The Ultimate Guide to Easy Small Batch Christmas Cookie Recipes for a Festive Holiday

Love to bake cookies from scratch but don’t want to be overwhelmed by huge batches? You’ve come to the right place! This holiday season, elevate your cookie game with our curated list of the Best Small Batch Christmas Cookie Recipes. Each recipe is designed for ease and convenience, allowing you to create a diverse and delightful cookie tray without spending days in the kitchen. Get ready to fill your home with the delicious aromas of homemade treats!

With December swiftly approaching, it’s time to embrace the most wonderful time of the year – holiday baking season! Dust off your aprons, preheat your ovens, and prepare to dive into a world of festive flavors with these fantastic small batch Christmas cookie recipes. Every single one of these delightful treats is made completely from scratch. You won’t find any pre-made cookie mixes or store-bought dough here, just pure, homemade goodness.

Now, the phrase “small batch Christmas cookies” might initially sound like a contradiction. After all, the holidays are often associated with baking mountains of cookies. However, let us explain why this approach is not only practical but also incredibly rewarding.

Holiday baking isn’t just about churning out one giant batch of a single type of cookie. It’s truly about the joy of variety – creating multiple different cookie recipes to then assemble a beautiful and diverse cookie tray. When we previously shared our guide on how to make the best Christmas cookie tray, we highlighted how baking smaller batches of your favorite cookies makes the entire process far more manageable and enjoyable.

So, while a single dozen of one type of cookie might not suffice for hosting a large gathering, the magic happens when you combine several small batches. This strategy allows you to offer a wide array of flavors, textures, and designs, ensuring there’s something to delight every palate. And remember, there’s absolutely no obligation to host a big party with your cookie tray! These small batch recipes are also perfect for intimate celebrations, like enjoying a special treat after your Christmas dinner for two, or simply for satisfying your festive cravings throughout the season.

If you’re like many home bakers who adore the idea of fresh gingerbread cookies but dread the thought of spending an entire day chilling, rolling, and cutting dough for a massive quantity, then making a half batch is your ideal solution. You get all the warmth and spice of homemade gingerbread in a fraction of the time, leaving you free to enjoy the rest of your day.

This carefully curated list showcases our absolute favorite small batch cookie recipes. You’ll find a delightful mix of unique Christmas cookies, such as the vibrant cherry snowballs, alongside timeless and beloved classics like soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies. Most of these recipes yield approximately one dozen cookies or even less, making them perfect for controlled indulgence or for adding variety to your holiday spread. While some snowball cookie recipes might yield around 15 cookies, keep in mind they are typically smaller than your average cookie, contributing perfectly to a diverse tray.

Before we dive into the delicious recipes, let’s address some common questions and troubleshooting tips to ensure your holiday baking is as smooth and stress-free as possible.

How to Decorate Christmas Cookies for a Festive Touch

Decorating cookies is one of the most fun and creative parts of holiday baking, allowing you to add a personalized festive flair to your treats. While cookie cutters and royal icing are the go-to for many, what about those recipes that aren’t traditional cut-out cookies? There are plenty of wonderful ways to make any cookie shine:

• Sprinkles Galore: The easiest way to add instant holiday cheer is with red and green sprinkles. As you can see in the photo above, a simple basic peanut butter cookie cup recipe can be transformed by adding festive sprinkles while the chocolate topping is still warm and soft. You can also mix in silver, gold, or snowflake-shaped sprinkles for extra sparkle.
• Christmas Candies: Incorporate seasonal red and green candies like M&Ms, chocolate chips, or even chopped gummy candies. These add not only color but also a delightful textural contrast and extra sweetness.
• Mini Cupcake Liners: For smaller cookies, such as chocolate chip snowballs, presentation is key. Placing them in festive Christmas-themed mini cupcake liners instantly elevates their look, making them perfect for serving or gifting.
• Powdered Sugar Dusting: A simple dusting of powdered sugar can make any cookie look like it’s been touched by fresh snow, especially effective on darker cookies or those with a crinkled surface.
• Chocolate Drizzle: Melted white, milk, or dark chocolate can be drizzled over cookies in a decorative pattern. Add a few sprinkles on top of the drizzle before it sets for extra flair.
• Edible Glitter and Food Pens: For intricate designs or a touch of shimmer, edible glitter sprays or food-safe marker pens can turn a plain cookie into a tiny work of art.

