There’s something about December that turns my kitchen into a cookie factory — and honestly, I love every second of it. The butter stays on the counter, the sprinkles live in bowls, and the oven… well, the oven barely gets a break.
Cookie Recipe for Christmas or the Holidays
Every year I bake way more cookies than any family reasonably needs, but somehow the platters are always empty by the next morning. The kids raid the cookie jar. My neighbors mysteriously appear at my door. And I’m left baking just “one more batch” because apparently I have no self-control around gingerbread.
This roundup brings together 50+ of my best Christmas cookies, from classics to new favorites — gingerbread, sugar cookies, shortbread, chocolate chip, Linzers, snowballs, cranberry cookies, nutty cookies, and more. If you’re building a holiday cookie box or need last-minute treats, you’ll find everything right here.
And, yet, no matter how large a platter of cookies, they always get over. The truth is you can never have too many cookies, can you? For me, they bring back childhood memories of baking with my mom. My kids know that the cookie jar is always full of cookies this time of the year.
Here you will find a collection of over 50 Christmas cookie recipes that are perfect for the holiday season – from the classic to something new.
9 Gingerbread & Molasses Cookies
1. Gingerbread Christmas Tree Cookies
Cute, festive, and perfect for kids — these tree cookies use my classic gingerbread dough and hold their shape beautifully.
1
Gingerbread Christmas Tree Cookies Recipe
This Santa Christmas tree cookie recipe is the easiest way to bake cookies that are very popular with young children. This one uses a gingerbread cookie recipe that's quick, easy, and fun to make
Buttery sugar cookies with sparkling candy centers — fun to bake, gorgeous on a cookie platter.
2
Stained Glass Cookies
Snowflake stained glass cookies are festive gingerbread snowflakes with glowing candy centers. Easy to make, fun to decorate, and perfect for Christmas cookie trays or edible ornaments.
Soft, perfectly spiced gingerbread that doesn’t spread. Great for cutting into all your favorite holiday shapes.
3
Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
Learn how to make the best, softest, and most delicious gingerbread cookies. I'll share my best recipe and give you all sorts of tips, tricks, and ideas to decorate them. These do not spread, so you will have perfectly shaped cookies to add to you your holiday platter.
Crisp, buttery cookies piped into pretty swirls — just like the blue holiday tins we grew up with.
4
Danish Butter Cookies (Piped Butter Cookies)
Are you ready to unleash your inner baker and create the perfect Danish butter cookies in your kitchen? Imagine the delightful aroma of freshly baked treats wafting through your home and the satisfaction of biting into buttery, delicate cookies with an irresistible flavor.
Soft, chewy, nostalgic cookies bursting with warm molasses flavor — no chilling needed.
5
Old-Fashion Molasses Cookies
Considered the poor man's candy, molasses transforms into delicious homemade cookies in this easy recipe. Grandma's old fashion soft molasses cookies do not need any chilling time. They are soft, chewy, and packed with the flavors of warm spices. Perfect to add to your holiday baking this Christmas.
A spicier twist on the classic molasses cookie with that irresistible chewy texture.
6
Ginger Molasses Cookies
These ginger molasses cookies are a little twist on our famous old fashion molasses cookies recipe. These are definitely worth trying. You can never have too many molasses cookies, right?
These buttery ginger cookies melt in your mouth — the perfect soft Christmas cookie.
7
Soft Ginger Cookies
These gooey, aromatic, and tender ginger cookies are buttery and chewy. They melt in your mouth the second you bite into them. This is how to make soft ginger cookies or ginger molasses cookies
Buttery, chewy centers with crisp edges and deep molasses flavor. An all-time family favorite.
8
The BEST Molasses Cookie
These molasses cookies are buttery, chewy, and soft on the inside but crisp on the outside. Flavored with ground ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg, these also make amazing holiday gifts for family and friends.
Soft, pillowy cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar — a holiday classic everyone loves.
9
Snickerdoodle Cookies
This snickerdoodle cookies recipe is soft, chewy, with the wonderful flavor of cinnamon. And they are perfect with a glass of cold milk. They are so easy to make, you'll have to make another batch.
