By: Courtney Minor
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Christmas Cookies are one of the treats I look forward to most when the holiday season rolls around! Cookies are my go-to for holiday baking because they’re generally very quick and easy to make, and lots of fun to decorate. Find recipes for gingerbread men, Linzer cookies, shortbread, spritz cookies, sugar cookies, peppermint cookies, and lots of other cookie recipes, both traditional and unique!
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Easy Christmas Cookie Ideas for the Holiday Season
I can’t believe Christmas is already on its way! It always seems to sneak up on me, even though I’m planning for it months in advance. There are a lot of great things about this holiday, but if I’m honest, making Christmas cookies might be my favorite part.
It’s so much fun to bake Xmas cookies with the family this time of year, and it’s even more fun to indulge in the delicious holiday cookies once they’re done!
Whether you’re looking for some cookie recipes for a Christmas party, for Christmas gifts, for a holiday cookie exchange, for Santa, or for you and your family to decorate, everyone needs an easy cookie recipe (or two or three).
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Traditional Christmas Cookies
There’s something so comforting and nostalgic about these traditional cookie recipes, which makes them a must for Christmas gatherings and cookie exchanges.
- Linzer Cookies: These are one of the most classic Christmas cookies out there. Buttery cookies are sandwiched with sweet jam and dusted with powdered sugar.
- Spritz Cookies: Make a big batch of this old-fashioned cookie recipe for a holiday party, simple Christmas gifts, or just to decorate. They’re perfectly buttery and crunchy!
- Shortbread Cookies: These are rich and buttery, and have a crisp bite while still melting in your mouth. And you only need 4 ingredients!
- Pecan Sandies: These sweet and buttery cookies have a crisp texture, and they’re filled with pecans and coated in powdered sugar.
- Anise Cookies: These crunchy little Italian cookies are so addicting, and they’re sure to be Santa’s favorite cookie too!
- Ginger Cookies: These chewy crinkle cookies are filled with ginger, apple pie spice, and cinnamon for a warm spiced flavor you’re sure to love.
- Rum Balls: These chocolate and coconut balls are a boozy, bite-sized dessert that’s decadent, irresistible, and perfect for holiday celebrations.
Favorite Holiday Cookie Recipes
When the holiday season rolls around, I always turn to these trust-worthy cookie recipes. They’re our family favorites, and I hope they’ll become favorites for yours too.
- Peanut Butter Blossoms: Also known as Hershey’s Kiss cookies, these are always a hit when I bake them.
- Soft Sugar Cookies: This classic bakery-style cookie is something everyone will love, especially the kids. Use red and green frosting and sprinkles to decorate these for Christmas!
- Snickerdoodles: My Mom’s famous snickerdoodle recipe–with the best cinnamon flavor and perfect texture–is a Christmas family tradition!
- Gooey Butter Cookies: Gooey butter cake is a local favorite here in St. Louis, and this cookie version has become a must around the holidays.
- Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars: This is an easy way to make enough tender sugar cookies for a crowd of people in one go, with the perfect frosting to finish.
- Caramel Stuffed Cookies: Pillow-y chocolate chip cookies with a melty caramel center have become a new go-to for Christmas celebrations.
Christmas Cookies to Decorate
If you’re looking for some fun cookies you can decorate (with frosting, royal icing, and sprinkles galore) for Christmas festivities, these recipes are for you!
- Gingerbread Man Cookies: These cookies are a Christmas classic, and they’re so much fun to decorate on Christmas Eve or at holiday parties.
- Christmas Sugar Cookies: We always set out a plate of these cut-out sugar cookies for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve!
- Christmas Butter Cookies: Use this simple butter cookie recipe to cut out winter holiday shapes, and decorate them with a quick powdered sugar icing that you can change up with food coloring.
- Splatter Paint Christmas Cookies: Crisp sugar cookies are frosted and decorated with colorful red and green “paint splatters”. They’re so fun to make!
