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Drop Cookies are perfect when you want to make a lot of cookies without a ton of work. They’re easy and fast with no chill time, making them the perfect last minute cookie recipe – especially when I’m showing you how to make them four different ways.
Want a bunch of Christmas cookies without all the work? Christmas Drop Cookies are the way to do it!
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Easy Drop Cookies for Christmas
Every year I make dozens of Christmas cookies all season long; I start baking before Halloween because of this blog. Usually I gift or eat them along the way and then by the time Christmas actually comes I’m sooooo tired of making cookies!
I’ve taking my favorite chewy sugar cookie recipe and turned it into four different kinds of cookies from ONE DOUGH recipe. You can make all four or just one, and you’ll end up with dozens of cookies perfect for everyone!
What is a Drop Cookie?
Drop cookies are my favorite ones to make because they’re the easiest! Basically, they’re cookies that you just drop onto the cookie sheet, no rolling required! Drop cookies differ from cut out cookies because they’re just that: dropped!
Some of my favorite drop cookies are:
Turn my Favorite Sugar Cookie recipe into 4 different flavors by just adding 1 or 2 things to the dough.
PRO TIP
How to make the ONE SIMPLE DOUGH recipe:
This recipe basically doubles my sugar cookie recipe, which gives 3-4 dozen cookies (depending on size), more if you make them smaller.
The dough has just a few ingredients:
- Butter
- Sugar
- Vanilla
- Eggs
- Egg yolks (gives that nice texture)
- Baking soda
- Cream of Tartar
- Flour
The best part is that this dough does not need to be chilled! Just mix, drop and bake. But first: decide on your variations!
You can make one kind of drop cookie or all four. Just divide your dough into equal parts and then use one of my variations or come up with your own!
M&M Drop Cookies:
These are the easiest! Just drop your cookies onto the cookie sheet and add 5-7 (depending on cookie size) M&Ms to the top before baking. They flatten a bit and the M&Ms will spread out, so add more than you think you should on the unbaked cookie.
Sprinkle Cookies:
I love simply adding sprinkles to my cookie dough. Add about 1 cup of sprinkles for the entire batch of dough (so 1/4 cup if you’re doing all four variations). Mix and match colors as desired!
Festive Sugar Cookies
These festive drop sugar cookies are my favorite! They’re a teeny bit of extra work: you have to roll the scooped cookie dough in sugar before baking, but it’s worth it!
Pick out one or more colored sugar (find colored sugar in the baking aisle of most grocery stores or any craft store). Mix and match colors as desired!
The sugar gives the outside of the cookie a nice crunch which everyone loves. Plus they’re pretty!
Blossom Cookies
Blossom Cookies don’t have to be peanut butter! While Peanut Butter Blossoms are some of my favorite holiday cookies, you can turn any drop cookie recipe into a blossom cookie by doing two things:
- Make 1 tablespoon sized cookie dough balls
- Pick ANY kind of Hershey’s Kiss!
I love using chocolate kisses but with a sugar cookie dough like this you can use peppermint or any flavor you like!
FAQs
You can freeze almost any cookies you make if you want to do them ahead of time! Learn how to freeze desserts.
Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Christmas Drop Cookies 4 Ways
Ingredients
Basic Cookie Dough:
- 1 ½ cups (339g) unsalted butter softened
- 1 ½ cup (300g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups (492g) all-purpose flour
Optional Mix-Ins:
- M&Ms
- Colored Sugar
- Hershey’s Kisses
- Sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheet with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl with a hand mixer). Cream until the mixture is fluffy, about one minute.
- Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix until smooth, then mix in baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Add flour and mix until cookie dough forms.
- Baking tip: be sure to remove these from the oven right as they start to turn golden and the top is no longer glossy. Don’t over bake!
For M&M Cookies:
- Scoop 2 tablespoon sized balls and place 3-inches apart on cookie sheet. Top each cookie with 5-7 M&Ms (any color and flavor). Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the bottoms are just starting get golden and the top is no longer glossy.
For Sugar Coated Cookies:
- Place colored sugar in a small bowl. Scoop 2 tablespoon sized balls. Roll cookie dough balls in sugar and place 3-inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the bottoms are just starting get golden and the top is no longer glossy.
For Blossom Cookies:
- Scoop 1 tablespoon sized balls and place 2-inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake for 7-9 minutes, or until the bottoms are just starting get golden and the top is no longer glossy. Unwrap Hershey’s Kisses while the cookies are baking, place one in the center of each cookie when hot from the oven. Cool before removing from cookie sheet.
For Sprinkle Cookies:
- Add sprinkles to cookie dough. Amount of sprinkles: use 1 cup total for entire batch of cookie dough. Scoop 2 tablespoon sized balls. Roll cookie dough balls in sugar and place 3-inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the bottoms are just starting get golden and the top is no longer glossy.
Recipe Video
Recipe Nutrition
Other ways to decorate drop cookies:
Make one dough four different ways! These EASY Christmas Drop Cookies are perfect for when you want a lot of cookies fast! No chill time, these sugar cookies come in 4 versions: M&M, sprinkle, blossom cookies, and crunchy sugar coated! They’re perfect for the holidays.
Last Updated on November 30, 2022
Seems like this recipe uses a lot of butter. Has anyone made these using less butter? Any suggestions for reducing it?
Followed this recipe exactly for drop cookies to decorate 4 ways on Christmas Eve, terrible, flat disaster! Wasted so much organic butter, sugar, flour, the good vanilla. Do NOT try this recipe, save your energy.
Excellent recipe! I did the colored sugar. I can see it being used with other holidays using different colored sugars, m&ms and kisses. Soft pillowy cookies were very good, not too sweet, just right, Will be using this often in the future! Thank you for a great recipe.
Like this and Love these!! Really want to try these recipes, my kids will love these colorful and yummy cookies.
I like Cardamom Chocolates and cookies so this holiday season I bring that from Houston. Cacao and Cardamom Chocolatiers offer the best hand made chocolates for holidays. you’ll definitely like that.
Visit: http://www.cacaoandcardamom.com..
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