Delicate, buttery cookies made with a spritz press — simple, cute, and perfect for gifting.
10
Christmas Spritz Cookies – Easy Holiday Cookie Press Recipe
This holiday season, bring the flavor of Christmas into your home by baking these delicious Christmas spritz cookies. You can share them at parties, add them to your holiday cookie platter, and pass them out to your neighbors
A sweet twist on spritz: buttery cookies filled with jam for a festive pop of color.
11
Jam Spritz Cookies
These jam spritz cookies are a twist on my Christmas spritz cookies only filled with strawberry jam. It's using my simple and easy no-fail recipe. Perfect at any time of the year, but also a great addition to your holiday cookies platter. These also make amazing gifts to family and friends.
Buttery, tender cookies rolled in sugar and filled with sweet jam — a timeless Christmas favorite for every holiday cookie tray.
12
Thumbprint Cookies
These easy thumbprint cookies are buttery, tender, and filled with your favorite jam. A simple no-chill cookie recipe that's perfect for holidays and cookie trays.
Tender chocolate cookies filled with a fudgy center — festive, rich, and wonderfully simple.
13
Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
Brace yourself for a mouthwatering combination of rich, velvety chocolate and a heavenly, melt-in-your-mouth texture that will leave you begging for more. Whether you're a die-hard chocoholic or simply on the hunt for the perfect dessert, these outrageously delicious chocolate thumbprint cookies are guaranteed to be a hit on any occasion.
Soft, buttery cookies topped with jam — one of the easiest Christmas treats you’ll ever make.
14
Eggless Thumbprint Cookies
Imagine sinking your teeth into a soft, buttery cookie with a sweet, jam-filled center. The gentle crunch of the outer crust gives way to a burst of flavor that delights your senses. With just the right balance of ingredients and a hint of creativity, these eggless thumbprint cookies are the epitome of indulgence.
Classic sugar cookies with crisp edges and soft centers — perfect for frosting and decorating.
15
The Best Sugar Cookies Recipe
Vanilla sugar cookies are a classic treat loved for their simplicity and delicious flavor. These cookies are made with basic ingredients like flour, butter, sugar, and vanilla extract, resulting in a sweet and buttery cookie with a hint of vanilla. They're perfect for any occasion and can be decorated with icing, sprinkles, or enjoyed plain.
Elegant stenciled designs on buttery sugar cookies — impressive but surprisingly easy.
16
Christmas Stenciled Cookies
Celebrate the season with stenciled Christmas sugar cookies as a fun project to make with the kids. Stenciled on my popular recipe for vanilla sugar cookies these are such an ideal treat. My video show just how simple, easy and effortless the stenciling technique is. You and the kids will have loads of fun. Give them as gifts and everyone will be impressed.
Sugar cookies infused with gingerbread spices — soft, cozy, and perfect for holiday decorating.
17
Gingerbread Sugar Cookies
This ultimate gingerbread sugar cookie recipe is a game-changer for beginners, giving you the confidence to conquer the world of holiday baking. By emphasizing the simplicity of the steps and the importance of key ingredients, we've provided you with a foolproof guide to creating delicious and festive cookies.
Two buttery cookies sandwiched with filling — festive, pretty, and perfect for gifting.
18
Christmas Star Cookies
Looking to create a sweet sensation this Christmas that will dazzle your guests and leave them begging for more? Look no further than these show-stopping Star Cookies. With their delicate shape and irresistible taste, these star-shaped sandwich cookies are guaranteed to bring a touch of elegance to your holiday feast.
Soft, chewy, and coated in cinnamon sugar — cozy and irresistibly simple.
19
Cinnamon Sugar Cookies
These Cinnamon Sugar Cookies are soft, chewy, and coated in a deliciously sweet and spiced cinnamon-sugar crust. The dough is easy to make with simple pantry ingredients, then chilled for the perfect texture. Each bite delivers a cozy blend of sweetness and warmth, making them an irresistible treat!
Tender, fluffy sugar cookies perfumed with almond — a pretty addition to any cookie platter.
