Santa’s cookies are made with chocolate chips, M&M’s, and colorful jimmies. They are soft, chewy, and decorated in festive red, green, and white—perfect for setting out on Christmas Eve.
These cookies are simple to make with children and great for holiday baking sessions. The dough mixes easily, bakes quickly, and yields consistently shaped cookies when portioned with a scoop.
Christmas Cookies for Santa
These Santa cookies combine classic chocolate chip cookie flavors with bright candy and sprinkles to create a cheerful holiday treat. The recipe uses shortening for a tender, chewy texture, and a combination of granulated and brown sugar for balanced sweetness and chew. You can involve kids in every step—from mixing the dough to adding the colorful candies—making it a memorable holiday activity.
RELATED: Monster Cookies (look up a similar monster cookie recipe if you’d like a variation with oats and peanut butter)
Ingredients in Santa’s Cookies
- 1 cup shortening
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup M&M’s
- 1/2 cup jimmies (sprinkles)
How to Make Santa’s Cookies
Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat for easy cleanup and even baking.
Combine the wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, beat the shortening, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until smooth and well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until incorporated.
Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
Make the cookie dough: Gradually beat the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Gently stir in the chocolate chips, M&M’s, and jimmies so the candies are evenly distributed without overworking the dough.
Scoop the dough: Use a #40 cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons) or a tablespoon to portion the dough. Place scoops about 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets to allow for spreading.
Bake: Bake for 9–11 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the bottoms are beginning to brown. The centers should still look slightly soft; they will firm as they cool. For a more decorative appearance, press a few extra candies onto the tops of the cookies immediately after they come out of the oven.
Cool: Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. This short rest helps the cookies set without breaking apart.
Quick and Easy Christmas Cookies
These cookies are a great last-minute holiday bake because the dough comes together quickly and they only take a few minutes to bake. Shortening is used in this recipe to keep cookies soft and chewy and to help them hold their shape while baking. If you prefer the flavor of butter, you can substitute it, but chilling the dough first is recommended to prevent excessive spreading.
The sugar combination (white and brown) contributes both sweetness and moisture: brown sugar adds depth and chew, while granulated sugar helps with browning. When you fold in the chocolate chips, M&M’s, and sprinkles, they blend into the batter easily and make each bite festive.
For best results, bake on a silicone mat or parchment and use a cookie scoop to ensure uniform cookies. Bake just until the edges are set and lightly golden—this keeps the centers tender.
Recipe
Santa’s Cookies
Yield: about 33 cookies
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 9 minutes | Total time: 19 minutes
Equipment
- Mixing bowl and spoon or electric mixer
- Cookie scoop (optional)
- Baking sheet and parchment or silicone mat
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1 cup shortening
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup M&M’s
- 1/2 cup jimmies (sprinkles)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment or a silicone mat.
- Beat shortening, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until combined.
- Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually mix into the wet ingredients until just combined.
- Fold in chocolate chips, M&M’s, and jimmies.
- Scoop dough (about 1.5 tablespoons per cookie) onto prepared sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
- Bake 9–11 minutes, until edges are lightly golden. Add extra candies on top if desired.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
If using butter instead of shortening, chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before baking to prevent excessive spreading. These cookies freeze well—freeze baked cookies in an airtight container for up to three months, or freeze dough balls and bake from frozen, adding a minute or two to the bake time.
Nutritional information per cookie (estimate): approximately 187 kcal. Actual values will vary based on ingredients and portion sizes.
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