Looking to add some holiday fun to your elf shenanigans? These elf sized cookies perfect for bringing some fun and cheer in the form of a bite sized cookie.
These mini cookies are a labor of love but always worth it! One batch of buttery cookie shortbread dough turned into 4 different types of Christmas cookies.
You'll get tiny chocolate chip cookies, Christmas crinkles, jam filled thumbprints, and festive mini sugar cookies with sprinkles. 4 cookies that are almost always seen at Christmas.
For more Christmas fun, make sure to check out Santa's Favorite Cookie Recipe, Cake Mix Peanut Butter Blossoms, and Peppermint Shortbread Cookies.
Why This Recipe Works
- There's a lot of variety. One dough to make them all. This recipe can make several different types of traditional Christmas cookies, and you can make more of one, less of another, or try all the flavors for a great variety.
- Perfect for your Christmas elf shenanigans. These mini Christmas cookies are perfect for those of us with a little elf on the shelf hanging around. Have your elf bake up a batch while the kids sleep, or have the kids help make a batch for your elf. There are so many fun possibilities!
- Simple ingredients. We actually make a basic shortbread cookie base, which means very simple ingredients like flour, butter, sugar, and vanilla, and from that, we build off to make our tasty variations.
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🥘 Ingredients
Butter- You'll need butter to make the cookies rich in taste.
Granulated sugar- Add granulated sugar to the dough to make the cookies soft and sweet.
Vanilla extract- A flavor enhancer.
All-purpose flour- This is what provides the structure in the cookies.
Salt- A natural flavor enhancer.
Cookie Add-ins
Food coloring- If desired, you can use red and green food coloring for a festive touch.
Powdered sugar- This will be used to make the dusting on the crinkle cookies.
Festive sprinkles- Use Christmas-themed or Christmas-colored sprinkles for a fun and festive touch.
Mini chocolate chips- These cookies are tiny so you'll need tiny chocolate chips to decorate them with.
Jam- Use your favorite jam for the centers of the thumbprint cookies.
For specific quantities, see the recipe card below.
🍽 Equipment Needed
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- Measuring Cups
- Parchment Paper
- Baking Sheet
- Plastic Wrap
- Electric Mixer
- Ziploc bags
- Frosting Piping Tips
- Measuring Spoons
🔪 Instructions
Check out how to make elf sized cookies with these simple step-by-step instructions:
Combine sugar, butter and vanilla in a large bowl until creamy and light.
Add in the flour and salt. Mix until combined.
On floured plastic wrap, press into a disc shape and then wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Remove dough from fridge and slice dough into 4 equal sized pieces. Take on portion and slice that in half. Place all of these pieces onto a plate and set in the fridge while you work on one variety at a time.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Tiny Christmas Crinkles
With the two smaller pieces add 2 drops of red food coloring to one and 2 drops to the other. Roll and mix them in your hands until the color is incorporated.
Use a ¼ teaspoon to scoop the dough and roll it into little balls.
Place powdered sugar into a small bowl or on a plate and roll your dough balls into the sugar before placing about an inch apart on your baking sheet.
Bake in the oven for 8 minutes. Let rest on the pan for 1-2 minutes and then place into the powdered sugar for a second coating. Let cool.
Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies
Take one large portion from the dough you sliced earlier and add in most of the mini chocolate chips. Roll in your hands to combine until evenly distributed.
Use a ¼ teaspoon to scoop the dough and place it one inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. top with 1-4 mini chocolate chips for a nicer appearance.
Bake in the oven for 8 minutes. Let cool 2-3 minutes before transferring to a plate or wire rack.
Mini Sprinkle Cookies
Incorporate most of the sprinkles into the dough by mixing them together. Then roll the dough out to be ¼ of an inch thick on a lightly floured surface.
Use the bottom of a frosting tip to cut out tiny circles. How well this works depends on your sprinkles of choice. If it's too difficult you can just use a ¼ teaspoon to scoop and roll the dough.
Place an inch apart on your baking sheet and top with additional sprinkles. Bake 8 minutes and let cool 1-2 minutes.
Tiny Thumbprint Cookies
Scoop the dough with a ½ teaspoon measuring spoon and roll into a ball. Place 2 inches apart on your baking sheet. Bake 8 minutes.
Immediately after baking use the back end of a ¼ teaspoon to press an indent into the center of the cookie.
Fill the indents with jam. I like to place the jam in a baggie and snip the corner to make it easier and cleaner.
Allow all of your cookies to cool and set before storing in an airtight container for up to a week.
📖 Variations
- You can omit the sprinkles to make a plain sugar cookie.
- You can swap out the mini chocolate chips for mini M&Ms.
- Fill thumbprint cookies with lemon curd or chocolate ganache.
- Omit food coloring and instead mix in 1-2 tablespoons of cocoa powder.
🍴 Recipe Tips
These Christmas elf cookies are super easy to make but pretty time-consuming. If possible, I'd recommend using multiple baking sheets and enlisting the help of others. Maybe divide it to be 1 cookie type per person?
