❤️💚 Christmas Sprinkle Cookies
These Christmas Sprinkle Cookies are sweet, tender little treats with a delicate cream cheese texture, a hint of vanilla, and a festive coating of colorful holiday sprinkles. Made with cream cheese and shortening, they have a soft, delicate crumb and a wonderfully rich flavor.
They’re easy to prepare, beautifully festive, and perfect for Christmas cookie trays, holiday parties, cookie exchanges, or homemade edible gifts.
Recipe Information
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Chilling Time: 30 minutes, optional
- Bake Time: 10–13 minutes
- Total Time: About 1 hour
- Yield: 18–22 small cookies
- Difficulty: Easy
- Method: Oven-baked
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 3 oz (85 g) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup (95 g) vegetable shortening
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, sifted
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Christmas Decoration
- ⅓–½ cup (55–85 g) Christmas sprinkles, preferably red, green, and white
- Optional: extra festive sanding sugar
Instructions
1. Prepare the Oven and Baking Sheet
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Set aside.
2. Cream the Cream Cheese and Shortening
Place the softened cream cheese and shortening in a large mixing bowl.
Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat on medium speed for approximately 2 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Add the Sugar
Add the granulated sugar to the cream cheese mixture.
Beat for another 1–2 minutes, until well combined and slightly fluffy.
Avoid overbeating, as too much incorporated air can cause the cookies to spread unevenly.
4. Add the Egg Yolk and Vanilla
Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract.
Mix until fully incorporated and smooth.
The egg yolk adds richness and helps give the cookies their tender texture.
5. Add the Flour and Salt
In a separate bowl, combine the sifted flour and kosher salt.
Gradually add this mixture to the wet ingredients.
Mix on low speed just until a soft dough forms.
The dough should be tender and easy to shape. Avoid adding extra flour unless the dough is genuinely too sticky to handle.
6. Chill the Dough if Needed
If the dough feels very soft, cover the bowl and refrigerate it for 20–30 minutes.
Chilling firms the shortening and cream cheese, making the dough easier to roll and helping the cookies retain their shape.
7. Shape the Cookies
Place the Christmas sprinkles in a shallow bowl.
Scoop small portions of dough, approximately 1 tablespoon each, and gently roll them into balls.
Roll each dough ball through the sprinkles, pressing lightly so the decorations adhere to the surface.
Arrange the cookies on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches (5 cm) between them.
8. Flatten Slightly
Gently press each cookie ball with your fingertips or the bottom of a small glass to flatten it slightly.
Avoid pressing too firmly; the cookies should retain a little thickness for a soft center.
If you prefer a rounded, puffy appearance, you can leave the dough balls unflattened.
9. Bake
Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven.
Bake for 10–13 minutes, depending on the size of the cookies.
The cookies should look set, with the bottoms just beginning to turn lightly golden. The tops will generally remain pale.
Do not wait for the tops to brown deeply, as that can make the cookies dry.
10. Cool the Cookies
Remove the baking sheet from the oven.
Let the cookies cool on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
They will be delicate while warm but will firm up as they cool.
Allow them to cool completely before storing or arranging them in gift boxes.
11. Serve
Arrange the cooled cookies on a festive serving platter.
For an extra-pretty holiday presentation, mix different sizes of red, green, and white sprinkles or add a light dusting of festive sanding sugar.
Serve with hot chocolate, coffee, tea, or cold milk.
Chef’s Tips
- Use softened cream cheese: Room-temperature cream cheese blends smoothly and prevents lumps.
- Measure the flour correctly: Too much flour can make these small cookies dry and crumbly.
- Use vegetable shortening: It helps create a tender texture and can help the cookies retain their shape.
- Don’t overmix the dough: Once the flour is incorporated, stop mixing.
- Chill soft dough: This makes shaping easier and reduces excessive spreading.
- Use sprinkles that tolerate baking: Some decorative toppings may lose color or bleed slightly in the oven.
- Don’t overbake: The cookies should remain mostly pale, with only lightly golden bottoms.
- Allow them to cool: They become more stable as they cool, making them easier to handle.
Delicious Variations
❤️ Red and Green Sprinkle Cookies
Use separate bowls of red and green sprinkles for a classic Christmas color combination.
🍫 Chocolate Sprinkle Cookies
Add 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder to the flour for a subtle chocolate flavor, reducing the flour slightly to compensate.
🍋 Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies
Add 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest to the dough for a fresh citrus note.
🌈 Rainbow Sprinkle Cookies
Replace the Christmas sprinkles with rainbow-colored sprinkles for birthdays and celebrations throughout the year.
🍬 Peppermint Christmas Cookies
Add ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract to the dough and decorate with crushed peppermint candies suitable for baking.
🤍 White Chocolate-Dipped Cookies
Once the cookies have cooled, dip half of each cookie in melted white chocolate and decorate with red and green sprinkles before the coating sets.
Make-Ahead Instructions
Prepare the dough up to 2 days ahead and store it in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator.
When ready to bake, let it soften slightly if it is too firm to scoop.
You can also roll the dough into balls ahead of time, refrigerate them on a covered tray, then roll them in sprinkles and bake when needed.
Storage
Store the completely cooled cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, since they contain cream cheese.
For the best texture, let them stand at room temperature briefly before serving.
Freezing
Freeze baked and cooled cookies in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Separate layers with parchment paper to protect the sprinkles.
Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature until ready to serve.
You can also freeze the unbaked dough balls, then thaw them in the refrigerator before coating with sprinkles and baking.
Serving Suggestions
These festive cookies are perfect for:
- Christmas cookie trays
- Holiday parties
- Cookie exchanges
- Homemade edible gifts
- Christmas dessert tables
- School holiday celebrations
- Afternoon tea
- Hot chocolate evenings
For a beautiful homemade gift, stack the cookies in a decorative tin with parchment paper between layers and finish with a festive ribbon.
Final Result
Delightfully tender Christmas Sprinkle Cookies with a creamy, buttery flavor, a soft delicate crumb, and a cheerful coating of red, green, and white decorations. Simple to make and lovely to share, these festive little cookies bring a touch of homemade sweetness to every Christmas celebration.