From dark fudge to bright and cheery pinwheel sugar cookies, we’ve got a whole lot of easy Christmas cookie recipes for you to try this winter

The holiday season is upon us, and that can only mean one thing: cookies! We’ve created the ultimate list of Christmas cookie recipes to include in your celebrations, many of which are tried-and-true favorites (like these cream cheese Christmas Tree cookies) from our own editors and staff. Whether you’re looking for the perfect cookie exchange recipe or a new twist on a classic cookie, our list has it all.

Christmas Lights Cookies with Royal Icing

This Christmas cookie recipe for frosted sugar cookies is a classic
Dessert for Two

While these cookies from Dessert for Two look like a million bucks, they are surprisingly easy to make yourself. Simple sugar cookies are topped with royal icing and artfully decorated using M&M's. You will totally win the cookie exchange this year.

Peppermint Meltaway Cookies

candy cane cookies are a good Christmas cookie recipe
Cooking Classy

Cooking Classy's peppermint meltaway cookies are the essence of the holidays. Light and airy peppermint-infused cookies are topped with fluffy homemade frosting and crushed candy canes. These bite-sized treats are sure to be a hit this holiday.

Dark Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies

Two cookies sit on a counter with one half of each cookie white with candy cane sprinkles
Liv for Cake

Ever heard of black cocoa powder? These gorgeous dark chocolate candy cane cookies from Liv For Cake are made with rich, dark ingredients. After baking, they are dipped in melting chocolate and crushed candy canes for the perfect holiday treat.

Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

This Christmas cookie recipe has cranberries and white chocolate
Live Well Bake Often

Nothing says the holidays quite like cranberry. Live Well Bake Often's chocolate cranberry cookies are a feast for the senses. Creamy white chocolate chips and chewy dried cranberries not only make for a beautiful-looking cookie that will be the centerpiece of your cookie platter but a tasty one, too.

Candy Cane Cookies

These candy-cane shaped cookies are a fun Christmas cookie recipe
Kristine's Kitchen

These perfectly festive candy cane-shaped cookies from Kristine's Kitchen are the epitome of the holidays. Simple sugar cookie dough is twisted and shaped, baked, and then topped with crunchy peppermint candy. These are great for cookie exchanges or holiday bake sales!

Brown Sugar Cookies

Brown sugar cookies are a unique take on a classic Christmas cookie recipe
Gimme Some Oven

Give your go-to cookie recipe a twist this holiday season and bake up some brown sugar cookies. This recipe from Gimme Some Oven comes together quickly and is easily customizable when you use festive cookie cutters, colored frosting, and sprinkles.

Salted Caramel Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies

A stack of brown salted caramel nutella chocolate ship cookies
A Taste of Madness

The warm flavors of the holidays are all here in A Taste of Madness' salted caramel Nutella chocolate chip cookies. Nutella, salted caramel, and chocolate chips put a unique twist on the traditional cookie and make it fancy enough for all your festivities.

Pinwheel Sugar Cookies

Red and green Christmas pinwheel cookies are a classic Christmas cookie recipe
Princess Pinky Girl

Knock your fam's socks off this holiday with Princess Pinky Girl's Christmas pinwheel sugar cookies. The different-colored dough is layered, rolled, and sliced before baking to make these festive and fun cookies. Don't forget the sprinkles!

Linzer Cookies

Linzer cookies are a popular Christmas cookie recipe
Rasa Malaysia

The holidays are a great time to try your hand at new recipes, and these Linzer cookies are the place to start. This recipe from Rasa Malaysia is made with buttery and crumbly dough that's baked into perfect circles and sandwiched together with a sweet jam. Don't forget the generous amount of powdered sugar on top!

Related: 20 Cookie & Baking Hacks to Save Your Holidays

Italian Almond Cookies

A stack of powdered almond cookies on a brown table
An Italian In My Kitchen

Need a simple cookie this holiday? This six-ingredient recipe for Italian almond cookies from An Italian In My Kitchen is for you. The buttery cookie is light and airy with the perfect amount of almond flavor. We imagine these as a perfect after-dinner treat enjoyed best with a cup of coffee.

