From kid-approved classics to stunning showstoppers, these yummy Christmas cookies will make every moment feel festive.
Christmas Cookies You’ll Want to Make Every Year
Nothing brings the magic of the holidays to life like a fresh batch of Christmas cookies! Whether you’re baking with family, filling festive tins, or prepping for a cookie exchange, these recipes will bring back all of the sweet, nostalgic memories you cherish.
From classic favorites to fun and whimsical creations, this collection has something for every baker.
On this list, you’ll find something for every kind of holiday baker:
- Decorated Sugar Cookies – from classic cut-outs to the more whimsical.
- Festive Gingerbread – soft, spiced, and full of holiday nostalgia.
- Snowballs – these melt-in-your-mouth treats are a true holiday classic.
- Cookies for Chocolate Lovers – rich, fudgy, and decadently chocolatey, perfect for satisfying every sweet tooth.
With these amazing recipes, you’re sure to find the perfect cookie for your friends, family, and holiday celebrations!
All of these Christmas cookies are simple to make, festive, and fun, making them ideal for cookie platters, holiday parties, edible gifts, and cookie exchanges.
Melted Snowman Sugar Cookies
These Melted Snowman Sugar Cookies are so cute, you’ll almost feel guilty eating them…almost! Frosty, sweet, and whimsically decorated, they bring a playful touch to any holiday cookie tray. Perfect for baking with kids or impressing friends at cookie swaps, they’re a festive treat that spreads smiles with every bite.
Get the Recipe: Melted Snowman Sugar Cookies
Christmas Kiss Cookie Cups
These charming cookie cups are filled with sweet frosting, topped with festive sprinkles, and finished with a Hershey’s Kiss for a delightful holiday surprise. Soft, chewy, and visually irresistible, they make holiday gifting and cookie exchanges extra special. Fun to make and even more fun to eat, these cookies are sure to become a seasonal favorite.
Get the Recipe: Christmas Kiss Cookie Cups
Hot Cocoa Candy Cane Cake Mix Cookies
You’re going to love these hot cocoa cookies! They’re super easy too, starting with a simple cake mix base, for a soft, flavorful cookie with hints of cocoa and peppermint. They’re festive, delicious, and perfect for holiday cookie tins, parties, or gifting to friends and family.
Get the Recipe: Hot Cocoa Candy Cane Cake Mix Cookies
Reindeer Sugar Cookies
Get ready to infuse your holiday season with charm and sweetness! This easy sugar cookie recipe is the perfect canvas for adorable reindeer-inspired designs. Soft, chewy, and irresistibly festive, these cookies are sure to become a yearly favorite that everyone will ask you to bake.
Get the Recipe: Reindeer Sugar Cookies
Holiday Stars Shortbread Cookies
Rich, buttery, and beautifully shaped, these star shortbread cookies capture the magic of the holidays in every bite. Their delicate texture and elegant look make them perfect for gifting or displaying at festive gatherings.
Get the Recipe: Holiday Stars Shortbread Cookies
Candy Cane Shortbread Cookies
These peppermint-infused cookies are a true taste of the season! Made with real crushed candy canes for a festive flavor that pairs perfectly with the buttery shortbread base. They’re fun, cheerful, and impossible to resist.
Get the Recipe: Candy Cane Shortbread Cookies
Gingerbread Holly Cookies
These gingerbread cookies are full of warm spice and holiday cheer, decorated with holly details that make them extra festive. Soft, flavorful, and wonderfully nostalgic, they’re the perfect Christmas classic.
Get the Recipe: Gingerbread Holly Cookies
Christmas Ornament Sugar Cookies
These Christmas Ornament Sugar Cookies look almost too pretty to eat, just like the decorations hanging on your tree. Their buttery flavor makes them a holiday favorite, and decorating them can be a fun family tradition.
Get the Recipe: Christmas Ornament Sugar Cookies
Sour Cream Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
These soft, fluffy sour cream sugar cookies taste like childhood Christmas memories. Topped with a creamy homemade frosting, they’re perfect for cutting into festive shapes and decorating with the kids. Whether for cookie exchanges, parties, or holiday gifting, these cookies bring joy with every bite.
