Irresistibly Soft Frosted Christmas Cookies with a Secret Ingredient

The holiday season calls for comforting treats, and nothing says “Merry Christmas” quite like a platter of beautifully decorated, impossibly soft frosted cookies. These delightful no-roll Christmas cookies are generously topped with a rich, creamy frosting and an abundance of festive sprinkles, making them the ultimate addition to any holiday celebration, Christmas party, or cookie exchange. Prepare to be enchanted by their tender texture and vibrant holiday cheer!

What makes these holiday cookies so uniquely soft and chewy, setting them apart from your average sugar cookie? The secret lies in one unexpected yet brilliant ingredient: instant vanilla pudding mix! This culinary marvel transforms ordinary cookie dough into something truly extraordinary, ensuring every bite is moist, tender, and bursting with a delicate vanilla flavor.

Why Pudding Mix is Your Cookie’s Best Friend

Incorporating instant pudding mix into cookie recipes is a game-changer for any baker, from novice to expert. It’s not just a clever trick; it’s a fundamental enhancement that significantly improves the texture and flavor profile of your baked goods. Here’s why it works wonders for these Christmas cookies:

• Unmatched Softness and Chewiness: The starches in the pudding mix absorb moisture during baking, resulting in an incredibly soft and pillowy crumb that remains tender for days. No more dry, crumbly cookies!
• Enhanced Flavor: Beyond its textural benefits, vanilla pudding mix intensifies the vanilla flavor in the cookies, creating a deeper, more rounded taste that complements the rich frosting beautifully.
• Moisture Retention: Pudding mix helps the cookies retain their moisture, keeping them fresh and delicious for longer. This is particularly advantageous during the busy holiday season when you might bake batches in advance.
• No-Roll Convenience: This recipe utilizes a no-roll dough, meaning no chilling, no flouring your countertop, and no wrestling with a rolling pin. Just scoop, bake, and enjoy! This saves valuable time and effort, especially when baking for large gatherings.

The versatility of this vanilla pudding cookie dough base is another fantastic feature. While we’re making classic frosted sugar cookies today, this same adaptable dough can be transformed into a variety of other delightful treats. You can easily make fun sprinkle cookies, charming thumbprint cookies filled with jam or frosting, or delightful secret kiss cookies. If you’re hosting a cookie exchange or simply want to offer a diverse spread, feel free to portion out the dough and create a dozen or so of each kind. This allows for endless creativity and ensures there’s a perfect cookie for everyone.

Embrace the magic of holiday baking with this easy frosted sugar cookie recipe. Once you experience the unparalleled softness and delightful flavor of pudding cookies, we’re confident you’ll become a lifelong fan, returning to this recipe year after year for your festive baking needs. Let’s get baking and create some sweet holiday memories!

Ingredients for Heavenly Frosted Christmas Cookies

This detailed section provides a comprehensive overview of each ingredient, including helpful notes, tips for selection, and potential substitution options to ensure your cookies turn out perfect every time. All precise measurements and full instructions can be found in the printable recipe card located further down this page.

For the Irresistibly Soft Cookies:

• Unsalted Butter & Shortening: This recipe calls for a dynamic duo of butter and shortening. The shortening is crucial for preventing the cookies from spreading too much in the oven, ensuring they maintain their plump, soft shape. Meanwhile, unsalted butter delivers that quintessential rich, creamy flavor that makes sugar cookies so irresistible. Ensure both are at room temperature for optimal creaming.
• Granulated Sugar: Provides essential sweetness and contributes to the cookie’s tender texture.
• Large Eggs: Act as a binding agent, add moisture, and contribute to the cookie’s structure and richness. Room temperature eggs emulsify better with the fats, resulting in a smoother dough.
• Pure Vanilla Extract: A non-negotiable for classic vanilla flavor. Always opt for real vanilla extract over imitation for the best taste, as it makes a noticeable difference in the final product.
• All-Purpose Flour: The structural backbone of our cookies. Measure correctly by spooning flour into a measuring cup and leveling it off, rather than scooping directly from the bag, to avoid a dense cookie.
• Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix (3.4 oz box): This is our secret ingredient! Be sure to use instant pudding, not “cook & serve,” as they have different compositions. The 3.4 oz (small) size is perfect for this recipe. It’s what gives these cookies their incredible softness, chewiness, and enhanced vanilla flavor.
• Baking Powder: Our leavening agent, helping the cookies rise slightly and achieve a light, airy texture.
• Salt: A pinch of salt balances the sweetness and enhances all the other flavors in the cookies. Don’t skip it!

