9 Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes: Tried-and-True Family Favorites

Some of my favorite Christmas memories begin in my mom’s kitchen.

Every holiday season, Mama made hundreds of cookies. Chocolate Chip Cookies and Peanut Butter Cookies, colorful M&M Cookies, old-fashioned Oatmeal Cookies, Sugar Cookies waiting to be decorated, and beautiful little Thumbprints filled with different jelly flavors.

But Mama wasn’t baking hundreds of Christmas cookies simply because our family loved them.

She was making them to give away.

Throughout the Christmas season, her kitchen would fill with batch after batch of cookies destined for friends, neighbors, family members, and people we were going to visit. She would invite people over and let them create trays filled with their favorites. And if we were heading to someone’s house—or sometimes simply stopping by—there was a good chance a tray of homemade cookies was coming with us.

That was Mama.

She was incredibly generous, and food was one of the ways she showed people she cared.

Looking back through her recipes to put this collection together has reminded me of so many little things I had nearly forgotten.

Mama knew some people liked their chocolate chip cookies soft while others preferred them crisp, so she baked some both ways. She used red and green M&M’s at Christmas because they made the trays look festive. She filled her Thumbprint Cookies with raspberry, strawberry, peach, and other jellies because she wanted the trays to look colorful and inviting.

At Christmas, she splurged on good butter and vanilla because she thought it made her cookies taste better.

And when we were children, she turned Sugar Cookie day into something closer to an art project. Out came her huge collection of cookie cutters, along with icing, sprinkles, and everything else we needed to create whatever our imaginations came up with. There was no pressure to make perfectly decorated cookies. Mama encouraged us to be creative, make a mess, and enjoy being together.

These aren’t fancy Christmas cookies.

They aren’t complicated, trendy, or designed to look as though they came from a professional bakery.

They’re better than that.

They’re the tried-and-true Christmas cookie recipes our family actually ate, loved, and looked forward to year after year. They’re the recipes Mama trusted enough to make by the hundreds and give to the people she cared about.

And now I’m sharing them with you.

My hope is that somewhere, someone will make one of Mama’s recipes for their own family. Maybe you’ll put together a Christmas cookie tray for a neighbor. Maybe you’ll bring a batch to someone who could use a little kindness. Maybe you’ll spread icing and sprinkles across the kitchen table and let your children or grandchildren decorate Sugar Cookies that aren’t remotely perfect.

Or maybe you’ll simply make a batch, pour yourself a glass of milk or a cup of coffee, and enjoy a really good homemade cookie.

However you use these recipes, I hope they bring a little of the warmth, generosity, and joy that came from Mama’s kitchen into yours.

Because after going through her recipe collection again, I think I understand something about those Christmas cookie trays that I didn’t fully appreciate when I was younger.

The cookies were delicious. But the real gift was that Mama made them to share.

What You’ll Find in This Christmas Cookie Collection

This collection includes nine of Mama’s tried-and-true Christmas cookie recipes—the kinds of cookies that disappeared quickly from a holiday tray and were made year after year because everyone loved them.

You’ll find familiar favorites like chocolate chip and festive M&M cookies, old-fashioned oatmeal cookies, Raisin Honey Drops, rich chocolate peanut butter no-bake cookies, two of our favorite peanut butter cookies, classic Christmas sugar cookies, and beautiful jelly thumbprints rolled in chopped walnuts.

Some are wonderfully simple, some are perfect for making with children or grandchildren, and all of them are meant for sharing. Choose one favorite or make several and create your own Christmas cookie tray.

 

1. Mama’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

There are some cookies that don’t need reinventing, and these classic chocolate chip cookies were a staple of Mama’s Christmas baking. They’re buttery, filled with chocolate chips, and just as good slightly soft and chewy as they are baked a little longer for crisp edges.

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Beat until creamy.
4. Add the eggs and beat until well combined.
5. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing just until combined.
6. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.
7. Drop large spoonfuls of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet, leaving room between the cookies for spreading.
8. Bake for approximately 9–11 minutes. For softer cookies, remove them when they are lightly golden. For a slightly crisper cookie, allow them to bake a little longer.
9. Allow the cookies to cool briefly on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

A Little Note From Mama’s Kitchen

At Christmas, Mama always splurged on good-quality butter and vanilla for her cookies. They were simple ingredients, but she believed using the good stuff made her Christmas cookies taste that much better.

