There’s just something magical about these little bites of joy that sparkle with colorful sprinkles and melt in your mouth. The Christmas Cookie Sparkles Recipe is the perfect blend of soft cream cheese sweetness with a festive crunch that feels just right for the holiday season or any celebration that calls for a bit of sparkle.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Honestly, I’ve made so many cookie recipes over the years, but this one sticks out for its simplicity and the way the cream cheese adds this subtle tangy richness that keeps them so soft. Plus, the sprinkle coating adds a whimsical, festive crunch that makes them stand out on any cookie tray.
- Soft and Creamy Texture: The cream cheese in the dough keeps these cookies tender and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
- Festive and Fun: Rolling them in a mix of sanding sugar and colorful sprinkles gives a joyful look that’s perfect for Christmas or special occasions.
- Simple Ingredients: You don’t need anything exotic—just staples you likely already have at home.
- Get Ahead Friendly: The dough chills beautifully, so you can prep in advance and bake fresh cookies when you want.
Ingredients & Why They Work
Each ingredient in this Christmas Cookie Sparkles Recipe plays a special role—mixing tender richness with enough structure to hold the sprinkles perfectly. Here’s what to keep in mind when shopping or gathering your ingredients.
- All-purpose flour: This provides the perfect crumb structure. Be sure to spoon and level your flour to avoid dense cookies.
- Baking powder: Adds a gentle lift so the cookies aren’t flat or heavy.
- Salt: Enhances all the flavors and balances the sweetness.
- Unsalted butter: Softened to room temp, it creams beautifully with the cream cheese for a smooth dough.
- Cream cheese (full-fat): The secret ingredient for that dreamy softness and subtle tang.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens while helping create a tender texture.
- Egg: Binds the dough and adds richness—room temperature is best for smooth mixing.
- Pure vanilla extract: Brings warmth and depth of flavor, making the cookies taste homemade.
- Almond extract: Optional but recommended for a subtle, nutty hint that pairs beautifully with vanilla.
- Sprinkles (sanding sugar, nonpareils, jimmies): Adds the festive sparkle and a gentle crunch that’s so fun.
Make It Your Way
I love playing with the sprinkle selection and sometimes swap almond extract for lemon zest if I want a zesty twist. You can truly make this recipe your own, so don’t hesitate to try variations that speak to your taste buds.
- Sprinkle Mix: I once made these for a kid’s party with neon-colored jimmies and sanding sugar, and they were an instant hit. You can customize colors for any holiday or theme.
- Dairy-Free Version: While I haven’t tested this one yet, using vegan cream cheese and butter substitutes could work. Just watch the chilling time carefully.
- Flavored Extract Swap: Replacing almond extract with peppermint or orange extract can add unexpected festive flavor–great for holiday parties!
- Bite Size: For a party, I roll the dough smaller—about half a tablespoon—to make more bite-sized sparkly treats.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Christmas Cookie Sparkles Recipe
Step 1: Prepping the Dry Ingredients
First things first, whisk together your flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside. This makes sure everything mixes evenly later, and your cookies bake consistently every time. I like to double-check my flour measurement by spooning it gently into my measuring cup and leveling it off, which helps avoid dense cookies.
Step 2: Creaming Butter and Cream Cheese
Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and cream cheese together on high speed for about 2 minutes until smooth—no big lumps! This step is key for that dreamy, velvety texture. If your butter or cream cheese is too cold, it won't blend well, so patience here pays off.
Step 3: Adding Sugar, Egg, and Extracts
Next, add the sugar and beat until creamy. Then, add your egg, vanilla, and almond extract, and beat again until everything's combined and glossy. I always scrape the bowl with a spatula to mix any stubborn bits so the dough comes together evenly.
Step 4: Mixing Dry Ingredients and Chilling
Slowly add your dry ingredients to the wet mix on low speed until just combined. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky—that’s perfect. Cover tightly and chill for at least 1 hour, or up to 3-4 days. Chilling helps the cookies hold their shape and develop flavor, but remember to bring the dough back to room temp for about 30 minutes if it’s been frozen or chilled long.
Step 5: Rolling Dough and Adding Sparkles
Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. Scooping about 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie, roll balls and then coat them completely with your sprinkles. This step is my favorite—it’s like giving each cookie its own party outfit! Place them about 2 inches apart on your baking sheets and gently press down to flatten slightly.