For the Festive Buttercream Frosting:

• Unsalted Butter (Room Temperature): The base of our rich and creamy buttercream. Like for the cookies, room temperature butter is essential for achieving a smooth, fluffy frosting.
• Powdered Sugar (Confectioners’ Sugar): Provides sweetness and gives the frosting its smooth, melt-in-your-mouth consistency. Sifting it can help prevent lumps.
• Heavy Cream: Adds richness and helps achieve the perfect creamy texture for the frosting. You can adjust the amount slightly to reach your desired consistency. Whole milk can be substituted in a pinch, but heavy cream offers a richer flavor and texture.
• Pure Vanilla Extract: For that classic, sweet vanilla flavor in the frosting.
• Salt: A tiny pinch to balance the sweetness of the frosting.
• Gel Food Coloring (Optional): For vibrant red and green frosting, perfect for Christmas! Gel colors are recommended over liquid colors as they provide intense hues without altering the frosting’s consistency. If you prefer a more natural look, you can skip the food coloring entirely and let the sprinkles provide all the holiday color.
• Christmas Sprinkles: The crowning glory! A festive mix of red, green, and white sprinkles truly elevates these cookies. Wilton Holiday Mix sprinkles are often a fantastic choice for their variety and festive designs.

Crafting Your Masterpiece: Step-by-Step Instructions

This section guides you through the entire baking process with clear, easy-to-follow steps and accompanying tips. For the complete, printer-friendly recipe, please refer to the detailed recipe card at the end of this post.

Part 1: Preparing the Soft Pudding Cookies

1. Preheat & Prep: Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. This prevents sticking and makes cleanup a breeze. Set them aside.
2. Cream the Fats & Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, using either a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a handheld electric mixer, combine the room-temperature unsalted butter, shortening, and granulated sugar. Beat on medium-high speed for approximately 3-4 minutes, or until the mixture becomes notably light, pale, and fluffy. This step incorporates air, which is vital for soft cookies.
3. Incorporate Wet Ingredients: Reduce the mixer speed to low, then beat in the large eggs one at a time, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the pure vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is well combined.
4. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, instant vanilla pudding mix, baking powder, and salt. Whisk well to ensure the leavening agent and pudding mix are evenly distributed throughout the flour.
5. Add Dry to Wet: With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet mixture, a little at a time. Mix only until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can develop the gluten in the flour too much, leading to tough cookies. Stop mixing as soon as no streaks of flour are visible.




6. Scoop & Shape: Using a cookie scoop (about 1.5 to 2 tablespoons per cookie) or a Tablespoon, scoop the cookie dough. Gently roll each portion into a smooth ball. Place the dough balls onto the prepared cookie sheets, ensuring they are about 2 inches apart to allow for proper spreading.
7. Bake to Perfection: Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the centers appear set. The cookies will look slightly underbaked in the middle, but this contributes to their softness. Do not overbake!
8. Cool: Allow the baked cookies to cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes. This helps them set up and prevents them from breaking. Then, carefully transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before frosting. Frosting warm cookies will cause the frosting to melt.

Part 2: Crafting the Creamy Christmas Frosting

9. Prepare the Frosting Base: In a clean large mixing bowl, using your stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the room-temperature unsalted butter on medium speed for about 2-3 minutes until it’s light and fluffy. This initial beating is key for an airy frosting.
10. Build the Buttercream: Gradually add the powdered sugar and heavy cream to the butter, alternating between the two. Start with about one-third of the powdered sugar, mix until mostly combined, then add a tablespoon or two of heavy cream, mix, and repeat until all the powdered sugar and heavy cream are incorporated. Beat on medium-high speed until the frosting is smooth and creamy.