She also knew that everyone had a favorite way to eat a chocolate chip cookie. Some people loved them soft, while others wanted a little more crunch. So when she was making her Christmas cookie trays, she’d bake some just until lightly golden and leave others in the oven a little longer.

It was a small thing, but that was Mama—she wanted everyone to find something on the cookie tray they loved.

2. Mama’s Christmas M&M Cookies

Mama’s M&M cookies started with the very same dough she used for her chocolate chip cookies. Instead of chocolate chips, she simply stirred in regular M&M’s. It’s an easy way to turn one tried-and-true cookie dough into another colorful Christmas favorite.

The candy-coated chocolates add a cheerful pop of color to a Christmas cookie tray, while underneath they’re still the buttery, familiar cookies everyone loves.

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups regular M&M’s

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Beat until creamy.
4. Add the eggs and beat until well combined.
5. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing just until combined.
6. Stir in the M&M’s by hand.
7. Drop large spoonfuls of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet, leaving room between the cookies for spreading.
8. Bake for approximately 9–11 minutes. For softer cookies, remove them when they are lightly golden. For a slightly crisper cookie, allow them to bake a little longer.
9. Allow the cookies to cool briefly on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

A Little Note From Mama’s Kitchen

Mama didn’t need a completely different recipe to add another cookie to her Christmas trays. Her M&M cookies used the same tried-and-true dough as her chocolate chip cookies—she simply swapped the chocolate chips for M&M’s.

At Christmastime, she especially loved using the red and green M&M’s. It was such a simple touch, but it instantly made an everyday favorite feel festive and special.

That’s something I remember about Mama’s Christmas baking. The cookies weren’t necessarily fancy or complicated. They were familiar recipes people already loved, made with care and dressed up just enough for Christmas.

And when you’re baking hundreds of cookies to share with family, friends, and neighbors, having one dependable dough that can become two different cookies is pretty smart, too.

3. Mama’s Old-Fashioned Unbaked Cookies

Rich, chocolatey, and filled with peanut butter and oats, Mama’s Old-Fashioned Unbaked Cookies were a favorite on her Christmas cookie trays.

These easy chocolate peanut butter no-bake cookies require no oven—something that’s especially welcome when you’re already baking tray after tray of Christmas cookies. A simple mixture of cocoa, butter, sugar, milk, Jif peanut butter, and quick-cooking oats creates wonderfully rich, chewy cookies that set as they cool.

They’re simple, old-fashioned, and made with ingredients you may already have in the pantry. Best of all, they add something completely different to a Christmas cookie platter filled with traditional baked cookies.

Yield: Approximately 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 stick (½ cup) butter
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup Jif creamy peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups quick-cooking oats

Instructions

Prepare Your Workspace

1. Line two baking sheets or a clean countertop with wax paper. Have all of your ingredients measured and ready before you begin, as the cookie mixture will start to firm up once it cools.

Cook the Chocolate Mixture

2. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, cocoa powder, butter, and milk.
3. Place the saucepan over medium heat, stirring as the butter melts and the ingredients combine.
4. Bring the mixture to a full, rolling boil.
5. Once the mixture reaches a vigorous boil, continue boiling for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Add the Peanut Butter and Oats

6. Remove the saucepan from the heat immediately.
7. Add the Jif peanut butter and vanilla extract, stirring until the peanut butter has melted and the mixture is smooth.
8. Add the quick-cooking oats and stir until they are evenly coated with the chocolate peanut butter mixture.

Shape and Cool the Cookies

9. Working quickly, drop the warm mixture by rounded teaspoonfuls onto the prepared wax paper.
10. Allow the cookies to cool at room temperature until firm and set, approximately 20–30 minutes.
11. Once completely cooled, transfer the cookies to an airtight container.

A Little Note From Mama’s Kitchen

When Mama was making hundreds of cookies during the Christmas season, recipes like these were especially handy. They didn’t require another batch to go into the oven, but they still earned their place alongside all of the traditional baked cookies on her Christmas trays.

