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    Home » Dessert

    French Christmas Cookies

    Published: Oct 19, 2023 · Modified: Nov 8, 2024 by Sula · This post may contain affiliate links · 8 Comments

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    Pin for French Christmas Cookies.
    French Christmas Cookies pin.

    The holiday season is a time for warmth, love, and delicious treats. When it comes to festive cookies, these French Christmas Cookies are an irresistible option.

    These buttery, crumbly cookies are not only delightful to look at but also easy to make and incredibly flavorful.

    This recipe is perfect for a cookie exchange, because it makes a big batch of bite-sized cookies. And if you’re not doing an exchange, your family will have no trouble gobbling these morsels down. They are delish!

    Mini foil cups of French Christmas Cookies cooling on a wire rack.
    Jump to:
    • Why You Will Love These French Cookies
    • French Cookie Ingredients
    • How to Make French Cookies with Chocolate on Top
    • Substitutions and Variations
    • Storage
    • French Cookies Recipe FAQs
    • 📖 Recipe

    Why You Will Love These French Cookies

    I’ve had this recipe for over 40 years, and it has stood the test of time! With only 7 ingredients you can mix up the simple batter and bake. A piece of Hershey bar will melt deliciously into the baked cookie to give the perfect finishing touch.

    These cookies contain no eggs, but plenty of sweet graham cracker and chocolate goodness in every mini foil cup.

    French Cookie Ingredients

    • Graham cracker crumbs
    • Mini chocolate chips
    • Walnuts
    • Brown sugar
    • Butter
    • Whipping cream
    • Milk chocolate candy bars
    Ingredients: graham cracker crumbs, walnuts, mini chocolate chips, whipping cream, brown sugar, butter, milk chocolate bars.

    **Be sure to scroll to the recipe card for detailed quantities and directions**

    How to Make French Cookies with Chocolate on Top

    First, I want to make it clear that I do not know why they are called French Cookies, that’s just the name I was told 40 years ago when my co-worker shared her recipe. (If you want a cookie that is undeniably French, try your hand at some Madeleine cookies).

    These cookies are perfect for holiday baking, because a batch makes 6 dozen bite-size cookies, so that is why I call them French Christmas Cookies.

    1. In a large bowl, mix the ingredients together. I like to stir the dry ingredients first: graham cracker crumbs, chocolate chips, chopped nuts, and brown sugar. Then add whipping cream and melted butter and mix well to combine.
    Mixing the ingredients to make the dough.

    💭Tip: foil cups are both decorative and practical: the cookies will stick to paper liners, much less so with foil.

    1. Prepare a mini muffin pan by lining each well with a mini foil baking cup. Then scoop the batter into the cups, about half full. I use a small cookie scoop for this.
    2. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.
    3. While the cookies are baking, start breaking up the Hershey bars.
    Breaking the Hershey bars into pieces.
    1. As soon as you take the cookies out of the oven, press a piece of Hershey bar on top of each one. The warm cookie will melt the chocolate onto the top each cookie.
    placing a piece of chocolate bar on top of each warm cookie.

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    1. Remove the cups from the muffin pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
    French Christmas cookies cooling on a wire rack.

    Substitutions and Variations

    Instead of using a Hershey bar to top, you could drizzle some melted chocolate or use milk chocolate chips. White chocolate might be fun also, although I’ve never tried it.

    Standard foil liners are silver, but you could also use holiday color liners to really fancy it up.

    You can use milk instead of the whipping cream, but I recommend at least 2% or whole milk for best results.

    French Christmas Cookies cooling with holiday decor in the background.

    Storage

    Store your French Christmas Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They can stay fresh for up to a week. For longer storage, freeze them in an airtight container, and they'll keep for several months.

    French Cookies Recipe FAQs

    Can I use salted butter in this recipe?

    While you can use salted butter, it's advisable to use unsalted butter to control the salt content in the cookies.

    How many graham crackers are needed if I crush my own?

    You'll need about 20 of the big rectangles, which is usually more than one sleeve of crackers.

    3 French Christmas cookies on a small red plate.

    📖 Recipe

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    Chocolate topped French Christmas cookies on a wire rack.
    5 from 66 votes
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    French Cookies with Chocolate

    Get festive with French Christmas Cookies - a butter-y and chocolate-y delight for your holiday table!
    Prep Time20 minutes mins
    Cook Time10 minutes mins
    Total Time30 minutes mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American, French
    Servings: 72
    Calories: 106kcal
    Author: Sula

    Ingredients

    • 2¾ cups graham cracker crumbs*
    • 12 ounces mini chocolate chips semi-sweet
    • 2 cups walnuts chopped
    • 1 cup brown sugar
    • ¼ cup butter unsalted, melted
    • 1 cup whipping cream
    • 9.3 ounces Hershey Bars 6 full size bars

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 375F. Line a mini muffin pan with foil liners.
    • In a large mixing bowl, stir the graham cracker crumbs with the chocolate chips, chopped nuts, and brown sugar.
      2¾ cups graham cracker crumbs*, 12 ounces mini chocolate chips, 2 cups walnuts, 1 cup brown sugar
    • Add melted butter and whipping cream. Mix well to combine.
      ¼ cup butter, 1 cup whipping cream
    • Fill the foil liners in the muffin pan about halfway with the dough.
    • Bake 10 to 15 minutes at 375F.
    • Break each chocolate bar into smaller pieces, using the scored sections in the bar.
      9.3 ounces Hershey Bars
    • Remove the muffin pan from the oven and immediately press a piece of chocolate bar on top of each warm cookie.
      9.3 ounces Hershey Bars
    • Remove the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

    Notes

    If crushing your own graham crackers, you will need about 20 large rectangles to make enough crumbs. You can crush in a food processor or in a bag with a rolling pin, either method works fine.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 106kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 32mg | Potassium: 38mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 80IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 0.4mg

    Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.

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    Comments

    1. Linda

      December 07, 2023 at 11:29 pm

      Are these made in those really tiny muffin pans with the foil papers? The mini pan I have is about 1 1/2” for each muffin which seems small but the only other muffin pans I know of are the standard muffins or the jumbo ones.

      Reply
      • Sula

        December 08, 2023 at 8:25 am

        Yes, the mini muffin pans are exactly what you should use. When you put a foil liner in it, then use a small cookie scoop to transfer the batter. It does make nice small bite-sized cookies. 😀

        Reply
    2. Calli

      October 24, 2023 at 7:10 pm

      5 stars
      I have been experimenting with new Christmas cookies, and your French Christmas cookies taste amazing! I added a few mini marshmallows to the top and they reminded me of s'mores. They are so delicious and easy to make!

      Reply
      • Sula

        October 27, 2023 at 9:12 am

        Oh yes mini marshmallows would definitely take these into s'mores territory! Yum!

        Reply
    3. Hatty

      October 22, 2023 at 6:54 pm

      5 stars
      These were quite delicious!
      I was confused by the name, but when they taste like this I don't think it matters what they are called!!!

      They tasted like a muffin and cookie combined. And so easy to make.
      I'll be making them again for sure!

      Reply
      • Sula

        October 27, 2023 at 9:06 am

        They are a favorite! Enjoy!

        Reply
    4. Sandra

      October 19, 2023 at 8:45 am

      Can you substitute for the nuts?
      maybe rice krispies or...?

      Reply
      • Sula

        November 15, 2023 at 7:31 am

        I've never tried any substitutions but Rice Krispies does sound fun!

        Reply
    5 from 66 votes (64 ratings without comment)

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