Christmas cookies are the one baking project where going overboard is actually encouraged. You need variety for cookie swaps, enough to gift neighbors, extras for Santa, and let’s be honest—a private stash for midnight snacking.
These 25 best Christmas cookie recipes are the ones you’ll bookmark, make every year, and eventually memorize. We’re talking classics that never disappoint, modern twists on old favorites, and those show-stoppers that make people think you went to pastry school. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or someone who normally avoids turning on the oven, these recipes deliver maximum wow factor with reasonable effort.
Get ready to fill your kitchen with the smell of butter, sugar, and holiday magic. Your annual Christmas cookie baking marathon starts now.
Classic Christmas Cookies That Never Go Out of Style
1. Perfect Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing
The foundation of every cookie swap. Master these and you’ve basically won Christmas.
Ingredients: 3 cups flour, 1.5 tsp baking powder, 1 cup butter, 1.5 cups sugar, 2 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla, royal icing (powdered sugar, egg whites, cream of tartar)
Instructions: 1) Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. 2) Add eggs and vanilla. 3) Mix in flour and baking powder gradually. 4) Chill dough 2 hours. 5) Roll to 1/4 inch, cut shapes. 6) Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes. 7) Cool completely before decorating with royal icing.
Why You’ll Love It: These hold their shape perfectly, which means your Christmas trees actually look like trees. The dough is sturdy enough to handle without falling apart. Royal icing dries hard, making these stackable and giftable.
2. Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
These look fancy with that powdered sugar coating but they’re stupid easy to make.
Ingredients: 1 cup cocoa powder, 2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 4 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla, 2 cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder, powdered sugar for coating
Instructions: 1) Mix cocoa, sugar, and oil. 2) Beat in eggs and vanilla. 3) Add flour and baking powder. 4) Chill 4 hours. 5) Roll into balls, coat generously in powdered sugar. 6) Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes.
Why You’ll Love It: That crackled appearance happens automatically in the oven—no skill required. They’re fudgy, rich, and the powdered sugar makes them look like they’re wearing tiny snowsuits.
3. Classic Gingerbread Men
Spicy, sturdy, and perfect for decorating with kids (or just yourself while watching holiday movies).
Ingredients: 3 cups flour, 2 tsp ginger, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp cloves, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 3/4 cup butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup molasses, 1 egg, 1 tsp baking soda
Instructions: 1) Cream butter and brown sugar. 2) Beat in molasses and egg. 3) Mix spices, flour, and baking soda separately. 4) Combine wet and dry ingredients. 5) Chill 2 hours. 6) Roll out, cut gingerbread men shapes. 7) Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes.
Why You’ll Love It: The molasses gives these that deep, complex flavor you can’t get any other way. These cookies are sturdy enough to stand up in a mug of hot cocoa without immediately dissolving.
4. Snickerdoodles with Extra Cinnamon
Soft, chewy, and covered in cinnamon sugar. These are the cookies that disappear first.
Ingredients: 2.75 cups flour, 2 tsp cream of tartar, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 cup butter, 1.5 cups sugar, 2 eggs, cinnamon-sugar coating (1/4 cup sugar, 3 tbsp cinnamon)
Instructions: 1) Cream butter and sugar. 2) Beat in eggs. 3) Mix flour, cream of tartar, and baking soda. 4) Combine wet and dry ingredients. 5) Roll into balls, coat heavily in cinnamon sugar. 6) Bake at 375°F for 9-11 minutes.
Why You’ll Love It: That cream of tartar creates this slightly tangy flavor that makes snickerdoodles unique. The cookies stay soft for days if stored properly (but they never last that long anyway).
5. Peanut Butter Blossoms
The classic peanut butter cookie with a chocolate kiss pressed in the center. Iconic for a reason.
Ingredients: 1.75 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup peanut butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, Hershey’s Kisses, sugar for rolling
Instructions: 1) Cream butter, peanut butter, and both sugars. 2) Add egg and vanilla. 3) Mix in flour and baking soda. 4) Roll into balls, coat in sugar. 5) Bake at 375°F for 10-12 minutes. 6) Press unwrapped Kiss into each cookie immediately after removing from oven.
Why You’ll Love It: The warm cookie melts the chocolate Kiss just enough to secure it. These are salty-sweet perfection. Pro tip: unwrap all your Kisses before baking because trying to do it with hot cookies is chaos.
Modern Twists on Classic Favorites
6. Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Regular chocolate chip cookies wish they could be this good. Brown butter changes everything.
Ingredients: 2.25 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 cup butter (browned), 3/4 cup sugar, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 2 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla, 2 cups chocolate chips, sea salt
Instructions: 1) Brown butter in saucepan, cool completely. 2) Beat browned butter with both sugars. 3) Add eggs and vanilla. 4) Mix in flour and baking soda. 5) Fold in chocolate chips. 6) Chill dough 30 minutes. 7) Bake at 350°F for 11-13 minutes. 8) Sprinkle with sea salt immediately.
