Santa Nutter Butters: A Jolly No-Bake Christmas Treat

nutter butters decorated to look like Santa

Some of the most memorable holiday treats aren’t the ones that take hours in the kitchen — they’re the ones that bring big smiles with simple ingredients and a little creativity. These Santa Nutter Butters are exactly that kind of magic. With their red sugar hats, fluffy white beards, and sweet little chocolate-chip eyes, they’re the perfect no-bake cookie for kids, families, or classrooms.

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They start with one of the most nostalgic cookies around — the peanut buttery crunch of a Nutter Butter — and transform it into the jolliest little Santa you’ve ever seen. Each one looks like it came straight from the North Pole, but they’re so simple to make that even young children can join in on the fun. Whether you’re preparing for a classroom holiday party, a cookie exchange, or just a cozy afternoon at home, these adorable Santas are guaranteed to steal the show.

To make a batch of Santa Nutter Butters, you’ll need:

nutter butters vanilla almond bark red and white candy melts red sanding sugar and chocolate chips

1 (16 oz) package of Nutter Butters
1 (12 oz) package of vanilla almond bark
32 white chocolate chips (for Santa’s hat pom-poms)
32 red hot candies or red mini M&Ms (for noses)
64 miniature chocolate chips (for eyes)
Red sanding sugar (for the hats)

You’ll also need parchment paper, a microwave-safe bowl, and a toothpick for attaching the smaller decorations.

How To Make The Santa Nutter Butters

Start by melting the almond bark. Add the pieces to a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring well between each one until it’s smooth and creamy. Melting slowly helps prevent overheating — you want it warm enough to dip, but not so hot that it seizes or hardens too quickly.

While the almond bark melts, line a baking sheet or large cutting board with parchment paper. This will be your decorating station and where your Santas can dry once they’re dipped.

dipping a nutter butter in the melted white chocolate

Once the almond bark is melted, it’s time to start dipping! Take one Nutter Butter cookie and dip one end about an inch or so into the almond bark — this will become Santa’s hat. Then dip the opposite end just a little more — this will be his fluffy beard. Let the excess coating drip off gently before laying the cookie flat on the parchment paper.

dipping the other side of the nutter butter in melted white chocolate

Before the coating sets, sprinkle the red sanding sugar over the top of the dipped end to create Santa’s hat. The bright red sparkle gives each cookie that festive pop of color, and it looks beautiful once the almond bark hardens. Then, while the coating is still soft, press a white chocolate chip onto the very tip of the red section to form the pom-pom on Santa’s hat.

nutter butter with white on the ends and one end has red sanding sugar on top of the melted chocolate

Next, give Santa his cheerful face. Use a toothpick to dab a little melted almond bark onto the back of a red hot candy or mini M&M, then place it in the center of the cookie — this will be his nose. Repeat the process with two miniature chocolate chips to create the eyes. You’ll be amazed how quickly each cookie comes to life once those tiny features are added.

Repeat the process with all of the cookies until your whole batch of Nutter Butters has been transformed into little Santas. Each one will look slightly different — some with crooked hats, some with big noses, some with mischievous little grins — and that’s part of the fun. The small imperfections make them even cuter and give each cookie its own personality.

When all of your cookies are decorated, allow them to sit for about an hour so the almond bark can fully harden. If you’re short on time, you can pop the baking sheet into the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes to help them set faster. Once firm, they’re ready to serve, gift, or pack up for parties.

Why Parents and Teachers Love These Santa Nutter Butters

These Santa Nutter Butters are a hit anywhere they go. In the classroom, they’re a perfect make-ahead treat for a holiday celebration. Teachers can prepare the dipping and decorating stations, letting students help with the details — sprinkling sugar, adding noses, and sticking on the chocolate-chip eyes. It’s a fun, hands-on project that brings plenty of giggles (and a little fine-motor practice, too!).

At home, they’re a wonderful family baking activity. Kids love being able to decorate their own Santas, and it’s an easy enough recipe that everyone can help. Set up a little decorating station with bowls of red sugar, candies, and almond bark, and let everyone make their own cookie creations. You can even turn it into a mini contest: who can make the silliest Santa? Or who can decorate the most in five minutes?

If you’re hosting a holiday cookie exchange or making gifts for teachers and neighbors, these cookies are a great choice because they look so festive without much effort. Once set, they can be packaged in clear cellophane bags, tied with red and white ribbon, and labeled with a cute tag — something like “Santa’s Favorite Cookies.” They also make a fun addition to hot cocoa gift baskets or dessert trays.

For classrooms and families who like to connect baking with learning, there are lots of easy ways to tie this recipe into your lessons. You can pair the activity with a Santa-themed read-aloud like How to Catch Santa by Jean Reagan or The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore. After reading, children can write a short story about Santa’s cookie factory at the North Pole or create a how-to writing piece explaining the steps to make these cookies.

Connect it to Learning

For math, you can count and sort candies, measure out sugar, or calculate how many cookies you can make from a single batch. For art, kids can design their own Santa cookies on paper before decorating the real thing. It’s the kind of activity that blends creativity, learning, and fun seamlessly — perfect for December when excitement is high and hands-on projects are most needed.

From a practical standpoint, these cookies are a dream for busy parents and teachers. They’re quick to make, require no baking, and use inexpensive ingredients that are easy to find. The almond bark sets firmly, meaning the cookies travel well — ideal for parties or gift-giving. They also store beautifully. Once the coating is fully dry, you can keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for several days without losing quality.

And the taste? It’s everything you want in a Christmas cookie — a little salty from the peanut butter, a little sweet from the almond bark, and a lot of holiday cheer in every bite. The combination of textures — crisp cookie, creamy coating, and crunchy candy — makes them irresistible.

A Sweet Christmas Snack For Kids

There’s something especially sweet about seeing a tray of these little Santas lined up, each one smiling in its own way. They bring instant joy to anyone who sees (or eats) them. And like so many of the best holiday traditions, they’re simple, memorable, and made to share.

The Santa Nutter Butters are more than just a cookie — they’re a fun, festive experience. Whether you make them with your students, your kids, or just for yourself while sipping cocoa and listening to Christmas music, they’re sure to become a favorite part of your holiday season.

So grab your Nutter Butters, melt that almond bark, and get ready for a little kitchen magic. In just a few steps, you’ll have a batch of Santas so cute and delicious that even the real one might want a few for his plate on Christmas Eve.

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