The CUTEST Christmas Donut Cookies

The most exciting Christmas Cookies are often the ones that playfully mimic other treats. When seeking a simple yet highly ADORABLE addition to the holiday platter many bakers look for a way to achieve that “WOW” factor without intricate piping or rare ingredients. The shape of a donut—a perfect circle with a hole—is universally appealing and instantly fun.

I wanted a method that leveraged the familiar ease of a sugar cookie recipe but transformed it into something completely unexpected and CUTEST for the holidays. The challenge was maintaining the donut’s shape during baking while keeping the cookie base tender.

This Christmas Donut Cookies recipe is the definitive answer—an innovative and effective holiday baking hack.

This recipe uses a simple vanilla sugar cookie dough that is shaped by hand into tiny donut rings. Once baked these mini donuts are dipped into a straightforward spreadable icing tinted red and green then immediately topped with festive sprinkles. They are so easy that they are perfect for beginner cookie decorators but look professionally ADORABLE.

This recipe is a must-pin for anyone searching Christmas Cookies Decorated because it delivers the ULTIMATE visual punch using a simple shaping technique. If you are looking for the BEST fun festive cookie that kids and adults will adore this simple method is your guaranteed winner.

Why You’ll Love These Christmas Donut Cookies

This recipe is a massive holiday success because it offers a break from the standard cutout shapes and uses a forgiving icing method.

• The ULTIMATE Holiday Baking Hack These cookies eliminate the need for specialized donut pans or complex frying. They use a sugar cookie recipe and simple hand-rolling to create the mini donuts shape making this the ULTIMATE holiday baking hack for maximizing festive output with minimal equipment.
• CUTEST and Fun Festive Cookie The ADORABLE look of a tiny frosted donut covered in red and green sprinkles is instantly engaging. This playful design makes them a fun festive cookie that adds immense charm to any Christmas dessert table.
• Perfect for Beginner Cookie Decorators The icing is a simple two-ingredient glaze (powdered sugar and milk/corn syrup) that is easily spreadable—not royal icing. You simply dip the tops or use a spoon to coat then add sprinkles immediately. This process is ideal for beginner cookie decorators to achieve a polished look.
• Soft Tender Cookie Base The recipe uses vegetable oil and melted butter in the dough which results in an incredibly soft moist sugar cookie that contrasts perfectly with the slightly crisp icing shell.

Ingredients and Instructions The Donut Shape

The key to the CUTEST Christmas Donut Cookies is the dough handling which involves rolling the cookie into a thin rope and sealing the ends.

Component	Quantity	Notes
Vegetable Oil	2 tablespoons
Melted Butter	3 tablespoons	Cooled
Large Eggs	2
Vanilla Extract	2 teaspoons
Salt	1 teaspoon
Baking Powder	2 teaspoons	For a slight puff
Powdered Sugar	1 cup	Used in the dough
All-Purpose Flour	2 1/2 cups
Icing Powdered Sugar	1 cup	For the glaze
Milk	2 tablespoons	Plus more if needed to thin
Light Corn Syrup	4 teaspoons	For shine and texture in the icing
Food Coloring	Red and Green
Sprinkles	Festive Colors

• Make Dough In a large bowl mix the oil melted butter eggs vanilla salt baking powder and 1 cup powdered sugar until smooth. Add the flour and mix until a smooth dough forms.
• Chill Mandatory Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour or overnight. Chilling is mandatory for easy shaping.
• Shape Mini Donuts Preheat oven to 350°F. Scoop a tablespoon of dough and roll it into a rope about 4 inches long and 1/2 inch thick. Shape the rope into a circle connecting the two ends with a gentle press. Ensure a small hole remains in the center.
• Bake Place the mini donuts on a parchment-lined baking sheet 1 inch apart. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until they turn a golden color on the top. Cool completely.
• Make Icing Divide the icing powdered sugar into two bowls. To each bowl add half the milk and half the corn syrup. Stir until a smooth thick but spreadable glaze forms. Tint one bowl red and one bowl green with food coloring.
• Ice and Decorate Dip the top of each cooled cookie into the colored icing or use the back of a spoon to spread the glaze. Immediately add festive sprinkles before the icing hardens.
• Set Allow the icing to harden completely before stacking or storing.

Step by Step Mastering the Donut Hack

The challenge with these Christmas Donut Cookies is ensuring the donut hole remains open during baking and preventing the spreadable icing from running off the sides. My early attempts sometimes had closed holes; I learned the rope shaping is key.

Here is the detailed human-written guide to mastering this spectacular beginner cookie decorators recipe:

• Roll a Thin Rope The secret to the open donut center is shaping the dough into a thin 4-inch rope. Rolling it thin ensures the middle section does not expand and fill the hole during baking. Make sure the hole is visible before placing it in the oven.
• Melted Butter and Oil Base The combination of melted butter and vegetable oil in the dough contributes to the incredibly soft buttery texture. This method differs from creaming softened butter and guarantees a moist cookie that is less likely to become dry after baking.
• Corn Syrup for Icing Shine The addition of light corn syrup to the simple glaze is the hack for a perfect professional finish. The corn syrup helps the icing set with a desirable shine and prevents it from crumbling when you bite into the cookie.
• Dip or Spoon Icing Because the glaze is spreadable you have two choices. For speed dip the top of the cooled cookie into the icing bowl. For a cleaner look especially for beginner cookie decorators use the back of a spoon to gently spread the icing over the top leaving the sides clean.
• Decorate Immediately The glaze sets relatively quickly due to the high amount of powdered sugar. You must sprinkle the festive sprinkles onto the cookie immediately after applying the icing to ensure they adhere before the glaze forms a crust.

Variations Serving and Storage Tips

This core Christmas Donut Cookies recipe is an ULTIMATE base for fun festive cookie variations.

Delicious Variations to Try

• Chocolate Donuts Substitute 1/4 cup of the flour with 1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder for a chocolate donut base.
• Cinnamon Sugar Finish Omit the icing. Brush the baked cooled mini donuts with melted butter and roll them in a mixture of granulated sugar and cinnamon for a traditional churro or cinnamon sugar donut flavor.
• Lemon Zest Add 1 tablespoon of lemon zest to the dough for a BRIGHT citrus flavor.
• Gluten-Free Substitute the all-purpose flour with a 11 gluten-free baking blend for a gluten-free holiday baking hack.

Serving Suggestions

These CUTEST cookies are perfect for:

• Cookie Swap Their unique shape makes them a fun conversation starter at any cookie swap.
• Family Tradition Make them an annual event for kids holiday baking allowing them to control the colors and sprinkles.
• Gifting Package in small clear bags tied with a tag that says “Donut Forget Christmas.”

Storage and Recipe Notes

Item	Details
Keep Fresh	Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days
Dough Make Ahead	Dough can be refrigerated up to 1 day or frozen for up to 3 months
Icing Hardening	Allow the icing to harden completely before stacking or storing
Best Texture	Best when baked for the full 16-18 minutes until lightly golden for structure

Conclusion Your Most CUTEST Christmas Cookie Recipe

The Christmas Donut Cookies recipe is the perfect blend of simple sugar cookie recipe and ingenious shape hack. It’s the BEST holiday baking hack that guarantees CUTEST mini donuts and an ULTIMATE fun festive cookie every time.

By embracing this simple rolling and dipping method you ensure your holiday is filled with ADORABLE Christmas Cookies perfect for beginner cookie decorators.

Pin this fun festive cookie today and enjoy the BEST CUTEST Christmas Donut Cookies