I’m sharing a Butter Cookies Recipe that pairs partially chocolate-dipped rounds with festive holiday sprinkles, plus one small trick that turns a simple batch into something unexpected.

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I love a simple cookie that looks fancy, and these Classic Chocolate Dipped Butter Cookies For Christmas do just that. Crisp, tender rounds made with unsalted butter, lightly dunked in semisweet chocolate and dressed up for the season, they somehow make guests ask where I bought them.

As a self taught baker I never get the same batch twice, sometimes I underbake a touch, sometimes I overdecorate, its part of the charm. If you like Dipped Cookies or are hunting a Butter Cookies Recipe that feels effortless but impressive, this will make you pause then grab another.

Ingredients

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Butter: mostly fat, gives rich flavor and tender crumb, lots of calories.
Sugar: pure carbs that sweeten and caramelize, adds crispness, not nutrient dense.
Egg yolk: fat and protein, helps bind ingredients, gives richness and color.
Vanilla: almost no nutrients, big flavor boost, makes cookies taste homemade.
Flour: mostly starch carbs, forms structure via gluten, supplies some protein.
Cornstarch: tenderizes dough, reduces toughness, helps crisp edges and delicate crumb.
Chocolate: cocoa and sugar, adds bitterness or sweetness, some antioxidants, lots calories.
Sprinkles: pure sugar, decorative crunch and color, no real nutrition, very sweet.
Neutral oil: optional, thins chocolate, gives shine, tiny extra fat if used.

Ingredient Quantities

1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup (135 g) granulated sugar

1 large egg yolk, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour

2 tablespoons (16 g) cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

6 ounces (170 g) semisweet or dark chocolate, chips or chopped

1 tablespoon neutral oil like vegetable or canola oil (optional)

1/3 cup (about 50 g) holiday sprinkles or sanding sugar

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat, and make sure your 1 cup softened butter is truly soft but not melted.

2. In a bowl cream the butter with 2/3 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the sides once or twice — you want it pale and aerated.

3. Beat in 1 large egg yolk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until combined, don’t overmix though, just until it’s smooth.

4. Whisk together 2 cups all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, then add to the butter mixture and stir until just combined; overworking gives tough cookies so stop as soon as the dough comes together.

5. Chill the dough 30 to 60 minutes in the fridge so it firms up and won’t spread too much in the oven, this is the trick for neat little rounds.

6. Scoop or roll dough into roughly 1 inch balls (about 1 tablespoon each), place them 2 inches apart on the prepared sheet and gently flatten each ball with the bottom of a glass or your palm to about 1/4 inch thick.

7. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are just set and the tops look matte, dont wait for browning or they’ll lose that melt-in-your-mouth texture; rotate the sheet halfway if your oven bakes unevenly.

8. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before dipping, chocolate will seize if the cookies are warm.

9. Melt 6 ounces semisweet or dark chocolate in a double boiler or microwave in 20 to 30 second bursts, stirring between bursts until smooth; stir in 1 tablespoon neutral oil if you want a glossier, thinner coating. Dip half of each cookie in chocolate, let excess drip off, then immediately sprinkle 1/3 cup holiday sprinkles or sanding sugar so they stick.

10. Place dipped cookies on parchment to set, refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes if you want them to set faster, then store in an airtight container at room temp up to 5 days with parchment between layers; pro tips: cornstarch makes these extra tender, egg yolk adds richness, and chilling the dough is non negotiable for tidy cookies.

Equipment Needed

1. Baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat
2. Mixing bowls (one large for dough, one small for egg/chocolate)
3. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer, or a whisk if you wanna work for it
4. Measuring cups and spoons (for flour, sugar, cornstarch, salt, vanilla)
5. Rubber spatula and wooden spoon for scraping and stirring
6. Cookie scoop or tablespoon plus a flat-bottomed glass to gently flatten the balls
7. Wire cooling rack for cooling before dipping
8. Microwave-safe bowl or a heatproof bowl and small saucepan to melt chocolate (double boiler option)

FAQ

Q: Can I make the dough ahead or freeze it?
A: Yes. You can chill the dough in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before shaping and baking. You can also bake the cookies, freeze them uncoated, then dip straight from frozen once thawed a bit.

Q: Why is there cornstarch in the recipe, can I skip it?
A: Don’t skip it if you want that tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Cornstarch keeps the crumb soft and delicate. If you must, arrowroot works similar, but omitting it will give denser cookies.

Q: Any tips for dipping the cookies in chocolate so it looks neat?
A: Melt chocolate slowly in short bursts in the microwave or over a double boiler, stir till smooth. Add the optional tablespoon oil to thin and gloss the chocolate. Use a fork to dip, tap off excess on the edge of the bowl, set on parchment and add sprinkles before the chocolate sets. If the chocolate seizes, a tiny splash of warm cream or oil can rescue it.

Q: The recipe uses only an egg yolk, why not the whole egg?
A: The yolk gives richness and helps keep cookies tender and short, while avoiding extra liquid from the white. You can use a whole egg if needed but texture and spread will change a bit. For vegan swaps expect a different result.

