Thanksgiving may be all about the pies, but Christmas is all about the cookies! I find that people fall into one of two camps: those who love decorating holiday cookies, and those who don't.
What may come as a surprise to most is that I fall into the latter camp. While I love baking, gifting, and eating (of course) Christmas cookies and I love how the end result looks, I kind of hate any kind of fussy, time-consuming decorating.
I'm always on the lookout for some shortcut ideas for creating adorable, festive cookies without having to block off half of my day to get them finished. So if you find yourself needing to churn out a bunch of decorated cookies for an office/classroom party or cookie exchange, I'll tell you how to create a variety batch of gorgeous cookies and you'll still have time to collapse on the couch with your favorite Christmas movie and a mug of hot cider.
Ready? Hold your breath... you're gonna start with a box of Krusteaz Butter Vanilla Sugar cookie mix. This is my all-time favorite boxed cookie mix and is the only one I feel good about serving or gifting to others. They yield a buttery, perfectly chewy cookie and can totally pass as homemade.
Now for the decorating. I wanted to decorate cookies that I could stack in tins and bags without worry of the frosting sticking or getting smeared. Not wanting to deal with mixing royal icing and having to stress over getting it the perfect consistently, I opted to use chocolate melts instead.
Here is everything you need for this project:
- White, dark, and or milk chocolate melting wafers. I used Ghirardelli brand because they melt perfectly and taste fantastic
- A batch of sugar cookies, baked and fully cooled
- A double boiler
- Wax paper
- A variety of holiday sprinkles or colored sanding sugar - anything and everything will work
- Crushed peppermint candies
- Coarse sea salt
- Chopped sweetened coconut flakes
- Finely-chopped toasted nuts
Melting the chocolate: Though you can use a microwave to melt the chocolate, I think that using a double boiler is easier when dipping cookies, because once the chocolate is melted you can keep the top bowl over the simmering water and keep the chocolate fluid without worrying about it cooling and becoming lumpy before you've finished dipping your cookies. You'll want to fill the bottom of the double boiler with about an inch of water, place the chocolate in the top bowl and heat on medium low with the lid on, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted.
Dipping the cookies: Dip half of each cookie and then transfer to wax paper. You'll want to decorate the cookies after every half dozen or so that you've dipped to ensure that the chocolate doesn't cool and harden too much and will be able to hang onto your decorations. If your melted chocolate isn't deep enough to dip the cookies straight down, you can dip the fronts and the backs separately by rotating the cookie towards and away from you... or you can just dip the tops! Allow the decorated cookies to cool completely before stacking (you can put them in the freezer for a bit to speed up this step).
Decorating the cookies: I don't even need to give you much instruction for this part - just go to down with those sprinkles and toppings! The sprinkles will simply look cute, while toppings such as crushed peppermint, sea salt, and chopped coconut will add some extra flavor. You can even use a fork to drizzle on some of the opposite color of chocolate.
This is one of my favorite decorating tricks - use Christmas tree shaped sprinkles (I use the trees from this mix) and some small red sprinkles to create holly leaves and berries!
Abigail Wenderson
Yeah, such an amazing ideas. Looking forward to decorate my Christmas cake like this.
gmail signup and login
Can I just say what a relief to discover somebody that really understands what they're discussing over
the internet. You certainly know how to bring an issue to light and make it important.
A lot more people have to look at this and understand this side of your story.
I was surprised you aren't more popular because you surely
possess the gift.
Buddy Garrett
Snickerdoodles are my favorite.
Jessica Whitehouse
I like white chocolate macadamia nut cookies
Philip Lawrence
My favorite Christmas cookie is the Krusteaz Triple Chocolate Chunk cookie.
Sand
Pizzelles are my favorite!
Brad Merrell
Butter cookies are my jam
Darlene Carbajal
I love sugar cookies!
BRYAN E.
My favorite Christmas cookie ---> Gingerbread !!!
Samantha brown
Love sugar cookies ty
Trisha McKee
I love the oatmeal raisin cookies! So good!
Jerry Marquardt
I just have to make those nice Chocolate Chip cookies several times each Christmastime season.
Brittany
I love chocolate chip and walnut cookies!
