Oh my gosh, you guys, is it really that time of year again? The lights are coming out, the spiced cider is brewing, and my kitchen is already smelling like pure holiday magic! If you are anything like me, you need a cookie recipe that screams ‘Christmas’ but doesn’t involve standing around fussing for hours. Trust me, I have tried every fancy log and filled cookie under the sun, but nothing beats the classic, comforting taste of peanut butter during the holidays.
That’s why I’m sharing the recipe for what I have officially crowned the best, easy-to-make Christmas Mm Peanut Butter Cookies in the entire neighborhood. They are so simple—you’ll have them rolled, pressed, and ready for the oven in under 30 minutes flat! This recipe is an absolute tradition in my house; the minute I pull out the peanut butter for them, my kids know the serious holiday baking has begun. You simply cannot beat that perfect, crumbly texture holding that sugary crisscross pattern!
Why You Will Love These Christmas Mm Peanut Butter Cookies
Seriously, these peanut butter cookies come together so fast, it’s almost unbelievable they taste this good. They are my go-to because I know they’ll turn out perfectly every single time, even when I’m juggling ten other holiday tasks.
- They are shockingly fast: We are talking about mix, roll, press, and into the oven in about 30 minutes total! No chilling required unless you want a firmer dough, which is a huge bonus for busy holiday timelines.
- That classic tangy-sweet flavor hits just right. That rich peanut butter paired with the duo of sugars creates a deep, delicious taste that everyone expects from holiday baking.
- Appearance is everything, right? The dough rolls beautifully in sugar, and that iconic crisscross pattern signals ‘Christmas cookie’ instantly.
- They hold their shape. Unlike some cookies that melt into sad little puddles on the sheet, these babies stand proud and look great on any platter.
- Cleanup is a breeze! We’re mostly using one big bowl, which means less time washing dishes and more time sipping hot cocoa.
- They freeze like a charm! I often make a double batch in November and freeze half the dough balls, ready to bake fresh cookies whenever guests pop over unexpectedly. For more tips on making your baking life easier, check out these essential baking tips!
Essential Ingredients for Perfect Christmas Mm Peanut Butter Cookies
You just need some pantry staples to whip up these festive treats, but quality counts here, especially when you’re baking for the holidays! We start with one cup of softened, unsalted butter—and please, make sure it’s actually room temperature, not melted! That’s the secret to good creaming. You’ll also need one cup of granulated sugar and one cup of packed brown sugar because that brown sugar adds such a wonderful hint of molasses sweetness that pairs so well with the peanut butter.
Next up, the star: one whole cup of creamy peanut butter. Two large eggs and a teaspoon of vanilla flavor the wet mix perfectly. For the dry side, measure out 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, one teaspoon of baking soda, half a teaspoon of baking powder, and just a quarter teaspoon of salt to balance everything out. Don’t forget that extra granulated sugar for rolling the dough!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Christmas Mm Peanut Butter Cookies
I always use creamy peanut butter for these cookies because I want that smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture, but if you truly love texture, crunchy works just fine! When measuring flour, either spoon it lightly into your cup or use the scoop-and-level method; don’t pack it down, or your cookies will be tough. Also, if you find your dough feels a little sticky when it’s mixed, pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes—it firms up beautifully underneath the wrapping. You can find some cool ideas on ingredient swaps here, like how you can substitute ingredients if you’re short on something!
Step-by-Step Instructions for Classic Christmas Mm Peanut Butter Cookies
Alright, let’s get baking! First things first, you need to get that oven ready. Preheat it to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and line those baking sheets with parchment paper right away. That parchment is your best friend, trust me, it makes clean-up a dream. Now, grab your biggest bowl. We’re creaming that softened butter with both the granulated and the brown sugar until it looks light and fluffy—this is where you build air into the dough!
Next, just mix in your peanut butter, eggs, and vanilla until everything is nicely combined. Don’t worry if it looks a little loose right now. While that’s sitting, quickly whisk together your flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a separate dish. Now, add the dry stuff to the wet stuff gradually. This is important: mix until it’s *just* combined. Seriously, stop mixing the second you don’t see dry streaks anymore! Overmixing makes them tough.
Time for the fun part! Scoop about a tablespoon of dough and roll it into a smooth ball. Take that ball and completely coat it in the bowl of extra granulated sugar. Place these sugar-coated beauties on your lined sheets, leaving about two inches between them because they will spread just a little bit. We want them to bake evenly for about 9 to 11 minutes until those edges look lightly golden brown. Resist the urge to open the oven door too early!
