Drop Style Christmas Sugar Cookies

Drop Style Christmas Sugar Cookies are the perfect holiday treat when you want something festive, simple, and absolutely delicious. These cookies skip the rolling and cutting—just shape, chill, bake, and enjoy. With sprinkles throughout and on top, they bring a cheerful splash of colour and fun to your seasonal baking. A buttery dough, vanilla flavour, and just the right texture make them ideal for sharing with friends, gifting, or leaving treats for Santa.

Why You’ll Love These Cookies

  • They’re fast and fuss‑free: no rolling pin, no cookie cutters—just scoop and drop.
  • The dough incorporates sprinkles inside and optional on top, giving each bite festive joy.
  • Soft‐chewy centres with lightly browned edges — beloved by kids and grown‑ups alike.
  • You can make ahead (or freeze) the dough or baked cookies, which is ideal during the busy holiday season.
  • They look beautiful on a cookie tray or as part of a cookie exchange—classic holiday vibes.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups (188 g) all‑purpose flour (spooned & levelled)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (8 Tbsp; 113 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (80 g) sprinkles, plus extra for topping (optional)

Step‑by‑Step: How to Make Drop Style Christmas Sugar Cookies

  1. Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt using a whisk.
  2. Cream butter & sugar: In a large mixing bowl (using a hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment) beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium‑high speed until fully combined (about 1 minute).
  3. Add egg & vanilla: Add the egg and vanilla extract, then beat on high speed for another minute until everything is well combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed.
  4. Combine dough: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Then fold in the ½ cup of sprinkles. The resulting dough will be thick and sticky.
  5. Scoop and top with sprinkles: Using about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie (or your preferred size), roll into dough balls. For extra festive flair, lightly dip the tops of the dough balls into more sprinkles. Place the dough balls on a lined baking tray or plate.
  6. Chill the dough: Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, and up to 4 days. Chilling helps control spread and gives better texture.
  7. Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Prepare your baking trays by lining them with either parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
  8. Bake: Arrange chilled dough balls about 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for about 12–13 minutes, or until the cookie edges are lightly browned and the centres still look a little soft.
  9. Cool: Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes (they’ll continue to set). Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  10. Store or serve: Once cooled, store covered at room temperature for up to one week.

Helpful Tips

Drop Style Christmas Sugar Cookies

  • Make sure your butter is softened but not melted. Over‑soft or melted butter causes excessive spread.
  • Chill the dough balls—this is especially important for drop cookies with a high butter content to avoid spreading too thin.
  • Use parchment paper or a light-coloured baking sheet instead of a very dark non‑stick pan — dark pans can cause over‑browning on the bottom.
  • If cookies are flattening too much: you can add 2–4 tablespoons extra flour or raise the baking temperature slightly (or both) to create a thicker cookie.
  • Use an ice‐water method for quicker chilling if you’re short on time: flatten the dough in a sealed bag and submerge in ice water for ~20 minutes.

Substitutions and Variations

  • Flavour twist: Swap all or part of the vanilla extract for almond extract for a nutty flavour.
  • Sprinkle swap: Use holiday‑themed sprinkles: red/green, metallic, or even snowflake shapes. Avoid nonpareils (tiny balls) if you find they bleed colour.
  • Gluten‑free: Substitute a gluten‑free all‑purpose flour blend for the regular flour (check that it is a 1:1 swap).
  • Add‑ins: Fold in mini chocolate chips, crushed candy cane, or chopped nuts for added texture.
  • Baking size: If you want more cookies, make them smaller (1 tablespoon size) and reduce baking time by a minute or so. If you want large cookies, increase to 3 tablespoons of dough and maybe bake a minute longer.
  • Theme change: For other holidays, simply change the sprinkle colours (pink/white for Valentine’s, orange/black for Halloween) but keep the same dough process.

Storage Instructions

  • At room temperature: Store fully cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
  • Freezing dough balls: After forming the dough balls and optionally topping with sprinkles, freeze in a single layer until solid, then transfer to a freezer‑safe bag or container. Dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding an extra minute to the bake time.
  • Freezing baked cookies: Once baked and fully cooled, you can freeze the cookies (separated by wax or parchment paper) for several months. Thaw to room temperature before serving.

Nutritional Information

Here’s a general estimate per cookie (assuming ~2 Tbsp dough size and yield around 24 cookies):

  • Calories: ~140‑160 kcal
  • Fat: ~6‑7 g (primarily from butter)
  • Carbohydrates: ~20‑22 g (sugar and flour)
  • Protein: ~1‑2 g
  • Fiber: negligible
    Note: The exact values will vary based on your specific ingredients and cookie size.

