If you’re dreaming of a festive treat that perfectly captures the spirit of the holidays, look no further than this Christmas Oatmeal Cookies Recipe. These cookies are a delightful blend of chewy oats, creamy white chocolate chips, and colorful holiday M&Ms and sprinkles. Each bite offers a warm, comforting texture with just the right hint of cinnamon and sweetness, making them an instant favorite for cookie exchanges, holiday parties, or cozy nights by the fire. Trust me, once you try these, they’ll become a beloved tradition you’ll crave every year.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Getting started with this recipe is incredibly straightforward because it relies on simple, everyday ingredients. Each component is carefully chosen to bring out the signature chewy texture of oatmeal cookies and vibrant holiday colors that pop.
- Butter (Cold Unsalted, cut into slices): Provides rich flavor and tenderness to the cookies, ensuring a perfect bite.
- Brown Sugar: Adds a deep molasses sweetness that keeps the cookies wonderfully moist.
- Granulated Sugar: Balances sweetness and helps with gentle crisping around the edges.
- Eggs (room temperature): Bind the ingredients together for a soft, chewy texture.
- All Purpose Flour: Builds structure without being too dense.
- Cake Flour: Adds extra softness, giving these cookies a tender crumb.
- Rolled Oats: The star ingredient that lends chewiness and hearty texture.
- Cornstarch: Keeps the cookies soft by minimizing gluten formation.
- Baking Soda: Helps the cookies rise just enough for a light consistency.
- Salt: Enhances all the flavors and balances the sweetness.
- Cinnamon: Infuses a cozy hint of spice, perfectly seasonal without overpowering.
- White Chocolate Chips: Melt into creamy pockets of sweetness.
- M&Ms (Mini, red and green): Add festive color and a subtle crunch.
- Sprinkles (Holiday): Bring a playful holiday vibe with extra texture and sparkle.
How to Make Christmas Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Creaming Butter and Sugars
Begin by placing the cold sliced butter and both the brown and granulated sugars into your stand mixer bowl. Beat them together on medium speed until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and pale—this will take about 4 minutes. This step is key to building that soft, tender crumb and will ensure your cookies are deliciously moist. Once that’s ready, add the room temperature eggs one at a time, blending on low speed just until they combine smoothly.
Step 2: Mixing Dry Ingredients
In a large separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, rolled oats, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. These ingredients bring balance to the cookie’s texture and flavor, with the oats adding that satisfying chew. Gradually add this dry mixture to the wet butter and sugar mix, stirring gently on low. Then fold in the white chocolate chips, festive holiday sprinkles, and red and green M&Ms for a pop of color and texture to every bite. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill it in the fridge for about 15 to 20 minutes to help firm it up before rolling.
Step 3: Rolling and Cutting
Preheat your oven to a warm 410 degrees Fahrenheit, which is just right for getting a lightly golden exterior without drying out the insides. On a well-floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about ½ inch thickness. Using a medium-sized circular cookie cutter, cut out 24 beautiful rounds and place them evenly spaced on baking pans lined with parchment paper. This step is perfect for creating uniform cookies that bake evenly and look stunning.
Step 4: Baking to Perfection
Bake your cookies for approximately 10 minutes until the tops turn a delicate golden brown. The smell filling your kitchen at this point will practically call everyone over! Once baked, allow the cookies to cool on the baking pans for 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely. This resting period is crucial to let the cookies set and develop their signature chewy texture.
How to Serve Christmas Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
Garnishes
To enhance the festive spirit, sprinkle a few extra holiday sprinkles or a dusting of powdered sugar on top right before serving. A light drizzle of melted white chocolate or even a pinch of edible glitter can turn these cookies into little holiday masterpieces perfect for gift boxes or party platters.
Side Dishes
These cookies pair beautifully with a cup of warm spiced tea, hot cocoa topped with marshmallows, or a robust glass of cold milk. The rich sweetness in the cookies balances perfectly with any of these drinks, turning snack time into a cozy holiday experience.
Creative Ways to Present
For a memorable presentation, arrange your Christmas oatmeal cookies recipe on a rustic wooden board with some fresh pine sprigs or holly leaves for that natural holiday touch. Wrapping a few cookies in cellophane tied with a red or green ribbon also makes for adorable edible gifts that friends and family will cherish.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
If you find some cookies left after your holiday celebrations, store them in an airtight container at room temperature to keep their texture fresh for up to 5 days. Adding a slice of bread to the container helps retain moisture and keeps them soft.
Freezing
For longer storage, these cookies freeze wonderfully. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet to freeze individually first, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. They’ll keep their flavor and texture for up to 3 months, making it easy to enjoy a festive treat anytime.
Reheating
To bring the cookies back to just-baked warmth, pop them in a preheated oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes. This quick reheat will revive their softness and enhance the aroma, as if they just came out of the oven.
FAQs
Can I substitute the white chocolate chips?
Absolutely! If you prefer, you can swap white chocolate chips for dark or milk chocolate chips. Each will give your Christmas oatmeal cookies a slightly different, but equally delicious, character.
What if I don’t have cake flour?
If cake flour is not available, you can use all-purpose flour, but the cookies might be a bit less tender. To mimic cake flour, you can replace 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour with cornstarch for each cup.
Can I make these cookies vegan?
With some tweaks, yes! Replace butter with vegan margarine, eggs with flax or chia eggs, and use vegan-friendly chocolate chips and sprinkles. The texture will be slightly different, but still delightful.
How do I prevent the cookies from spreading too much?
Chilling the dough before rolling and cutting is essential to prevent spreading. Also, be sure to measure your flour properly and avoid overly warm dough when baking.
Will these cookies stay chewy or become crunchy over time?
These Christmas oatmeal cookies are designed to stay chewy, especially when stored properly in an airtight container. Over time, if left exposed to air, they may become more crunchy, but reheating can bring back the chewiness.
Final Thoughts
This Christmas Oatmeal Cookies Recipe truly captures the joy and warmth of the holiday season with every chewy, colorful bite. I can’t encourage you enough to give these a shot—the process is fun, the aroma is heavenly, and the end result is pure festive magic. Whether for sharing or savoring on your own, these cookies will surely brighten your holiday spirit and maybe even become the recipe you pull out every year. Happy baking!