Crucial timing note: Let them cool right there on the pan for five whole minutes before you even attempt to move them. They need that time to set up. Then you can carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. For more help mastering the mixing process and technique, don’t forget to check out my guide to basic baking tips!
Expert Tips for Perfect Crisscross and Rolling on Christmas Mm Peanut Butter Cookies
That trademark crisscross pattern is what makes them official holiday cookies! To get that perfect pressed look, grab your fork. If you find the dough is sticking even to the fork, just dip the tines quickly in a glass of water—that slight dampness stops most sticking. Press down once, then turn the fork 90 degrees and press again to make that X shape. If you are feeling extra festive, this is the moment to gently press your red or green sprinkles right onto the top of the dough before they go into that hot oven!
Tips for Success When Making Christmas Mm Peanut Butter Cookies
Even though these peanut butter cookies are super simple, a trick or two can take them from good to legendary status for your Christmas platter. My biggest tip, which I learned the hard way, is to be vigilant about your oven temperature. Ovens lie, sweetie! If yours runs hot, those edges can go from golden to burnt in the blink of an eye. I highly recommend using an inexpensive oven thermometer so you know you’re hitting that 350°F mark dead-on.
Also, don’t skip the initial creaming step for the butter and sugars. That process is incorporating air, and that air is what gives the cookie its lovely slightly soft interior. If you rush that part, your cookies will come out denser than a brick, not delightfully soft.
Finally, when you are rolling them in the sugar coating, make sure you coat them thoroughly, but shake off any extra excess before you press them with the fork. Too much loose sugar on the pan can burn underneath the cookies before the centers are done. For more deep dives into making sure all your holiday baking goes perfectly, you should definitely read my advanced baking tips here!
Make‑Ahead and Storage for Your Christmas Mm Peanut Butter Cookies
I try to bake everything possible ahead of time during the holidays, and these peanut butter cookies are fantastic for prep work! They are so sturdy, which is one of the reasons I love them so much.
For storing the finished cookies, it’s dead simple. Once they are completely cool—and I mean totally cooled down, or they’ll get gummy—you just pop them into an airtight container. I like to put a small piece of wax paper between the layers so they don’t stick together, especially if you added sprinkles. They easily stay fresh and delicious at room temperature for a full week. Seriously, a week! They never last that long in my house, but they totally could!
Now, if you want to get ahead even further, you can totally freeze the dough balls! This is my secret weapon for last-minute guests. Just roll your dough into balls, give them a good roll in the sugar, and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Stick that sheet in the freezer for about an hour until the balls are hard as rocks. Then, transfer those frozen little gems into a freezer-safe zip-top bag or container. They keep beautifully for up to three months!
When you want to bake them from frozen, just pull the number you need right out of the freezer, put them on your prepared cookie sheet, and pop them into the 350-degree oven. You might need to add just two or three extra minutes to the baking time since they are starting out frozen solid. Voila! Instant, fresh batch of holiday cheer!
Variations on Classic Christmas Mm Peanut Butter Cookies
Part of the fun of having such a reliable base recipe is getting to play around a bit, right? We absolutely have to respect the classic flavor of our Christmas Mm Peanut Butter Cookies, but sometimes you just want to shake things up a tiny bit for variety on the platter. I always have one or two simple tweaks that I use depending on what I find in the pantry!
My easiest change is swapping out some of that vanilla for almond extract. Just use three-quarters of a teaspoon of almond extract instead of the full teaspoon of vanilla. It gives the cookies a slightly different, almost marzipan-like background note that is absolutely divine with peanut butter. It suddenly feels a little fancier, but it takes zero extra effort.
If you really want something decadent, try mixing in some chocolate. You don’t need a whole new recipe! After you’ve finished mixing your wet and dry ingredients (Step 4 in the instructions), stir in about three-quarters of a cup of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips. Mini chips work slightly better because they distribute evenly without weighing down the dough too much. This gives you a wonderful peanut butter and chocolate combination for your holiday trays.
For a fun texture variation that’s still super simple, try swapping out the extra granulated sugar for a mix! Instead of plain white sugar for rolling, try half granulated sugar and half finely crushed graham crackers. It adds a little bite and a lovely golden crust when baked. You can always find ways to play with ingredients, and I even have some ideas on how to bake delicious chocolate cookies if you want to see what I tried when I ran out of brown sugar!
Serving Suggestions for Christmas Mm Peanut Butter Cookies
These cookies are party starters, but they also need the perfect companion to dunk them in! Honestly, nothing beats the classic pairing, especially when the weather outside is cold and you need a little warmth.
