Christmas Cookies for Kids: Easy Recipe and Free Printable Card

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Christmas cookie ideas for 3 to 5 year olds

These are jobs little hands can really do, plus simple recipes and decorating ideas for the festive season. Pick a few that suit your morning.

Simple butter cookie recipe

1. Weigh 200g plain flour into a big bowl
2. Rub in 100g soft butter with fingertips until crumbly
3. Stir in 75g caster sugar
4. Add one beaten egg and bring together into a dough
5. Wrap and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes
6. Roll out on a floured surface to about half a centimetre
7. Press out festive shapes with cutters
8. Bake at 180C for 10 to 12 minutes until pale golden
9. Cool fully on a rack before decorating
10. Check for allergies before you start

Jobs little hands can do

1. Scooping and levelling flour with a spoon
2. Rubbing butter into flour with fingertips
3. Pouring sugar from a small jug
4. Cracking and stirring the egg (with help)
5. Squishing the dough into a ball
6. Pressing cutters down and lifting shapes free
7. Dusting the worktop with a little flour
8. Counting cookies onto the tray
9. Spreading icing with a blunt knife
10. Sprinkling decorations on top

Festive shapes and decorating

1. Stars, trees and gingerbread people with cutters
2. Snowmen pressed from two rounds
3. Simple white icing made with icing sugar and water
4. Red and green sprinkles for trees
5. A dot of icing to stick on silver balls
6. Edible glitter for a frosty finish
7. Make a hole with a straw before baking for hanging cookies
8. Thread ribbon through cooled cookies for the tree
9. A cocoa dusting for reindeer biscuits
10. Writing a first letter on each cookie in icing

How to bake Christmas cookies with little ones, step by step

1. Wash hands and check for allergies, then gather everything.
2. Weigh and mix the dough together, taking turns.
3. Chill, then roll out and cut festive shapes.
4. Bake with an adult, then cool completely.
5. Decorate with icing and sprinkles, then share.

Ways to use Christmas cookie baking

• Make it a weekend treat. Set aside a quiet morning and let your child lead the weighing and mixing. Slow baking together builds lovely memories.
• Bake as gifts. Wrap a few cooled cookies in a bag with ribbon for grandparents or teachers. Children love giving something they made.
• Pair it with quiet play while dough chills. Keep little hands busy during the 30 minute chill with a puzzle or pretend play food set.
• Turn it into a counting game. Count cookies onto the tray and sort by shape. A game like a counting game carries the maths on afterwards.
• Host a decorating table. Lay out bowls of icing and sprinkles and let a small group decorate their own. Great for playdates and party afternoons.

Games and gifts for festive family time

Baking is lovely, but the waiting and the long dark afternoons need filling too. These games and wooden toys keep little ones happy right through the Christmas break.

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Wooden Pizza Toy - Pretend Play FoodShop nowPretend Play Food Set - Wooden Fruit and VegShop nowPrep & Play Kids Kitchen SetShop nowClean and Play Set - Toy Cleaning SetShop nowMaths Game - Number CountingShop nowCounting Caterpillar - Number PuzzleShop nowShape Sorter - Learning GameShop nowWooden Activity Cube - Activity Cube for ToddlersShop nowKids Building Blocks - Montessori ToyShop nowSnakes and Ladders with Ludo - Family Board GameShop nowBaby Puzzle - Wooden Toddler ToyShop nowMini Whiteboard - Educational ToyShop nowRainbow Scratch Paper - Scratch Art PadShop nowWooden Animal SkittlesShop now

Christmas cookies by age and key stage

What children learn from baking Christmas cookies

• Fine motor. Rubbing butter into flour and pressing cutters builds the hand strength children need for writing.
• Early maths. Weighing, counting and sharing cookies out supports number sense and simple measuring.
• Following instructions. Working through steps in order helps children listen, remember and sequence.
• Language. Naming ingredients and describing textures like crumbly and sticky grows vocabulary.
• Patience and turn taking. Waiting for dough to chill and sharing the mixing bowl builds self control.

More free Christmas printables

Every one is free to print, and each has its own guide.

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Christmas Kindness and Gratitude CardsFree printableChristmas Story Starter CardsFree printableChristmas Charades CardsFree printableChristmas Maths MysteryFree printableChristmas Eve Box PlannerFree printableColour-In Christmas Gift TagsFree printableElf Mischief IdeasFree printableReindeer Food RecipeFree printableChristmas BingoFree printableChristmas Scavenger HuntFree printable

Make it a Christmas tradition

Baking cookies each December is one of those small rituals children remember for years. Pick a regular day, play some music and let the kitchen get a little messy. Over time your child will want to do more of the steps themselves, which is a lovely thing to watch. Keep a cutter or two just for Christmas so they feel extra special when they come out.

Frequently asked questions

What age can children start baking?

Toddlers can scoop and stir with help from about two. By three to five they can weigh, press cutters and decorate with supervision.

Do I need to chill the dough?

Chilling firms up the dough so shapes hold their edges in the oven. Thirty minutes in the fridge is plenty.

How do I handle allergies?

Check every ingredient and label before you start, and ask about guests' allergies. Common ones here are wheat, egg and dairy.

What if we have no cutters?

Use the rim of a small glass for rounds, or shape by hand. A blunt knife can cut simple squares and triangles.

How long do the cookies keep?

Stored in an airtight tin they usually last about five days. Undecorated cookies also freeze well.

Can we make them without eggs?

Yes, many simple cookie recipes work with a little extra butter or a splash of milk to bind the dough.

How do I keep my child busy while the dough chills?

Set up a quiet activity like a puzzle or pretend kitchen play. See the gift ideas above for more.

Are these good for a nursery activity?

Yes, in small groups with close supervision. Give each child one clear job and keep the oven firmly off limits.

Browse by age and type

Educational toys for 3 to 5 year oldsLet's Pretend rangeLet's Learn rangeWooden toysGifts for kidsToys for 4 year oldsCraft sets for kidsFamily games

Jaques of London is Britain's oldest toy and games company, founded in 1795. We have spent over 230 years making games families play together, from chess and croquet to wooden toys for the very young.

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Written by the Jaques of London team. Last updated 1 November 2026.