Are you searching for unique and simple Christmas cookies that your little one can lend a helping hand in making? Look no further! These special Christmas puzzle cookies are not only easy, but they are so much fun to create and decorate!
Melianna, Xander, and I have been eager to get to work in the kitchen lately, especially since life has been so busy. Recently, we watched a cookie challenge show featuring puzzle cookies as a challenge. I had never seen anything like that before, so I was instantly intrigued and decided we had to try making Thanksgiving turkey cookies in that style. We had so much fun making our turkey cookies; we couldn’t resist making Christmas cookies the same way.
I have never created my own official cookie recipe from scratch; instead, I have mainly modified existing recipes to suit my preferences. Obviously, puzzle cookies involved a lot of trial and error. They can be challenging but very satisfying once you figure them out.
Since I started this little project without knowing how it would turn out, I decided to work on the recipe and cutouts while Meli and Xander were at school. They couldn’t help me cut out the Christmas cookies since I needed to use a sharp paring knife, and I didn’t want to make a trip to the ER over something that was supposed to be fun.
Don’t worry; once baked, they thoroughly enjoyed decorating (and eating) the cookies. Anyway, I now know which recipe works best for this specific type of cookie, and I’m excited to share my tips and tricks with you!
Contents
- What You’ll Need
- Templates for Christmas Cookies
- Make the Sugar Cookie Recipe
- Roll and Shape Your Christmas Cookies
- Bake Christmas Cookies and Make Royal Icing
- Decorate Your Christmas Cookies
- Final Thoughts
What You’ll Need for the Christmas Puzzle Cookies
- Christmas Cookie Templates (optional). I printed mine and mainly used templates. I did, however, use a couple of cookie cutters, a biscuit cutter, frosting tips, and a medicine cup to cut out some of the shapes. Use whatever you have around the house or a template for everything. Indeed, it is more work to use a template, but it was worth it. Luckily, there is no wrong option here, and you can do whatever you and your helpers decide. I will attach the PNGs I used under each photo of the templates below.
- Sugar Cookie Recipe (not mine, but it worked the best). You will need flour, sugar, unsalted butter, eggs, cornstarch, salt, and vanilla (or any flavoring you choose).
- Royal Icing (optional for decorating). We used the linked recipe. You will need powdered sugar, corn syrup, water, food coloring, vanilla (or any flavoring you choose). Also, any alternative frosting or embellishments you choose for your Christmas cookies are great options.
- Piping Bags or ziplock bags. They make life so much easier while frosting the cookies.
- Food Coloring Gel (for homemade royal icing). Gel is superior to water-based food coloring. You need less, and it won’t alter your recipe ratios.
- Scissors (if using a template) and piping bags/ziplock bags for decorating.
- Paring Knife (what I used), Xacto Knife, or any sharp nonserrated knife, especially if using a template.
- Parchment Paper
- Plastic Wrap
- Rolling Pin (this one is my favorite). You can easily choose your desired thickness and do not have to measure the dough manually.
- Cookie Sheets
- Food Scale (optional, but highly recommended for any type of baking). The one I use is not currently available on Amazon (my apologies). Anything similar would work great. The accuracy is 0.1g, and it hasn’t failed me yet! Measuring ingredients by weight rather than volume leads to more consistent and reliable baking results.
Templates for Christmas Cookies
First, choose the template(s) you want to use unless you plan to use a cookie cutter. If you want to use a different template, a quick search on Google will yield plenty of choices. I found both of my templates on Canva.
I used the same template for the Christmas tree cookies but did two different puzzle variations. A piping tip for the second tree was perfect for cutting out the ornaments.
I decided to cut the truck into four parts. I separated the tree and wheels and then cut out a combination of a window and door. My main reason for doing this was to make things easier (and more even) when baking the Christmas cookies.
If you’d like to make a snowman, but don’t have a cookie cutter, you can use this snowman PNG for a template.
Make the Sugar Cookie Recipe
Full Disclosure: I tried multiple cookie recipes when I first attempted the turkey puzzle cookies, and the sugar cookie recipe linked above was the most successful. I also experimented with a few shortbread cookie recipes. This recipe worked reasonably well, but the tops of the cookies bubbled up slightly, and I wanted a flatter surface.
My mom recommended a shortbread cookie recipe that is nothing short of AMAZING, and I highly recommend it for simpler shapes. However, the cookies were so delicate that they broke almost immediately, and their shape changed too much in the oven. Looking back, I may have needed to roll them thicker, but I decided to move on anyway. Lesson learned!
