Soft Christmas Cookies – Ultimate Guide to Perfect Holiday Bakes

Name: Soft Christmas Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2½ cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; ½ teaspoon baking soda; ¼ teaspoon salt; 1 cup unsalted butter, softened; 1 cup granulated sugar; ½ cup packed brown sugar; 2 large eggs; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; ½ cup sour cream; 1 cup mini chocolate chips or holiday M&Ms; Colored sugar or sprinkles

Deliciously soft Christmas cookies decorated with festive icing and sprinkles.

By :

Eva

December 17, 2025

Everyday Culinary Delights👩‍🍳

Get yours

Jump to Recipe

How to make Soft Christmas Cookies

Ingredients :
2½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 cup unsalted butter, softened, 1 cup granulated sugar, ½ cup packed brown sugar, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ½ cup sour cream, 1 cup mini chocolate chips or holiday M&Ms, Colored sugar or sprinkles

Directions :
Step 1: Preheat the Oven, Preheat your oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. This helps the cookies bake evenly and prevents sticking., Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients, Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.Pro Tip: Spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it for accurate measurement., Step 3: Cream Butter and Sugars, Beat the softened butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.Pro Tip: Creaming for 2–3 minutes adds air, helping the cookies stay soft., Step 4: Add Eggs and Vanilla, Mix in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.Pro Tip: Room-temperature eggs blend more smoothly., Step 5: Add Sour Cream, Blend in the sour cream just until the mixture is smooth.Pro Tip: Do not overmix, as this can toughen the cookies., Step 6: Add the Dry Ingredients, Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low until just combined.Pro Tip: Stop mixing as soon as you no longer see dry streaks., Step 7: Fold In the Mix-Ins, Gently fold in mini chocolate chips or M&Ms. A soft spatula works best here., Step 8: Scoop the Dough, Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto your prepared baking sheets. Add sprinkles or colored sugar on top for decoration., Step 9: Bake the Cookies, Bake for 10–12 minutes, until edges are set but centers remain soft and slightly pale.Pro Tip: Slight underbaking keeps the cookies tender for days., Step 10: Cool and Serve, Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. This helps the centers finish setting without drying out.

Why You’ll Love This Soft Christmas Cookies

These cookies stay soft for days. They use sour cream and a short bake to keep centers tender. The dough is easy to shape. Kids love the bright M&Ms and sprinkles. You can make them in big or small batches. They also freeze well, so you can bake ahead for the holiday rush.

If you want a warm, soft cookie that looks festive, this recipe fits both. The mix of brown sugar and granulated sugar gives a mild chew and a light crisp at the edge. You get color and chocolate in each bite when you use mini chocolate chips or holiday M&Ms.

Try to read the recipe fully before you start. A little planning makes the bake smooth. If you like cookie tips, check a similar cookie guide here: Cinnamon Sweet Potato Breakfast Cookies. It shows how small changes change texture and flavor.

Nutriments benefits

These cookies are treats, but they have some positive points:

Butter gives a good amount of fat that makes texture rich.
Eggs add protein and help structure.
Flour brings carbohydrates for quick energy.
Using mini chocolate chips or M&Ms adds small bits of chocolate for flavor.
You can use lighter options: lower-sugar chocolate chips or replace half the butter with applesauce for fewer calories (texture will change).

Keep portions small. One or two cookies make a nice treat without too many extra calories. If someone has dietary needs, you can swap ingredients (see Variations).

What to Serve With Soft Christmas Cookies

These cookies pair well with simple drinks and snacks. Try:

A cold glass of milk or a warm mug of cocoa.
Hot coffee or tea, plain or spiced.
A plate of mixed nuts and dried fruit for a holiday dessert table.
For brunch-style serving, add a bowl of fruit and yogurt.

If you want to build a cookie board, include some more cookie types and small cheeses. For ideas on other cookie styles to add, see this helpful collection: Cinnamon Sweet Potato Breakfast Cookies. It gives a note on mixing flavors on a platter.