They’re also a wonderful example of what I remember most about Mama’s baking. Her recipes weren’t about creating the fanciest dessert on the table. She made the kinds of things people genuinely enjoyed eating—and these rich, chocolatey peanut butter cookies were always a favorite.

Mama used Jif peanut butter in this recipe, just as she did in several of her other family favorites. Combined with cocoa and oats, it creates that familiar old-fashioned flavor I still associate with these cookies today.

They’re easy to make, easy to share, and exactly the kind of homemade treat Mama loved giving to family, friends, and neighbors at Christmastime.

Helpful Cookie-Making Tips

• Use quick-cooking oats: Quick oats are important for achieving the traditional texture of these cookies. Old-fashioned rolled oats will produce a noticeably chewier, coarser result.
• Use creamy Jif peanut butter: That’s what Mama used, and its smooth consistency blends beautifully into the warm chocolate mixture.
• Measure everything first: Once the chocolate mixture has boiled, you’ll need to work quickly. Have the peanut butter, vanilla, and oats measured and ready.
• Start timing at a full rolling boil: Don’t begin the one-minute timer when the mixture first starts bubbling. Wait until it reaches a vigorous boil across the surface.
• Watch the boiling time carefully: Too little boiling can prevent the cookies from setting properly; too much can make them dry and crumbly.
• Work quickly after adding the oats: The mixture thickens as it cools, so spoon the cookies onto the wax paper promptly.
• Let them set completely: Allow the cookies to cool undisturbed before transferring them to a container.
• Make them ahead: These are an excellent addition to a Christmas baking day because they can be prepared ahead of assembling your cookie trays.
• Storage: Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for approximately 3–5 days, or refrigerate for longer freshness.

4. Mama’s Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies

Simple, buttery, and wonderfully old-fashioned, Mama’s Oatmeal Cookies are the kind of Christmas cookie that doesn’t need frosting or fancy decorations to earn a place on the cookie tray.

Made with brown sugar, oats, butter, and vanilla, these cookies have that familiar homemade flavor that goes perfectly with a cup of coffee, tea, or a cold glass of milk. Mama would sometimes press a few chocolate or butterscotch chips into the tops before baking when she wanted to make them just a little richer.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 2 cups oatmeal
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Chocolate chips or butterscotch chips, optional

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Dissolve the baking soda in the hot water.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, oatmeal, flour, baking powder, vanilla, and dissolved baking soda mixture.
4. Mix until the ingredients are well combined and a cookie dough forms.
5. Drop the dough by teaspoonfuls onto a cookie sheet.
6. Gently press each cookie down with the tines of a fork.
7. If desired, press a few chocolate or butterscotch chips into the top of each cookie before baking.
8. Bake for approximately 10–12 minutes, or until the cookies are set and the edges are lightly golden.
9. Allow the cookies to cool briefly on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

A Little Note From Mama’s Kitchen

Mama’s Oatmeal Cookies are a perfect example of the kind of Christmas baking she loved—simple, dependable recipes made from familiar ingredients that people genuinely enjoyed.

But Mama also knew that sometimes a simple cookie could use a little something extra. She noted on this recipe that she would occasionally add a few chocolate or butterscotch chips to the tops before baking to make the cookies a little richer.

I love that detail because she didn’t turn them into chocolate chip oatmeal cookies or completely change the recipe. She just added a few chips on top—a small indulgence for Christmas.

When you’re making hundreds of cookies for family, friends, and neighbors, not every cookie needs to be elaborate. Sometimes the simplest cookies are the ones people reach for again and again.

Helpful Baking Tips

• Pack the brown sugar: Spoon the brown sugar into the measuring cup and press it firmly before leveling it off.
• Dissolve the baking soda first: Mama specifically dissolved the baking soda in the hot water before adding it to the dough, so I’ve preserved that step in her recipe.
• Press the cookies before baking: After dropping the dough onto the cookie sheet, gently flatten each cookie with a fork as Mama did.
• Dress them up for Christmas: A few chocolate or butterscotch chips pressed into the tops are an easy way to make these simple oatmeal cookies a little richer.
• Watch for visual cues: Because Mama didn’t record an exact baking time, begin checking the cookies around 10 minutes. Look for cookies that are set with lightly golden edges rather than relying solely on the clock.