Step 6: Baking and Cooling
Bake for 12-13 minutes or until the edges just begin to turn golden. Don’t overbake—the cookies will stay soft and tender. Let them cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps them set without losing moisture.
Top Tip
After making these cookies several times, I’ve learned a few insider secrets that make all the difference in getting perfect Christmas Cookie Sparkles every time:
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your butter, cream cheese, and egg are at room temp for smooth mixing and better cookie texture.
- Chill That Dough: Don’t skip the chilling. It controls spread and enhances flavor development, especially because of the cream cheese.
- Press Don’t Flatten Too Much: Using the back of a glass to gently press the dough balls works best—I once pressed too hard and lost that tender crumb.
- Multiple Sprinkle Bowls: For mixing colors while rolling, separate bowls keep things neat and let you create colorful combinations.
How to Serve Christmas Cookie Sparkles Recipe
Garnishes
I love adding a little extra sparkle with a light dusting of edible glitter or popping a few mini chocolate chips in the center for an extra treat. Powdered sugar dusting is also lovely if you're going for a snowy effect.
Side Dishes
These cookies go perfectly with a warm cup of spiced tea or your favorite holiday hot chocolate. I’ve also served them alongside a cheese platter for a sweet contrast that surprises everyone.
Creative Ways to Present
For parties, I like stacking them in a clear jar with ribbons tied around or arranging them on a festive platter with pine sprigs and cinnamon sticks for a rustic feel. These presentation touches really make the cookies feel special and gift-worthy.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I store leftover Christmas Cookie Sparkles in an airtight container at room temperature, and they stay soft and delicious for up to a week—I often forget about them because they’re so easy to snack on!
Freezing
I usually freeze the dough in rolled balls coated with sprinkles, separated by parchment sheets in a freezer-safe container. When I’m ready, I just pop them on the baking sheet straight from the freezer, adding a minute or two to baking time. It’s a lifesaver during hectic holiday baking sessions.
Reheating
If you have leftover baked cookies, heating them gently in a warm oven for about 3-5 minutes revives that fresh-from-the-oven softness. Just avoid microwaving, as these cookies can dry out quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions:
While you can, full-fat cream cheese gives the best texture and flavor. Light versions might make the cookies less tender and rich.
Use good-quality, non-melting sprinkles like sanding sugar or jimmies. Also, roll the dough balls right before baking and avoid overly oily dough to keep colors vibrant.
Absolutely! Freeze the dough balls individually on a tray then transfer to a container. Bake from frozen, adding a couple of minutes to the baking time.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Avoid refrigeration as it can dry them out.
Final Thoughts
These Christmas Cookie Sparkles always bring back warm memories of cozy afternoons spent baking and sharing with loved ones. They’re simple, fun, and delicious—the kind of recipe I feel good about making again and again. I hope they become a staple in your holiday traditions, too. So grab those sprinkles and get baking—you’re going to love the magic they bring!
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Christmas Cookie Sparkles Recipe
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 32 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Christmas Cookie Sparkles are super soft and creamy cream cheese sugar cookies rolled in festive sprinkles. They offer a buttery, tender texture with a sprinkle-coated crunch, perfect for holiday celebrations and gifting.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 and ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 ounces (57g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
Coating
- ¾ cup (150g) sprinkles (sanding sugar, nonpareils, and/or jimmies)
Instructions
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together until combined. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Cheese: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese together on high speed until relatively smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Add Sugar and Flavorings: Add the granulated sugar and beat until combined and creamy. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed to combine.
- Mix Dry and Wet Ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. The dough will be thick.
- Chill the Dough: Cover dough tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour and up to 3-4 days. If chilling longer than 2-3 hours, allow the dough to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling and baking to ensure cookies spread properly.
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Shape and Coat Cookies: Pour sanding sugar or sprinkles into a bowl. Roll balls of cookie dough, about 1 Tablespoon each, then roll each ball in the sprinkles to coat. Place dough balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Gently press down each dough ball to slightly flatten using the back of a measuring cup or glass.
- Bake Cookies: Bake for 13 minutes or until edges are very lightly browned.
- Cool: Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store: Keep cookies covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Chilling the dough is essential to prevent spreading and to develop flavor.
- If dough is too hard after chilling, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling.
- Using parchment paper or silicone baking mats ensures easy cookie removal and even baking.
- Mix sprinkles according to your preferred colors and styles for festive presentation.
- Cookies stay fresh for up to one week stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 100 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
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