20
Soft Almond Sugar Cookies
Elevate your almond sugar cookies from dry and crumbly to soft and heavenly. Don't settle for mediocre cookies anymore – impress your friends and family with cookies that will have them begging for the recipe.
Crisp, crumbly, and naturally gluten-free — a nostalgic “snow white” cookie.
21
Rice Flour Sugar Cookies (naturally gluten-free)
These rice flour sugar cookies are also gluten-free sugar cookies because rice flour is naturally gluten-free. Also, the recipe has no eggs, so the color of these cookies is white. As kids, we called them 'snow white cookies'. Just like sugar cookies, these rice flour sugar cookies are crisp and crumbly. They hold their shape well and can be used to make beautifully frosted cookies.
Soft buttery cookies topped with a bright lemon glaze — light, zesty, and holiday-ready.
22
Glazed lemon cookies
It’s hard to resist freshly baked, delicious, frosted lemon cookies. The sweet lemony icing, the crumbly texture of the cookie itself—what’s not to love? If you’ve been curious to learn how to make your frosted lemon cookies at home, then you’ve come to the right place.
Buttery shortbread fingers dipped in rich chocolate and pistachios — perfect for gifting.
23
Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Sticks
Embrace the unconventional twist and treat yourself to decadent chocolate-dipped shortbread sticks. It's an invitation to break free from traditional shortbread and indulge in something extraordinary and elegant.
Classic crumbly shortbread bars made with just butter, sugar, and flour — essential on any Christmas platter.
24
Scottish Shortbread Recipe
Have you ever bitten into a Scottish shortbread and been transported to a realm of buttery bliss? The delicate crumb, the melt-in-your-mouth texture, and the flaky layers that seem to crumble at just the right moment are truly irresistible. But achieving that perfect texture and flakiness can be a challenge.
Light, airy, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread made with just a few ingredients.
25
Whipped Shortbread Cookies
Flour, butter, sugar, and salt blend into a light and puffy whipped shortbread cookie recipe that is easy to make and oh-so-delicious. A simple and easy holiday recipe that takes just 10 minutes to prep and 10 minutes to bake.
Delicate shortbread cookies with a sandy, meltaway texture — perfect with tea.
26
Melting Moments Cookies
Melting moments cookies are simple and easy shortbread cookies that have a crumbly melt in your mouth texture. A simple and easy butter cookie that is perfect to add to your holiday baking during the festive season.
A classic buttery shortbread made with only flour, sugar, and butter — the easiest holiday cookie.
27
Shortbread Cookies – 3 Ingredients
Say goodbye to complicated recipes and hello to easy baking success with this ultimate shortcut to creating irresistible shortbread cookies. With just three basic ingredients, you'll be amazed at how effortlessly you can whip up a batch of these delightful buttery treats.
28. Irresistible Rose Shortbread Cookies(optional)
Soft buttery shortbread infused with delicate rose flavor — pretty enough for gifting, but not strictly Christmas.
28
Rose Shortbread Cookies Recipe
Imagine sinking your teeth into a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth rose shortbread cookie, only to be pleasantly surprised by a delicate and unique flavor that lingers on your taste buds. The answer lies within the petals and aroma of roses. You heard it right: the surprising secret ingredient for irresistible rose shortbread cookies.
Deeply chocolaty shortbread with a crisp bite — elegant and rich.
29
Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
Get ready to indulge in the ultimate chocolate shortbread cookies experience. With a simple addition or substitution, you can transform this classic favorite into a delectable masterpiece that will have everyone craving for your recipe.
Two-tone vanilla and chocolate bite-size cookies — fun and cute, but evergreen rather than Christmas-specific.
30
Flower Cookies (Vanilla and Chocolate)
Embrace the irresistible combination of vanilla and chocolate in these flower cookies, and surprise your taste buds with their heavenly flavors. Gather your ingredients, follow our expert techniques, and let your creativity bloom as you create these delicious treats. Start baking now and experience the joy of sharing these delightful cookie masterpieces with your loved ones.
