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Get all the best, easy Christmas Cookie Recipes and decorating tips for your annual holiday party. Or, host a baking day with your family just for Christmas cookies.
Fill your cookie jar with festive homemade cookies, frosted and decorated for the holiday season. These also make the cutest gifts for friends, family, neighbors and everyone on your list!
You could also host a fun and fabulous cookie exchange! The options are endless, and so are the cookies.
Every holiday has its own fun and bit of magic, but Christmas truly is the most wonderful time of the year when traditions are celebrated and memories are made.
One of the most special traditions? Baking! I’ve been developing and sharing recipes for years. That’s led to far too many cookie taste-testing scenarios in my kitchen but it means a plethora of delicious baked goodies for you!
This post is packed to the brim with tips, tricks, and suggestions for making your Christmas cookie baking so much easier and more fun.
Make it a family tradition and bake with loved ones this weekend! You’ll never regret the time spent together in the kitchen.
Table of Contents
The Best Christmas Cookies
Baking Christmas cookies is definitely one of my favorite traditions. Maybe my favorite! I love to gather with my girls in the kitchen baking up tasty treats to fill the cookie jar.
I’m going to share my best cookie tips in this complete Christmas cookie guide. I’ve included tools, storage tips, and packing and shipping techniques too. And of course, there are 50 of my most requested and favorite Christmas cookie recipes!
Use the drop down Table of Contents menu to navigate this post with ease. I hope you find some new treasures and inspiration to celebrate with those you love.
Tips
- Cookies only take a few minutes to bake. The time range is usually 7-10 minutes. Less time in the oven produces a more gooey cookie and more time equals a cruncher cookie. Testing your oven temperature and baking time with a pre batch of only 1 or 2 cookies before baking the entire batch will ensure the rest of the cookie batch is perfect!
- Most ingredients, including refrigerated items such as eggs and butter should be brought to room temperature before using in your recipe.
- Measure ingredients accurately, using liquid and dry ingredient measuring cups.
- Level off dry ingredients using the dull side of a knife. This will ensure an exact amount without packing down your ingredient.
- Read through your recipe beforehand to allow time for chilling, baking, and cooling your cookies.
- Bake the cookies on a parchment lined (or silpat lined) cookie sheet.
- Get my printable list of Essential Baking Supplies as well as this list of Baking Substitutions!
You can sign up to receive my Best Baking Tips here!
How to Store Christmas Cookies
Christmas Cookies typically store quite well.
- A Christmas tin or airtight plasticware work perfectly as storage containers.
- Fresh cookies will last at room temperature for about three days, up to seven depending on the style of cookie.
- Cookies can also often be frozen. Shortbread and Sugar Cookies freeze especially well. Use parchment to layer undecorated cookies in a freezer safe bag. Freeze up to three months.
- Frozen cookies can be removed from the freezer and allowed to thaw at room temperature outside of their bag or container for several hours.
- Cookies can also be microwaved (in brief increments) to speed up defrosting.
How to Pack and Ship Cookies
- Choose wisely – some cookies ship better than others, like shortbreads, sugar cookies, etc.
- Use food safe materials. Parchment paper is easy to cut to fit any box and of course, food safe.
- Choose sturdy materials. If they need to be airtight, use tins.
- Package your cookies inside a box, then fill a second box with packing material, insert the box and surround it with packing material.
- Don’t skimp on the packing supplies. Save peanuts, bubble wrap, etc to ensure that the box inside the box won’t move.
- Ship USPS Priority. It’s quick, reasonable and can deliver anywhere…even military bases. Lesson learned.
Christmas Cookie Recipes
Christmas cookies make wonderful gifts for teachers, neighbors, and friends. The beauty of the holidays is that there is something for everyone.
If baking cookies isn’t your thing, I’m sure we can all get on board with eating them!
Chocolate Chip Pecan Snowball Cookies
A fresh spin on the timeless Snowball Cookies, these Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies are a pecan lover’s dream come true! Incredibly tender and flavorful, these buttery shortbread pecan meltaways are perfect for the holidays.
Merry Meringue Cookies
Another twist on the classic meringue with sugared cranberries and mint leaves!
Peanut Butter Blossoms
Peanut Butter Blossoms are classic soft cookies with the satisfying combination of peanut butter and chocolate Hershey’s Kisses.
Pecan Pie Cookies
Bite sized pecan pies wrapped into a delicious cookie! Hello goodness!