Get the Recipe: Sour Cream Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Best Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies
These old-fashioned sugar cookies bring that cozy, nostalgic flavor you remember from Christmases past. With a crisp edge, soft center, and simple, sweet taste, they’re a timeless holiday treat. Follow the traditional steps and enjoy a cookie that feels like a warm hug from home.
Get the Recipe: Best Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies
Gluten-Free Whipped Shortbread Cookies
Light as air and melt-in-your-mouth delicious, these gluten-free whipped shortbread cookies are true holiday magic. A few simple ingredients turn into a tender, delicate cookie everyone will love.
Get the Recipe: Gluten-Free Whipped Shortbread Cookies
Easy Snowball Cookies
These cookie classics are soft, delicate, and full of festive nostalgia. Coated generously in powdered sugar, they’re perfect for parties, gifting, and cookie swaps.
Get the Recipe: Easy Snowball Cookies
Gluten-Free Hot Chocolate Cookies
Filled with rich chocolate flavor and a surprise twist of salted caramel, these cookies are a decadent holiday treat perfect for any celebration.
Get the Recipe: Gluten-Free Hot Chocolate Cookies
Salted Millionaire’s Shortbread
Buttery shortbread, luscious caramel, and a rich chocolate topping come together in pure holiday perfection. Every bite feels like a luxurious treat, blending sweet, salty, and indulgent flavors that make the season feel extra special. These bars are elegant enough for gifting yet simple enough for everyday holiday baking.
Get the Recipe: Salted Millionaire’s Shortbread
Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies
These cookies blend bold espresso with rich chocolate, creating a rich, mocha-like experience in every bite. The mini chocolate chips and festive sprinkles add a delightful texture that feels perfect for holiday gatherings. They’re the kind of cookie you savor with a cozy cup of coffee by the Christmas tree.
Get the Recipe: Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies
Peppermint-White Chocolate Chickpea Cookies
These cookies bring holiday flavor in a surprisingly wholesome package. Chewy, chocolatey, and lightly pepperminty, they get their dreamy texture from chickpeas — making them secretly protein-packed and guilt-free. They’re festive, fun, and everything you want in a healthier Christmas treat.
Get the Recipe: Peppermint-White Chocolate Chickpea Cookies
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Soft, fudgy, and dusted in snowy powdered sugar, these classic Chocolate Crinkles look just like a winter wonderland. Their brownie-like centers make them an irresistible holiday treat everyone loves. They’re simple to make and deliver all the nostalgic warmth of Christmas baking.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Salted Caramel Cookies
These thumbprint cookies combine soft, buttery dough with a gooey caramel center and a light chocolate drizzle. The hint of sea salt balances the sweetness perfectly, making them a grown-up twist on a holiday classic. They’re elegant enough for parties and irresistible enough to disappear fast.
Get the Recipe: Salted Caramel Cookies
Chocolate Truffle Cookies
Rich, decadent, and irresistibly chocolatey, these cookies taste just like a fudgy truffle baked into cookie form. A sprinkle of nuts (optional) adds just the right touch of crunch. They’re ideal for chocolate lovers who want something truly indulgent on their cookie trays.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Truffle Cookies
Vanillekipferl
These delicate crescent-shaped cookies are a beloved European holiday tradition, with a buttery flavor and subtle vanilla aroma. Coated in a generous dusting of vanilla sugar, they practically melt on your tongue. They’re simple, elegant, and full of old-world Christmas charm.
Get the Recipe: Vanillekipferl
Soft Molasses Cookies
Warm spices, soft texture, and a sugary coating give these cookies that classic Christmas flavor you crave. They’re chewy, comforting, and filled with cinnamon, cloves, and ginger — everything the holidays taste like. A perfect cookie for cozy evenings and family gatherings.
Get the Recipe: Soft Molasses Cookies
Zimtsterne (Cinnamon Stars)
These iconic German cookies are naturally gluten-free, sweet, and nutty with a fragrant cinnamon kick. Their chewy texture and snowy white glaze make them look and taste like true Christmas treats. They’re festive, flavorful, and wonderfully traditional.
Get the Recipe: Zimtsterne
White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
These cookies blend creamy white chocolate with tart cranberries for the perfect balance of sweetness and holiday brightness. Their soft centers and chewy edges make them a cookie-jar favorite this time of year. They’re pretty, festive, and perfect for gifting or sharing.