Roll and Shape Your Christmas Cookies
After mixing the dough, place it on a sheet of lightly floured parchment paper. I set my rolling pin to a thickness of 1/4 inch. You can either cover the top of the dough with plastic wrap while rolling it out or lightly flour your rolling pin to prevent sticking. At this point, I also start preheating my oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
After rolling your dough to the desired thickness, it is unnecessary to chill it at this stage. I immediately began cutting out my cookie shapes, being very careful while manipulating them since the dough is a little sticky. However, if you choose to chill your dough after rolling, you won’t need to be as delicate while cutting.
After cutting out my cookie shapes, I removed some extra dough from the pieces that would fit inside the other pieces. Truthfully, it doesn’t matter which recipe you use or how you prepare the dough before baking; all cookies WILL expand in the oven to some degree.
Additional efforts can help minimize this as much as possible, but won’t eliminate it completely. Therefore, you need to give the shapes extra room to expand. Otherwise, you’ll end up with stacked or broken Christmas cookies from trying to force the pieces together. Trust me—learn from my mistakes!
After cutting out the shapes and re-rolling the dough as many times as needed, it’s time to chill your Christmas cookies. Place them on a cookie sheet, cover them with plastic wrap, and freeze them until frozen.
Bake Christmas Cookies and Make Royal Icing
After the cookies have been in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to an hour, remove them and place them onto a new cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake the cookies while keeping a close eye on them. They are ready when they are barely golden brown around the edges; mine took about 8 minutes.
Once you take them out of the oven, make any quick adjustments while they are still hot and easy to manipulate. Be careful not to overdo it, as you could break them or burn yourself.
I wanted to use a royal icing recipe that was easy to manipulate since I have limited experience decorating with it, aside from the usual gingerbread house and our recent turkey cookies. Let’s just say I anticipated mistakes. I also wanted to avoid using egg whites or meringue powder like in most royal icing recipes, so I opted for the linked recipe above.
While it doesn’t harden as quickly as traditional royal icing, it was easy and convenient. After flooding the cookie, I found manipulating the icing with a toothpick effortless. Even Meli was able to detail her icing with a toothpick. The icing sets in about 1-2 minutes but will fully harden within approximately 24 hours.
Decorate Your Christmas Cookies
I have to admit that I truly enjoyed this step! I love baking, but the kids and I haven’t been able to have much fun in the kitchen lately due to the hustle and bustle of our busy lives. This experience was also my second time decorating sugar cookies with royal icing, which I have found quite satisfying.
The cookies turned out adorable. Xander was very heavy-handed with the royal icing (as always), while Meli was very focused on her decorating technique. I had a difficult time getting pictures of Xander’s finished cookies because his main goal was to eat everything. But Meli’s cookies? I was so impressed with how hers turned out, especially comparing them to her turkey cookies from Thanksgiving. I think we have a future professional cookie decorator in the house!
The kiddos had a great time fitting the cookie pieces together like a puzzle before decorating, especially the truck. I chose the truck template with Xander in mind; it’s perfect for the occasion, and anything with wheels is his obsession.
Final Thoughts on Our Christmas Puzzle Cookies
In conclusion, making unique Christmas puzzle cookies with the family can be a delightful and creative way to kick off your Christmas celebration. It’s a perfect project for bonding with your little ones in the kitchen, sparking their imagination and giving them a sense of accomplishment as they decorate and enjoy their tasty creations.
Remember, baking is as much about the journey as the end result, so don’t stress if things don’t turn out perfectly. As mentioned, I had to learn through trial and error. Embrace the process, be creative with your designs, and most importantly, enjoy the time spent together.
We can’t wait to see the beautiful Christmas cookie masterpieces you and your little helpers create! Please share your questions, thoughts, and photos! We would love to hear your feedback and see your creations. Happy baking, and Merry Christmas!
Are you interested in charming Thanksgiving cookies? Check out our turkey cookies for the details.
Are you interested in a cookbook specially made for your little helpers? Check out My First Coloring Cookbook for more information. All cookbooks are in picture format and are also coloring books. They make a wonderful Christmas gift for all little ones who love exploring in the kitchen! Easy Rice Krispie Treat Recipe With My Little Helper(s) features one of the Sweet Treat Recipes.
Interested in a quick and easy pizza recipe your little one can make without a cookbook? Check out our Air-Fryer Tortilla Pizza. It’s a foolproof method for getting your little one involved in the kitchen.
