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Easy Christmas Cookies

Looking to make easy Christmas cookies? Check out this quick and easy recipe for pretzel kiss cookies that is super delicious and great to make with the kids!


When I’m invited to cookie exchanges, I always have these grand ideas of things that I want to make.

I’m going to make the coolest cookies that are really delicious, look really festive, and are fun.

But then time gets away from me, I procrastinate thinking I have plenty of time and am left needing 6 dozen cookies in a matter of hours.

Does that ever happen to you too?

These easy Christmas cookies are a simple solution because they are quick to make with little prep work and minimal clean-up.

Sounds too good to be true, right?

When my kids were young, I loved getting them involved with any recipes I was making.

And this pretzel kiss cookie recipe is a good one to get even the littlest of the littles involved with because they can help separate the candies by color and unwrap the chocolate kisses.

The hardest part is keeping them from eating all the candy before you finish making the cookies!

Wait until you see how easy these Christmas treats are to make!

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How Soon Before Christmas Can I Bake Cookies?

This is a really good question because you can make them a lot earlier than you think!

Holiday cookies can be made up to 3 months ahead. But you’ll want to freeze and store them to maintain freshness.

So clear out your freezer ahead of time and purchase high-quality freezer safe bags or freezer-safe food containers like these.

But if you prefer to keep them at room temperature, then don’t make them any earlier than two weeks before to maintain freshness.

cozy twinkle lights in my farmhouse christmas kitchen with white cabinets -Rustic Farmhouse Christmas

Do Freezing Cookies Keep Them Fresh?

Yes. You can freeze cookies to keep them fresh. However, not all cookies do well when frozen.

In general, after baking cookies, allow them to completely cool before attempting to freeze them.

Place cookies in an airtight food container that is lined with plastic food wrap or aluminum foil.

And if you want the best results?

It’s even better to individually wrap them in something like Press ‘n Seal or Cling Wrap.

But that’s not always feasible because who wants to wrap 6 dozen cookies individually, am I right?

To me, when making that many cookies it’s easier to line the food container and call it a day.

ingredients to make pretzel kiss cookies - easy christmas cookies recipes
In preparation for this blog post, I hid the candy. Would you believe one of my kids found them and opened the kisses before I had a chance to make these. LOL!

Does this Recipe for Pretzel Kiss Cookies Freeze Well?

While you can freeze these easy Christmas cookies, I recommend not doing it.

The kisses will be more likely to fall off the waffle pretzels or the candies may separate from the kisses after freezing.

Because this recipe for pretzel kiss cookies is so ridiculously easy to make, I’d just make them fresh!

opening hershey kisses to make pretzel kiss cookies - Easy Christmas Cookies

How to Make These Easy Christmas Cookies

It seriously does not get any easier than this recipe for pretzel kiss cookies.

And it’s really good to boot!

It’s sweet, it’s salty, and sinfully delicious. Plus, they are ready in a matter of minutes.

When we have them, they are gone almost as quickly as making them, so if you make this recipe, plan. to make a lot more.

What I love most about it is you can switch up the candies to whatever you want to use.

Easy Christmas Cookies

Supplies Needed to Make These Easy Christmas Cookies

The list of ingredients needed to make these pretzel kiss cookies are minimal, which is one of the reasons I try to keep them on hand.

If we don’t eat them beforehand that is. LOL!

I love to use Peanut Butter M&M’s®️ because I prefer the flavor, but I’ve seen them made with mint chocolate and peanut M&M’s®️ too.

You can also use white, milk, or dark chocolate kisses. It’s really a matter of preference.

But note, if you use white chocolate, it melts a little quicker in the oven so keep an eye on it.

Here’s what you need to make these easy Christmas Cookies.

  • Waffle Pretzels
  • Hershey Kisses
  • M&M’s or Reeses Pieces

And that’s it!

I told you it was a short list!

Easy Christmas Cookies

Directions to Make Pretzel Kiss Cookies

When you have all of your supplies and are ready to make the cookies, I’d prepare everything by lining a baking sheet, unwrapping the candies, and setting everything aside in bowls so you can easily mass-produce this cookie recipe.