5. Mama’s Raisin Honey Drops

For years, our family simply called these Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. It wasn’t until I pulled out Mama’s original recipe that I discovered their real name: Raisin Honey Drops!

Whatever you call them, these were a huge family favorite. Honey gives the cookies a wonderful sweetness and helps create their soft texture, while cinnamon, oatmeal, and raisins give them that warm, old-fashioned flavor that feels especially comforting at Christmastime.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup honey
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups uncooked oatmeal
• 1 cup seedless raisins

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a cookie sheet.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the honey, sugar, softened butter, and egg until well combined.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the sifted flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda.
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, mixing until combined.
5. Stir in the oatmeal and raisins until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
6. Drop the dough by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet.
7. Place the cookie sheet on the upper rack of the preheated oven and bake for 12–14 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned.
8. Allow the cookies to cool briefly on the cookie sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

A Little Note From Mama’s Kitchen

I had to smile when I found Mama’s original recipe for these cookies. Our family always called them Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, but there it was on her recipe: Raisin Honey Drops. Apparently, somewhere along the way, we gave them a new name!

These weren’t just another cookie on Mama’s Christmas trays, either. They were a huge favorite in our family. The honey makes them a little different from a traditional oatmeal raisin cookie and helps give them the soft, comforting texture I remember.

Mama also had an old-fashioned trick for keeping them moist. When she stored the cookies in her Tupperware container, she would tuck in a small piece of cut apple. The cookies absorbed some of the apple’s moisture and stayed wonderfully soft.

It’s one of those little kitchen tricks I might never have remembered if I weren’t going back through her recipes—and exactly the kind of detail that makes me grateful these recipes were saved.

Helpful Baking Tips

• Don’t leave out the honey: Honey isn’t simply a sweetener in these cookies. It’s part of what distinguishes Mama’s Raisin Honey Drops from an ordinary oatmeal raisin cookie.
• Sift the flour: Mama’s original recipe specifically calls for 2 cups of sifted all-purpose flour, so we’ve kept that step.
• Use uncooked oatmeal: Add the oats directly to the cookie dough; there’s no need to prepare them first.
• Bake on the upper oven rack: Mama specifically noted using the upper shelf of the oven, so that’s how we’ve preserved her original method.
• Look for lightly browned cookies: Begin checking at 12 minutes and remove them once they’re lightly browned.
• Try Mama’s apple trick carefully: A small piece of fresh apple can help soften cookies in an airtight container. Use only a small piece, don’t allow it to sit directly against the cookies, and remove or replace it regularly rather than leaving fresh fruit in the container indefinitely.
• Store airtight: Once completely cool, keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

6. Mama’s Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies

With their classic crisscross tops and rich peanut butter flavor, Mama’s Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies were made for a Christmas cookie tray.

These aren’t complicated cookies—and that’s exactly what makes them so good. Butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and Jif peanut butter come together in a traditional cookie that is slightly crisp, wonderfully rich, and instantly recognizable.

Mama formed hers into tiny balls before pressing them with a fork, creating smaller cookies that were just right for adding to the generous Christmas trays she shared with family, friends, and neighbors.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup Jif creamy peanut butter
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and beaten eggs until smooth.
3. Add the peanut butter and mix well.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.
5. Gradually add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture, mixing until a stiff cookie dough forms.
6. Add the vanilla and mix until incorporated.
7. Using the palms of your hands, form the dough into small balls and place them on the prepared cookie sheet.
8. Gently press each ball with the tines of a fork, creating the traditional crisscross pattern.
9. Bake at 375°F for approximately 15 minutes.
10. Allow the cookies to cool briefly on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

A Little Note From Mama’s Kitchen

Mama made these peanut butter cookies small—what she called “tiny balls” of dough—which made them perfect for her Christmas cookie trays. When you’re invited to choose from a tray filled with different homemade cookies, a smaller cookie means there’s always room to try another one!

