Mini Christmas Cookies

Made with minimal ingredients, these buttery shortbread Mini Christmas Cookies are so tender that they’ll melt in your mouth! Their vibrant colors add a festive touch, making them perfect for the holiday season!

Shortbread cookies are a classic, traditionally made with just three ingredients: butter, sugar, and flour. There’s no leavening agent, which gives shortbread its unique, dense, tender, and ‘short’ texture. Because of this, it crumbles easily and melts in your mouth rather than being light or cake-like. The flavor is rich, with the butter being the star. The flavor is often enhanced with a hint of vanilla or almond extract, as I’ve done in this recipe.

I’ve kept it fun by making these cookies small and adding food coloring to the dough, plus some festive sprinkles. The dough is easy to make, but it needs to chill in the fridge for a bit before baking the cookies. These Mini Christmas Cookies are perfect for holiday activities like cookie exchanges, giving festive tins to friends and family, or simply enjoying on movie night with a cozy cup of hot chocolate.

For easy-to-make Christmas cookies, be sure to check out my pretty Linzer Cookies, my scrumptious Frosted Gingerbread Cookies, and my easy Christmas Cake Mix Cookies.

Ingredients Needed

Butter – Use unsalted. Set it out to soften so that it mixes easily and doesn’t clump.
Powdered Sugar – To add sweetness and a light texture. Helps keep the dough soft as it bakes.
Vanilla Extract – For flavoring.
Almond Extract – For flavoring.
Flour – Use all-purpose. Helps create the base of the cookie dough.
Red And Green Food Coloring – Gel food coloring is preferred for a vibrant color.
Sprinkles – To add to the dough for a funfetti look.

Directions

1. To a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream your butter, powdered sugar, and extracts.
2. Next, mix in the flour.
3. Separate the dough into three bowls. It will be a very crumbly dough.
4. Add green food coloring to one bowl, red food coloring to another, and sprinkles to the last.
5. Use your hands to incorporate the color/sprinkles in each bowl.
6. Once the dough comes together in your hands, form it into a log.
7. Wrap each log in plastic wrap.
8. Smooth the sides to create a square shape from the logs.
9. Place on a tray and refrigerate for an hour or until firm.
10. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
11. Unwrap the doughs and slice them into ⅓ inch pieces.
12. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
13. Use a toothpick to make a circle in the middle of each one.
14. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the edges are just lightly golden.
15. Let cool.
16. Serve!

What’s The Difference Between Shortbread Cookies And Sugar Cookies?

Shortbread cookies are made with butter, flour, and powdered sugar (and sometimes a splash of vanilla or almond extract). There are no eggs or leavening agents involved, which keeps the dough rich and dense. In contrast, sugar cookies usually contain granulated sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla, and a leavening agent like baking powder or baking soda. This gives them more structure and lift. Shortbread cookies are crumbly, tender, and buttery, while sugar cookies can be softer or slightly crisp, depending on how they’re baked. They’re also sturdier and less delicate than shortbread. Shortbread dough is more fragile and doesn’t spread much, making it great for simple shapes, wedges, or bars, but not for heavy decorating. Sugar cookie dough is the preferred choice for rolling, cutting into shapes, and decorating with icing and sprinkles.

Why Do I Need To Poke A Hole In The Center Of The Shortbread Cookies?

Making a hole, also known as “docking” the cookie or dough, is a common technique to prevent it from puffing up unevenly or forming large air bubbles while baking. This is especially important for some cookie types, such as shortbread, crackers, and flatbreads, as well as for pie and tart crusts. Without docking, the steam produced by melting butter and water in the dough can cause large bubbles, resulting in a finished product that’s either uneven or excessively puffy. You can use a fork or a toothpick to dock the dough.

Variations

• Extract – replace the suggested extracts with peppermint, orange, or lemon.
• Food Coloring: Change the dough’s color to suit your theme or occasion.
• Sprinkles: omit or swap as needed for your occasion.
• Mix-ins: add chopped nuts, dried fruit, or mini chocolate chips.
• Size: Roll the dough into a larger-diameter log so that, when you slice it, the cookies are larger.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days

More Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes

Peppermint Oreo Cookies
Grinch Stained Glass Cookies
Candy Cane Cookies
Linzer Cookies
Hot Chocolate Cookies
Santa’s Trash Cookies
Frosted Gingerbread Cookies