Eggnog Snickerdoodles

Five eggnog snickerdoodle Christmas cookies sit on a cooling rack
Wondermom Wannabe

What do you get when you combine the best cookie in the world with the most iconic Christmas flavor? Eggnog snickerdoodles! Wondermom Wannabe has developed an easy way to combine your fave flavors into a chewy cookie that pairs great with a glass of milk, or let's be honest, eggnog.

Toffee Nutella Cookies

A brown toffee nutella cookie sits on top of a glass of milk
Food Fanatic

You had us at Nutella! Food Fanatic's toffee Nutella cookies are the perfect blend of hazelnut, chocolate, and toffee that results in a chewy cookie that you won't be able to stop eating.

Speculoos Spice Cookies

White snowflake shaped Speculoos Spice Cookies sit on a cooling rack
The View from Great Island

Dust off your cookie cutters to make these traditional Dutch cookies from The View from Great Island. They’re subtly spiced with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and ginger, and they look great topped with a simple royal icing. 

Fudge Cookies

A pile of brown fudge Christmas cookies sit on a white plate
Simply Stacie

Keep it simple (but oh-so-delicious) by making a batch of these fudge cookies from Simply Stacie. You can skip the nuts if your crew isn’t into them, and you’ll end up with a melt-in-your-mouth cookie either way. 

Oreo Bonbons

Several oreo bonbon cookie balls are dusted in candy cane pieces
Love & Risotto

Oreo cookies are already delicious, but these bonbons from Love & Risotto transform them into something special. Let your whole crew get involved in rolling up the bonbons and dipping them in chocolate—the final product will be super satisfying. 

Jam Thumbprint Cookies

About a half dozen round white cookies each with a jam thumbprint in the middle
The View from Great Island

These cookies from The View from Great Island are super easy to make using your favorite flavor of jam. Let the kids get involved in mixing the batter and topping them with the jam before popping the cookies in the oven. 

Soft & Chewy Molasses Cookies

A stack of molasses cookies topped with M&Ms
Crazy for Crust

Get your gingerbread fix with these tasty Christmas cookies from Crazy for Crust. They’re filled with warm spices and molasses and are perfectly chewy. Topped off with M&Ms, you’ve got a dessert that’ll wow your whole crew. 

Related: 29 Kid-Friendly Baking Recipes Perfect for the Holidays

Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies

Several Christmas cookies on a plate are shaped and decorated like reindeer
Bakergirl

We guarantee that the little ones will love helping you decorate these adorable cookies from Bakergirl. Plus, you can swap out the peanut butter cookie for your favorite sugar cookie or gingerbread recipe if that’s more your speed. 

Nutella Cookies with Filling (Nutellotti)

A few rows of brown, round Christmas cookies that are made with nutella and topped with nuts
Italian Recipe Book

Made with just four ingredients, these cookies from Italian Recipe Book are super easy to whip up. And since everyone loves Nutella, they’re bound to be crowd-pleasers. 

Cranberry Orange Cookies

Cranberry orange cookies sit on a white plate on a table scattered with cranberries
Cooking with Bliss

Brighten up your dessert table with these simple cookies from Cooking with Bliss. With a tangy mix of fresh cranberries and orange zest, they’re bound to be a family favorite. 

 

Sugar-Free Chunky Monkey Cookies

A stack of chunky, sugar free cookies sit on a napkin in front of a yellow bowl filled with more cookies
Veggies Don't Bite

If your kids are cookie obsessed, then make these cookies that you can feel good about sneaking in a second, third, maybe even fourth helping. Sophia from Veggies Don’t Bite created this recipe that is sugar-free (her solution is date paste!) and combines crispy oat edges with the sweet delicious flavor of chocolate chips. 

Hazelnut Spread-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

A bite is taken out of a nutella cookie that sits next to another cookie
Ambitious Kitchen

It'll be tough to go back to regular old cookies after making these stuffed chocolate chip cookies. And, be sure to save a couple for yourself, because these ooey-gooey treats will be gobbled up in no time.

Soft Ginger Cookies

A white tray filled with little round soft ginger cookies
Veggie and the Beast

If you love the taste of gingerbread but are looking for a more kid-pleasing version, Veggie and the Beast‘s recipe for soft cookies should fit the bill. Rolled in a bit of white sugar, these little guys are a perfect balance of spiced and sweet. 