Get the Recipe: White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
Cake Mix Christmas Crinkle Cookies
These easy crinkle cookies start with a boxed mix but taste like pure homemade magic. Their crackled powdered-sugar tops make them look snowy and festive — perfect for cookie platters. Quick, delicious, and ideal for busy holiday bakers.
Get the Recipe: Cake Mix Christmas Crinkle Cookies
Lebkuchen (German Christmas Cookies)
Soft, spicy, and wonderfully aromatic, Lebkuchen are one of Germany’s most iconic holiday cookies. They’re filled with warm spices and citrus notes, making every bite taste like Christmas. Beautiful for gifting and perfect with tea or mulled wine.
Get the Recipe: German Lebkuchen
Nussmakronen (Hazelnut Macaroons)
These chewy hazelnut cookies require just a handful of ingredients but offer big holiday flavor. Naturally gluten-free and lightly sweet, they’re a beloved Christmas treat across Germany. Their nutty aroma fills the kitchen with warmth and nostalgia.
Get the Recipe: German Hazelnut Macaroons (Nussmakronen)
Thumbprint Cookies
These jam-filled classics are a Christmas staple, offering the perfect mix of tender, buttery cookies and sweet fruit center. They’re always a hit at gatherings and are easy enough for kids to help make. A timeless cookie that feels like home.
Get the Recipe: Thumbprint Cookies
Reindeer Gingerbread Cookies
Made with a simple gingerbread man cutter and a little creativity, these adorable reindeer cookies bring instant holiday cheer. Their warm spices and soft texture make them delicious, while the red cinnamon nose adds classic festive charm. Perfect for baking with kids and for all your holiday parties.
Get the Recipe: Reindeer Gingerbread Cookies
Christmas Candy Cane Cookies
Twisted red-and-white dough creates the cutest candy cane cookies that look beautiful on any holiday platter. They’re lightly flavored with peppermint and full of festive flair. These cookies are a true baking tradition that families love.
Get the Recipe: Candy Cane Cookies
Grinch Christmas Cookies
Bright green, sparkly, and topped with a red kiss “Santa hat,” these Grinch cookies are playful and fun. They capture the mischievous spirit of the season with every chewy bite. Perfect for movie nights, class parties, or whimsical holiday baking.
Get the Recipe: Grinch Christmas Cookies
Lemon Cardamom Kransekake Cookies – Combining the fresh tang of lemon, the floral whiff of cardamom, and the sweetness of almonds, Scandinavian kransekake cookies are a unique and delicious little bite (gluten-free, too)
Red Velvet Cake Cookies – These red velvet cake cookies are loaded with white chocolate and are perfect for holiday gifts and cookie exchanges! These cake-mix cookies are so easy to make!
Christmas M&M Cookies – Chewy centers, crispy edges – are everything you want in a cookie, and more! I bet you can’t eat just one!
Cranberry Almond Biscotti Cookies
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Sweet Patties – These yummy vegan pumpkin desserts can also work as post-workout snacks! Feel free to substitute the pumpkin with sweet potato or some apple puree!
Cannoli Cookies – An easy recipe with ricotta, chocolate chips, and pistachios! Fun Italian Christmas cookies inspired by Italian cannolis that will make a great addition to your Christmas cookie baskets and gifts this year!
Eggnog Gooey Butter Cookies – These Eggnog Gooey Butter cookies will make your heart sing Christmas songs! Haha! Soft and amazingly buttery, these cookies infused with eggnog will, without a doubt, please your whole family.
Big And Soft Ginger Cookies – Are gingersnap cookies breaking your teeth? They don’t have to be made like concrete wafers. Try these soft and fluffy ginger treats.
Italian Rainbow Cookies – Nothing says Christmas more than these traditional Italian Rainbow cookies. 7 layers of amazing cake, jam, and chocolate in one amazing bite.
Tapioca Spritz Cookies – Dairy-free, nut-free, gluten-free spritz cookies that melt on every bite.
Vegan Oatmeal Cookies – These gluten-free & vegan oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips are so easy and healthy! Chewy and crumbly with a hint of peanut butter, no sugar or oil needed.
These Christmas Cookies are sure to please all your guests and everyone on your gift list this holiday season. Share what you think of these delightful Christmas Cookies in the comments below. Did we miss any of your favorites?
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