Grocery store prices are rising, and that means your Christmas cookie cost could be more than in past years and could suffer the effects of inflation this season. Even though ingredients are a bit more expensive this year, we’re still determined to crank out as many cookies as possible.
Most Christmas cookie recipes have the same basic ingredients. We’re comparing prices to find out where you can get the best deal on baking essentials this season so you can lower your Christmas cookie cost and know where to buy the cheapest ingredients. We looked at flour, butter, sugar, eggs, chocolate chips, and peanut butter.
If you need inspiration before heading to the store, we’re also sharing our best Christmas cookie recipes of all time.
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Here’s where to get the cheapest Christmas cookie ingredients.
We looked at the cost of store-brand butter, sugar, sprinkles, chocolate chips, and peanut butter across five grocery stores. We then compared prices of these store brand ingredients per pound or per ounce to find out who truly offered the lowest prices on all your Christmas cookie baking essentials. Keep in mind that prices will vary based on location and local pricing.
For all your basic Christmas cookie ingredients, Walmart’s Great Value brand offers the lowest price total. Aldi came in a very strong second. Aldi’s prices actually won for cheapest sugar, chocolate chips, and peanut butter, but Walmart took the cake (or cookies, rather) for flour and eggs. You’ll save over $5 shopping at either of these stores compared to shopping for the same store-brand ingredients at Publix.
Tip: Target’s ingredients were about $2 more than Walmart or Aldi, but if you live closer to a Target store, by all means save the gas and shop Target’s store-brand cookie essentials instead. The convenience and time saved is worth that extra $2.
While we do have some clear winners for cheapest Christmas cookie ingredients, prices across all ingredients have gone up versus last holiday season. In 2021, it was cheaper to buy all your ingredients at Target. Today, those same ingredients will cost you an extra $2.90. Shopping for all your ingredients at Walmart has increased by $2.53, as butter increased by about $1.50, sugar has increased by about $1, and eggs have doubled in price since 2021 at most grocery stores.
The bottom line? Walmart and Aldi are where you’ll find the cheapest cookie-making ingredients, followed by Target. Trader Joe’s won the lowest price for butter, so it wouldn’t hurt to stock up on that during your next TJ haul.
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How to save on cookie cutters
Although I’ll take a Christmas cookie in any shape, I feel like festive-shaped cookies just taste better. We’ve tested a lot of cookie cutters over the years and found the metal ones hold up year after year. Sure, you can buy the cheaper plastic ones, but in my cookie-cutting experience, I’m guaranteed to break at least one plastic cutter each season.
If you’re looking for a cookie sheet, cooling rack, and 10 cookie cutters, there’s a 12-piece metal Wilton set on clearance at JCPenney for $16.49 (regularly $30). Each piece in this set will come out to under $1.50.
If you just want the cutters, Kohl’s has a 40-piece metal Wilton cookie cutter set for $27.99. All 40 cutters even come in a handy cookie jar for storage.
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