How to store Soft Christmas Cookies

Store cooled cookies at room temperature in an airtight container. To keep them soft:

Place a slice of bread in the container. The bread helps keep moisture in and keeps cookies soft for 2–4 days.
If you need longer storage, freeze dough balls on a tray, then move to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to bake time.
Fully baked cookies freeze well. Put parchment between layers so they do not stick.
Label the container with the date. Use frozen cookies within 2 months for best taste.

Tips and mistakes to avoid

Simple steps help you make soft, even cookies:

Use room-temperature butter and eggs. Cold butter will not cream well. This affects rise and texture.
Measure flour correctly. Spoon and level the flour in the cup. Too much flour makes dry, tough cookies.
Do not overmix after adding flour. Mix until you do not see dry streaks. Overmixing makes gluten form and cookies get chewy or hard.
Slightly underbake by 1–2 minutes. Edges should set and centers look slightly pale. Cookies firm as they cool.
Use parchment paper or a silicone mat. It helps the bottom bake evenly and prevents sticking.
Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a rack. This finishes the bake without drying the center.

Common mistakes:

Baking too long. You lose softness.
Adding too many mix-ins. Overload can change baking time and make cookies spread oddly.
Using melted butter instead of softened butter. Melting changes how the cookie spreads.

For more simple mix-and-match ideas and to see how small changes affect cookies, you can read one of my reference notes here: Cinnamon Sweet Potato Breakfast Cookies. It shows how texture changes with ingredient swaps.

Variation (if any)

You can change this base recipe to make other flavors:

Oatmeal Soft Cookies: Replace ½ cup flour with ½ cup quick oats. Add ½ teaspoon cinnamon.
White Chocolate Cranberry: Use white chocolate chips and dried cranberries instead of M&Ms.
Peppermint: Add 1 teaspoon peppermint extract and top with crushed candy cane.
Gluten-free: Use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend and check texture; you may need 1–2 tablespoons less flour.
Lower fat: Replace ¼ to ½ cup butter with unsweetened applesauce. Cookies will be softer and less rich.

Keep in mind each change can shift bake time and texture. Test one tray first before baking the whole batch.

FAQs

Q: Can I make the dough ahead?
A: Yes. You can make dough and chill it for up to 48 hours. Chilled dough may spread less and have a milder flavor. You can also freeze dough balls for up to 2 months and bake from frozen.

Q: How do I keep cookies soft for a week?
A: Store them in an airtight container with a slice of bread or a few apple slices. Replace the bread or apple if they dry out after a couple of days. For longer than a week, freeze baked cookies.

Q: Can I use regular-size M&Ms or big chocolate chips?
A: You can, but big pieces may change the bake. Large mix-ins can cause uneven baking or holes in the cookie. Mini chips or M&Ms give a better, even bite.

Q: Do I need to chill the dough?
A: Not required for this recipe. Chilling can reduce spread and deepen flavor. If you do chill, let the dough sit 10 minutes at room temp before scooping for easier handling.

Q: Why did my cookies turn flat?
A: Likely too warm butter, too much sugar, or overbeating the butter and sugar. Also check oven temperature and flour measure.

Conclusion

These Soft Christmas Cookies make a warm, simple holiday treat. They bake quickly, store well, and look bright with sprinkles or holiday M&Ms. For more ideas on cookie shapes and cut-outs that work well at holiday time, see this guide to cut-out sugar cookies: The Ultimate Guide to Cut Out Sugar Cookies – Design Eat Repeat. To learn more about cookie types and what makes a cookie great, read this helpful guide: Best Cookies: A Guide – ZoëBakes. If you need a big list of holiday cookie ideas to mix with these soft cookies on your cookie tray, browse this large collection: 75+ Popular Christmas Cookie Recipes – Sally’s Baking.

Enjoy baking, keep the steps simple, and have fun decorating. These soft cookies make the holiday table bright and the baking time stress-free.