Kitchen hack for holiday baking: make four Christmas cookies from one basic dough with this recipe. Prepare the dough ahead of time, freeze and bake later!
Can you believe that it’s almost November and the holidays will be here before we know it! Everyone knows that one of the best things about the holiday season is all of the homemade goodies. We love baking and we love sharing, but then we run into time crunches.
Between working, shopping, parties and time with family and friends, it’s now always easy to make something homemade. So, today I am excited to share a kitchen hack just in time for holiday baking.
You can use this recipe to make four kinds of Christmas cookies from one basic dough. And the best part is that you prepare the dough ahead of time, freeze the dough and it is ready to bake whenever you want it.
Disclaimer: This post contains links to products for making this recipe. If you use those links, I may earn a commission. Learn more here.
Four Christmas Cookies From One Basic Dough Recipe
Step One:
Make the basic sugar cookie dough.
In a large stand mixer, combine butter and shortening. Cream in the sugars until light in color and fluffier in texture about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the eggs and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir the flour mixture into the creamed sugars.
Step Two:
Separate the dough into four bowls, about two cups in each bowl. Add the extra ingredients to each separate bowl following the instructions below.
Step Three:
Scoop tablespoon sized balls of cookie dough. Place in freezer for a couple of hours, until firm, and then put into freezer bags or containers. Store in freezer until ready to use.
Step Four:
Remove cookie dough balls from freezer. Place on a parchment covered baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 9-11 minutes.
Frosted Sugar Cookies
Step One:
For the first of the four Christmas cookies from one basic dough, start with 1/4 of the basic sugar cookie dough which is about two cups.
Step Two:
Scoop tablespoon sized balls of cookie dough, roll into balls and coat in granulated sugar.
Place sugar cookie dough balls in the freezer for a couple of hours, until firm, and then put into freezer bags or containers. Store in freezer until ready to use.
Step Three:
Remove cookie dough balls from freezer. Place on a parchment covered baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 9-11 minutes.
Step Four:
Cool and decorate with green buttercream frosting and sprinkles.
Double Chocolate Cookies
Step One:
For the second of the four Christmas cookies from one basic dough, start with 1/4 of the basic sugar cookie dough which is about two cups.
Step Two:
Mix melted and cooled chocolate and the semi-sweet chocolate chips into the basic sugar cookie dough.
Scoop tablespoon sized balls of cookie dough. Place double chocolate cookie dough balls in the freezer for a couple of hours, until firm, and then put into freezer bags or containers. Store in freezer until ready to use.
Step Three:
Remove cookie dough balls from freezer. Place on a parchment covered baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 9-11 minutes.
Step Four:
Cool and drizzle with melted chocolate chips.
White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
Step One:
For the third of the four Christmas cookies from one basic dough, start with 1/4 of the basic sugar cookie dough which is about two cups.
Step Two:
Mix white chocolate chips and dried cranberries into the basic sugar cookie dough.
Scoop tablespoon sized balls of cookie dough. Place white chocolate cranberry cookie dough balls in the freezer for a couple of hours, until firm, and then put into freezer bags or containers. Store in freezer until ready to use.
Step Three:
Remove cookie dough balls from freezer. Place on a parchment covered baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 9-11 minutes.
Peppermint Sugar Cookies
Step One:
For the fourth of the four Christmas cookies from one basic dough, start with 1/4 of the basic sugar cookie dough which is about two cups.
Step Two:
Mix crushed candy canes and flour into the basic sugar cookie dough. Add a couple of drops of red food coloring, if desired.
Scoop tablespoon sized balls of cookie dough. Place peppermint sugar cookie dough balls in the freezer for a couple of hours, until firm, and then put into freezer bags or containers. Store in freezer until ready to use.
Step Three:
Remove cookie dough balls from freezer. Place on a parchment covered baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 9-11 minutes.
Step Four:
Cool and decorate with peppermint buttercream and crushed candy canes.
Four Christmas Cookies From One Basic Dough FAQs
1. How do you make evenly sized cookies? Use a one tablespoon-sized dough scoop to make this step easier and to make the dough balls the same size so that they will bake evenly and look better on a tray.
2. What if I don’t have a cookie dough scoops? Use rounded tablespoons of dough instead.
3. Any baking tips you can share? Cover the baking sheets with parchment paper so that cookies will easily slide off and to make clean-up a little easier!
4. Does the cookie dough HAVE to be frozen first or can I bake the cookies right away? You can bake the cookies right away!
5. Can I bake the cookies right from the freezer? Yes, the cookie dough is baked directly from the freezer without thawing them first.
6. Would the cookies still be good if I skipped the frosting? Yes! If you are short on time, you can skip the frosting and sprinkles on the cookies.
Want More Cookie Recipes? Try One of These Next:
These Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups made with sugar cookie dough are filled with hot chocolate ganache, have a pretzel handle and mini marshmallows on top!
Turtle Cookies are Ritz crackers filled with creamy caramel, coated in chocolate and topped with chopped pecans!
Classic Pecan Snowball Cookies from Life Made Sweeter are the perfect treat for your holiday cookie platter. Best of all, these popular favorites come together so easy.
