There are certain smells that instantly make a house feel like Christmas, and these favorite Christmas cookies to bake with your preschoolers are sure to delight the senses. Butter and sugar creaming together. Ginger and cinnamon warming in the oven. A hint of vanilla lingering in the air long after the cookies have cooled.
In our home, baking Christmas cookies is less about perfection and more about presence. The counters get dusty with flour, little hands sneak tastes of dough, and the kitchen fills with conversation and laughter. These are the moments our children remember long after the cookies are gone.
Each year we return to a handful of favorite recipes—simple, dependable, and perfect for baking together.
Favorite Christmas Cookies to Bake with your Preschoolers
Sugar Cookies
These sugar cookies are our go-to for cut-out days, decorating afternoons, and gifting plates to neighbors. The dough is forgiving, easy for children to help with, and holds its shape beautifully.
We like to roll the dough, cut out stars and trees, and bake them just until the edges are set. Once cooled, children can decorate with tastu buttercream frosting or leave them plain and golden.
Three year old preschoolers can press cookie cutters into dough, spread frosting on, or shake sprinkles onto the cookies.
Butterscotch Bars
These no-bake bars are a favorite when we want something sweet without turning the oven back on. They come together quickly and are perfect for little helpers.
Soft marshmallows, peanut butter, and butterscotch chips create a treat that feels indulgent and nostalgic. We often make these when time is short or when we want a simple win in the middle of a busy holiday week.
They’re also wonderful for gifting—cut into squares and tucked into parchment paper, they feel both homemade and special.
Ingredients
1 12 oz package butterscotch chips
2 T. butter
2 T. heavy cream
1 cup peanut butter
10 oz package mini marshmallows
Melt butterscotch chips, butter, and heavy cream in a large saucepan. Stir in peanut butter until smooth and creamy. Add more cream if it seems too thick.
Remove from heat and pour in marshmallows. Stir quickly to avoid melting the marshmallows.
Spread into an 8x8 square pan (a pie plate would also work).
Refrigerate until set and then cut into small squares. These are very sweet, so small portions are best.
3 year olds can pour in the marshmallows, stir ingredients, or help press them into the pan.
Classic Gingersnaps
Gingersnaps feel like Christmas in its most traditional form. The warm spices, the crackled tops, the slightly crisp edges—these cookies belong to quiet evenings and mugs of tea or cocoa.
We love baking gingersnaps while reading Christmas stories aloud or listening to carols. 3 year olds especially love shaping balls and rolling them in sugar before baking.
Here is the recipe written out cleanly and ready to use in a blog post, printable, or recipe card:
Ingredients
¾ cup butter, softened
1 ⅓ cups sugar, divided
1 egg
¼ cup molasses
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 1 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in the egg and molasses until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms.
Place the remaining ⅓ cup sugar in a small bowl. Roll dough into 1-inch balls, then roll each ball in sugar to coat.
Place cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes, until cookies are set and tops are crackled.
Allow to cool slightly on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack.
These gingersnaps are crisp on the outside, soft inside, and full of warm holiday spice—perfect for Christmas baking and gifting.
Baking as a Christmas Tradition
Baking together doesn’t have to be elaborate to be meaningful. It’s enough to choose a recipe, invite your children into the process, and let the kitchen be a place of warmth and welcome.
We've tried many other recipes, Olive Oil Orange Cake (featured in Christmas Guide Volume 2 and the Peaceful Press Cookbook, Dupe Cinnabon, Gingerbread, Double Delicious Cookie Bars, Grandma's Teacakes, Peanut Butter Blossoms and many more. Some of these get repeated every year, while others get cycled in, but each of them sparks happy memories as we gather to bake and taste together.
At Peaceful Press, we believe that learning and family life are deeply connected. When children bake, they practice math, sequencing, patience, and fine motor skills—but more importantly, they experience togetherness.
In the Holiday Book Flood we include several Christmas cookie recipes, craft instructions, and beloved story suggestions so you can create a memorable Christmas with your children.
It's a joy-filled holiday traditions and you can download today for just $19!