How to Make Cookies Ahead of Time for Stress-Free Holidays

One of the best strategies to significantly reduce holiday stress is to prepare your cookies ahead of time. This allows you to spread out your baking tasks, avoid last-minute rushes, and ensure you have plenty of delicious treats on hand when you need them.

Most baked cookies can generally last about 2-3 weeks at room temperature, provided they are stored correctly in an airtight container. To maintain freshness and prevent them from drying out, consider storing different types of cookies separately, as flavors and moisture levels can vary.

Another excellent option for making cookies ahead is to freeze them, extending their shelf life for up to three months. There are two primary methods for freezing cookies:

1. Freeze the Dough: Prepare the cookie dough as directed in the recipe. Instead of baking, scoop the dough into individual balls or shape it as required, then place them on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer the dough balls to a freezer-safe bag or container. When you’re ready to bake, you can often bake them directly from frozen (adding a few extra minutes to the baking time) or let them thaw slightly in the refrigerator first. This method means the majority of the work is already done, and you’ll have freshly baked cookies whenever a craving strikes.
2. Freeze Baked Cookies: Bake the cookies fully according to the recipe instructions. Allow them to cool completely on a wire rack before freezing. Once cool, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then, transfer the frozen cookies to an airtight freezer-safe container, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking. When ready to serve, simply let them thaw at room temperature for a few hours. Some cookies, especially those with icing, might benefit from a quick re-warming in a low oven to refresh their texture.

Tips for Mailing Christmas Cookies to Loved Ones

One of the most heartwarming aspects of baking Christmas cookies is sharing them as gifts with friends and family. However, distance can sometimes make this a challenge. Fortunately, shipping Christmas cookies through the mail is a wonderful way to surprise your recipients with a delicious, homemade treat, no matter where they are. To ensure your cookies arrive in perfect condition, consider these essential tips (and for more detailed guidance, you can refer to our tips for mailing cookies in another dedicated post):

• Choose the Right Cookies: Select cookies that are sturdy and less likely to crumble, such as drop cookies, bar cookies, or unfrosted cut-out cookies. Avoid highly delicate or heavily frosted varieties.
• Cool Completely: Ensure cookies are absolutely cooled to room temperature before packing to prevent condensation and sogginess.
• Individual Wrapping: For optimal freshness and protection, wrap each cookie individually in plastic wrap, parchment paper, or small cellophane bags. This prevents them from sticking together and keeps them fresh.
• Layer and Cushion: Use a sturdy, airtight container. Place a layer of cushioning material (like shredded paper, bubble wrap, or tissue paper) at the bottom. Arrange wrapped cookies snugly in layers, separating each layer with more cushioning or parchment paper. Fill any empty spaces to prevent movement during transit.
• Sturdy Outer Box: Place the cookie container inside a larger, corrugated shipping box. Fill all remaining space with packing peanuts, crumpled newspaper, or bubble wrap to prevent the inner container from shifting.
• Label Clearly: Label the package clearly with “Fragile” and “Perishable” if applicable.
• Expedited Shipping: If possible, choose expedited shipping options to minimize transit time, especially for cookies that are more perishable.

What to Do with Leftover Egg Whites? Creative Solutions!

Many small batch cookie recipes, especially those that prioritize richness and tenderness, often utilize only egg yolks, leaving you with a handful of leftover egg whites. To help you cut back on food waste this holiday season and beyond, here are some fantastic and delicious recipes and ideas for putting those egg whites to good use:

• Small Batch Flourless Chocolate Cookies – These intensely chocolatey, chewy cookies are naturally gluten-free and use egg whites to achieve their delightful texture. They make another excellent cookie option to add to your diverse holiday baking repertoire.
• Small Batch Angel Food Cupcakes – When you’re ready for a break from rich, buttery cookies, these light and airy angel food cupcakes are the perfect antidote. Made predominantly with egg whites, they are wonderfully delicate and can be topped with a fluffy frosting.
• Angel Food Cake in a Loaf Pan – If you find yourself with a larger quantity of egg whites (this recipe uses about 6 egg whites), this elegant and light angel food cake is a fantastic way to use them up all at once. Baked in a loaf pan, it’s easier to manage than a traditional tube pan.
• Baked Coconut Shrimp – For a savory and unexpectedly delicious option, try this baked coconut shrimp. The recipe utilizes egg whites to help the coconut coating adhere, providing a delightful crispy texture. Because you still need to eat dinner amidst all the cookie baking, this is a perfect choice!
• Beyond Recipes: Don’t forget that egg whites are also excellent for making meringues, pavlovas, light omelets, or adding a protein boost to smoothies. They can also be frozen for future use if you’re not ready to bake with them immediately.