Speculoos Cookie Butter Bar Recipe
No bake? No problem! These melt in your mouth bars are SO good!
White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Classic White Chocolate Chip Cookies rolled in granulated sugar crystals for a beautiful glow and a delicious crunch!
Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Frosting
Decorating cookies doesn’t have to be complicated! These amazing, soft and flavorful cutout sugar cookies are dipped in delicious buttercream icing for ease and flavor! They’re easy crowd pleasers!
Melt-In-Your-Mouth Peppermint Cookies
These melt-in-your-mouth Peppermint Cookies are the ultimate Christmas treat! These Peppermint Sugar Cookies have a delicately sweet sugar cookie base.
They are topped with the best peppermint buttercream and crushed candy canes which will have you dreaming about Christmas all year round!
Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies
Adorable Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies usher in the holiday cheer. Slightly crunchy on the outside with a soft and nutty interior. Leave these out for Santa, and you’ll have a permanent spot on the nice list.
Christmas Wreath Sugar Cookies
Deck the halls with these festive and irresistible Christmas Wreath Sugar Cookies. They’re simple to whip up and even easier to assemble. Leave a few for Santa, and you’ll make the Nice List for life!
Snickers Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe
Ridiculously good Snickers stuffed peanut butter cookie recipe. An easy recipe that gives peanut butter cookies flavor and shape!
Christmas Wreath Cookies
No fuss no bake Christmas Wreath Cookies are the most festive Christmas cookie recipe and you can make them start to finish in less than 15 minutes!
No Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
No Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies are easy to make, packed with protein and stuffed with Reese’s Pieces for good measure. They’re made with just seven ingredients and are ready to devour in 10 minutes!
Funfetti Cookies
Funfetti cookies are perfect for birthdays, celebrations and cookie platters for the holidays. Don’t skip this delicious indulgence!
Cinnamon Cookies
Thick pillowy soft cinnamon cookies with a little crunch made from staple ingredients in minutes!
Shortbread Elf on the Shelf Cookies
These darling little elf on the shelf cookies are easy to make, miniature shortbread cookies that are bite sized little pops of joy!
Chocolate Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies
Chocolate stuffed peanut butter cookies are irresistible, especially when served warm. Impress your guests with these chocolate peanut butter cookies!
The Best Peanut Butter Cookies
How to make the best Peanut Butter Cookies! These thick and chewy cookies are full of sweet and salty flavor and have a delicious crunch to them! Find out how to make the perfect cookies every single time with this easy recipe!
Chewy Peanut Butter Chip Chocolate Cookies
The best chocolate cookies with peanut butter chips and a secret twist. A recipe so irresistible, you won’t believe they didn’t come from a bakery.
The Best Soft Snickerdoodles
No bake? No problem! Save oven space with these edible cookie dough balls covered in red chocolate for the perfect crunch!
No Bake Rudolph Noses
No bake? No problem! Save oven space with these edible cookie dough balls covered in red chocolate for the perfect crunch!
Chocolate Sugar Cookies with Creamy Buttercream Icing
Calling all chocolate lovers, these cookies are for you!
Oatmeal Coconut Cookies (with Brown Butter)
Chewy and crunchy cookies that are rich in flavor.
Latte Joy Espresso Cookies
Espresso Cookies are a classic buttery shortbread cookie with a buttery crunch and rich espresso flavor made with staple ingredients and espresso powder. Latte Cookies easy to make and make a beautiful gift for the holidays.
Caramel Cheesecake Cookies
These gooey Cheesecake Cookies (with caramel) are everything you need in your life. It’s just like a caramel cheesecake in bite-size pieces! Keep reading for the must have Caramel Cheesecake Cookies Recipe you’ll make again and again!
Gooey Butter Eggnog Cookies
Enjoy some of your favorite flavors of the season wrapped up in these delicious Gooey Butter Eggnog Cookies! Soft, gooey and chewy cookies made with bourbon, cinnamon and nutmeg for traditional eggnog flavor in one delicious bite.
Salted Caramel Sugar Cookies
These Salted Caramel Sugar Cookies are a thick, soft, chewy sugar cookie, topped with a beautiful pool of salted caramel icing! You can easily make a batch in just 20 minutes and they are perfect for cookie exchanges!
Chewy Chocolate Mint Cookies with Andes Candy
These chewy Chocolate Mint Cookies stuffed with Andes candy are for all those chocolate mint lovers! Rich, decadent and chocolate-y, it is the best recipe for Christmas and the holiday season!