Allyson Tice
my favorite cookies are italian snowballs!! so nutty and chewy!
Gina Ferrell
My favorite Christmas cookies are the decorated frosted sugar cookies.
Nickole Heim
mint chocolate chip cookies
Michelle H.
One of my favorite is gingerbread men.
Vikki Billings
My favorite Christmas cookies are sugar cookies!!
DanV
We like sugar cookies
Leah Shumack
Peanut Butter cookies are my favorite!
kathy pease
I like oatmeal raisin cookies
Amy Deeter
My favorite Christmas cookie is peanut butter cookies
Abigail Gibson
I love Snickerdoodles fresh ot of the oven on Christmas morning.
Helen
My husband likes the butter cookies the best, but I like chocolate chip.
Mary Gardner
I really like gingerbread cookies.
Jan
My favourite cookies are probably Pfeffernüsse.
Janine Hwang
I love those Russian tea balls. My friends called 5em Santa’s balls!
Natalie
My favorite Christmas cookie is oatmeal butterscotch cookies.
beth
frosted sugar cookies
Marilyn Nawara
No-Bakes are my favorite -- chocolate, peanut butter and oatmeal. Yum!
Julie Waldron
I like sugar cookies with frosting & decorations.
Jeremy McLaughlin
chocolate chip cookies.
Antoinette M
I like frosted sugar cookies.
Carolyn Daley
I love snickerdoodle cookies.
Kelsey Vinson
Iced sugar cookies
Ed
Mom's Spritz is my cookie of choice!
Michelle C
I love gingerbread cookies!
Donna Clifford
Classic Suger Cookies with buttercream frosting
Karen Gonyea
I LOVE Gingerbread Cookies 🙂
Kayla Klontz
I love Snickerdoodles.
Michelle Hill
I like gingerbread cookies.
Brenda Robinson
It would have to be the traditional sugar cookie.
Janice Gabriel
I like the Swedish snowball cookies.
Rachel
I love the snickerdoodle
Jake B
I love peanut butter cookies with the Hershey kisses in the middle. They so delicious 🙂
Chris L
I love chocolate chip cookies.
Daniel Scott
My wife takes you gingerbread mix, 1/3 cup of water, 1 cup raisins and 1 cup almonds or other nuts. Then she rolls the mix into balls and bakes them for 10 minutes at 350.
Sarah Mathias
I love peanut butter cookies around Christmas time.
Alicia Webster
I love chewy, soft molasses cookies and five layer bars.
Cheryl VanBrunt
I like sugar cookies!
shawna
Sugar cookies are my fav.
Charlene
My favorite cookie is definitely a snickerdoodle. 🙂
Lisa
I like snowball cookies.
Rose Santuci-Sofranko
Can I say Chocolate Chip Cookies? They are my fave anytime! Yum! Thanks and God Bless!
Tracy Shafer
sugar cookie cutouts
Hesper Fry
I like Sugar cookies with Frosting best.
Molly
I like old fashioned chocolate chip cookies!
Jenny Scheldberg
Peanut butter blossoms.
Kyl Neusch
Shortbread
EMMA L HORTON
I LOVE PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES.
Melissa Shirley
I like sugar cookies, and I love making them so the kids can decorate them with icing and sprinkles.
Audrey Stewart
I love chocolate chip cookies.
Kim
I like Kiffles and Thumbprint cookies.
Mia J
I like frosted sugar cookies.
Anne Higgins
frosted sugar cookies
Brian L
Sugar Cookies sprinkled with Ginger before baking.
Jaylee
Shortbread!
Michelle Donovan
Sugar cookies for sure! yum
Lisa V.
My favorite are sugar cookies.
Julie Bickham
Peanut butter blossoms.
Wendy McBride
Iced Christmas Sugar cookies from a local lady that makes them
Linda Lansford
I love decorated sugar cookies
Erica B.
Chocolate chip
Danielle
sugar cookies with peppermint chocolate candy piece in the middle
Robin
My favorite are gingerbread cookies.
Ashley Kolpak
I love oatmeal raisin
Mary Somerville
I love 7 Layer Bars!
Angie Ford
Frosted sugar cookies with sprinkles!
Susan Smith
My favorite Christmas cookie is Snickerdoodles.
