Learn how to spice up sugar cookies fast with these easy store bought sugar cookie dough hacks. Most of these ideas will take you no time at all and use less ingredients than homemade dough. Impress everyone this holiday season or at your next bake sale with these sugar cookie hacks.
Store Bought Sugar Cookie Dough Hacks: Dipped Sugar Cookies
I love hacking box mixes and store bought cookie dough. While I cook from scratch, I often don’t bake from scratch. Why?
Well, kids. It’s sort of a pia to measure everything out when I have kids hanging from my legs, which these days I often do. But I love to bake so I have to go all extra on premade mixes. I hack cake mixes, brownies mixes, and of course I love store bought cookie dough hacks.
All of these sugar cookie dough hacks, only need 2 or 3 ingredients. The result? A beautiful tray of cookies with minimal work and fuss that everyone will love.
Except maybe your picky toddler. They are the wild card.
How to Spice Up Sugar Cookies: Sugar Cookie Dough Hacks
Nonpareil Sugar Cookies
BAKED SUGAR COOKIES + MELTED CHOCOLATE + SPRINKLES
Nonpareil Sugar Cookies
Who doesn’t love a nonpareil especially around the holidays? Combine the classic sprinkle candy with baked store bought sugar cookie dough for the ultimate in sugar cookie treats. Just roll inch dough balls and then press them into circles with a cup. Bake and then dip one side in melted chocolate and nonpareil sprinkles.
White Chocolate Peppermint
BAKED SUGAR COOKIES + MELTED WHITE CHOCOLATE + CRUSHED PEPPERMINTS
White chocolate peppermint dipped sugar cookies
Is there any flavor that screams the holiday season more than peppermint? Turn that flavor into an irresistible sugar cookie by dipping one side of your baked cookie into white chocolate and then crushed peppermint pieces. If you don’t like white chocolate, change it up and do dark or milk chocolate. Whatever you like.
Chocolate M&Ms
For the candy lovers out there, these chocolate and M&M dipped sugar cookies are for you. This cookie gives you two options.
M&Ms and chocolate dipped sugar cookies
BAKED SUGAR COOKIES + MELTED CHOCOLATE + M&MS
Option 1: bake the sugar cookie dough according to the directions on the package. Then dip an end in melted chocolate and M&M’s.
SUGAR COOKIE DOUGH + M&MS
Option 2: Make 1 inch dough balls and press them down with a cup to make flat sugar cookies. Press M&Ms directly into the cookie dough and bake as usual.
And if you’re not a fan of M&M’s? Substitute Reeses Pieces for the M&M’s instead!
Snickerdoodles
Snickerdoodles from Store bought cookie dough
SUGAR COOKIE DOUGH + CINNAMON + SUGAR
Making snickerdoodles with store bought sugar cookie dough is a snap! Just roll the dough into one inch balls and then coat them in equal parts cinnamon and sugar. Then I press them gently with a glass before baking them according to the directions on the package. That’s it!
Slightly flatten the snickerdoodles
Tips and Tricks for Making Dipped Sugar Cookies from Store Bought Cookie Dough
Make 1 inch balls out of the cookie dough
I promise you- all these cookies are so easy to make! But there are a couple of tricks and tips that will set you up for dipped cookie success. All of these tips and tricks came from my own trial and error so you can get fantastic cookies on the first try. Follow these tricks for your best dipped sugar cookies ever:
- For all of the cookies, don’t slice and bake the dough the way you would for sugar cookies you were going to ice. The cookies will spread and wind up too big to dip well. When the cookies are too large, they are more likely to break in the chocolate.
- Make sure you don’t skip thinning the chocolate with a bit of coconut oil or canola oil. It will help the chocolate coat the end of the cookies much more smoothly.
- For the M&M cookies, I find that coating both sides of the cookie in M&Ms, while delicious, will not allow the cookie to lay nicely on a tray. Skip the M&Ms on the back of the cookies if you want pretty presentation.
- Let the cookies cool fully prior to dipping. If you don’t let them cool, they will be very fragile while you dip them and may break apart.
- Once you’ve dipped all the chocolate coated cookies, let them set at room temperature or in the fridge before serving.
Other Store Bought Dough and Mix Hacks You Might Love
White Chocolate Peppermint Dipped Sugar Cookies
These cookie dough hacks are just the tip of the iceberg my friends. Try these other store bought dough hacks.
Cookies
- Store bought cookie dough hacks: Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Easy Giant Heart Shaped Chocolate Chip Cookie
- Easy and Adorable Unicorn Sugar Cookies
- The Cutest St. Patrick’s Day Sugar Cookies
- The Best Cute and Easy Sprinkles Sugar Cookies
Brownies
Cake Mix Hacks
- Honey Vanilla Cake
- Boozy Pumpkin Sheet Cake
- Shortcut Bailey’s Cake
- Easy Pumpkin Donuts
- Gingerbread Donuts
- Easy Apple Cider Donuts
Ingredients
- 1 large roll of sugar cookie dough
For the M&M Cookies
- 12 ounces of milk or semisweet chocolate*
- 1 tbs of coconut oil
- 1 cup of mini M&Ms
For the Nonpareil Cookies
- 12 ounces milk or semisweet chocolate chips*
- 1 tbs coconut oil
- 1 cup of holiday nonpareil sprinkles
White Chocolate Peppermint
- 12 ounces of white chocolate chips
- 1 tbs coconut oil
- 1 cup about 6 candy canes crushed peppermint
Snickerdoodles
- 2 tbs cinnamon
- 4 tbs sugar
Instructions
For any of the dipped cookies
- Roll 1 inch balls out of the cookie dough and spread 3 inches apart on a prepared baking sheet. I like to line my baking sheets with parchment paper for easy releasing and clean up. But a silicone baking mat would also work well. Then bake according to the directions on the cookie dough, taking one minute off the low end of the total time to account for the smaller cookie size. Remove from oven and let cool thoroughly.
- When the cookies have cooled, melt the chocolate by putting the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwaving for 30 seconds. Then remove and stir. Microwave again for 15 seconds and stir. Repeat in 15 second increments until the chocolate is melted and smooth, stirring after each 15 second increment. Then stir in a tablespoon of coconut oil. This method works for any of the chocolate including the white chocolate.
- Once you've melted the chocolate, take a cookie and dip it approximately half way into the chocolate. Pull the cookie out of the chocolate and tap it against the side of the bowl to let any excess drip off. Then immediately dip into the topping of your choice and set the cookies on a tray lined with parchment paper to set. Repeat until you have dipped your desired amount of cookies. I did 6 of each kind of cookie.
For the Snickerdoodles
- Roll inch balls out of cookie dough. Then combine the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. Roll each ball of cookie dough into the cinnamon sugar and place each ball on a prepared baking sheet spread about 3 inches apart. Bake as directed using the shorter amount of time listed on the package and subtracting a minute.
Notes
[…] My spread normally includes a few homemade candies including these cookie dough candies and I often make chocolate peanut butter bars and homemade chocolate truffles as well. I serve them all along side the best chocolate chip cookies and these sugar cookies. […]