And when you unwrap each candy, try to keep yourself from eating the chocolate kisses!

I dare you! LOL

Not sure about you, but I eat so many while I’m making these pretzel kiss cookies. And if I’m being honest, it’s hard not to.

Is it just me?

I find it easier to separate the candies by color. But I’ve also seen the candies available with just the holiday colors.

The problem is, I don’t always find the bags of candy with only the holiday colors, so I wind up separating them myself. Or dishing that task off to one of the kids.

adding hershey chocolate kisses on each waffle pretzel to make Easy Christmas Cookies

After you set yourself up, place one chocolate kiss on top of each waffle pretzel on a lined baking sheet. This takes seconds to do once you have everything set up.

Then bake them for 5 minutes at 200 degrees.

And make sure the chocolate does not overcook or it won’t turn out as well and you’ll need to start over.

But how will you know if it’s overcooking?

The kisses will lose that rich, glossy shine and look more take on a muddy, dull, thick, and dry appearance.

Adding m&m's after baking kisses on top of waffle pretzels to make Easy Christmas Cookies

Depending on your oven and how precise it is with temperature, I’d keep an eye on them while baking. I know a watched pot never boils, but every oven is different and I recommend watching them.

Top each cookie with the candies as soon as they come out of the oven while the chocolate is still soft and melty.

But work quickly because the chocolate cools faster than you think.

topping baked pretzel kiss recipe with peanut m&m to make Easy Christmas Cookies

Allow the cookies to completely cool. And this is about the time when we start eating them before storing them.

So as I mentioned earlier, make a lot more than you think you need!

LOL!

Serve and enjoy!

What’s your favorite Christmas cookie?

close up of Easy Christmas Cookies - pretzle kiss cookie recipe
close up of Easy Christmas Cookies - pretzle kiss cookie recipe

Easy Christmas Cookies

Stacy Ling
Looking to make easy Christmas cookies? Check out this quick and easy recipe for pretzel kiss cookies that is super delicious and great to make with the kids!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 people
Calories 157 kcal

Equipment

  • 2 Bowls

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 200.
  • Open Hershey Kisses and set aside.
    opening hershey kisses to make pretzel kiss cookies - Easy Christmas Cookies
  • If green and red M&M’s are not already separated, separate the colors.
    separating the candies to make Easy Christmas Cookies
  • Foil a baking sheet.
  • Set waffle pretzels on baking sheet.
  • Top each pretzel with a Hershey’s Kiss.
    top each waffle pretzel off with a hershey kiss to make Easy Christmas Cookies
  • Bake in oven for 5 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and top each with one M&M Candy.
    topping baked pretzel kiss recipe with peanut m&m to make Easy Christmas Cookies
  • Allow to cool before serving.
    close up of Easy Christmas Cookies - pretzle kiss cookie recipe

Nutrition

Serving: 1gramsCalories: 157kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 2gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.04gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 85mgPotassium: 11mgFiber: 1gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 11IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 53mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Cookies, Easy Christmas Cookies, Pretzel Cookies
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Want More Sweet Treat Ideas?

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Easy Christmas Cookies

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close up of Easy Christmas Cookies recipes with pretzel kiss cookies

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Easy Christmas Cookies

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22 Comments

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  3. Hi stacy! too funny I have a rough draft of these! I increased my oven temp too! yours look amazing! yum! Glad I took photos before kids got home from college! laura in colorado

  4. Hi Stacy, these Christmas cookies look like fun to make with kids. I love that even the little ones can help out with this recipe!

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  6. I enjoy making— and eating— these, too! Sometimes instead of an M+M, I top it with another pretzel for a pretzel sandwich.

  7. Stacy, these are a family favorite of our house too! My daughters were all born in Hershey, PA so the Hershey kisses are sentimental. And then there’s the fact that they just taste so good. Thanks for the stroll down memory lane!

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  10. Stacy, This is my kind of recipe!
    I cannot wait to make these with my children this Christmas…pinned.
    xoxo,
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