Why You’ll Love It: Browning the butter creates this nutty, caramel-like flavor that makes regular butter taste boring. The sea salt on top makes them taste gourmet. These are the cookies that make people ask for the recipe.
7. Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies
Buttery cookies with a pool of salted caramel in the center. These taste expensive but cost basically nothing.
Ingredients: 2 cups flour, 1 cup butter, 2/3 cup sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 tsp vanilla, caramel candies (unwrapped), sea salt
Instructions: 1) Cream butter and sugar. 2) Add vanilla. 3) Mix in flour and salt. 4) Roll into balls, make thumbprint indentation. 5) Bake at 350°F for 12-15 minutes. 6) Immediately press unwrapped caramel into each warm cookie. 7) Sprinkle with sea salt.
Why You’ll Love It: The caramel melts in the warm cookies to create this gooey center. Sea salt makes them addictive. These look fancy but they’re actually one of the easier cookies on this list.
8. Peppermint Bark Cookies
All the flavors of peppermint bark in cookie form. These are Christmas in every bite.
Ingredients: 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 cup butter, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 eggs, 1 tsp peppermint extract, white chocolate chips, crushed candy canes
Instructions: 1) Cream butter and sugars. 2) Beat in eggs and peppermint extract. 3) Mix cocoa, flour, and baking soda. 4) Combine wet and dry ingredients. 5) Fold in white chocolate chips and half the crushed candy canes. 6) Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes. 7) Top with remaining candy cane pieces while warm.
Why You’ll Love It: The peppermint extract makes your kitchen smell like Christmas. White chocolate chips melt slightly for extra richness. The candy cane pieces add crunch and festive color.
9. Eggnog Cookies with Nutmeg Frosting
Capture eggnog flavor in cookie form. These taste like drinking eggnog but in a way that doesn’t divide your family.
Ingredients: 2.75 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1 cup butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1/2 cup eggnog, 1 tsp rum extract, frosting (butter, powdered sugar, eggnog, nutmeg)
Instructions: 1) Cream butter and sugar. 2) Beat in egg, eggnog, and rum extract. 3) Mix flour, baking powder, and nutmeg. 4) Combine wet and dry. 5) Drop by spoonfuls onto baking sheet. 6) Bake at 350°F for 12-14 minutes. 7) Cool and frost.
Why You’ll Love It: These have all the eggnog flavor without the weird texture that makes some people suspicious of the drink. The nutmeg frosting amplifies the cozy holiday spices.
10. Cranberry Orange Shortbread
Buttery shortbread with tart cranberries and bright orange. This combo never gets old.
Ingredients: 2 cups flour, 1 cup butter (softened), 1/2 cup powdered sugar, zest of 2 oranges, 1 cup dried cranberries (chopped), 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions: 1) Beat butter until fluffy. 2) Add powdered sugar and orange zest. 3) Mix in flour and salt. 4) Fold in chopped cranberries. 5) Form into logs, wrap in plastic, chill 2 hours. 6) Slice into rounds. 7) Bake at 325°F for 18-20 minutes.
Why You’ll Love It: Shortbread is basically foolproof—it’s just butter, sugar, and flour. The cranberries add tartness and the orange zest brings brightness. These are sophisticated without being fussy.
Show-Stopping Cookies for Cookie Swaps
11. Linzer Cookies (Jam-Filled Sandwich Cookies)
These look like you attended Austrian baking school. Spoiler: they’re not that hard.
Ingredients: 2 cups flour, 1 cup ground almonds, 1 cup butter, 2/3 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 tsp cinnamon, raspberry jam, powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions: 1) Cream butter and sugar. 2) Add egg. 3) Mix flour, ground almonds, and cinnamon. 4) Combine wet and dry. 5) Chill 1 hour. 6) Roll out, cut circles, cut centers from half the cookies. 7) Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes. 8) Spread jam on solid cookies, top with cut-out cookies, dust with powdered sugar.
Why You’ll Love It: That raspberry jam peeking through makes these impossibly pretty. Ground almonds add richness. These are the cookies that make people think you’re showing off (you are, and it’s working).
12. Russian Tea Cakes (Snowball Cookies)
These melt-in-your-mouth butter cookies rolled in powdered sugar look like little snowballs.
Ingredients: 1 cup butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar (plus more for coating), 1 tsp vanilla, 2.25 cups flour, 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans, 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions: 1) Cream butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar. 2) Add vanilla. 3) Mix in flour, pecans, and salt. 4) Roll into balls. 5) Bake at 350°F for 12-15 minutes. 6) Roll in powdered sugar while still warm, then again once cool.
