Happy Holiday Season AKA Christmas cookies Season! We’ve rounded up every single one of our favorite Christmas cookie recipes so you can find every holiday cookie you need in one place! Happy baking!
The ultimate guide to Christmas cookies
Christmas is less than a week away, which can only mean one thing: it’s cookie time, babies! Crinkle cookies, sandwich cookies, oatmeal cookies, chocolate chip cookies, truffles, s’mores cookies, cookie bars…we’re officially proclaiming ourselves cookie monsters until 2020 rolls around.
We have put together our favorite Christmas cookies. Every single one of these stunning recipes is a guaranteed winner at all cookie fairs.
What makes the perfect Christmas cookie recipe?
The beauty of Christmas cookies is that you can turn pretty much any cookie recipe into a Christmas cookie. Add some festive sprinkles, candy canes, chocolate drizzle and a bow, and your everyday cookie is instantly elevated to holiday cookie status. For me, there are three necessary qualities that all Christmas cookie recipes must have:
- lenient: The Christmas season is all about doing something good for yourself! Now it’s time to try butter cookies, crunchy brownie cookies, and decadent chocolate chip cookies.
- Reliable and easy to manufacture: I definitely don’t want to work with a tricky recipe during the Christmas season. It’s no time for a bad batch of Christmas cookies. Rest assured that each and every one of these recipes has been tested countless times to ensure you get perfect Christmas cookies every damn time!
- Festive Flavors: Now, that’s not a must, but a cookie recipe certainly gets points if it includes any of the following flavors: Chocolate Peppermint, Caramel, Candy Cane, S’mores, Turtle, Pecan Chocolates, Cinnamon, Red + Green (no flavors, but You know what I mean!), ginger, oatmeal, molasses… basically anything that makes you a little bit nostalgic for the holidays is a perfect candidate for a Christmas cookie.
- Easy to share: And of course, the best part about holiday baking is sharing it with friends and family! All of these cookies keep well in a tin for mailing or on a foil-wrapped plate to give to a neighbor! So go ahead and make a double batch!
So, without further ado, let’s get to the best Christmas cookie recipes of all time.:
Am I the only one obsessed with sandwich cookies? Like two cookies in one?! PLUS frosting?! These bite-sized Chocolate Peppermint Sandwich Cookies with the most amazing brownie-like texture are seriously addictive. Consider yourself warned.
Add a fun and festive twist to traditional crinkle cookies with an extra drizzle of red food coloring. These Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies are crunchy on the outside with a chewy, fudgy center and SO easy to make.
Sugar cookies are my FAVORITE cookie of all time. I could eat so many of these. The border doesn’t exist. Cut out sugar cookies are perfect for the holidays and make such fun decorating as a fun activity to do with family or friends!
Okay, they’re not quite cookies, but they’re easy, festive, so cheap to make, and an instant crowd favorite. We’ve made these Peppermint Oreo Truffles at least 3 times now and have no plans to stop any time soon.
These Ginger Oatmeal Molasses Cookies are the perfect Christmas cookie. They’re crispy, flavorful, perfectly seasoned and travel super well! Assemble and ship a batch to surprise someone you’re not spending the holidays with!
These pillowy soft peppermint meringues swirled with dark chocolate make the perfect Christmas cookie. Enjoy these melt-in-the-mouth chocolate and peppermint meringues all holiday season!
These toasted S’mores cookies are made with a browned butter cookie dough and loaded with chunks of graham crackers and chocolate chips with a gooey marshmallow center. So basically they are the best there is.
Double chocolate + peppermint is the epitome of Christmas flavor in my opinion. Chewy, chubby, and loaded with chocolate chips, these Christmas cookies are topped with a dunk of white chocolate and topped with crushed mints. What are you waiting for? Grab the recipe!
There are few things better than a classic oatmeal cookie. Give them a little upgrade with bourbon-soaked raisins, chocolate chips, and a tender, buttery cookie base. Served with a glass of milk, these Christmas cookies are Santa approved!
Snickerdoodles and Gingersnaps had a baby. And they are so so so so so good. Crispy on the outside, gooey in the middle with this perfect crunchy top!
One of the most popular cookie recipes on the blog, these Copycat Chocolate Chip Levain Bakery Cookies are sure to make you Grandma’s favorites this year!
These gingerbread Linzers are definitely an eye-catcher. The sweet dulce de leche combined with spicy ginger is just TOO good. Not to mention they’re pretty enough to be served at afternoon tea.
I love oatmeal raisin cookies. AND Snicker Doodles. So I figured why not make a cookie baby? And so Oatmeal Raisin Snickerdoodle Cookies were born.
There’s something about the combination of sweet white chocolate, buttery macadamia, and tart cranberries that gets me every time. Every time we make these White Chocolate Cranberry Macadamia Nut Cookies I eat like 12. hehe
These cut-and-bake cookies are buttery, delicious, and perfect for a crowd. Plus, cutting cookies is just super satisfying, you know?
White chocolate and ginger are such an underrated flavor combination—the silky, sweet white chocolate complements the tangy ginger perfectly. Add some toasted, buttery oats to the mix and you have a Santa-approved cookie.
Have you ever seen a more typical Christmas cookie? These Candy Cane Chocolate Chip Cookies are filled with shredded sticks and puddles of dark chocolate, encased in a perfectly chewy chocolate chip cookie with just the right amount of crunch. You’ll love these Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies all year round!
What’s better than soft molasses cookies? One filled with a whole gooey marshmallow in the middle. This Christmas cookie is super easy to make, keeps for days and is packed with festive flavor.
Every Christmas cookie box needs a shortbread. Specifically, a tender shortbread bar drizzled with caramel and chocolate. It’s decadent, salty-sweet, chocolaty, and perfect to share with friends and family this holiday season!
Happy baking, my dears! Save all those Christmas cookie recipes for all your baking needs for years to come! We’ll keep updating it with all of our festive favorites so you can find all your Christmas cookies in one place.
XX
Sarah + Sofia