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! Sponsored by Frigidaire Gallery®.
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.
The Frigidaire Gallery® Double Wall Oven would be wonderful for baking the frozen cookie dough because it can preheat in just minutes meaning you can have freshly baked cookies sooner!
Plus, the Frigidaire Gallery® oven features True Convection which provides faster multi-rack baking, with more-even results so you can bake more than one pan of cookies at a time.
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 Tips
1. 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. Cover the baking sheets with parchment paper so that cookies will easily slide off and to make clean-up a little easier!
3. If you are short on time, you can skip the frosting and sprinkles on the cookies.
4. Yes, the cookie dough is baked directly from the freezer without thawing them first.
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!
- 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
- 2 cups basic sugar cookie dough
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups green buttercream frosting
- 2 tbsp sprinkles
- 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
- 2 cups basic sugar cookie dough
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 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
-
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.
-
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.
-
Bake at 375 degrees for 9-11 minutes.
-
Scoop tablespoon sized balls of cookie dough, roll into balls and coat in granulated sugar.
-
Cool and decorate with green buttercream frosting and sprinkles.
-
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.
-
Mix the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries into the basic sugar cookie dough.
-
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.
You substitute premade sugar cookie dough instead of making your own to make things even easier!
Learning new kitchen life hacks for the holidays can help you save time in the kitchen, leaving you more time to spend with your family and friends. This recipe for four Christmas cookies from one basic dough is the perfect thing to have in your freezer, ready-to-bake in a Frigidaire Gallery® Double Wall Oven whenever you need them!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Frigidaire Gallery®. All opinions expressed are 100% mine.
Hi, I'm Tonia, a lover of food and photography! Fill a gunny sack with delicious ingredients, tie on an apron and let's get cooking
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?
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
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?
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
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