Q: My cookies spread too much, what did I do wrong?
A: Most likely dough was too warm or over-creamed, or flour was under-measured. Chill the dough 30 to 60 minutes before baking, measure flour by spooning into the cup then leveling, and make sure your oven is fully preheated.

Q: How long will these keep and how should I store them?
A: Store in an airtight container at room temp up to 4 days. They keep longer in the fridge but chocolate can get a dull bloom, so for best texture freeze baked cookies up to 3 months, thaw at room temp before serving.

Classic Chocolate Dipped Butter Cookies For Christmas Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Butter: swap with an equal amount of firm vegan butter or margarine (1 cup to 1 cup). Cookies will still hold their shape but might taste a bit different, slightly less rich. You can also brown the butter for a nuttier flavor and use the same amount, just cool before mixing.
Granulated sugar: use packed light brown sugar 1 to 1 for a chewier, moister cookie and a caramel note. Or try coconut sugar 1 to 1 for a deeper, slightly caramelized flavor and darker color.
Egg yolk: replace one yolk with 1 tablespoon aquafaba or with 1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt or sour cream if you want richness. Aquafaba is best for egg free, yogurt gives similar fat and tenderness but the texture will be a touch different.
Cornstarch: swap with arrowroot powder or tapioca starch 1 to 1. Both give the same tender, melt in your mouth texture and are perfect in shortbread style cookies.

Pro Tips

– Chill the dough, dont skimp on this. It firms up the balls so they stay neat and tender instead of turning into pancake cookies, trust me youll thank me later.

– Use a kitchen scale if you can; flour scooped from the bag varies a lot. The little bit of cornstarch is what gives that melt in your mouth texture, and the single egg yolk adds real richness without extra egginess.

– Watch the bake, bake for don’t rely on color alone. Pull them when the edges are just set and the tops look matte, not browned, or youll lose that delicate crumb. Rotate the sheet halfway if your oven bakes unevenly.

– Let cookies cool completely before dipping, or the warm cookie will make the chocolate seize. If you want a shinier, thinner coating stir in a tablespoon of neutral oil into the melted chocolate, but add it slowly so it doesnt get too runny.

Classic Chocolate Dipped Butter Cookies For Christmas Recipe

Recipe by Sammy Hunter

0.0 from 0 votes

I’m sharing a Butter Cookies Recipe that pairs partially chocolate-dipped rounds with festive holiday sprinkles, plus one small trick that turns a simple batch into something unexpected.

Servings

servings

Calories

184

kcal

Equipment: 1. Baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat
2. Mixing bowls (one large for dough, one small for egg/chocolate)
3. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer, or a whisk if you wanna work for it
4. Measuring cups and spoons (for flour, sugar, cornstarch, salt, vanilla)
5. Rubber spatula and wooden spoon for scraping and stirring
6. Cookie scoop or tablespoon plus a flat-bottomed glass to gently flatten the balls
7. Wire cooling rack for cooling before dipping
8. Microwave-safe bowl or a heatproof bowl and small saucepan to melt chocolate (double boiler option)

Ingredients

1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup (135 g) granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour
2 tablespoons (16 g) cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
6 ounces (170 g) semisweet or dark chocolate, chips or chopped
1 tablespoon neutral oil like vegetable or canola oil (optional)
1/3 cup (about 50 g) holiday sprinkles or sanding sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat, and make sure your 1 cup softened butter is truly soft but not melted.
In a bowl cream the butter with 2/3 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the sides once or twice — you want it pale and aerated.
Beat in 1 large egg yolk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until combined, don't overmix though, just until it's smooth.
Whisk together 2 cups all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, then add to the butter mixture and stir until just combined; overworking gives tough cookies so stop as soon as the dough comes together.
Chill the dough 30 to 60 minutes in the fridge so it firms up and won’t spread too much in the oven, this is the trick for neat little rounds.
Scoop or roll dough into roughly 1 inch balls (about 1 tablespoon each), place them 2 inches apart on the prepared sheet and gently flatten each ball with the bottom of a glass or your palm to about 1/4 inch thick.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are just set and the tops look matte, dont wait for browning or they'll lose that melt-in-your-mouth texture; rotate the sheet halfway if your oven bakes unevenly.
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before dipping, chocolate will seize if the cookies are warm.
Melt 6 ounces semisweet or dark chocolate in a double boiler or microwave in 20 to 30 second bursts, stirring between bursts until smooth; stir in 1 tablespoon neutral oil if you want a glossier, thinner coating. Dip half of each cookie in chocolate, let excess drip off, then immediately sprinkle 1/3 cup holiday sprinkles or sanding sugar so they stick.
Place dipped cookies on parchment to set, refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes if you want them to set faster, then store in an airtight container at room temp up to 5 days with parchment between layers; pro tips: cornstarch makes these extra tender, egg yolk adds richness, and chilling the dough is non negotiable for tidy cookies.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.