The holidays always put me in the mood to bake! Not matter if you are having a little baking day to yourself, sharing the kitchen with your kids or hosting a cookie decorating party, here are 50+ of our favorite Christmas cookie recipes!
Many of these are holiday specific, but I think Christmas cookies can also be classics or favorites throughout the year, so we are sharing a big variety in this post. Find other holiday sweets in our full Desserts archive.
Christmas Wreath Cookies
Easy Christmas wreath cookies made from cornflake cereal with a marshmallow coating.
Easy Chocolate (Oreo) Truffles
An Oreo truffle recipe that’s perfect for the holidays. No baking required.
Melted Snowman Cookies
Create delicious sugar cookies decorated to look like a melting snowman.
Soft & Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
Flavorful holiday cutout cookies. Some gingerbread cookies are firm and crispy but this recipe is soft and chewy.
Butter Cookies
Soft and delicious butter cookies—use a holiday cookie press on top for a festive look!
Grinch Cookies (With Cake Mix!)
Make a holiday favorite with these easy green Grinch cookies.
Snowball Cookies
Nutty and buttery cookies rolled in powdered sugar so they look like snowballs!
Meringue Cookies
Melt in your mouth egg white cookies. These are delicate with a little crunch.
M&M Cookies
A soft and chewy M&M cookie recipe—you can use holiday colored M&Ms or all one color for any look you prefer.
Thumbprint Cookies
These thumbprint cookies are easy to make and so good!
Soft & Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
This recipe is like soft chocolate chip cookies but with peanut butter and peanut butter chips. A favorite at our house!
White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Soft and delicious white chocolate chip cookies—these are so good and perfect with hot chocolate.
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
An old-fashioned soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookie recipe.
Pinwheel Cookies
Vanilla and chocolate flavored cookies with a festive swirl design.
Edible Cookie Dough
A cookie dough recipe that is safe to eat without baking. A great snack for watching holiday movies, or a fun homemade gift idea!
Potato Chip Cookies
This is a one of those recipes that feel like my great-grandmother. Just a classic, salty and sweet cookie.
No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie Recipe
How to make no-bake chocolate oatmeal cookies that set every time! This is probably the cookie recipe I make the most all year round.
Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
A simple peanut butter blossom recipe with no chilling required. Fill the centers with mini peanut butter cups or chocolate kiss candies.
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
This cookies for this recipe are soft, chewy and buttery. The flaky salt and macadamia nuts contrast with the white chocolate for the perfect sweet/salty combination.
Soft & Chewy Molasses Cookies
A simple, easy to follow recipe for flavorful molasses cookies. These smell amazing while they bake!
Espresso Cookies
Chewy chocolate espresso cookies—these are rich and feel perfect for the holiday season.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
A classic chocolate chip cookie bar recipe. These are a classic and a reader favorite.
Candy Cane Cookies
An easy recipe for candy cane cookies made with peppermint extract. It’s fun to shape these and mix different colors together!
Simple Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies
An all basic ingredients recipe for chocolate chip pumpkin cookies.
Snickerdoodle Recipe (Without Cream of Tartar)
The best snickerdoodle cookies (without cream of tartar—I always seem to be out). These always smell like the holidays to me!
How to Freeze Cookie Dough Balls
If you prefer to plan and work ahead, then read all our best tips for how to freeze cookie dough balls so your freezer is always stocked and ready for guests anytime you need some fresh baked cookies.
Rocky Road Cookies
A favorite ice cream flavor transformed into cookies. These remind me a lot of hot chocolate with marshmallows.
Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies
Big chocolate chip cookies with crispy edge and soft centers—these are BIG and so fun for the season.
Tips for Mailing Royal Icing Sugar Cookies
This coming season is full of holiday gifting—get our best tips for mailing treats from a professional baker.
How to Make Slice and Bake Cookie Designs
An easy slice and bake cookie recipe with cute designs. You could make autumn leaves, Santa hats, holiday presents, or any cookie cutout design!
Classic Shortbread Cookies
Shortbread cookies are some of my very favorite cookies. They are wonderful all on their own, but they also go great with hot chocolate or coffee.
Lemon Crinkle Cookies
I love citrus in the winter months and if you do too please make these lemon crinkle cookies!
Brownie Cookies
If you are in need of an easy-to-bake cookie recipe and are in the mood for chocolate, then do yourself a favor and bake these brownie cookies.
Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing
These are the number ONE cookies I make for almost every holiday! I decorate for whatever season or event we are celebrating.
The Best Vegan Sugar Cookies!
If you need a vegan (non-dairy) version of royal icing sugar cookies.
Easy Gooey Butter Cookies
Gooey butter cake is one of my favorite desserts to bring to a holiday potluck. These are the cookie version.
Vegan Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies (also Gluten-Free!)
For when you need a seasonal alternative. These may be vegan and gluten-free, but we guarantee they are also DELICIOUS!
Red Velvet Cookies
Rich, red velvet cookies with white chocolate chips. These are thin and crispy and absolutely packed with flavor!
Banana Cookies
This recipe is the cookie version of banana bread or almost like a banana bread muffin with a crumb topping.
Chocolate Chip Slice and Bake Cookies
A great chocolate chip recipe you can easily make ahead and save in your freezer. When needed, just slice and bake!
Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies
I’m filing this one under inspired by childhood favorites. Who doesn’t love peanut butter and jelly? This is the dessert version.
Vanilla and Thyme Slice and Bake Cookies
Rich and buttery cookies with the flavors of vanilla bean and thyme. These are perfect with coffee or tea and smell like the holidays while you bake them.
Chocolate Snowcap Mountain Cookies
Giant, oversized cookies featuring chocolate and those classic movie-theater candy: snowcaps!
Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
These cookies are slightly chewy with a little pool of sweet and spicy jam at the center of each. If you love classic thumbprint cookies, you’ll probably enjoy this variation.
Blueberry Muffin Cookies
These embody all of my favorite parts of a muffin—namely sweet, delicious flavors and the crown: crumble tops!
Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Carrots don’t get enough credit. And probably my favorite carrot recipe has got to be carrot cake. This recipe is the cookie version.
Spicy Gingerbread Cookies Turned Cityscapes
If you love thin, crispy gingerbread cookies, this recipe is for you! Plus, how to turn them into snowy cityscapes.
Make Homemade Cookie Butter (With Any Cookie!)
An easy homemade cookie butter recipe (using any cookie!). This recipe is perfect to add to a dessert board OR as a homemade gift.
Pie Crust Cutout Cookies
It wasn’t until adulthood that I truly came to appreciate the buttery, flaky deliciousness that is pie crust! This cookie recipe captures the magic.
Flourless Chocolate Chip Cookies
This recipe is WAY easy to make (only six ingredients), and I love the soft, but not overly gooey texture it creates.
Skillet Cookies
A great recipe for when you want cookies for a crowd! These are best served with ice cream on top.
How to Make Macaron Cookies
These classic French cookies are as delicious as they are beautiful. While they are fairly labor-intensive to make, this post makes it easy.