11. Add Flavor & Salt: Stir in the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Mix until well incorporated and the frosting is uniformly smooth and delicious.
12. Color Your Frosting (Optional): If desired, divide the frosting into separate bowls – one for each color (red, green, and white if you want pure white). Add a few drops of gel food coloring to each bowl and mix until the desired vibrant holiday hue is achieved. Gel colors are best for bright, rich colors.




13. Frost & Sprinkle: Once the cookies are completely cooled, generously frost each one with your colored or white buttercream. Immediately after frosting, top with your favorite Christmas sprinkles. Press them gently into the frosting to ensure they adhere well.




14. Set & Serve: Allow the frosting to set for a bit at room temperature before storing the cookies. This prevents the frosting from smudging. Once set, these festive cookies are ready to be shared and enjoyed!

Expert Tips for Perfect Pudding Christmas Cookies

• Room Temperature Ingredients are Key: For both the cookies and the frosting, ensure your butter and eggs are at room temperature. This allows them to cream together properly, creating a smooth, emulsified mixture that results in light and fluffy cookies and smooth frosting.
• Don’t Overmix the Dough: Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet, mix only until just combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can lead to tough, dense cookies instead of soft ones.
• Measure Flour Correctly: Too much flour is a common cookie culprit! Use the spoon-and-level method: spoon flour into your measuring cup, then level off the top with a straight edge. Don’t scoop directly from the bag.
• Do Not Overbake: These cookies are meant to be soft. They should appear set around the edges but still slightly pale and soft in the center when you remove them from the oven. They will continue to set as they cool on the baking sheet.
• Cool Completely Before Frosting: Patience is a virtue here! Frosting warm cookies will result in melted, messy frosting. Ensure your cookies are entirely cool to the touch before you begin decorating.
• Adjust Frosting Consistency: If your frosting is too thick, add more heavy cream (half a teaspoon at a time) until it reaches your desired spreading consistency. If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar (a tablespoon at a time).
• Generous Sprinkles: Don’t be shy with the sprinkles! Apply them immediately after frosting each cookie so they adhere well before the frosting begins to set.

Storage & Make-Ahead Options

Storing Baked & Frosted Cookies

Once baked and frosted, your soft Christmas pudding cookies will maintain their delightful freshness and flavor for up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. If you prefer to extend their shelf life, they can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

To prevent the beautiful frosting from sticking to other cookies, especially when stacking, we recommend storing them in a single layer or placing a piece of parchment paper between each layer of cookies. This preserves their pristine appearance and ensures every cookie looks as good as it tastes.

Prep Ahead for Stress-Free Holiday Baking

The beauty of these Christmas pudding cookies is their excellent make-ahead potential, which is a lifesaver during the busy holiday season. The cookie dough can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Simply wrap it tightly in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.

For even longer storage, the cookie dough freezes beautifully! Form the dough into balls as instructed, then place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer the dough balls to a freezer-safe bag or container. They will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, simply arrange the frozen dough balls on a baking sheet and bake as directed, adding a couple of extra minutes to the baking time if needed.

You can also bake the cookies ahead of time without frosting them. Allow them to cool completely, then store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and then frost as desired.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Got questions about these delightful pudding cookies? We’ve got answers!