Serving Suggestions

  • Serve warm with a glass of cold milk, hot cocoa, or peppermint‑mocha for a cozy winter treat.
  • Arrange them on a festive platter for a holiday party or cookie exchange.
  • Package in small cellophane bags with a ribbon for homemade edible gifts.
  • Use as a sweet treat on Christmas morning—perhaps with Santa’s favorite sprinkles extra included!
  • Combine with other cookie types (e.g., gingerbread, classic sugar cut‑outs) to provide variety on your dessert table.

Frequently Asked Questions About Drop Style Christmas Sugar Cookies

Q: Why did my cookies spread too much?
A: Spread happens if the butter is too soft/melted, dough balls are too warm, or the baking sheet is pre‑hot. Chilling the dough helps arrest spread. Also, using dark pans or parchment on dark pans may cause quicker browning which can make the cookies appear flatter than desired.

Q: Can I skip the sprinkles or use a different topping?
A: Yes! The sprinkles add both colour and fun, but you can omit them entirely or substitute coloured sugar, chocolate chips, or nuts. Just be cautious with very fine “nonpareil” ball‑type sprinkles—they may bleed colour into the dough.

Q: Do I have to chill the dough 2 hours?
A: While some drop‑style recipes skip chilling, for this buttery dough chilling is recommended to control spreading and improve texture. Minimum ~2 hours works well; you can chill up to 4 days ahead.

Q: Can I make the dough ahead or freeze it?
A: Absolutely. You can make the dough, form balls, and refrigerate up to 4 days before baking. Or freeze balls up to 3 months and bake from frozen (just add about 1 extra minute of baking time).

Q: How do I make them thicker or thinner?
A: For thicker cookies, add 2–4 tablespoons extra flour or reduce the dough ball size slightly. For thinner ones with more spread, increase dough ball size or omit part of the chilling. Adjust bake time accordingly.

Conclusion

I truly appreciate you joining me in the kitchen for this baking session! I hope these Drop Style Christmas Sugar Cookies become one of your favourite holiday treats—easy to make, fun to share, and full of festive spirit. The soft, chewy centres with bright, colourful sprinkles bring joy with every bite, and the fact there’s no rolling or cutters means less fuss and more flavour. Enjoy the ease and the flavour, and I’m truly grateful you’re part of our food‑loving community. Wishing you a wonderful time in the kitchen and absolutely delicious cookies ahead. Happy baking

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Drop Style Christmas Sugar Cookies recipe

Drop Style Christmas Sugar Cookies


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  • Author: Lisa
  • Total Time: 2 hours 28 minutes
  • Yield: 24 cookies 1x

Description

These Drop Style Christmas Sugar Cookies are festive, chewy, and packed with sprinkles—easy to make and perfect for the holidays.


Ingredients

Scale

1 ½ cups (188g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened

¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ cup (80g) sprinkles, plus extra for topping


Instructions

  • Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt using a whisk.
  • Cream butter & sugar: In a large mixing bowl (using a hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment) beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium‑high speed until fully combined (about 1 minute).
  • Add egg & vanilla: Add the egg and vanilla extract, then beat on high speed for another minute until everything is well combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed.
  • Combine dough: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Then fold in the ½ cup of sprinkles. The resulting dough will be thick and sticky.
  • Scoop and top with sprinkles: Using about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie (or your preferred size), roll into dough balls. For extra festive flair, lightly dip the tops of the dough balls into more sprinkles. Place the dough balls on a lined baking tray or plate.
  • Chill the dough: Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, and up to 4 days. Chilling helps control spread and gives better texture.
  • Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Prepare your baking trays by lining them with either parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
  • Bake: Arrange chilled dough balls about 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for about 12–13 minutes, or until the cookie edges are lightly browned and the centres still look a little soft.
  • Cool: Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes (they’ll continue to set). Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Store or serve: Once cooled, store covered at room temperature for up to one week.

Notes

Chilling dough prevents spreading.

Avoid nonpareils as they may bleed color into the dough.

Dough balls can be frozen for up to 3 months. Bake frozen with 1 extra minute.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 13 minutes
  • Category: Dessert

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cookie
  • Calories: 150
  • Sugar: 11g
  • Carbohydrates: 21g
  • Protein: 1.5g

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