The cookies will be crunchy once baked but will soften as they age. I find that they taste especially good on day 2.
The cookies will not spread much while baking, so you can fit a good amount on each baking sheet. I do recommend leaving at least an inch between the cookies as they do grow when baking.
When not using the cookie dough keep them stored in the fridge. This will help to keep the butter cold so that the cookies retain their shape as they bake and do not become flat.
💭 FAQs
The cookie dough can be made and stored up to 3 days in advance. The baked cookies will last up to a week. The thumbprint cookies will last closer to 4 days.
Yes, these cookies can be frozen after being baked. Let them cool completely and then store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw for a few minutes on the counter when ready to eat. I recommend having a wax paper or parchment paper layer between the thumbprint cookies to prevent sticking.
More great Christmas recipes to check out soon
- Christmas Tree Fruit Pizza
- Christmas Tree Pretzels
- Easy Christmas Pretzels
- Chocolate Chip Cookies with Potato Chips and Pretzels
📖 Recipe
Elf Sized Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup Butter, softened ($0.75)
- ½ cup Granulated sugar ($0.11)
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla extract ($0.01)
- 2 cups All-purpose flour ($0.16)
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt (a pinch) ($0.02)
Cookie Add-ins
- 2 drops Red food coloring ($0.02)
- 2 drops Green food coloring ($0.02)
- ½ cup Powdered sugar ($0.12)
- 1 Tablespoon Festive sprinkles ($0.21)
- 1 Tablespoon Mini chocolate chips ($0.06)
- ¼ cup Jam ($0.44)
Instructions
- Combine sugar, butter and vanilla in a large bowl until creamy and light.
- Add in the flour and salt. Mix until combined.
- On floured plastic wrap, press into a disc shape and then wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Remove dough from fridge and slice dough into 4 equal sized pieces. Take on portion and slice that in half. Place all of these pieces onto a plate and set in the fridge while you work on one variety at a time.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Tiny Christmas Crinkles
- With the two smaller pieces add 2 drops of red food coloring to one and 2 drops to the other. Roll and mix them in your hands until the color is incorporated.
- Use a ¼ teaspoon to scoop the dough and roll it into little balls.
- Place powdered sugar into a small bowl or on a plate and roll your dough balls into the sugar before placing about an inch apart on your baking sheet.
- Bake in the oven for 8 minutes. Let rest on the pan for 1-2 minutes and then place into the powdered sugar for a second coating. Let cool.
Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Take one large portion from the dough you sliced earlier and add in most of the mini chocolate chips. Roll in your hands to combine until evenly distributed.
- Use a ¼ teaspoon to scoop the dough and place it one inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. top with 1-4 mini chocolate chips for a nicer appearance.
- Bake in the oven for 8 minutes. Let cool 2-3 minutes before transferring to a plate or wire rack.
Mini Sprinkle Cookies
- Incorporate most of the sprinkles into the dough by mixing them together. Then roll the dough out to be ¼ of an inch thick on a lightly floured surface.
- Use the bottom of a frosting tip to cut out tiny circles. How well this works depends on your sprinkles of choice. If it's too difficult you can just use a ¼ teaspoon to scoop and roll the dough.
- Place an inch apart on your baking sheet and top with additional sprinkles. Bake 8 minutes and let cool 1-2 minutes.
Tiny Thumbprint Cookies
- Scoop the dough with a ½ teaspoon measuring spoon and roll into a ball. Place 2 inches apart on your baking sheet. Bake 8 minutes.
- Immediately after baking use the back end of a ¼ teaspoon to press an indent into the center of the cookie.
- Fill the indents with jam. I like to place the jam in a baggie and snip the corner to make it easier and cleaner.
- Allow all of your cookies to cool and set before storing in an airtight container for up to a week.
Notes
Recipe Tips
- These shortbread cookies will be crunchy after being cooked but will be softer the following day. So if you want a soft cookie, prep them in advance.
- These Christmas elf cookies are super easy to make but pretty time-consuming. If possible I'd recommend using multiple baking sheets and enlisting the help of others. Maybe divide it to be 1 cookie type per person?
- The cookies will be crunchy once baked but will soften as they age. I find that they taste especially good on day 2.
- The cookies will not spread much while baking so you can fit a good amount on each baking sheet. I do recommend leaving at least an inch between the cookies as they do grow when baking.
- When not using the cookie dough, keep them stored in the fridge. This will help to keep the butter cold so that the cookies retain their shape as they bake and do not become flat.
Storage
- The cookie dough can be made and stored up to 3 days in advance. The baked cookies will last up to a week. The thumbprint cookies will last closer to 4 days.
- These cookies can be frozen after being baked. Let them cool completely and then store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Thaw for a few minutes on the counter when ready to eat. I recommend having a wax paper or parchment paper layer between the thumbprint cookies to prevent sticking.
Chanel Pugh says
Congratulations! You've created Christmas Cookie Crisp Cereal.
Nicole says
Hahaha that sounds like a great idea