These easy Christmas sprinkle slice and bake cookies are buttery and tender. They’re the perfect Christmas cookie for prepping ahead of time and look beautiful on your holiday cookie tray dipped in chocolate and topped with more sprinkles.
Slice & bake cookies are a Christmas cookie favorite of mine because they can easily be prepped ahead of time and the dough lasts in the fridge for days or the freezer for months. This Christmas sprinkle version makes for a delicious Christmas cookie because they look extra festive and have a buttery, vanilla flavor. They’re firm, a little crunchy and almost tender in texture – making them slightly reminiscent of shortbread in texture.
I love to dip them in chocolate and add extra sprinkles on top, but they’re equally delicious left plain if you want to save time and want something slightly less sweet.
Making Slice & Bake Cookies
These cookies are very straight forward to make and require just a few simple ingredients. There are a few key notes to know about this recipe:
- The butter should be softened but still slightly firm to the touch. You don’t want the butter melted as the cookies will not hold their shape as well.
- When beating the butter and sugars together, do not overmix. This can actually harm the integrity of the cookies and cause them to spread as they bake.
- Adding a little almond extract really improves the flavor.
- The dough shouldn’t feel overly sticky to the touch. If it’s really sticking to your fingers, then mix in 1 to 2 extra tablespoons of flour.
- Very carefully fold in the sprinkles into the dough using a rubber spatula. Do not stir vigorously or use an electric mixer – otherwise the sprinkles can bleed color into the dough.
- After making the dough, you’ll spoon the dough onto a piece of wax paper and form into a log shape. Then wrap the log in the wax paper and twist the ends. You want to pack the dough tightly as you form it into the log shape.
- Chilling the dough is mandatory. If the dough isn’t chilled, the cookies won’t hold together and you really can slice the log.
- Do not let the log warm up before slicing and baking. Again, the cookies will lose their shape.
Make Ahead & Freezing Tips
It wouldn’t be a proper Christmas cookie recipe if there weren’t proper make ahead tips. Because the dough needs to chill for at least 4 hours before baking, then recipe is perfect for prepping ahead of time.
- The dough log can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- The wrapped log can also be placed in a freezer bag and frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then slice and bake the next day.
- Baked and cooled cookies can be placed in a freezer bag or freezer container and frozen for up to 2 months. I recommend placing a sheet of wax paper between layers of cookies to avoid them sticking together. Then thaw in the fridge and bring to room temperature. I don’t recommend freezing the cookies after being dipped in chocolate because the chocolate can discolor in the freezer. It’s still safe to eat, but won’t look as pretty on your cookie tray.
Tender, buttery, filled with sprinkles and dipped in chocolate – these Christmas sprinkle slice and bake cookies are a great recipe to try if you want something delicious but not too sweet. And because the recipe is designed to be prepped ahead of time, they’re also great for getting organized with your holiday baking.
And for more sprinkle-filled Christmas recipes, then be sure to try:
- Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Holiday Sprinkle Cookies – these are a soft and chewy sprinkle cookie
- Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars – perfect for if you love soft and tender sugar cookies
Christmas Sprinkle Slice and Bake Cookies
Equipment
- Cookie Sheets
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (168 grams) slightly softened, still slightly firm to the touch
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- ¼ cup brown sugar (52 grams) I used light
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (250 grams)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch AKA cornflour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup sprinkles
- 8 ounces chocolate (226 grams) finely chopped
- sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until combined and creamy - about 1-2 minutes.
- Beat in the egg, vanilla extract and almond extract until combined.
- Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Add in the flour, cornstarch and salt. Beat together, starting with the mixer on a low speed and gradually increasing to medium speed until combined.
- Carefully fold in the ¼ cup sprinkles using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Do not beat in the sprinkles with the electric mixer, as this can cause the sprinkles to bleed color.
- Place a large sheet of wax paper on the kitchen counter and spoon/dump the cookie dough onto the wax paper.
- Form the dough into a log shape about 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter. Think of packing the dough tightly as you form it into the log. Wrap the log in the wax paper and twist the edges to seal.
- Place the log in the fridge for at least 4 hours or up to 5 days. Optionally, place the wrapped log in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F (180C). If your log is frozen, take it out of the freezer and let it thaw in the fridge overnight the day before you plan to bake. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or baking mats. Take the log out of the fridge and place on a cutting board. Unwrap the log and slice into cookies about ¼ to ⅓ inch thick with a thin, sharp knife. I get about 30 cookies.
- Place the cookies about 1 inch apart on the lined cookie sheets and bake 1 sheet at a time in the preheated oven for about 14-16 minutes or until the tops look set and the edges are starting to turn golden brown. While one cookie tray is baking, return the unbaked cookies to the fridge so that they don't warm up too much.
- Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheets.
- Finely chop the chocolate. Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Melt in the microwave in 45-second intervals on medium power (not high power, which is often the default) and stir between each interval. Alternatively, melt in a double boiler over gently simmering water.
- Dip ½ of each cooking in chocolate. I often use the back of a spoon to simply paint ½ of each cookie. Then place on a wire rack or the cookie tray for the chocolate to harden. Add a few extra sprinkles to the top of each cookie.
Notes
- Flour: Measure carefully. Whisk first then spoon into a dry measuring cup and level off the top. Alternatively, measuring with a scale in grams.
- Almond Extract: While the cookies will turn out without almond extract, it really improves the flavor. You can find almond extract in the baking aisle of the grocery store near the vanilla extract.
- Chilling the Dough: Chilling the dough is absolutely necessary for this recipe. If you don't chill the dough, the log will be too soft to slice and the cookies won't hold their shape.
- Storage: Store baking and cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Nutrition: Details provided are an estimate only and based on 1 cookie with chocolate, assuming the recipe yields 30 uniform cookies with chocolate topping.
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