• Can I use a different flavor of instant pudding mix? Absolutely! While vanilla is a classic and enhances the overall flavor, feel free to experiment with other instant pudding flavors like cheesecake, chocolate, or even pistachio for a unique twist. Ensure it’s always “instant” pudding.
• Can I use all butter instead of butter and shortening? Yes, you can. However, using all butter may result in cookies that spread a bit more and are slightly less thick. The shortening helps maintain their shape and contributes to their soft texture. If you use all butter, make sure it’s very cold before baking to help reduce spread.
• Why are my cookies spreading too much? This could be due to several factors: butter being too soft (over-room temperature), too little flour (measure accurately!), or the oven not being at the correct temperature. Ensure your butter is just softened, not melted, and consider chilling the dough balls for 15-20 minutes before baking if you live in a warm climate or your kitchen is particularly warm.
• Can I cut these cookies into shapes? This dough is a “no-roll” dough designed to be scooped, not rolled and cut. For cutout sugar cookies, you would typically need a dough with a higher flour-to-fat ratio that holds its shape better. However, the versatility means you could use this dough for bar cookies or even press it into a pan for cookie bars!
• How do I get my frosting perfectly smooth? Sifting your powdered sugar is crucial for lump-free frosting. Also, ensure your butter is genuinely at room temperature, not melted. Beat the butter well before adding other ingredients, and mix thoroughly after each addition until smooth.

More Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes

Looking for more festive treats to fill your holiday cookie platters? Explore these other cherished Christmas cookie recipes that are sure to bring joy and deliciousness to your season:

• Soft Gingerbread Cookies: Classic holiday spice with a wonderfully chewy texture.
• Christmas Cookie Bars: All the flavor of cookies in an easy-to-bake bar format.
• Buttery Pecan Snowball Cookies: Delicate, melt-in-your-mouth cookies dusted with powdered sugar.
• Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies: Visually stunning and bursting with refreshing peppermint flavor.
• Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars: An even easier way to enjoy frosted sugar cookies, perfect for a crowd.
• Italian Anise Cookies: A traditional favorite with a distinct and aromatic anise flavor.
• Peppermint Patty Cookies: Rich chocolate cookies filled with a cool, creamy peppermint center.

Frosted Christmas Pudding Cookies

Author: Jaclyn

Prep:

15 mins

Cook:

12 mins

Total:

27 mins

Easy no-roll Christmas cookies topped with frosting and holiday sprinkles are soft and chewy, made with a secret pudding ingredient, and perfect for cookie exchanges.

Servings:

48
cookies

Ingredients

For the Cookies:

• ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• ¼ cup (48 g) shortening
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 ½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
• 3.4 ounce instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt

For the Frosting:

• ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 6 Tablespoons (85 g) heavy cream, (⅜ cup)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 4 cups (452 g) confectioners sugar
• gel food coloring, optional
• sprinkles, optional

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer and large bowl, cream together butter, shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy (about 4 minutes).
3. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
4. In another bowl, whisk together flour, dry pudding mix, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to the butter mixture, a little at a time, mixing between additions. Mix until just combined.
5. Using a cookie scoop or Tablespoon, scoop the dough out, roll it into balls, and place it onto the lined cookie sheets with each cookie about 2 inches apart.
6. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until set and lightly golden brown around the edges. Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool fully.
7. To make the frosting, beat butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add powdered sugar and heavy cream a little at a time, alternating and mixing between additions. Add vanilla and salt; mix until well incorporated.
8. Separate frosting into one bowl per color and stir in a few drops of gel food coloring. Add additional drops if needed, until the desired color is reached.
9. Frost cooled cookies and immediately top with sprinkles.
10. Allow frosting to set before storing in an airtight container until serving.

Notes

Your soft Christmas frosted cookies will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container at room temperature or up to 1 week in the fridge.

We recommend storing the cookies in a single layer or with parchment paper between layers so that the frosting doesn’t stick to the other cookies.

The cookie dough can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator until ready to bake, up to 3 days. Or store the cookie dough in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories:
148kcal
|

Carbohydrates:
21g
|

Protein:
1g
|

Fat:
7g
|

Saturated Fat:
4g
|

Polyunsaturated Fat:
1g
|

Monounsaturated Fat:
2g
|

Trans Fat:
0.3g
|

Cholesterol:
22mg
|

Sodium:
62mg
|

Potassium:
14mg
|

Fiber:
0.2g
|

Sugar:
16g
|

Vitamin A:
185IU
|

Vitamin C:
0.01mg
|

Calcium:
10mg
|

Iron:
0.4mg

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