Today, I’m re-posting one of my most popular Christmas recipes. Instead of trying to track down a million different cookie recipes this Christmas, I created one base recipe that you can mix and match ten different ways to easily create ten different types of cookies!
One recipe.
Ten different cookies.
No fretting in the kitchen this holiday season.
I mean…so fun, right?
And let’s be real…you can actually mix and match it way more than ten times…this recipe is so versatile that you can make a gazillion types using this one basic drop cookie dough recipe. The dough can be made plain like a sugar cookie or you can add some cocoa and make it a chocolate dough.
One dough, ten different cookies…one happy baker!
Here are my 10 variations…
Each cookie begins with the same base recipe. Easy!
Happy cookie baking!
This recipe makes about six dozen cookies.
Shopping List
1½ cups butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3½ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder if you’re making chocolate dough
Add-ins
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly spray baking sheets with Pam and then set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat your butter until creamy. Beat in sugar and brown sugar. Next, beat in eggs one at a time. Finally, beat in vanilla.
In a second mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder (if you’re making chocolate cookies).
Slowly beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture until incorporated.
At this time, you add in your add-ins (see below for specifics).
Drop cookies onto prepared baking sheet and bake 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and serve warm or keep in an airtight container to be enjoyed later.
Add-ins:
Thumbprint Cookies:
Prepare as sugar cookies. When cookies come out of the oven, allow them to cool about five minutes. After that, use a spoon and lightly open up a spot in the center of each cookie. Add about half a tablespoon of strawberry jam in the center. Allow cookies to cool.
Salted Caramel:
Prepare as chocolate cookies. After you combine the flour into the butter mixture, beat in a cup of caramel ice cream topping into the batter. Stir in 1½ tablespoons of sea salt. Bake as directed and then sprinkle a little more sea salt on top of each cookie when they’re hot out of the oven.
Cranberry Orange:
Prepare as sugar cookies. After you’ve beat your flour into your butter mixture, beat in 2 tablespoons of fresh orange juice and two tablespoons of orange zest. Stir in 1 cup of dried cranberries. Bake as directed.
Toffee Pecan:
Prepare as chocolate cookies. After you’ve beat your flour into your butter mixture, stir in one cup of toffee pieces and one cup of toasted pecan piece. Bake as directed.
Snickerdoodles:
Prepare as sugar cookies. After you’ve beat your flour into your butter mixture, beat in 2 tablespoons of cinnamon. Bake as directed.
Candy Cane Oatmeal:
Prepare as sugar cookies. After you’ve beat your flour into your butter mixture, stir in one cup of dry oatmeal and one cup of peppermint crunch (found on the baking aisle during the holidays). Bake as directed.
Peppermint Chocolate:
Prepare as chocolate cookies. After you’ve beat your flour into your butter mixture, beat in one teaspoon of peppermint extract. Next, stir in one cup of peppermint crunch (found on the baking aisle during the holidays). Bake as directed.
Peanut Butter Butterscotch:
Prepare as sugar cookies. After you’ve beat your flour into your butter mixture, beat in one cup of creamy peanut butter and then stir in one cup of butterscotch chips. Bake as directed.Espresso Chip:
Prepare as chocolate cookies. After you’ve beat your flour into your butter mixture, beat in three tablespoons of room temperature brewed coffee or espresso. Next, stir in one cup of chocolate chips. Bake as directed.Chocolate Ginger:
Prepare as chocolate cookies. After you’ve beat your flour into your butter mixture, beat in one tablespoon of ground ginger and ½ a tablespoon of cinnamon. Bake as directed.One recipe…countless possibilities!
Prepare as chocolate cookies. After you’ve beat your flour into your butter mixture, beat in three tablespoons of room temperature brewed coffee or espresso. Next, stir in one cup of chocolate chips. Bake as directed.Chocolate Ginger:
Prepare as chocolate cookies. After you’ve beat your flour into your butter mixture, beat in one tablespoon of ground ginger and ½ a tablespoon of cinnamon. Bake as directed.One recipe…countless possibilities!
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog says
Can’t wait to try all of these variations! I think I’ll start with the thumbprint cookie – they’re my favourite! ❤️✨
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Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
Laci says
We love cookies at my house!
Kat Perez says
This is absolute genius! Can’t wait to try it. Greetings from Canada. Love your blog. It’s become part of my morning routine for several years now:)
Jan Carter says
Hi Shay! Do you think this dough can be made in advance and put in the freezer? Thanks.
Mix and Match Mama says
I do!!
Sarah Nienhuis says
Have you used this dough for cut outs?
Mix and Match Mama says
No, if you want to make cut outs, use this dough: https://mixandmatchmama.com/2017/10/candy-corn-cookies/
Chamila says
Do they at the end taste quite similar or totally different?
Mix and Match Mama says
Totally different!
Hawthorns Family says
Hey shay I’m trying to start getting ready for our families Christmas and I wanted to make easy cookie dough that I could freeze until around Christmas. Do you think your sprinkle Cake Cookies would be a good dough recipe to freeze? Also if I wanted to use spice cake mix what kind of pudding should I use?
Mix and Match Mama says
This dough recipe (in all forms) freezes really well!
Mary-Laurence says
Hey shay are your girls still in dance? Is kensington still in dance? My daughter is about the same age as kensington and is on a Company dance competition team. Her dance teachers want her to do a solo this year and we agreed. Does kensington do competition dance? Has she ever had a solo?
Mix and Match Mama says
She is still in dance, but only does rec an not competitive.
Sandra Steele says
Great recipe! My mind went crazy thinking about more things I can do with this recipe! Thank you for sharing this!