Why You’ll Love It: Rolling them in powdered sugar twice creates that thick snowy coating. They’re buttery, nutty, and dissolve in your mouth. IMO, these are underrated compared to flashier cookies.
13. Biscotti (Perfect for Dunking)
Crunchy, not-too-sweet, and ideal for dipping in coffee or hot chocolate. These are the grown-up cookies.
Ingredients: 2 cups flour, 1.5 tsp baking powder, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup butter, 2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp almond extract, 1 cup chopped almonds
Instructions: 1) Mix flour and baking powder. 2) Cream butter and sugar. 3) Beat in eggs, vanilla, and almond extract. 4) Add flour mixture and almonds. 5) Form into logs on baking sheet. 6) Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. 7) Slice while warm, lay slices flat, bake another 10 minutes per side.
Why You’ll Love It: Baking twice makes them ultra-crunchy. They last for weeks in a tin. These are perfect for gifting because they’re sturdy and transport well.
14. Jam Thumbprint Cookies
Simple butter cookies with a jewel-toned jam center. These are customizable based on what jam you love.
Ingredients: 2 cups flour, 1 cup butter, 2/3 cup sugar, 2 egg yolks, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/4 tsp salt, various jams (raspberry, apricot, strawberry)
Instructions: 1) Cream butter and sugar. 2) Beat in egg yolks and vanilla. 3) Mix in flour and salt. 4) Roll into balls, create indentation with thumb. 5) Fill with jam. 6) Bake at 350°F for 15-18 minutes.
Why You’ll Love It: Using different colored jams makes a cookie platter look like a rainbow. The butter cookie base is rich enough to balance the sweet jam. Kids can help with the thumbprint part 🙂
15. Pizzelle (Italian Waffle Cookies)
These require a pizzelle iron but they’re worth the investment. Crispy, delicate, and impressive.
Ingredients: 3 eggs, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup butter (melted), 1 tbsp anise extract or vanilla, 1.75 cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder
Instructions: 1) Beat eggs and sugar. 2) Add melted butter and extract. 3) Mix in flour and baking powder. 4) Drop batter onto preheated pizzelle iron. 5) Cook 30-45 seconds until golden. 6) Remove carefully and cool on wire rack.
Why You’ll Love It: The intricate pattern from the pizzelle iron makes these look like edible lace. They’re not overly sweet, which makes them perfect for pairing with coffee. The anise flavor is traditional but vanilla works if you’re not an anise fan.
Quick & Easy Cookies When You’re Short on Time
16-25: Rapid-Fire Cookie Lineup
When you need variety without spending three days in the kitchen, these quick Christmas cookie recipes deliver:
16. No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls –
Mix peanut butter, powdered sugar, and butter. Roll into balls, dip in melted chocolate. Done in 20 minutes.
17. Coconut Macaroons –
Whip egg whites, fold in coconut and sugar, bake 20 minutes. Three ingredients, zero stress.
18. Lemon Crinkle Cookies –
Like chocolate crinkles but with lemon. Bright, tangy, and covered in powdered sugar.
19. Mint Chocolate Sandwich Cookies –
Chocolate cookies with mint buttercream filling. Tastes like thin mints but better.
20. Maple Pecan Cookies –
Brown butter, maple syrup, and toasted pecans. Fall vibes meet Christmas.
21. Chai Spice Cookies –
All those warm chai spices (cinnamon, cardamom, ginger) in soft cookie form.
22. White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies –
Chewy cookies studded with white chocolate and tart cranberries. Festive colors, amazing flavor.
23. Molasses Cookies –
Soft, chewy, and packed with spices. These are gingerbread’s softer, friendlier cousin.
24. Almond Joy Cookies –
Chocolate cookies topped with coconut and almonds. Candy bar cookies are always a win.
25. Kitchen Sink Cookies –
Throw in everything: chocolate chips, M&Ms, pretzels, toffee bits. The chaos creates magic.
Your Best Christmas Cookie Season Starts Now
Here’s the beautiful truth about Christmas cookie baking: you don’t need to make all 25 recipes. Pick 4-6 that speak to you, make double batches, and you’ll have plenty for gifting, swapping, and hoarding.
The secret to successful cookie baking is preparation. Read recipes completely before starting, bring ingredients to room temperature, and don’t skip the chilling steps. Most cookie dough actually tastes better after resting, which gives you permission to break up the work across multiple days.
These 25 best Christmas cookie recipes give you classics, modern twists, and quick options for every skill level and time constraint. Whether you’re hosting a cookie exchange or just want to fill tins for neighbors, you’ve got recipes that’ll become annual traditions.
Now preheat that oven, crank up the holiday music, and get baking. FYI, eating raw cookie dough while making these is basically a Christmas tradition itself. Your kitchen is about to smell incredible for weeks.
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