Beautifully imprinted cookies that hold their shape — great for embossed rolling pins.
31
Shortbread Stamped Cookies Recipe
Learn how to make stamped shortbread cookies that hold their shape and don’t spread! This easy recipe makes buttery, crisp cookies perfect for cookie stamps or embossed rolling pins.
Traditional Austrian crescent cookies dusted in vanilla sugar — melt-in-your-mouth Christmas classics.
32
Vanillekipferl – Austrian Vanilla Crescent Cookies
These classic vanillekipferl, or vanilla crescent cookies, are buttery, delicate, and melt in your mouth. Made with almond flour and vanilla, they are a traditional holiday cookie that is simple and elegant.
Buttery, melt-in-your-mouth almond crescents dusted in powdered sugar — a classic European Christmas cookie.
33
Marzipan Almond Crescent Cookies
Do you ever find yourself craving a treat that is both flaky and melt-in-your-mouth delicious? Look no further than marzipan almond crescent cookies. These heavenly delights are the perfect combination of lightness and sweetness, guaranteed to impress your guests and satisfy even the most discerning taste buds.
Soft little shell-shaped tea cakes — light, delicate, and elegant on a holiday table.
34
Vanilla Madeleines
This is the best recipe for madeleines. It uses easy-to-find ingredients that are mostly pantry staples. These are little tea cakes that are baked in a special shell shape madeleine pan. The batter takes about 10 minutes to prep and 10 minutes to bake.
Buttery cookies enriched with condensed milk for a soft, tender crumb.
35
Sweetened Condensed Milk Cookies
These condensed milk cookies are soft, buttery, and lightly crisp around the edges with a rich sweet flavor from sweetened condensed milk. An easy homemade cookie recipe perfect for using leftover condensed milk and simple pantry ingredients.
Bite-size shortbread-style cookies with a sweet, milky flavor — perfect for cookie boxes.
36
Sweetened Condensed Milk Cookies
These sweetened condensed milk cookies are small bite-size shortbread cookies using condensed milk. These are delicious with a cuppa and make the perfect addition to the holiday cookie platter.
4. Linzer & Sandwich Cookies
37. Almond Linzer Cookies
Classic Austrian-style cookies sandwiched with jam — festive, nutty, and picture-perfect.
37
Almond Linzer Cookies
Almond Linzer cookies are as tasty as they are beautiful. This recipe makes enough cookies to share. Sandwiched with a delicious filling of jams and chocolate, these are the perfect treat any time of the year, especially during the holiday season.
Soft, buttery cookies filled with sweet jam — a holiday essential.
38
Linzer Cookies
Picture this: two buttery, shortbread cookies sandwiched together with a sweet, tangy fruit jam. The top cookie has a small cutout in the center, revealing a glimpse of the vibrant jam beneath. The result is an irresistible combination of textures and flavors that will bring you back for another bite with this Linzer cookies recipe.
Soft spiced cookies sandwiched with jam — cozy and full of flavor.
39
Brown Sugar Sandwich Cookies (Soft & Chewy)
Brown Sugar Sandwich Cookies with Jam featuring a festive spice blend and Linzer cookie cutters are bound to be a hit at any gathering. This recipe yields 24 delightful sandwich cookies with a warm and aromatic flavor profile.
Gingerbread cutouts paired with creamy filling — adorable and delicious.
40
Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies
Homemade gingerbread cookies are just not the same if you can’t cut them into adorable shapes. Find out the trick to making the best gingerbread sandwich cookies—shaped and decorated just like Christmas.
Soft, chewy cookies with tart cranberries and sweet white chocolate — a Christmas favorite.
41
White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
Use white chocolate and dried cranberries to make the most delicious cookies ever! These white chocolate cranberry cookies are surprisingly simple and easy to make in less than 30 minutes.
Cranberries and chocolate chips make these cookies extra festive and flavorful.
42
Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies
Chocolate chip cranberry cookies are a wonderful fall cookie because cranberries and chocolate are, so fall. For best results, don't skimp on cranberries or chocolate chips and double this batch because they take just 30 minutes to make.
43. Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies with White Chocolate
One-bowl cookies loaded with oats, cranberries, raisins, and white chocolate.
43
Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies with White Chocolate
Cranberry, raisins, and oats make the easiest cookies because you dump all of your ingredients in a bowl, shape them into balls, and bake. Learn about this easy cranberry oatmeal cookies recipe for the holidays.
Soft almond-based cookies with a delicate chewy center — a classic European Christmas treat.
44
Marzipan Cookies Recipe
There's something undeniably enchanting about marzipan cookies. With their delicate almond flavor, tender texture, and artistic charm, these little treats have captured people's hearts and taste buds worldwide for centuries. Whether you've savored them as part of a holiday tradition or stumbled upon them in a quaint bakery, marzipan cookies possess a unique allure that's hard to resist.
Rich, nutty cookies with vibrant pistachio flavor — beautiful on a holiday tray.
45
Best Pistachio Cookies
Soft and buttery pistachio cookies made with real pistachios and pistachio paste for rich flavor and beautiful color. Easy bakery-style cookies with crisp edges and soft centers.
Melt-in-your-mouth snowballs with cranberries and nuts — the ultimate Christmas classic.
46
Cranberry Pecan Snowball Cookies
These cranberry pecan snowball cookies are buttery shortbread cookies with ground pecans and cranberries. They are baked, then coated with powdered sugar. You won't find a recipe easier than this because all you need is a bowl and a spatula. The dough takes 5 minutes to combine and 10 minutes to bake. Easy peasy and perfect for the holiday season.
Buttery shortbread-style cookies with ground hazelnuts — simple and elegant.
47
Hazelnut Cookies
These hazelnut cookies are rich, buttery, shortbread-type cookies with ground hazelnuts. A simple, easy, and quick recipe to make at home. You can use store-bought ground hazelnuts or make them from scratch.
Shortbread wrapped around a sweet nutty date filling — nostalgic and festive.
48
Date Roll Cookies
Shortbread cookie dough wrapped around a sweet filling made with dates and nuts is what makes these date roll cookies perfect for the holiday cookies platter. Today, I'm using macadamia, and yet, pecans or walnuts make an equally delicious combination with dates. Also, a few red and green stripes give this a festive look.
Soft, chewy cookies loaded with red and green candies — perfect for kids.
49
Christmas M and M Cookies
If you are looking for some treats to bake this Christmas, try these Christmas M&M cookies that are easy to make and loaded with green and red M&M candy. These cookies are hard to resist so make sure to double the batch.
Soft, chewy cookies made with peanut butter chips and chocolate — crowd-pleasing and easy.
50
Peanut Butter Chip Cookies
Homemade peanut butter chip cookies can be just as good as the bakery variety. Bake these soft, chewy cookies at home using peanut butter chips and chocolate chips in less than 30 minutes.
That’s my holiday cookie spread this year — a mix of classics, family favorites, and a few new treats that somehow always disappear faster than I expect. I hope this roundup inspires you to bake something delicious, share a little sweetness, and maybe even start a new holiday tradition of your own.
If you’re planning your full holiday menu, here are a few more festive collections you may enjoy:
Christmas Cakes & Desserts
Christmas Morning Breakfast Ideas
Holiday Mains & Sides
Eggnog & Festive Drinks
Wishing you a warm kitchen, a happy home, and a very sweet holiday season.
I’m a cook, baker, and former cake decorator sharing dependable recipes for everyday cooking, bread baking, and classic desserts. Everything here is tested, technique-driven, and designed to work in real kitchens — food that’s balanced, full of flavor, and never overcomplicated.
I am so intrigued by the rice flour one!! Definitely putting that one on my list of things to make, thanks so much for the recipe 🙂
Thank you so much for doing the work of rounding up all these amazing cookie recipes for me and putting them in on easy to find and navigate post!
This collection is so good! I love all the cookies listed here, looking forward to try all of them!
These cookies look great! The post inspired me to up my game this holiday and make more cookies.
What a fabulous selection of cookies to make! I’m letting my granddaughter choose which one we’ll make!