And once again, there’s Jif peanut butter in Mama’s recipe. She knew what she liked, and when a recipe worked, she stuck with it. That familiar peanut butter flavor became part of several treats our family looked forward to during the holidays.

I also love the make-ahead note she left with this recipe. Instead of forming the cookies right away, Mama noted that the dough could be rolled, refrigerated for several hours, and then sliced.

When you’re making hundreds of Christmas cookies, being able to prepare some dough ahead of time isn’t just convenient—it’s a very smart way to manage a busy holiday kitchen.

Helpful Baking Tips

• Use softened butter: Allow the butter to soften at room temperature so it creams smoothly with the sugars and eggs.
• Mama used Jif: Creamy Jif peanut butter is what Mama used in this recipe and gives the cookies their familiar peanut butter flavor and consistency.
• Expect a stiff dough: Mama specifically described the finished mixture as a “stiff batter,” so don’t be concerned if the dough is firmer than some other cookie doughs.
• Keep the cookies small: Mama formed hers into tiny balls. Smaller cookies are especially nice when you’re making an assorted Christmas cookie tray.
• Don’t forget the fork: Pressing the dough with a fork gives peanut butter cookies their traditional crisscross top while also flattening the dough before baking.
• Make the dough ahead: Mama noted that the dough could also be rolled and refrigerated for several hours before being sliced and baked.
• Watch the first batch: Oven temperatures and cookie size can affect baking time. Mama’s recipe specifies 15 minutes at 375°F, but begin watching the first batch toward the end and use its results to judge subsequent batches.

7. Mama’s Easy Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

Mama’s Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies are one of the easiest recipes in her Christmas collection—and one of the most irresistible.

Made with just four ingredients, these little peanut butter cookies bake until lightly cracked before a milk chocolate kiss is pressed into the warm center. There’s no flour, no butter, and no mixer required.

With their familiar chocolate centers, they’re especially pretty mixed among the different shapes and colors on a Christmas cookie tray. And with a batch making approximately 48 cookies, they’re perfect for holiday sharing.

Yield: Approximately 48 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 (18-ounce) jar Jif creamy peanut butter
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 48 milk chocolate kisses, unwrapped

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, use a wooden spoon to stir together the peanut butter, sugar, and eggs until thoroughly blended. The dough will be sticky.
3. Lightly flour your hands and roll the dough into approximately 1 1/2-inch balls.
4. Arrange the dough balls on an ungreased cookie sheet, approximately 1 1/2 inches apart.
5. Bake for 12–14 minutes, or until the cookies look dry and cracked.
6. Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately press one milk chocolate kiss into the center of each warm cookie.
7. Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 1–2 minutes.
8. Transfer to wire racks and allow them to cool completely.

A Little Note From Mama’s Kitchen

These cookies are a great reminder that some of the best Christmas recipes are also the simplest.

Mama made these with just peanut butter, sugar, eggs, and chocolate kisses. No flour, no butter, and not even a mixer—just a bowl and a wooden spoon.

I can imagine why a recipe like this earned a permanent place in her Christmas baking. When you’re making hundreds of cookies to give to family, friends, and neighbors, a recipe that’s simple to mix, makes four dozen cookies, and still looks special on a Christmas tray is a keeper.

And there’s Mama’s Jif peanut butter again! Looking through her recipes now, I smile at how often it appears. Mama knew exactly which ingredients she trusted, and Jif was clearly one of them.

The chocolate kiss pressed into the warm peanut butter cookie makes these look a little special without making them complicated—which seems to sum up so much of Mama’s Christmas baking.

Helpful Baking Tips

• Unwrap the chocolate kisses before you begin: Have all 48 ready before the cookies go into the oven. You’ll want to press them into the centers while the cookies are still warm.
• Expect sticky dough: Mama’s recipe specifically notes that the dough will be sticky. Lightly flour your hands before rolling it into balls.
• Keep the cookies uniform: Aim for approximately 1 1/2-inch balls so the cookies bake at roughly the same rate.
• Don’t grease the cookie sheet: Mama’s original recipe calls for placing these on an ungreased baking sheet.
• Watch for cracks: Rather than relying only on the clock, look for cookies that appear dry and cracked after approximately 12–14 minutes.
• Add the kisses immediately: Press a chocolate kiss gently into the center of each cookie as soon as the baking sheet comes out of the oven.
• Let the chocolate set: The warm cookies will soften the chocolate kisses. Let the cookies cool completely before stacking or storing them so the chocolate has time to firm again.

