Love to bake cookies from scratch? Here are the Best Small Batch Christmas Cookie Recipes to add to your cookie tray this holiday season.
With December around the corner, that means one thing.
Start getting your ovens ready for the Best Small Batch Christmas Cookie Recipes! All of these recipes are from scratch. No premade cookie mix or dough here.
Now small batch Christmas cookies may seem like an oxymoron, but let me explain.
Holiday baking isn’t about making one batch of cookies. It’s about making multiple cookie recipes then creating a cookie tray afterwards.
When I posted my guide on how to make the best Christmas cookie tray, I mentioned how baking small batches of your favorite cookies makes cookie trays more manageable.
So although 1 dozen may not be enough for hosting, making several recipes as a whole is.
And there is no obligation to host with a cookie tray!
If you’re like me where you want to bake gingerbread cookies but don’t want to spend all day chilling, rolling, and cutting, make a half batch then get on with your day.
This list is made up of my favorite small batch cookie recipes. Some are unique Christmas cookies, like cherry snowballs. Others are among the most popular and most traditional, like chocolate chip.
Most recipes make about 1 dozen cookies or less. I do have some snowball cookies that make around 15 or so, but they’re smaller than the average cookie.
Before I get to the recipes, I want to address a few of your cookie troubleshooting questions.
How do you decorate cookies for Christmas?
The most popular way to decorate Christmas cookies is with cookie cutters, but what about those recipes that aren’t cut out cookies?
One way is to decorate with red and green sprinkles. As you can see in the photo above, I amped up my basic peanut butter cookie cup recipe by adding sprinkles while the chocolate was warm.
Another way is to use red and green candies, such as M&Ms and chocolate chips.
A third way is to use Christmas cupcake liners for smaller cookies such as chocolate chip snowballs.
How do you make cookies ahead of time?
One of the best ways to reduce stress for the holiday season is to make your cookies ahead of time.
Most cookies can last about 2-3 weeks at room temperature as long as they’re properly stored in an airtight container.
Another option to making cookies ahead of time is to freeze them for up to three months. There are two ways you can freeze cookies:
- Make the dough as directed, scoop into dough balls, then freeze until ready to bake. You’ll still need time to bake and cool before serving, but the majority of the work is already done.
- Bake the cookies fully then freeze after they cool completely. Let them thaw for a few hours before serving.
How to mail Christmas cookies
One of the fun parts about baking Christmas cookies is giving them away as gifts. However, not everybody lives in the same town.
One solution is to ship Christmas cookies in the mail, surprising your recipient with a tasty treat. I share my tips for mailing cookies in another post.
What to do with leftover egg whites?
Because a lot of my small batch cookie recipes use egg yolks, that means you’ll have leftover egg whites.
To cut back on food waste this season, here are some recipes using leftover egg whites:
- Small Batch Flourless Chocolate Cookies – Another cookie option to add to your holiday baking.
- Small Batch Angel Food Cupcakes – When you need a break from all of the cookies.
- Angel Food Cake in a Loaf Pan – This recipe uses 6 egg whites if you’re looking to use up a whole bunch at once.
- Baked Coconut Shrimp – A savory option because you still need to eat dinner.
Best Small Batch Christmas Cookie Recipes
Love to bake cookies from scratch? Here are the Best Small Batch Christmas Cookie Recipes to add to your cookie tray this holiday season.
Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies are soft and chewy, which everyone will enjoy. Use red and green chocolate chips for a more festive look.
Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Cookies
Soft and chewy with a bit of spice and fresh ginger, these small batch Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Cookies will be Santa’s new favorite Christmas cookie.
Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Add some brightness to your cookie tray with soft Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Small Batch Snickerdoodles (Without Cream Of Tartar)
Love cinnamon sugar? These Small Batch Snickerdoodles Without Cream Of Tartar are thick, soft, and chewy cookies rolled in cinnamon and sugar.
Small Batch M&M Cookies
Learn how to make soft and chewy Small Batch M&M Cookies for all of your cookie craving needs! Use red and green M&MS for a Christmas touch.
Small Batch Gingerbread Cookies with Eggless Royal Icing
Small Batch Gingerbread Cookies made without shortening and decorated with an eggless royal icing.
Red Velvet Cut Out Cookies
Change up your typical sugar cookie recipe with Red Velvet Cut Out Cookies! Recipe includes an egg free royal icing.
Chocolate Gingersnap Cookies
Soft and chewy Chocolate Gingersnap Cookies with chocolate chips and spices taste like Christmas wrapped up inside a cookie (and won’t break your teeth).
Chocolate Chip Snowball Cookies
These Chocolate Chip Snowball Cookies are little buttery cookies with a melt in your mouth texture covered in powdered sugar. They are the perfect size for your holiday cookie tray!
Lemon Snowball Cookies
Easy melt-in-your-mouth small batch lemon snowball cookies tossed in powdered sugar. Use mini cupcake liners to add some festive flair.
Cherry Coconut Snowball Cookies
Melt-in-your-mouth cherry almond snowball cookies with a maraschino cherry surprise in the middle and coconut coating
Small Batch Eggless Cheesecake Cookies
Small Batch Cheesecake Cookies are eggless cream cheese cookies rolled in graham cracker crumbs for a nice crunchy texture.
Small Batch Eggless Chocolate Cheesecake Cookies
Small Batch Oreo Cheesecake Cookies are eggless chocolate cream cheese cookies rolled in Oreo crumbs for a nice crunchy texture.
Peanut Butter Cookie Cups (Small Batch)
These Small Batch Peanut Butter Cookie Cups combine both chocolate and peanut butter in one irresistible bite. Decorate with red and green sprinkles for the holiday.
Peanut Butter Molasses Cookies
Soft on the inside, slightly crisp on the outside, these nutty small batch Peanut Butter Molasses Cookies bring the flavors of the season to your holiday cookie tray.
Peanut Butter Nutella Crinkles
Are you Team Peanut Butter or Team Nutella? Now you can have the best of both worlds with these chocolate crinkle cookies made with Nutella and peanut butter!
Small Batch Brownie Cookies
These chewy and fudgy Small Batch Brownie Cookies really do taste like brownies in cookie form and are unbelievably chocolatey thanks to one secret ingredient.
Small Batch Brown Sugar Cinnamon Coconut Cookies
Small Batch Brown Sugar Cinnamon Coconut Cookies are spiced coconut cookies that are crispy on the edges and chewy in the middle.
Small Batch Soft Orange Cookies
Delicate and fruity Small Batch Soft Orange Cookies with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting using orange marmalade
Soft Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Hate cutting out sugar cookies? No need to roll and cut dough with Soft Chocolate Sugar Cookies! Decorate with Christmas sprinkles.
Richard Tunner says
What adorable cookies! I am very eager to make some batches of them for my family and give them to my beloved friends on Christmas Day! Hope you have a nice day!
Carla says
Let me know which recipes you try!