Our Favorite Small Batch Christmas Cookie Recipes

Ready to get baking? Here’s our collection of the best small batch Christmas cookie recipes, perfect for adding incredible flavor and variety to your holiday cookie tray this season. Each recipe is designed for maximum deliciousness with minimal fuss.

Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield 8 cookies

These Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies are the epitome of comfort food, offering a wonderfully soft and chewy texture that is universally loved. To make them extra festive for the holiday season, simply swap out regular chocolate chips for vibrant red and green ones. They’re a classic for a reason and a must-have on any cookie tray!

Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield 1 dozen

Combining the best of both worlds, these small batch Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Cookies are soft, wonderfully chewy, and packed with the warm, inviting spices of gingerbread, along with a hint of fresh ginger. The addition of chocolate chips creates a delightful contrast that will make these Santa’s new favorite Christmas cookie, earning them a prime spot on your holiday platter.

Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield 1 dozen cookies

Brighten up your holiday cookie tray with these wonderfully soft and zesty Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies. The refreshing citrus notes from fresh lemon zest perfectly complement the creamy sweetness of white chocolate chips, creating a harmonious and invigorating flavor profile that stands out among richer Christmas treats. A delightful surprise for any cookie enthusiast.

Small Batch Snickerdoodles (Without Cream Of Tartar)

For those who adore the classic combination of cinnamon and sugar, these Small Batch Snickerdoodles are an absolute dream. What makes them even better is that they achieve their signature thick, soft, and chewy texture without the need for cream of tartar. Each cookie is generously rolled in a sweet cinnamon-sugar mixture, creating an irresistible crackled surface and a cozy, comforting flavor that’s perfect for chilly evenings.

Small Batch M&M Cookies

Yield 9 cookies

Satisfy your cookie cravings with these delightful Small Batch M&M Cookies, renowned for their perfectly soft and chewy texture. This recipe makes it incredibly easy to whip up a fresh batch whenever the mood strikes. For an unmistakable Christmas touch, simply incorporate red and green M&Ms, turning these already delicious cookies into festive and colorful holiday treats that everyone will adore.

Small Batch Gingerbread Cookies with Eggless Royal Icing

Yield 9 cookies

These Small Batch Gingerbread Cookies capture the quintessential flavors of Christmas with their warm spices and tender texture. What makes them particularly special is that they are made without shortening, resulting in a purer gingerbread taste, and are beautifully decorated with a delightful eggless royal icing. Perfect for those with egg sensitivities or if you’re looking for an alternative to traditional icing.

Red Velvet Cut Out Cookies

Yield 1 dozen

Step away from the ordinary sugar cookie and embrace the vibrant elegance of Red Velvet Cut Out Cookies this holiday season. These cookies offer a beautiful deep red hue and a hint of cocoa flavor, making them visually stunning on any cookie platter. The recipe also thoughtfully includes a delicious egg-free royal icing, allowing everyone to enjoy these festive and fancy treats.

Chocolate Gingersnap Cookies

Yield 1 dozen

Forget hard, tooth-breaking gingersnaps! These soft and chewy Chocolate Gingersnap Cookies are a revelation, brimming with a delightful blend of chocolate chips and warm, inviting spices. Each bite tastes like Christmas morning wrapped up in a cookie, offering a rich, comforting experience that’s both familiar and exciting. They’re perfectly tender and absolutely bursting with holiday flavor.

Chocolate Chip Snowball Cookies

Yield 15 cookies

Experience pure bliss with these adorable Chocolate Chip Snowball Cookies. These small, buttery delights boast an incredibly delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture, generously coated in a sweet cloud of powdered sugar. Their petite size makes them absolutely perfect for adding a touch of elegance and variety to your holiday cookie tray, ensuring every guest can enjoy a bite-sized piece of heaven.

Lemon Snowball Cookies

Yield 12 cookies

These easy Lemon Snowball Cookies are a burst of sunshine in every bite. With their signature melt-in-your-mouth texture and a refreshing citrus zing, they are generously tossed in powdered sugar to create a delicate, snowy finish. For an extra festive touch that truly shines on a holiday platter, consider serving these bright beauties in colorful mini cupcake liners.