Christmas Tree Cookies from I Am Baker are an adorable stack of sugar cookies with green frosting to make a tree!
This Christmas cookie recipe for Chocolate Peppermint Stuffed Cookies, stuffed with peppermint patties, are sure to become a holiday favorite.
Our Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies are chewy, gooey and slightly crisp on the outside. This easy recipe results in flatter cookies that taste amazing!
Four Christmas Cookies From One Basic Dough
Ingredients
Basic Sugar Cookie Dough:
- 1 1/2 cups butter softened
- 2/3 cups shortening
- 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 4 tsp vanilla
- 4 3/4 cups flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
Sugar Cookies:
- 2 cups basic sugar cookie dough
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups green buttercream frosting
- 2 tbsp sprinkles
Chocolate Cookies:
- 2 cups basic sugar cookie dough
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips melted
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips melted for drizzle, optional
White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies:
- 2 cups basic sugar cookie dough
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
Peppermint Sugar Cookies:
- 2 cups basic sugar cookie dough
- 4 tbsp crushed candy canes
- 2 tbsp flour
- red food coloring optional
- 2 cups peppermint buttercream frosting optional
- 2 tbsp crushed candy canes optional
Instructions
Basic Sugar Cookie Dough:
- In a large stand mixer, combine butter and shortening.
- Cream in the sugars until light in color and fluffier in texture about 2-3 minutes.
- Mix in the eggs and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.
- Stir the flour mixture into the creamed sugars.
- Separate the dough into four bowls, about two cups in each bowl.
- Add the extra ingredients to each separate bowl following the instructions below.
- Scoop tablespoon sized balls of cookie dough.
- If making ahead of time, place the cookie dough balls in the freezer for a couple of hours, until firm, and then put into freezer bags or containers. Store in freezer until ready to use.
- If ready to bake immediately, skip placing the cookie dough balls in the freezer and bake right away. Since this recipe makes a large number of cookies, store the additional cookie dough in the fridge until ready to use.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 9-11 minutes (fresh dough or frozen).
Sugar Cookies:
- Scoop tablespoon sized balls of cookie dough, roll into balls and coat in granulated sugar.
- Cool and decorate with green buttercream frosting and sprinkles.
Chocolate Cookies:
- Mix the melted and cooled chocolate and the semi-sweet chocolate chips into the basic sugar cookie dough.
- Cool and drizzle with melted chocolate chips.
White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies:
- Mix the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries into the basic sugar cookie dough.
Peppermint Sugar Cookies:
- Mix the crushed candy canes and flour into the basic sugar cookie dough. Add a couple of drops of red food coloring, if desired.
- Cool and decorate with peppermint buttercream and crushed candy canes.
Aashika says
I used these cookies straight out of the freezer they spread and burnt or were raw in the middle with less cook time. I tried with parchment and without. It was highly disappointing. I love baking and this recipe had me so excited but what a disappointment it turned out to be. What can I possibly do? I measured everything perfectly combined and still these are the worse cookies I have ever made or turned out.
Tonia says
Hello Aashika,
I’m so sorry to hear that your results so disappointing! Maybe try thawing the cookies before baking them? Did you use all butter instead of the combination of butter and shortening? My SIL did that this year while making gingersnaps and they spread way too much. I’ve also learned that different brands of butter contain different amounts of water which can affect the results. I would also suggest checking how long you’ve had your baking soda. For baking purposes, it only lasts 6 months once it has been opened. Finally, the only other thing I can think of is that you need to add a little more flour. To do so you’d need to thaw the dough balls and return them to the mixing bowl to add a little more flour to the dough.
Warmly,
Tonia
April Stegeman says
Has anyone tried rolling out the dough and using it with cookie cutters? Hoping it can work for that too???
Sarah says
April, it works great!!
I made the dough and put it in a container and stuck it in the fridge. Anytime my daughter had friends over, we would take a bit of the dough out, roll it out, cut shapes, and bake.
Tonia says
That’s fantastic! Thank you for coming back to share that with us!
Martha says
Could I make red velvet crinkle cookies and or gingerbread cookies?
Tonia says
Hi Martha,
Can you believe I’ve never made red velvet crinkle cookies? I’ve never tested either recipe with this dough so I’m not sure if you can or not.
Warmly,
~Tonia
Sheri says
Can these be rolled into a log shape and cut into slices?
Tonia says
Hi Sheri,
Yes, that should work. You’ll want to refrigerate the log of dough before cutting it into slices.
~Tonia
Sharon says
Can you freeze the finished cookies?
Tonia says
Definitely! I’ve done that several times. You store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to two months. Happy Baking! ~Tonia
Linda says
I don’t have a stand mixer. Can these be made in a food processor?
Thanks
Tonia says
I’m sorry but I don’t have any experience making cookies in a food processor. Mine is small and could never handle this recipe but I know there are bigger/nicer ones than what I have.
Talia says
I made these with a hand mixer and wooden spoon, since I don’t hve a standing mixer either. They turned out amazing!
