This Paula Deen Christmas Cookies recipe is a soft and chewy recipe, which is made with M&M’s and holiday sprinkles. It’s the perfect holiday treat, ready in about 30 minutes, plus chilling time.
Paula Deen Christmas Cookies Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups plus one tablespoon all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened but still cool
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups M&M’s (or a mixture of M&M’s and chocolate chips), divided
- ¼ cup holiday sprinkles
How To Make Paula Deen Christmas Cookies
- Prep Oven and Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a separate large bowl, using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat the butter and both sugars for 1-2 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Finish the Dough: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until combined. On low speed, add in the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Gently stir in about 1 cup of the M&M’s.
- Shape and Top the Cookies: Place the sprinkles in a shallow bowl. Scoop balls of cookie dough (about 1.5 to 2 tablespoons each). Gently press a few extra M&M’s onto the top of each dough ball, then press the top of each ball into the bowl of sprinkles to coat.
- Chill and Bake: For thicker cookies, chill the dough balls in the fridge for about 15 minutes. Place the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving a couple of inches between them for spreading. Bake for 8-11 minutes, until the edges of the cookies are set but the center is still slightly soft.
- Cool and Serve: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe Tips
- How to get perfectly soft and chewy cookies? The most important secret is to not overbake them! Pull the cookies from the oven when the centers still look a little soft and underdone. They will continue to firm up on the hot baking sheet as they cool.
- How do you get perfectly round cookies? As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, take a round glass or cookie cutter that is slightly larger than the cookie and place it over the top. Gently swirl it around the cookie to “scoot” the edges into a perfect circle.
- Can I make the dough ahead of time? Absolutely! This dough is perfect for making ahead. You can cover and refrigerate the dough balls for up to 3 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months. You can bake them directly from frozen, just add a couple of extra minutes to the baking time.
- Why did my cookies spread too much? This usually happens if the butter was too soft or melted. Your butter should be softened but still cool to the touch. Chilling the dough before baking, as the recipe suggests, is the best way to prevent flat cookies.
What To Serve With Christmas Cookies
These festive cookies are a wonderful treat on their own and a perfect addition to any holiday cookie platter. They are fantastic served with:
- A tall, cold glass of milk for Santa!
- A hot cup of coffee or tea
- A rich mug of hot chocolate
How To Store Christmas Cookies
- Room Temperature: Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will stay fresh and soft for up to a week.
- Freeze: For longer storage, you can freeze the baked cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Christmas Cookies Nutrition Facts
- Serving: 1 cookie
- Calories: 200kcal
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Protein: 2g
- Fat: 9g
- Sodium: 73mg
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
The recipe notes that you can bake them right away for a thinner cookie, but for a thicker, chewier cookie that doesn’t spread as much, chilling the dough for at least 15 minutes is highly recommended.
Yes! Feel free to substitute the M&M’s with other festive candies, chocolate chunks, or even a mix of white chocolate chips and dried cranberries for a different holiday flavor.
Tough cookies are almost always the result of overmixing the dough after the flour has been added. Mix the dry ingredients in on low speed only until you no longer see big streaks of flour, then finish by hand if needed.
Try More Recipes:
- Paula Deen Mexican Wedding Cookies Recipe
- Paula Deen Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe
- Paula Deen Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Paula Deen Christmas Cookies Recipe
Description
A classic, soft and chewy butter cookie packed with festive M&M’s and topped with colorful holiday sprinkles, perfect for any Christmas cookie exchange.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, cream the butter and both sugars until fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
- On low speed, mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Stir in 1 cup of the M&M’s.
- Scoop balls of dough. Press a few extra M&M’s into the top, then press the tops into a bowl of sprinkles.
- Chill the dough balls for at least 15 minutes.
- Bake on a parchment-lined sheet for 8-11 minutes, until the edges are set.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
- The most important tip for a soft cookie is to not overbake it; the center should look slightly underdone when you remove it from the oven.
- For thicker cookies that don’t spread, chilling the dough balls for at least 15 minutes before baking is highly recommended.
- For the best results, use room temperature eggs and butter that is softened but still cool to the touch.
- Pressing a few extra M&M’s onto the tops of the dough balls before baking makes for a more beautiful, bakery-style cookie.