4 Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes you HAVE to make

9 days until christmas! HOW. Christmas to me instantly makes me think of Christmas cookies so I am excited to share some of my favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes with you.

Today I’m giving you 4 simple and easy Christmas cookie recipes you can make at home even if you don’t bake! I’m showing you how to make Drop Sugar Cookies, Peppermint Mocha Cookies, Maple Glazed Gingerbread Cookies and Hot Cocoa Cookies.

Each recipe is so unique and delicious. These are easy recipes for you to make at home if you don’t have much time and want to take the stress out of the holiday season.

Double up on these batches so you can deliver to your neighbors, family and friends and spread some joy this Christmas! I hope you love these recipes as much as I do.

Drop Sugar Cookies

from Sally’s Baking Addiction

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups AP flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg, room temp
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup sprinkles

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer or large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.
3. Add egg and vanilla and combine.
4. Turn down the speed to low and gradually add in the dry ingredients until just combined.
5. Add in sprinkles and mix.
6. Using a 2 Tbs cookie scoop, scoop out balls and place on baking sheet 3 inches apart.
7. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or freeze for 30 min-1 hour)
8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and bake cookies for about 10-12 min until cookies are just brown on the outside.
9. let cool and then transfer to a cooling rack. ENJOY

Peppermint Mocha Cookies

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp espresso powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup crisco, shortening (1 baking stick)
• 1 and 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 eggs, room temp
• 1 tsp peppermint extract
• 2 Tbs whole milk
• 3.5 oz semi-sweet chocolate, roughly chopped, melted and slightly cooled

White Chocolate CoatinG:

• 8oz white chocolate finely chopped
• 4 full size candy canes, finely chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, flour, espresso powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer cream together the crisco and brown sugar until light and fluffy – about 3 min. (scrape down sides as mecessary)
3. Beat in eggs, milk and peppermint extract.
4. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually mix in flour mixture until combined.
5. Finally add in melted chocolate until combined.
6. Using a large 1/4 cup cookie scoop, scoop batter onto prepared cookie sheet 2 inches apart.
7. Bake for 9-10 min and cool completely (about 30 min)

For the white chocolate coating:

1. Fill a pot about 1/3 full with water and fit a glass bowl on top of the pot creating a double boiler. On medium heat, add the white chocolate to the bowl and melt completely.
2. Dip one half of each cookie in the melted chocolate and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Set aside and allow the chocolate to set and ENJOY

Maple Glazed Gingerbread Cookies

from: Pinch of Yum

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 2 and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1.5 tsp ground ginger
• granulated sugar for rolling
  

Maple Glaze:

• 1 Tbs melted butter
• 1 Tbs pure maple syrup
• 1.5 cups powdered sugar
• 2 Tbs milk
• pinch of salt to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer,  together butter and sugar
3. Add flour, baking soda, salt, and ginger. Mix until a soft dough forms.
4. Scoop into small balls (a little smaller than the size of a golf ball) and roll in sugar. Bake for 9-11 minutes; remove from pan so the cookies can sink / flatten slightly as they cool. 
5. Whisk maple glaze ingredients together until smooth (it will be very thick – if it’s too thick, just add a teaspoon more milk at a time until it becomes dippable, but we want this to be very thick so it sets nicely). Dip one side of the cooled cookies into the maple glaze, run the edge of the cookie along the side of the bowl to remove excess drips, set on a piece of wax paper.
6. ENJOY!

Hot Cocoa Cookies

Ingredients: 

• 2 Tb butter
• 4 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 Tbs cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• dash of salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• Marshmallows cut in half

Chocolate Ganache Frosting

• 1/2 stick of butter, melted
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 hot water
• splash of vanilla
• 2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Combine Butter and semi sweet chocolate chips in a sauce pan and stir until melted. Set aside to cool.
2. In a large mixing bowl whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In another large mixing bowl (or the mixing bowl to a stand mixer) combine brown sugar, egg and vanilla.
4. Add in the cooled chocolate mixture and mix well. While that’s mixing on low, slowly add your flour mixture and mix until everything is just combined.
5. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour
6. Preheat oven to 325
7. Use a tablespoon or a small cookie scoop to scoop out dough and roll into a ball then press flat onto a sprayed sheet or pan lined with parchment paper.
8. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
9. While cookies are baking, cut marshmallows in half and place them on top of cookies when they come out.
10. Bake for another 2 minutes.
11. Whisk melted butter and cocoa powder, hot water and vanilla in a bowl and mix until smooth.
12. Slowly add in 2 cups of powdered sugar while stirring and mix until smooth.
13. Drizzle chocolate ganache on top of the cookies and finish with sprinkles before the frosting sets.
14. ENJOY!