The absolute, number one go-to is a big, frosty glass of cold milk. Yes, even as adults, we need that creamy, cool contrast to the warm spice and deep peanut butter of the cookie. But since it’s Christmas, you should totally upgrade that beverage game!
My favorite way to serve them is alongside a steaming mug of hot chocolate. If you’re feeling fancy, try my special recipe for a rich, decadent hot chocolate—it’s thick enough to stand a spoon up in! You can find the link to that blissful cup of pure gold right here. The slightly bitter warmth of the chocolate cuts through the sweetness of the cookie perfectly.
If you’re serving these during a morning brunch or just need a caffeine kick, they are fantastic with a strong cup of coffee. The deep roast notes play really well with the baked sugars in the cookie. Honestly, just grab whatever you love to sip on, because these cookies are delicious no matter what!
Frequently Asked Questions About Christmas Mm Peanut Butter Cookies
Can I make these gluten-free?
Oh, that’s a great question for my readers who have dietary needs! While this specific recipe relies on wheat flour for its classic texture, you certainly can adapt it. I’d recommend swapping the 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour for a good quality 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum. Because gluten-free flours can sometimes absorb moisture differently, you might need to chill the dough for a full hour instead of just 30 minutes. This extra chilling time helps keep those beautiful Christmas Mm Peanut Butter Cookies from spreading too much!
How do I prevent them from spreading too much?
Spreading is the enemy of the perfect crisscross, isn’t it? If your cookies seem to flatten out while baking, it usually means your butter was too soft, or maybe you skipped chilling the dough entirely. The best way to combat spreading is to make sure your butter is only room temperature soft, not warm or greasy. Also, chilling that dough for at least 30 minutes before rolling helps significantly. For extra insurance, check out my full guide on general baking techniques; I go deep into oven placement there!
Is it necessary to roll the dough in sugar?
Technically, no, you could skip the sugar coating if you absolutely had to, but honestly, why would you want to miss out? The sugar roll isn’t just for aesthetics—it creates that delicious, slightly crunchy exterior shell that contrasts perfectly with the chewy center of the cookie. It also helps stabilize the dough so that signature crisscross press doesn’t sink in too deeply. It’s non-negotiable for the best batch of Christmas cookie magic!
Can I use crunchy peanut butter instead of creamy?
Yes, absolutely! It’s listed in my notes, but I should stress how much of a texture difference it makes. Creamy gives you that smooth, classic melt-in-your-mouth experience, which I personally lean toward for these holiday cookies. Crunchy peanut butter throws in little nuggets of peanut texture throughout the cookie. If you prefer that texture, go right ahead! It just means you’ll have a slightly less uniform dough during that initial creaming stage.
Estimated Nutritional Information for Christmas Mm Peanut Butter Cookies
Okay, look, if you’re making these glorious Christmas Mm Peanut Butter Cookies, you probably aren’t worried about counting every single macro, right? They are a holiday treat, after all! But because I like to be totally upfront with you guys about everything that goes into my kitchen, here are the general estimates based on my recipe proportions. Remember, these numbers are just a baseline. How much butter you use, if you use crunchy versus creamy, and exactly how thick you roll them will change the final count!
I always say, these are best enjoyed with a big smile and maybe a side of milk, not sitting next to a food scale! But for those curious cooks out there, here is what you’re looking at per cookie, assuming a yield of 3 dozen:
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 85mg
- Fat: 10g (Includes 4g Saturated Fat)
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 21g
- Protein: 4g
I always make sure I list the fat content because peanut butter is naturally rich, but I’m happy to see there is zero Trans Fat listed! That’s because we are using real butter instead of those weird substitutes Grandma always complained about. Please take these figures as close estimates. If you tweak the recipe by adding chocolate chips or using crunchy peanut butter, you’ll need to plug those additions into your own nutritional calculator! Enjoy the deliciousness!
Print
Christmas Peanut Butter Cookies
- Total Time: 31 min
- Yield: 3 dozen 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Simple recipe for classic peanut butter cookies shaped for the holidays.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Extra granulated sugar for rolling
- Red and green sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth.
- Beat in the peanut butter, eggs, and vanilla extract until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Place about 1 tablespoon of dough into a small bowl of granulated sugar and roll until coated.
- Roll the sugared dough into balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.
- Use a fork to press down on each cookie in a crisscross pattern.
- If using, press red or green sprinkles onto the top of each cookie before baking.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- For a firmer cookie, chill the dough for 30 minutes before rolling.
- You can use crunchy peanut butter if you prefer texture in your cookies.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 11 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 85mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 21g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
Keywords: peanut butter cookies, Christmas cookies, holiday baking, classic cookie, easy cookies