8. Mama’s Old-Fashioned Christmas Sugar Cookies

Of all Mama’s Christmas cookies, these old-fashioned sugar cookies may hold some of my favorite memories.

The buttery dough is chilled, rolled thin, and cut into shapes before baking. You can simply sprinkle the cookies with sugar, as Mama’s original recipe suggests, or let them cool and turn them into an afternoon of Christmas decorating with icing, sprinkles, and plenty of imagination.

That’s what we did as kids—and for us, making these cookies was every bit as much a Christmas activity as it was baking.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• Additional granulated or decorating sugar, optional
• Icing and assorted sprinkles for decorating, optional

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until well combined.
2. Blend in the beaten egg and vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
4. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix well.
5. Cover the dough and chill until it is firm enough to roll.
6. Preheat the oven to 400°F and lightly grease the baking sheets.
7. On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough thin.
8. Cut the dough into desired shapes using cookie cutters and carefully transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets.
9. If you don’t plan to ice the cookies, sprinkle the tops with sugar before baking.
10. Bake for 8–10 minutes, watching carefully toward the end of the baking time.
11. Transfer the cookies to wire racks and allow them to cool completely.
12. If desired, decorate the cooled cookies with icing, sprinkles, and other Christmas decorations.

A Little Note From Mama’s Kitchen

These cookies were about so much more than something sweet to put on Mama’s Christmas trays.

When we were kids, decorating sugar cookies was an event. Mama had a huge collection of cookie cutters—not just for Christmas, but for all kinds of holidays—and she would bring out the Christmas shapes along with icings, sprinkles, and everything we needed to decorate them.

There wasn’t one “right” way a cookie was supposed to look. We could draw on them, cover them with sprinkles, combine colors, and decorate all of the different shapes however we wanted.

Mama encouraged our creativity.

Looking back, I realize she was giving us something much more valuable than perfectly decorated Christmas cookies. She was giving us permission to make a mess, use our imaginations, and spend time together.

The finished cookies might not have looked like they came from a professional bakery—and that wasn’t the point. We made them ourselves, together.

And those are the Christmas cookies I remember.

Helpful Baking Tips

• Chill the dough: Mama’s original recipe simply says “chill.” Give the dough enough refrigerator time to become firm and easy to roll without sticking excessively.
• Roll the dough thin: That’s how Mama made these cookies. Try to keep the thickness fairly consistent so the cookies bake evenly.
• Flour the work surface lightly: A little flour helps prevent sticking, but avoid adding excessive flour, which can make the cookies tougher.
• Keep an eye on the oven: These bake at a relatively hot 400°F and only need about 8–10 minutes, so watch them closely toward the end.
• Decorating is optional: For a simple old-fashioned cookie, sprinkle the unbaked shapes with sugar. For Christmas decorating, leave them plain, cool completely, and then add icing and sprinkles.
• Don’t worry about perfection: Especially if you’re making these with children, let everyone decorate their cookies their own way. A Christmas cookie doesn’t have to be picture-perfect to be special.

9. Mama’s Old-Fashioned Jelly Thumbprint Cookies

With buttery cookie dough, a coating of chopped walnuts, and colorful centers filled with jelly, Mama’s Thumbprint Cookies were one of the prettiest cookies on her Christmas trays.

Mama didn’t use just one flavor of jelly. She made lots of these cookies and filled them with different flavors—raspberry, strawberry, peach, and whatever else she thought would add beautiful color and variety to the tray.

