This Small-batch Giant Christmas Cookies recipe makes six perfect and sprinkle-covered sugar cookies.
Happy Tuesday, everyone! How were your Thanksgivings and Black Fridays? Was your turkey excellent? Did you buy anything fun?
I spent Thanksgiving with the people in this world I’m most thankful for and skipped shopping on Friday to go see Moana with the family, so mine were both A++.
And now that Thanksgiving is over, that means we are squarely in Christmas territory! I already started posting Christmas recipes last week with my Small-batch Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercream, but this week we are really kicking things off with some small-batch Christmas cookies!
This week and next, I’ll be posting some small-batch Christmas cookies for those of us who aren’t baking for a crowd this holiday season. Each of these recipes makes just half a dozen, which is just perfect for you and Santa. 🙂
First up Small-batch Giant Christmas Cookies, and oh man, my taste testers went crazy over these (and I’m pretty fond of them too).
The base ingredients are nearly identical to my Chai Sugar Cookies With Eggnog Glaze, but by changing the way they are mixed, you get a completely different cookie.
For this recipe, all the wet ingredients and the sugar get creamed so they are nice and smooth before you add in the flour and other dry ingredients. This means that the cookie comes out of the oven with a craggy texture and slightly crunchy exterior that just melts in your mouth when you bite into it.
Add the extra crunch of sugary sprinkles, and these are the ultimate Christmas sugar cookie experience!
Small-batch Giant Christmas Cookies Notes
- Chilling time is not optional. If you don’t chill your dough, you will have cookie puddles, not cookies!
- Make sure to space the cookies out as far as you can. These are big cookies, and they spread when baked.
Small-batch Giant Christmas Cookie
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (2oz) unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (30g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour measured by weight or using the spoon and sweep method*
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Sprinkles for rolling
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, cream butter, oil, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, vanilla, and egg yolk until completely incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add flour, baking soda, cream of tarter, and salt and mix until just combined. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours, up to 24, until dough is firm enough to handle.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
- Divide dough into 6 evenly sized balls. Roll in sprinkles and place on prepared baking sheet spaced evenly apart. Gently press dough so it is slightly flattened, about 3/4 inch. Bake for 11 to 14 minutes until cookies look set. Cool completely on baking sheet.
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
Sounds like you had a lovely Thanksgiving! I can’t imagine going shopping the day after Thanksgiving so I think you made a good choice there 😉 I wouldn’t be able to deal with the crowds. Crazy, isn’t it?
I absolutely love the name of these cookies – SO cute! And I love that it’s a small batch, perfect for hubby and I 🙂 Pinned! I just started holiday baking this past weekend and now it’s full steam ahead so that’s pretty exciting! Nothing decorated just yet, but maybe outside stuff this weekend. I don’t like to put thing up too early. Hope you have a great week, Tracy!
Tracy says
Black Friday is SO crazy! I genuinely don’t know how anyone does it. The crowds just make me want to climb walls!
Thanks for pinning! I am so happy it’s holiday baking season. Totally my favorite time of year. 🙂
Platter Talk says
Great recipe! It will help keep me in “check” when I have a craving for cookies, but don’t have 4 doz. to contend with. Also perfect to make just enough for the family dessert. : )
Tracy says
Exactly! 4 dozen sugar cookies and me is bad business. 😉
Julie says
Such a great idea to give for gifts this holiday season. Pretty and delicious cookies are always welcome.
Tracy says
Thanks, Julie! I do think cookies make the best gifts. 😉
Karen @ Seasonal Cravings says
I love the small batch cookie idea. This is the perfect amount for my family with no leftovers. Who needs leftovers to eat all day long? I have no self control so not me. I will be trying these!
Tracy says
Ha! You and I are in exactly the same boat!! Smaller batches = waaaay less temptation, which is good for me. 🙂
Shinee says
Wow, those cookies look so great! I’d eat half of the batch in one sitting! As for the shopping, I ordered way too much online… Waiting for all the packages arrive in the next week or so. 🙂
Tracy says
Thanks, Shinee!! I did take advantage of some of the online sales, so I’m waiting on packages too. Like early Christmas! 😉
Lisa | Garlic & Zest says
We’re down to me and my husband since my daughter left for college – so small batches make sense for us. These look phenomenal!
Tracy says
Thanks, Lisa!!
Britt @ Sweet Tea & Thyme says
My husband will love these! Sugar cookies are his favorite, but he will freak over these giant ones.
Tracy says
Hehe, the giantness just makes them that much more fun! 😉
Ashley says
The base of these sound like a snickerdoodle. If I rolled them in cinnamon sugar, is that what they would taste like?
Tracy says
Hi, Ashley. Yes. They’ll taste like snickerdoodles, but the texture will be a bit different. These cookies are a little thinner and crispier than my ideal snickerdoodle (this is my favorite snickerdoodle recipe, but it’s not small batch: https://bakingmischief.com/2015/12/17/snickerdoodle-cookie-sandwiches-with-eggnog-buttercream-filling/ ), but if you don’t mind a slightly crispier cookie, do it! 😉
Samantha says
Hi there! I’ve made these cookies three times now I have some questions. First off, they’re delicious, which is why I keep making them. The flavor is seriously great. But these cookies don’t come out thin and crispy/chewy for me. They come out very thick and almost cakey. As a side note I’ve spent ages trying to figuring out how to get some of my cookie recipes to stay this thick and chewy and was so excited to take some notes from this recipe to bring back to some of my others). But I’m wondering what I could be doing differently than you’ve done here. Seems like there’s something off in the leavening. Maybe a baking powder/baking soda swap? Or could I be mixing too little/long in the first step? They spread a bit, but they just don’t spread nearly as wide as yours in the picture.
Thanks!
Oh and FYI one time I made them and didn’t realize I was out of cream of tartar. I swapped a little white vinegar in its place and it really boosted the flavor!
Tracy says
Hi, Samantha. Thanks! I’m so glad you enjoy them, and I’m going to have to try your vinegar tip! I’m guessing that the reason your cookies are coming out thicker is the amount of flour you’re using. If you’re measuring your cup of flour by scooping it out with a measuring cup, the amount of flour you’re picking up can actually vary a ton because of the way the flour gets compressed. If you have a kitchen scale, try weighing out exactly 120 grams of flour for a cup OR if you don’t have one, stir your flour in the container to fluff it up and then spoon it into your 1-cup measuring cup and use the flat of a knife to sweep any excess off the top. It should vastly change the texture of your cookie. Hope that helps!