Chocolate Christmas Cookies
These easy Christmas cookie recipes are for all the chocolate-lovers out there!
- Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies: Make these simple thumbprint cookies filled with salted caramel or white chocolate peppermint–better yet, make both flavors!
- Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies: These cookies are made with a fudgy chocolate cake mix, cream cheese, and just a few other ingredients to make perfectly gooey cookies!
- Chocolate Sugar Cookies: These fluffy sugar cookies have plenty of chocolate flavor, with extra chocolate chunks for good measure.
- Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies: Turn a box of chocolate cake mix into these easy cookies filled with white chocolate chips.
- Chocolate Mint Cookies: Creme de menthe adds a refreshingly cool flavor to these chocolate cookies, which is just perfect for Christmas.
- Chocolate Butter Cookies: These crisp yet tender butter cookies are made with chocolate and a kick of espresso powder.
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Blossoms: Here’s another favorite Christmas cookie idea! Delicious peanut butter chocolate cookies are finished with a Hershey’s Kiss.
Festive Holiday Cookies
These holiday cookies are perfect when you need something decorative to get you into a festive Christmas spirit.
- Peppermint Milano Slice Cookies: If you usually grab a bag of these at the store when December rolls around, try making them at home for an even fresher and tastier version.
- Nutella Stuffed Snowball Cookies: Add an extra delicious twist to classic powdered sugar snowballs by adding a creamy Nutella filling.
- Pinwheel Cookies: These chocolate and vanilla swirled cookies look great on Christmas cookie trays!
- Chocolate Peppermint Cookies: These crinkle cookies have just the right amount of peppermint flavor to get you in the Christmas spirit.
- Christmas Bark: This super easy bark recipe is filled with Oreos, peppermint chips, M&M’s, pretzels, and more. You’ll feel like a kid in a candy store!
Unique Christmas Cookie Ideas
If you’re preparing a cookie platter for your next Christmas party, surprise people with a few holiday cookie ideas they’ve never tried before!
- Gingerbread Kiss Cookies: Gingerbread cookies are topped with Hershey’s Kisses for a super quick and easy recipe.
- Nutella Stuffed Cookies: These delectable chocolate chip cookies are filled with a chocolate hazelnut spread for a gooey center.
- S’mores Cookies: Use ready-to-bake cookie dough to make this unique cookie recipe for Christmas. Just add mini marshmallows, chocolate, and crushed graham crackers!
- Oreo Balls: These truffle-like desserts make any cookie platter irresistibly gorgeous. This is an annual Christmastime favorite in our house!
- : Brownie mix makes deliciously fudgy cookies, and we added M&Ms for a bit of fun. Did I mention you only need 4 ingredients?
- Gingerbread White Chocolate Bark: If you’ve ever been tempted to take a bite out of the gingerbread houses you build, this candy-filled chocolate bark will be extra satisfying!
Classic Cookie Recipes for Christmas
You can’t beat a classic cookie recipe! Make these for Christmas gifts, work parties, and holiday potlucks, and you can be sure everyone will be happy.
- Pignoli Cookies: These Italian cookies have a chewy center, a simple almond flavor, and a nice crunch thanks to the pine nuts.
- Best Chocolate Chip Cookies: Simple, soft, chewy, and just the right amount of chocolate chips–no one will be able to resist these cookies!
- Molasses Cookies: This classic holiday cookie recipe yields such chewy cookies, with warm spices and a delicious molasses flavor.
- Peanut Butter Cookies: Quick and easy to make, these swoon-worthy cookies are ready to eat in 20 minutes.
- White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies: This simple cookie recipe only takes 20 minutes to make, so it’s perfect for last-minute holiday baking.
I hope you found the perfect holiday cookies to make this year. I’d love to hear which easy Christmas cookie recipe you chose to make and how you liked them. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
More Christmas Recipes
Find more easy recipes for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, holiday parties, and beyond.
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