Santa’s Christmas Cookies (Chocolate Chip Cookies)
Jump to RecipeEvery Christmas Eve, the tradition is to make chocolate chip cookies for Santa’s arrival, one of my fondest memories growing up. So, it only made sense to share Santa’s Christmas Cookies, aka his Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies.
😋 Why this recipe works
These cookies are buttery, have soft and chewy centers and crunchy sides, and are filled with chocolate puddles. They are easy to make, and we think you all will love them.
📔 Santa’s Favorite Cookies
Leaving Chocolate Chip Cookies and a glass of milk out for Santa Clause on Christmas Eve is a tradition that began back in the 1930s, during the Great Depression. During that time, when it was economic hardship, parents taught their children that it was important to give to others to show their gratitude for their gifts over the holiday.
🍪 Ingredients
To make Santa’s favorite cookies with a ton of flavor and delicious texture, you will need some simple ingredients, all of which you likely have in your pantry, so let’s dive into what you need to make them this holiday season.
- Room Temperature Unsalted Butter. Butter adds a nice texture to these cookies. If you use salted butter, reduce the salt to 1/4 tsp.
- Brown Sugar. Adding more brown sugar to cookies gives you a chewier, softer, and moist texture. We used light brown sugar in these cookies, but you could also use dark brown sugar.
- Granulated Sugar. White sugar adds more flavor and also helps cookies spread when baking.
- Vanilla Extract. Adding vanilla always adds a nice flavor to cookies; don’t skip it.
- Room Temperature Egg. We only use 1 egg in this recipe to help bind the cookie. Just be sure it’s at room temperature before mixing.
- All-Purpose Flour. These are classic chocolate chip cookies made with regular flour, but to add a nice nutty and soft texture, we also add a couple of tablespoons of Almond Flour.
- Almond Flour. We only use 2 tablespoons, but feel free to omit it altogether if you don’t have any. We love adding Almond Flour for the flavor and texture.
- Milk Powder. This fine powder is the crucial ingredient in this cookie recipe. It makes the cookies extra flavorful. Do not skip it, as it’s a game-changer for cookie recipes. We use King Arthur’s Milk Powder.
- Baking Soda. We add one leavening agent to these cookies for browned, crispy edges and chewy, fluffy interiors.
- Salt. Adding salt brings all the ingredients together nicely for that perfect cookie flavor.
- Chocolate Chips. Adds chocolatey notes with each bite. Use your favorite chocolate chips for these cookies, like dark, milk chocolate, or semi-sweet chocolate chips.
🥣 Instructions
These cookies are a family favorite that is easy to make, and the results are chewy, soft, and delicious. Chilling the dough for at least 30 minutes before baking the cookies is key.
- Mix Wet Ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed until combined and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
- Mix in Dry Ingredients. Add all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking soda, and salt to a small bowl to toss together, and then add to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Next, add the chocolate chips and mix with a spatula until combined.
- Chill Cookie Dough. Add plastic wrap on top of the bowl and place in the refrigerator to chill dough for 30 minutes. You can also chill longer than 30 minutes up to 3 days, but if you do chill longer, let the cookie dough rest at room temperature for about 20 minutes before scooping out the dough.
- Bake. Preheat the oven to 350° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the chilled cookie dough from the fridge, scoop out 1.5 tbsp of dough using a medium to large cookie scoop, and arrange the cookie dough balls about 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 13 minutes; gently tap the pan on the counter twice and continue to bake for 5 minutes longer or until golden brown.
- Cool & Enjoy. Remove cookies from the oven to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before enjoying! If you like flaked sea salt on top of your baked cookies, gently sprinkle a pinch before serving.
❔FAQs
You can store the leftover dough in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for three months. Before storing the cookie dough, I recommend scooping the dough out and rolling the dough into balls. Put the cookie dough balls in a zip lock bag when storing them in the fridge or a freezer bag or freezer-safe container when storing them in the freezer.
Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container or cookie jar with a lid for a week.
These Santa’s Christmas Cookies, aka Santa’s Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies, are chewy, buttery, easy to make, and have puddles of chocolate throughout. They are the perfect holiday cookie you don’t want to miss! We hope you all love them. Enjoy! ♡
Holiday Cookies to Try Next
- Cranberry Walnut Cookies
- Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Candy Cane Shortbread Cookies
- Candy Cane Marshmallow Chip Cookies
- Chai Sugar Cookies
Did you try our Santa’s Christmas Cookies recipe? Please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you! ♡
Santa’s Christmas Cookies (Chocolate Chip Cookies)
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp almond flour
- 2 tbsp milk powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg room temperature
- ½ cup chocolate chips dark, milk or semi-sweet
- Mix Wet Ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed until combined and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until combined.1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 3/4 cup unsalted butter, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 1 egg
- Mix in Dry Ingredients. Add all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking soda, and salt to a small bowl to toss together, and then add to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Next, add the chocolate chips and mix with a spatula until combined.1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tbsp almond flour, 2 tbsp milk powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- Chill Cookie Dough. Add plastic wrap on top of the bowl and place in the refrigerator to chill dough for 30 minutes. You can also chill longer than 30 minutes up to 3 days, but if you do chill longer, let the cookie dough rest at room temperature for about 20 minutes before scooping out the dough.
- Bake. Preheat the oven to 350° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the chilled cookie dough from the fridge, scoop out 1.5 tbsp of dough using a medium to large cookie scoop, and arrange the cookie dough balls about 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 13 minutes; gently tap the pan on the counter twice and continue to bake for 5 minutes longer or until golden brown.
- Cool & Enjoy. Remove cookies from the oven to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before enjoying! If you like flaked sea salt on top of your baked cookies, gently sprinkle a pinch before serving.
I love how RED your background is. It’s just like Christmas time 🙂 Your pictures are so good.
Thank you Jana!! These cookies were perfect for the holidays! 🙂