For me, Christmas is practically synonymous with cookies. The arrival of December brings community cookie walks and grocery store shelves packed to the gills with red and green sanding sugar, chocolate chips, and festive sprinkles. There are few things that feel more cozy and nostalgic than those special cookies we each associate with this time of year! I find the best cookies have a story or tradition behind them and often bring back memories of years gone by.
When I was a kid, my mom and I would crush colorful candies to make stained glass window cookies, and they’re still one of my favorites to this day. In recent years, I’ve been looking to branch out and add a few new flavors and twists on classics to my repertoire. In doing so, I compiled this list of cookie recipes that has something for absolutely everyone. Let’s stuff those cookie boxes, shall we?
ONE | Chocolate Cherry Cookies from In Bloom Bakery
These cookies are perfect for the chocolate lover that always requests cherry cordials for their stocking.
TWO | Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies with Vanilla Bean Frosting from Buckets of Yum
You can’t have a Christmas cookie spread without gingerbread, but sometimes those people cutouts get too crunchy or stale. These sandwich cookies are so pretty, and will punch that gingerbread up a notch!
THREE | Orange Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies from Life Made Simple
If you’re a Terry’s Chocolate Orange lover, these are the cookies for you! There’s just something about the combination of orange and chocolate!
FOUR | Amaretti Cookies from Jo Cooks
These amaretti cookies are surprisingly easy for how lovely and sophisticated the cookie tastes! Whipped egg whites make the cookie soft and fluffy with a tender center.
FIVE | Salted Butter and Chocolate Chunk Shortbread from Alison Roman
When Alison Roman shares a dessert recipe, I listen. Her chocolate chunk shortbread is one of my all time favorite cookies to bake and take with me somewhere, because everyone needs to know about them!
SIX | Stained Glass Cookies from Cooking Classy
Stained glass cookies just scream 90’s holiday baking to me. Crush up lollipops or jolly ranchers, roll out the cookie dough, and don’t forget to poke a hole in a few to hang in the window or on the Christmas tree!
SEVEN | Salted Peanut Butter Christmas Trees from Butternut Bakery
I’m all in for anything that resembles a rice krispie treat! Add peanut butter and chocolate and they’re irresistible!
EIGHT | Chocolate Snickerdoodles from Two Peas in Their Pod
Traditional snickerdoodles can be a bit lackluster at times, so adding chocolate gives them that little bit of extra something. They remind me of Mexican Hot Chocolate in a cookie, and if you added a bit of cayenne these would pop even more!
NINE | Soft & Chewy Christmas Sprinkle Cookies from Bites by Bianca
I can’t resist a sprinkle cookie at any time of the year, the holiday ones are no different! Give me all the sprinkles, always!
TEN | Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies from Gimme Some Oven
Molasses cookies are criminally underrated, and being gingerbread’s gorgeous deep flavorful cousin, they needed some space on this list!
ELEVEN | Tutti-Frutti Thumbprint Cookies from Epicurious
I’ve never had a Sugar Plum, but the bright vivid colors have been causing visions of these cookies to dance in my head all season! They’re just so dang pretty! Such a fun take on the classic jam thumbprint cookie.
TWELVE | Pecan Snowball Cookies from An Organized Chaos
This is another classic cookie that is understated, and maybe a bit polarizing, but if they were missing from the Christmas bake sale I’d definitely notice!
THIRTEEN | Peanut Butter Blossoms from Foodtasia
Once again, the combo of peanut butter and chocolate seldom fails to win my heart! I love peanut butter blossoms as well as their minty sisters – sugar cookie dough with peppermint Hershey kisses. You really can’t beat a crowd pleaser!
FOURTEEN | Christmas Cutout Cookies from The Cookie Rookie
These sugar cookies are the quintessential nostalgic Christmas cookie. Honestly, the more imperfect the icing on these, the better! They just look like childhood joy and magic. They’ve gotta be Santa’s favorite!
FIFTEEN | Joann Chang’s Caramel Popcorn Cookies from Constellation Inspiration
It’s been many years since I’ve gotten my hands on one of those big tins of different flavor popcorn at Christmas time, but that is another staple of the season that has unsung praises. Turning caramel popcorn into a cookie? I’m there!
SIXTEEN | Death by Chocolate Peppermint Cookies from Ambitious Kitchen
Peppermint and chocolate are such a winning combo that these cookies are sure to be the star of any holiday cookie exchange and the treat that disappears first from the dessert table!
What are your favorite holiday cookies?
