Christmas calls for many seasonal traditions: putting up decorations, doing a Secret Santa with your friends, and of course, baking festive treats. From marshmallows to fudge, the holiday season is practically made for those of us with an insatiable sweet-tooth. Gingerbread and chocolate chip cookies are both classic, timeless options, but if you have a taste for only the finest delicacies and are a sucker for nostalgia, you already know Pillsbury cookies are the way to go for ease, convenience, and reliability. This holiday season, however, we are going above and beyond just the basic cookie (although, they certainly hold their own by themselves!). Here’s how you can upgrade Pillsbury cookies for Christmas.
The easiest hack of all combines two Pillsbury classics: chocolate chip cookie dough and a signature Pillsbury Shape Christmas sugar cookie. All it takes is two types of dough, two minutes of prep (without any mixing), and about 15 minutes total to create layered Christmas cookies with the best of both worlds.
It’s just as simple as this hack from Leanna Laming (lifebyleanna.com), who uses Nestle Toll House Peppermint Cocoa Cookie Dough to layer her Pillsbury cookies. She starts by rolling the Peppermint Cocoa dough into small balls, then squishing into circles onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, just like above. Then, add your sugar cookie on top. Same steps, but now you have a different cookie flavor in the mix!
Or, if you want to get extra fancy, Jamie Dinardi-Dill (@sweetlyjamie on Instagram) shared an easy Pillsbury Cookie hack to elevate your cookies and impress all your friends — even though it only takes an extra two steps. But, you’ll look like you spent your Winter Break at baking school.
First, roll your sugar cookies into a little ball and coat them in sprinkles and/or sanding sugar. Dinardi-Dill used shimmer sanding sugar, which is highly recommended if you want that extra sparkle. Then, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and slightly flatten the tops. Gently place another cookie on top with a cute, festive design. Bake at 325 degrees for 13 minutes, and there you have it! Gorgeous, professional-looking cookies that take no time at all!
If you want a holiday spin on slutty brownies, @katelynshankle on TikTok shared an easy recipe using Pillsbury’s signature Christmas shapes. This is the highest-effort low-maintenance holiday dessert recipe ever: yes, it takes multiple ingredients and steps, but it doesn’t get much more difficult than laying down a Pillsbury holiday cookie, stacking a festive Oreo on top, and pouring boxed brownie mix over the cookie stack.
And, since it’s never too cold for ice cream, you can easily create ice cream sandwiches using Pillsbury cookie dough. Bake your cookies like normal, and then follow TikTok user and Pillsbury fan @notdelaneyruthh’s example and add a scoop of your ice cream of choice in between two cookies. Don’t forget you need double the Pillsbury cookies per sandwich!
Or, if you’re really feeling creative, try this Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Christmas Tree from the official Pillsbury TikTok. Roll out plain sugar cookie dough, and then use star and flower-shaped cookie cutters (for optimal results, use different-sized cookie cutters of the same shape). After following the baking instructions, begin stacking your cookies, smallest to largest, adding green frosting and sprinkles between each cookie. Finally, frost a star with yellow frosting to add as your Christmas tree’s star! These would be an adorable addition to any holiday party.
Don’t wait to get your hands on the Christmas-themed Pillsbury sugar cookies this season — they’ll sell out before you know it!