Carrie Newman says
I have Celiac, so even the thought of making cookies sends shivers down my spine! Now that many companies have come out with 1-1 gluten free flour, I decided to give your recipes a try. While I made mine GF, my daughter made regular cookies. Happy to say that all of the cookies turned out great. We loved the ease of varying the flavors of the cookies. We had a great day of Christmas cookie fun!!
Tonia says
Hi Carrie,
Thank you for sharing your experience! It’s great to know that the 1-1 gluten free flour worked!
Happy Baking,
Tonia
Jocelyn says
Does this recipe make 120 cookies as stated?
Tonia says
Hi Jocelyn,
Yes, that is how many it makes if you use a one tablespoon sized dough scoop and make each scoop of dough level. If you heap the dough in the scoop or use two spoons to scoop the dough the number of cookies will vary.
Happy Baking,
~Tonia
Lish says
Do you HAVE to freeze the dough before you bake or can you make it all fresh?
Tonia says
Hi Lish,
Nope, you can bake the cookies right away! I would suggest leaving the extra dough in the fridge so that it doesn’t get too warm. Warmer cookie batter will spread more during baking.
Enjoy!
~Tonia
Tndjrkdmmek says
I think these would be good dipped in hot choclate
pmotjmm says
Just to be sure I’m understanding: You make the 4 variations, scoop into balls, and freeze the raw dough balls, then when you are ready to bake them, you defrost first and then bake at 375?
Tonia says
They can go straight from the freezer to the oven without the need to defrost them. Enjoy!
Caitlyn says
If I leave out the cranberries on the cranberry and white chocolate 1, will it taste like white chocolate? Can I use a cookie cutter and cut them out?
Ruth Pittmon says
We live at 7500 feet. Are there recipe changes for high elevation?
Alexis says
Any substitutions for shortening?
Alies Keogh says
Coconut oil is what I’m going to try! =parts
Also I found butter or margarine same ratio as I am in Zambia and have not found shortening here.
Michelle Reno says
Have made all of these and they all turned out fabulous. one thing I tried was adding 1 tsp of lemon zest to the cranberry ones and they turned out amaZING.
Cece says
Why do you use brown sugar? I have never made sugar cookies with brown sugar
Tonia says
Hello Cece,
I wanted it to be a versatile dough for different kinds of cookies. In my Best Sugar Cookie Recipe, I use all granulated sugar if you prefer that one: https://www.thegunnysack.com/best-sugar-cookie-recipe/
Happy Baking,
~Tonia
Jessica says
How high should the oven be preheated?
Michelle Reno says
Oven should be preheated to 375 degrees.
Kyra says
I’ve made this recipe twice now with awesome results both times! Love the chocolate, white chocolate and sugar cookies variations. Have yet to try the peppermint but plan to. This has definitely become a go to recipe for me, thanks so much for sharing!
Bethany says
Hi Tonia,
Can you freeze a roll of dough & later ‘slice & bake’these? How would it affect the outcome?
Thanks 🙂
Bethany
Tonia says
I’ve never tried that but I would guess you would get the same results! Best of luck! ~Tonia
Kayla says
They were super yummy! But all of mine came out hard </3
Debbie Zambos says
Most likely the reason they were hard is they were over baked. Sugar cookies are best baked just until you think they aren’t quite ready, I baked mine at 350 for 9 minutes and they were perfect.
Liz says
Do u bake the cookies from frozen?
Tonia says
Yes! 🙂
Ann M. says
I tried this today! When I initially made the dough (about 2 months ago) I baked some of it, rolled the rest into balls and froze them. Today I took out a few frozen dough balls, let them defrost for about 10 mins just sitting on the kitchen counter, pressed them down gently, and baked at 375 degrees for 10 mins. They came out even BETTER than when I baked the dough fresh 🙂
Nonna says
Tonia, these look great. I will be making these for a Christmas Sunday School party soon and was wondering how the peppermint cookies became pink. Did you add red food coloring to the mix? All of the cookies look good and will be pretty on a platter.
Thank you for your help.
God bless,
diana says
i was wondering the same thing!
Sue says
Do you have a good recipe for frosting, I haven’t found a good one yet.
Elizabeth says
Any way to make this with butter? Is it the same amount of shortening?
Kelly says
I’m wondering the same thing! Did you end up making it with all butter?
Juli says
Any other variation suggestions besides the peppermint ones? Don’t care for peppermint desserts!
Cheri says
I made the peppermint ones, but was too lazy to make frosting for the sugar cookies. I made snickersoodles instead.
Add cinnamon to the sugar cookie mix, roll into 1″ balls and cover in a mix of sugar and cinnamon.
Ann says
How far in advance should one make these if giving them as gifts?
Tonia says
As close to the time you will be giving them away as possible. Best of luck! ~Tonia
Matt says
I think it would be a god idea to dip these in hot cocoa
Janis says
I’m sorry, I don’t see the amount of flour listed in the recipe.
Tonia says
Hi Janis,
It’s 4 3/4 cups of flour. You can also try looking at the recipe via this link: https://www.thegunnysack.com/easyrecipe-print/14449-0/ Maybe the font will show up on your screen.
Happy Baking!
~Tonia