The result was a platter dotted with jewel-like little cookies that looked every bit as delicious as they tasted.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• Finely chopped walnuts, for rolling
• Assorted jelly, such as raspberry, strawberry, or peach

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, brown sugar, egg yolks, vanilla, and sifted flour. Mix until a cookie dough forms.
3. Shape the dough into small balls.
4. Roll each ball in the chopped walnuts until the outside is coated.
5. Arrange the cookies on a baking sheet.
6. Bake for 5 minutes.
7. Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Carefully make a small indentation—or “thumbprint”—in the center of each partially baked cookie.
8. Return the cookies to the oven and bake for an additional 8 minutes.
9. Remove the cookies from the oven.
10. While the cookies are still warm, carefully fill each indentation with a small amount of jelly.
11. Allow the cookies to cool completely before storing or arranging them on a Christmas cookie tray.

A Little Note From Mama’s Kitchen

Mama wanted her Christmas cookie trays to look as inviting as they tasted, and these Thumbprint Cookies were perfect for adding beautiful little pops of color.

She would make a lot of them and use several different kinds of jelly—raspberry, strawberry, peach, and other flavors—so the finished cookies weren’t all the same color. Tucked among the chocolate cookies, peanut butter cookies, oatmeal cookies, and decorated sugar cookies, those bright jelly centers helped make the whole tray look festive and abundant.

Mama was also particular about filling them neatly. Rather than spooning jelly into the centers freehand, she used a small measuring spoon to portion just the right amount into each thumbprint.

I don’t remember whether it was her 1/4- or 1/2-teaspoon measure, but I remember the result: they always looked perfect.

It’s such a small detail, but looking back at her recipes, I’m realizing how many of those little details went into the Christmas cookie trays she gave away. She wasn’t simply baking cookies. She wanted the people receiving them to open a tray that looked beautiful, inviting, and made especially for them.

Helpful Baking Tips

• Sift the flour: Mama’s original recipe specifically calls for sifted all-purpose flour, so we’ve kept that step.
• Chop the walnuts finely: Smaller pieces will adhere more easily to the dough and create a more even coating.
• Wait before making the thumbprint: Unlike many modern thumbprint recipes, Mama baked these for 5 minutes first, then made the indentation before returning them to the oven.
• Use several jelly flavors: Raspberry, strawberry, and peach create different colors and flavors and make a Christmas cookie tray especially pretty.
• Use a measuring spoon for the jelly: Mama used a small measuring spoon to keep the centers neat and consistent. Start with approximately 1/4 teaspoon and add a little more if the indentation can hold it without overflowing.
• Don’t overfill: Too much jelly can spill over the sides of the cookie. A small amount creates the colorful center you’re looking for.
• Let them cool before arranging: Give the jelly-filled cookies time to cool completely before placing them on a tray or stacking them in a storage container.

Christmas Cookies Made for Sharing

Putting these recipes together has been about much more than creating a collection of easy Christmas cookie recipes.

It’s given me a chance to spend a little time in Mama’s kitchen again.

I can picture the trays filled with cookies, the containers stacked on the kitchen table, the red and green M&M’s, the colorful centers of the Thumbprints, and the Sugar Cookies we decorated with far more enthusiasm than skill.

And I can picture Mama in the middle of it all.

Year after year, she made hundreds of cookies—not because Christmas needed to be elaborate or perfect, but because she loved sharing what she made with other people.

That’s what I hope you’ll take from this collection.

You don’t need to make all nine recipes. You don’t need a perfectly styled Christmas cookie tray. And your Sugar Cookies certainly don’t need to look like they came from a bakery.

Choose a recipe you love. Make a batch.

Then, if you can, share a few.

Take some to an elderly neighbor. Bring a plate to work. Leave a little box on a friend’s doorstep. Make a tray for someone you’re visiting. Invite your children or grandchildren into the kitchen and let them use far too many sprinkles.

Christmas has a wonderful way of reminding us that some of the most meaningful gifts are also the simplest.

For Mama, sometimes that gift was a tray of homemade cookies.

I’m grateful that she left these recipes behind, and I’m even more grateful for the memories attached to them. It means so much to me to be able to share a little piece of our family’s Christmas tradition with you.

I hope these tried-and-true Christmas cookie recipes find their way into kitchens far beyond ours. And perhaps, somewhere along the way, one of Mama’s recipes will become a tradition in your family, too.

If that happens, I think she would have loved that.

Merry Christmas from Mama’s kitchen to yours.