Cherry Coconut Snowball Cookies

Yield 15 cookies

Prepare for a delightful surprise with these Cherry Coconut Snowball Cookies! Each melt-in-your-mouth cherry almond cookie conceals a sweet maraschino cherry at its core, creating a burst of fruity flavor with every bite. The exterior is beautifully coated in shredded coconut, adding a lovely texture and tropical hint to these festive and uniquely flavored snowball treats.

Small Batch Eggless Cheesecake Cookies

Yield 8 cookies

Indulge in the creamy, tangy goodness of cheesecake in a convenient cookie form with these Small Batch Eggless Cheesecake Cookies. Made with rich cream cheese and rolled in finely crushed graham cracker crumbs, these cookies offer a delightful soft interior with a pleasant, crunchy exterior, replicating the essence of a classic cheesecake in every bite. Perfect for a unique holiday offering.

Small Batch Eggless Chocolate Cheesecake Cookies

Yield 8 cookies

For chocolate lovers, these Small Batch Eggless Chocolate Cheesecake Cookies are an absolute dream. These decadent chocolate cream cheese cookies are rolled in crushed Oreo crumbs, offering a fantastic textural contrast with a soft, rich interior and a wonderfully crunchy coating. They deliver all the beloved flavors of an Oreo cheesecake in a convenient, small batch cookie format, perfect for a luxurious treat.

Peanut Butter Cookie Cups (Small Batch)

Yield 8 cookie cups

These Small Batch Peanut Butter Cookie Cups are an utterly irresistible treat, perfectly combining the beloved flavors of rich chocolate and creamy peanut butter in a single, delightful bite. They are incredibly easy to make and offer a satisfying balance of sweet and salty. For a festive holiday presentation, don’t forget to decorate them with vibrant red and green sprinkles while the chocolate is still warm.

Peanut Butter Molasses Cookies

Yield 1 dozen

These nutty Small Batch Peanut Butter Molasses Cookies are a delightful blend of comforting flavors, perfectly capturing the essence of the holiday season. They boast a wonderfully soft and chewy interior, beautifully contrasted with a slightly crisp exterior. The rich, earthy notes of molasses paired with creamy peanut butter create a uniquely satisfying taste that will be a standout addition to your festive cookie tray.

Peanut Butter Nutella Crinkles

Yield 1 dozen

Why choose between peanut butter and Nutella when you can have both? These incredible Peanut Butter Nutella Crinkles offer the best of both worlds, combining creamy peanut butter with rich, chocolatey hazelnut spread in a soft, fudgy crinkle cookie. Each cookie is rolled in powdered sugar before baking, creating a beautiful crackled finish and an utterly irresistible blend of flavors and textures.

Small Batch Brownie Cookies

Yield 9 cookies

If you’re torn between a brownie and a cookie, these chewy and fudgy Small Batch Brownie Cookies offer the best of both worlds! They truly taste like rich, decadent brownies in a convenient cookie form, delivering an unbelievably intense chocolate experience. This is all thanks to a secret ingredient that ensures maximum chocolate flavor and a perfectly soft, gooey center. A must-try for any chocoholic.

Small Batch Brown Sugar Cinnamon Coconut Cookies

Yield 9 cookies

These Small Batch Brown Sugar Cinnamon Coconut Cookies offer a delightful texture and inviting warmth. They are perfectly spiced coconut cookies, featuring crispy edges that yield to a wonderfully chewy middle. The brown sugar adds a deep, caramel-like sweetness, while cinnamon infuses a cozy holiday aroma. These unique cookies are a tropical yet festive addition to your baking list.

Small Batch Soft Orange Cookies

Yield 9 cookies

Bring a burst of citrusy sunshine to your holiday season with these delicate and fruity Small Batch Soft Orange Cookies. Made with the delightful essence of orange marmalade, these cookies are incredibly tender and flavorful. They are beautifully complemented by a luscious Orange Cream Cheese Frosting, creating a bright and invigorating treat that offers a refreshing contrast to traditional richer holiday desserts.

Soft Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Yield 9 cookies

Tired of the fuss of rolling and cutting out sugar cookie dough? These Soft Chocolate Sugar Cookies are your perfect solution! This recipe eliminates the need for cookie cutters, offering a wonderfully soft and chewy chocolate-flavored cookie that’s incredibly easy to make. Simply drop and bake, then decorate with colorful Christmas sprinkles for a festive and utterly delicious treat without the extra effort.