, consider weighing your ingredients on a food scale!
Storage: These cookies are at their absolute best on day 1 and 2. They will remain enjoyable for up to 1 week when stored in an airtight container at room temperature, though their texture and flavor quality may diminish slightly over time. Ensure the cookies are completely cooled before placing them in the container.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be considered an approximation.
Enjoyed this recipe? Leave a comment below!