Serve them to all your friends and family at your next holiday get-together or cookie exchange.
Christmas Tree Meringues
These cute Christmas Tree Meringue Cookies are crisp, light, and melt in your mouth. They’re extra festive in green with cute sprinkles on top.
Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Foolproof chewy chocolate peppermint cookies are always a favorite Christmas cookie recipe – they’re quick and easy to make with just a handful of simple ingredients. Perfect for cookie exchanges and all of your holiday gatherings.
Snowball Meringue Cookies
A festive twist to classic Meringue Cookies dusted in powdered sugar or crystals for a snowy appearance. Drop with a cookie scoop for a no fuss, no mess cookie everyone will love!
Oatmeal Lace Cookies
These cookies have been a Pinterest sensation and it’s no wonder why! They’re chewy, crunch and oh so good! They stack beautifully and are pretty to present as a gift to neighbors and friends!
No Bake Avalanche Cookies
These are the easiest no bake cookies, made with just four ingredients! These avalanche cookies are gluten free, and you can even make them dairy free.
M&M Cookies
These classic M&M Cookies have the most delicious twist! Get the secret that makes them better than the rest and bake them up with Christmas colored M&M’s!
Carmelita Cookies
A mix of oatmeal and chocolate chips stuffed with caramel. Once you bite into one, you just can’t stop!
Sugar and Spice Shortbread Cookies
Shortbread cookies are great for gifting becuase they keep incredibly well. Embrace the flavors of the season with this easy Sugar and Spice Shortbread Cookie recipe – or roll them in parchment to freeze for later!
Nighty Night Cookies
Chocolate chip meringue cookies that offer a nice crunch without all the calories. Dubbed Nighty Night Cookies because the magic happens while you sleep saving precious oven space!
Candy House Sugar Cookie Cake
A Candy House Sugar Cookie Cake makes a fun, festive, stress free and edible alternative to a gingerbread house! Kids can decorate their Candy House on a sugar cookie cake and eat it, too!
Chewy Brown Sugar Cookies
Thick, chewy, brown sugar cookies – a simple sweet and salty cookie recipe that everyone will enjoy! These melt in your mouth cookies are always a huge hit with the whole family!
Chocolate Turtle Cookies
Thick, chewy, fudgy chocolate turtle cookies recipe, caramel stuffed and topped with pecans and sea salt. These are what cookie dreams are made of.
Gooey Butter Cookies
A St. Louis classic! These soft Gooey Butter Cookies are delightfully sweet but balanced thanks to creamy cream cheese. Rolled in powdered sugar they’re a beautiful addition to any cookie exchange that will have everyone talking!
Kitchen Sink Cookies
Made with toffee, pretzels and white chocolate chips, these cookies a mix of a little bit of everything and whoa, they’re GOOD!
Easy Funfetti Cookies Without a Cake Mix
Quick and easy cookies that kids can’t resist! (Okay, adults, too!) Use your favorite Christmas Sprinkles to make them festive!
Cinnamon Sugar Cookies
It’s like Christmas – wrapped into a cookie! These Cinnamon Cookies will melt in your mouth!
Oatmeal Brickle
These oatmeal brickle cookies are made with toffee bits for a delicious sweet treat. Easy to make, these tasty cookies will be a hit with the whole family!
Frosted Apple Butter Sugar Cookies
Melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookies infused with fall flavor using apple butter and apple cider. It’s the subtle twist that captures the essence of fall and makes these Frosted Apple Butter Sugar Cookies irresistible! Easy to make and delicious to eat!
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Thick, chewy and crunchy flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Chocolate Chip Salted Caramel Cookie Bars
A thick and chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar stuffed with Caramel (and a TWIST!)
Pressed Christmas Sugar Cookies
It’s the ultimate holiday indulgence! These Christmas Sugar Cookies are going to blow you away… they are fluffy, decadent, and oh-so-buttery.
Cranberry Orange Cookies
Soft, sweet, and chewy cookies that add a fruity festive flair to any holiday gathering.
Christmas Tree Meringue Cookies
These cute Christmas Tree Meringue Cookies are crisp, light, and melt in your mouth. They’re extra festive in green with cute sprinkles on top.
Stroopwafels (Without a Pizzelle)
This is an easy homemade stroopwafels recipe that will warm you through and through. Learn how to make stroopwafels without a Pizzelle, and you’ll be creating these classic wafer style cookies with a gooey filling in no time!
Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
These Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies have it all – a smooth velvet texture, a hint of chocolate, and a gorgeous shade of red. They’re easy enough to whip up a quick batch, and they’re sure to be a favorite wherever they are.
I hope you enjoy all of these Christmas Cookie recipes! I can’t wait to hear which one is YOUR favorite!
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Did you make this? Rate the recipe and tag me on social @julieblanner!
50+ Christmas Cookies
Get all the best, easy Christmas Cookie Recipes and decorating tips for your annual Christmas cookie bake day or holiday party.
Yield
Ingredients
- Chocolate Chip Pecan Snowball Cookies
- Merry Meringue Cookies
- Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Pecan Pie Cookies
- Speculoos Cookie Butter Bar Recipe
- White Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Frosting
- Melt-In-Your-Mouth Peppermint Cookies
- Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies
- Christmas Wreath Sugar Cookies
- Snickers Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe
- No Bake Christmas Wreath Cookies
- No Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- Funfetti Cookies
- Cinnamon Cookies
- Shortbread Elf on the Shelf Cookies
- Chocolate Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies
- The Best Peanut Butter Cookies
- Chewy Peanut Butter Chip Chocolate Cookies
- The Best Soft Snickerdoodles
- No Bake Rudolph Noses
- Chocolate Sugar Cookies with Creamy Buttercream Icing
- Oatmeal Coconut Cookies (with Brown Butter)
- Latte Joy Espresso Cookies
- Caramel Cheesecake Cookies
- Gooey Butter Eggnog Cookies
- Salted Caramel Sugar Cookies
- Chewy Chocolate Mint Cookies with Andes Candy
- Christmas Tree Meringues
- Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Snowball Meringue Cookies
- Oatmeal Lace Cookies
- No Bake Avalanche Cookies
- M&M Cookies
- Carmelita Cookies
- Sugar and Spice Shortbread Cookies
- Nighty Night Cookies
- Candy House Sugar Cookie Cake
- Chewy Brown Sugar Cookies
- Chocolate Turtle Cookies
- Gooey Butter Cookies
- Kitchen Sink Cookies
- Easy Funfetti Cookies Without a Cake Mix
- Cinnamon Sugar Cookies
- Oatmeal Brickle
- Frosted Apple Butter Sugar Cookies
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Salted Caramel Cookie Bars
- Pressed Christmas Sugar Cookies
- Cranberry Orange Cookies
- Christmas Tree Meringue Cookies
- Stroopwafels (Without a Pizzelle)
- Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
Instructions
- Choose recipes, print the free printable recipe card.
- Gather and prep ingredients.
- Mix, bake and enjoy!
Tips
Tips
- Cookies only take a few minutes to bake. The time range is usually 7-10 minutes. Less time in the oven produces a more gooey cookie and more time equals a cruncher cookie. Testing your oven temperature and baking time with a pre batch of only 1 or 2 cookies before baking the entire batch will ensure the rest of the cookie batch is perfect!
- Most ingredients, including refrigerated items such as eggs and butter should be brought to room temperature before using in your recipe.
- Measure ingredients accurately, using liquid and dry ingredient measuring cups.
- Level off dry ingredients using the dull side of a knife. This will ensure an exact amount without packing down your ingredient.
- Read through your recipe beforehand to allow time for chilling, baking, and cooling your cookies.
- Bake the cookies on a parchment lined (or silpat lined) cookie sheet.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 87kcal (4%), Carbohydrates: 12g (4%), Protein: 1g (2%), Fat: 4g (6%), Saturated Fat: 3g (15%), Trans Fat: 0.03g, Cholesterol: 3mg (1%), Sodium: 12mg (1%), Fiber: 0.5g (2%), Sugar: 11g (12%), Vitamin A: 39IU (1%), Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 20mg (2%), Iron: 0.2mg (1%)
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
Lupe says
Thank you so much for sharing these recipes! I can hardly wait to get started! My Christmas cookies are going to be amazing, thanks to you! Blessings!
Julie Blanner says
Hello Lupe,
Thank you for the kind words, you made my day!
I hope you enjoy them- Merry Christmas!
Julie
Maria says
I am excited to try your cookie recipes. They look delicious. Is there a way to print all 50 of the recipes at once? I’d like to try to these throughout the next year. Thanks!
Julie Blanner says
Unfortunately, no, you’d have to go to each individual recipe, but I can’t wait to hear which is your favorite!
Suna says
I ?your cookies!!
Julie Blanner says
Thank you!