Jennifer Reed
I love Christmas Snowball cookies.
Tara Darity
I love thumbprint cookies. Been trying to find my dad's old recipe for christmas!
Karin A
I really like decorated sugar cookies.
Linda Woodfin
I love decorated sugar cookies!
Kristin McCall
My favorite Christmas cookies are iced sugar cookies.
Lisa Weidknecht
I love seven layer cookies.
Dee Johnson
Snickerdoodle cookies are my fave.
Belinda Shaw
I enjoy sugar cookies with sprinkles
Kristi C
My favorite Christmas cookie is Snickerdoodles.
Dana Rodriguez
Snickerdoodles are mine!
Glendy C
Gingerbread cookies
Sharon Yarrell
Chocolate chip
Don D
I love Lemon Cookies at Christmas time.
David Basile
Chocolate Chip
Laura Schrillo
gingerbread
Cheryl Everitt
Gingerbread
Julie
I love gingerbread at Christmas!
Sara Perrera
My mom makes the best snowball cookies every Christmas
Leela
Big, soft sugar cookies.
sylvia
I love frosted sugar cookies, but they are such a pain to make. :/
Cindy Merrill
Ginger bread cookies, preferably soft.
Tracy Davis
I love gingerbread cookies!
Lana Simanovicki
I like to msle the xmas tree cookies
Kim Avery
I love Gingerbread cookies!
DeeAnn
I like decorated cutout sugar cookies.
Dymphna
Love biscochos a Mexican cookie
Johannah
Nut Cresents, followed closely by Gingerbread men!
sandra
I like candy cane cookies.
susan smoaks
i love a good snickerdoodle. they are my favorite cookies.
crystle tellerday
gingerbread
Azeem Isaahaque
I like sugar cookies
DealinDiva
I like raspberry maple cookies.
Alison
My grandma makes some almond cookies at Christmastime that are my favorite!
John T Kirkpatrick
Triple chocolate truffles
cheryl s
potato chip cookies are my favorite
Donna Clifford
Classic Sugar cookies with buttercream frosting
barbg
I love the pecan sandies covered in powdered sugar. I think they are called snowballs. I also like peanut butter cookies topped with buttercream frosting and dotted lightly with cinnamon red hots.
Alexandra Y
I like frosted sugar cookies.
Deb
My favorite cookie is a sugar cookie with sprinkles.
Lori Walker
Our favorite are molasses cookies.
Vera Wilson
If had to pick one chocolate chip.
Charlene S.
Sugar cookies with royal icing is my favorite Christmas cookie.
Monique Rizzo
I love SHortbread. It is so good with Coffee 🙂
Debbi Wellenstein
For Christmas I love Mexican Wedding Cakes or Pecan Crescents.
Tim
I like oatmeal scotchies, specifically the butterscotch chips I eat before making them.
McKim
I like date pinwheel cookies.
Ashley C
I love iced sugar cookies
Kelly D
Gingerbread cookies are my favorite.
April
I love Snickerdoodles!
Christina Sparks
My favorite Christmas cookie is the Sugar Cookie.
deana
My favorite Christmas cookie is decorated sugar cookies!
Nicole Martin
I like peanut butter kisses!
Jessica Gipson
I love sugar cookies, with sprinkles.
Cynthia C
My favorite is cranberry walnut biscotti.
Tari Lawson
My favorite Christmas cookie is a cream cheese based dough filled with cherry preserves and sprinkled with powdered sugar.
angie
My favorite is Gingerbread Man Cookies.
Danielle Wood
My favorite is my mom's chocolate chip with walnut cookies!
Cheryl
My favorite Christmas cookies are Italian Wedding Cookies (aka Cocoa Wedding Cakes or Snowball Cookies).
Claudia Davis
I love sugar cookies or molasses cookies.
Breanne
I like snickerdoodles.
Renee G
I love soft ginger cookies.
Lauren
I like gingerbread cookies.
Ann Fantom
Sand Tarts are my favorite Christmas cookie
Lynne T
Gingerbread is my favorite. It's the first one that makes me think Christmas time.
Jessica To
I like seven layer cookies the best.
shelly peterson
I love frosted sugar cookies.