Peanut Butter Blossoms

A plate of Christmas peanut butter blossom cookies with chocolate kisses in the middle of each cookie
House of Nash Eats

Peanut butter and chocolate fans, take note: this classic recipe from House of Nash Eats is a must. Basic peanut butter cookies are taken to the next level with a chocolate kiss placed on top after baking.

No-Bake Beauties

A bowl full of round, powdered no-bake cookies surrounded by a scattering of more powdered cookies
The 52 New Foods Challenge

These nut-free cookies make a perfect lunchbox treat or after-school snack. Little ones and adults alike will love the combo of oats, sunflower butter, honey, coconut, and dried cranberries.

Homemade Thin Mints

Brown and white house made thin mints are cut in half and placed on a green plate
Averie Cooks

Unfortunately, we don’t usually see Girl Scouts selling their addictive cookies during the holiday season, but luckily there’s a way to get your Thin Mint fix with minimum effort. This recipe from Averie Cooks will be done in no time, and the cookies will disappear even faster.

Starry-Eyed Christmas Cookies

Chocolate kisses are melted on top of pretzels and topped with M&Ms
The Wicked Noodle

These little cookies from The Wicked Noodle couldn’t be easier—just melt some chocolate kisses on top of pretzels, and then the kiddos can help you decorate with festive M&Ms. 

Sicilian Fig Cookies (Cuccidati)

A round, powdered Sicilian fig cookie with rainbow sprinkles on a green plate
iStock

Former editor Amber Guetebier shares this recipe and tells us, “I made these for my Sicilian friend for Christmas. They are totally time-consuming (over two hours from start to finish) but perfect if you want something autentico for the holidays, and if your kids are tenacious and into baking and getting covered in flour and honey." 

Raspberry Ribbon Cookies

Five bar-shaped raspberry ribbon cookies sit on a table topped with raspberry jam
Scott Wardell

There’s something about shortbread that screams holidays, so these raspberry ribbon cookies are a perfect choice. The little ones will love the delicious raspberry jam on top, too. 

Related: All the Pie Recipes You’ll Ever Need for the Holidays

Four-Ingredient Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

A stack of peanut butter chocolate chip cookies are on a table next to a checkered napkin
Mom’s Kitchen Handbook

It’s not news that peanut butter and chocolate go great together, which is why you shouldn’t be surprised when these four-ingredient cookies from Mom’s Kitchen Handbook disappear shortly after pulling them from the oven. Believe it or not, they really do have just four ingredients and take less than ten minutes to prep! Waiting is truly the hardest part.

Sprinkle Fortune Cookies

A stack of chocolate-dipped, colorfully sprinkled fortune cookies
Leah Nolan

This year, make these colorful fortune cookies from Glitter and Bubbles for Santa—he’s sure to gobble them up. Kids will love dipping the cookies in different types of sprinkles.

Chewy Oatmeal Coconut Cookies

A decorative bowl is filled with Chewy Oatmeal Coconut Cookies
¡Hola! Jalapeno

If you've got a lactose-intolerant little one, these oatmeal coconut cookies from ¡Hola! Jalapeno are a lifesaver. Plus, you can adjust them to fit your family's taste by adding mix-ins like peanut butter or chocolate chips. 

Magical Candy Cane Kiss Cookies

A Christmas cookie is cut in half to show that its stuffed with candy
Leah’s Thoughts

These awesome candy cane kiss cookies have (you guessed it!) a tasty surprise inside. The best part? They're a cinch to make. 

Cream Cheese Christmas Tree Cookies

Colorful Christmas cookies are shaped and decorated to look like trees
Luna Hu via Unsplash

Dig out your cookie cutters to make these cute little trees topped with a delicious vanilla frosting. The cream cheese added to the cookie batter gives them a special touch, too. 

Lemon Cookies

A cute little girl smiles after biting into lemon cookies
Brandi McWade

When you’re in dire need of a cookie fix or just don’t have the time to scour your pantry for all of the ingredients, try out this lemon cookie recipe courtesy of our former Digital Media Manager, Brandi McWade. The cookies are actually made from a box of lemon cake mix, which makes this as convenient as it can get. 

Peppermint Brownies

Four dark brown and bright green peppermint brownies
Leah Singer

Even though these are technically brownies, we couldn't resist including them in our roundup of must-have holiday sweets. This recipe from Leah's Thoughts is the perfect holiday combination of rich chocolate with icy, cool peppermint. 

 

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