Our All-Time Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes to Bake This Holiday Season (2024)

Our All-Time Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes to Bake This Holiday Season (1)

Everyone has their favorite cookie to put out for Santa on Christmas Eve. Whether it's classic gingerbread men with royal icing or snowflake sugar cookies decorated with festive frosting, the Christmas treat options during the holidays are simply endless. If you're trying to figure out which holiday desserts to serve at your Christmas party this year, we're here to help. We've rounded up our all-time favorite Christmas cookies — including traditional recipes as well as unique ideas — that feature seasonal ingredients and fun decorations. We've even included allergy-friendly, gluten-free, and vegan options, too.

Your household may have a popular treat they can't wait to devour every year around Christmas, but sometimes it's exciting to spend a snowy afternoon experimenting in the kitchen with new recipes — so we say go ahead and try something new this year! While you can always bake a batch to enjoy after Christmas dinner or to have on hand to pair with your favorite holiday co*cktail, these festive biscuits also make a delicious food gift for family members, friends, and neighbors. Wrap up a tray or basket with a bow and a Christmas card, and you have an affordable present that pretty much anyone would be happy to receive.

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1

Santa and Elf Cookies

Our All-Time Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes to Bake This Holiday Season (3)

These triangle-shaped cookies are just as fun to decorate as they are to eat, and they double as a fun arts-and-crafts project.

Get the Santa and Elf Cookies recipe.

Shop Triangle Cookie Cutters

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2

Cinnamon Candy Cane Cookies

Our All-Time Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes to Bake This Holiday Season (4)

Do these cinnamon candy cane cookies actually have any peppermint in them? No, but that doesn't make them any less delicious.

Get the Cinnamon Candy Cane Cookies recipe.

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3

PB and J Snowflakes

Our All-Time Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes to Bake This Holiday Season (5)

These buttery snowflake-shaped cookies are even tastier than a classic peanut butter and raspberry jam sandwich.

Get the PB and J Snowflakes recipe.

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4

Spiral Cookie Pops

Our All-Time Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes to Bake This Holiday Season (6)

Fact: The only thing better than eating a cookie is eating a cookie on a stick.

Get the Spiral Cookie Pops recipe.

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5

Santa Hat Meringues

There's no denying the cuteness of these little Santa hat meringues, which are topped with shredded coconut.

Get the Santa Hat Meringues recipe.

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6

Chocolate Coins

Our All-Time Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes to Bake This Holiday Season (8)

Don't be surprised if you're tempted to bake these deliciously crunchy chocolate coins all year round.

Get the Chocolate Coins recipe.

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7

Gingerbread Train Cars

Our All-Time Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes to Bake This Holiday Season (9)

The only issue with these gingerbread train car cookies: They're so adorable that you won't want to actually eat them.

Get the Gingerbread Train Cars recipe.

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8

Peppermint Swirl Meringues

Our All-Time Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes to Bake This Holiday Season (10)

These delicate peppermint meringues are going to disappear quickly, so make sure you make plenty of extras for your Christmas party.

Get the Peppermint Swirl Meringues recipe.

Shop Peppermint Extract

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9

Spumoni Icebox Cookies

Our All-Time Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes to Bake This Holiday Season (11)

These red, white, and green pistachio dough cookies are sure to stand out at your holiday cookie swap.

Get the Spumoni Icebox Cookies recipe.

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10

Lemon Thumbprint Cookies

Our All-Time Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes to Bake This Holiday Season (12)

Pick up lemon curd at the store to speed along this tart-flavored cookie that will brighten up your Christmas dessert spread.

Get the Lemon Thumbprint Cookies recipe.

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11

Buckwheat Cardamon Molasses Cookies

Our All-Time Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes to Bake This Holiday Season (13)

Use up that bottle of molasses you bought for other holiday treats with this 10-ingredient recipe that can be on the table faster than Prancer can guide Santa's sleigh on a clear winter night.

Get the Buckwheat Cardamon Molasses Cookies recipe.

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12

Healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Our All-Time Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes to Bake This Holiday Season (14)

One cup of creamy PB will make this cookie recipe a favorite among the kids — and you'll love how easy it is to bake during the busy holiday season.

Get the Healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies recipe.

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13

Flourless 5-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

Our All-Time Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes to Bake This Holiday Season (15)

Peanut butter cookies may not be the first recipe that comes to your mind when you think "Christmas," but they are truly a staple treat that works for every occasion. Plus, this recipe happens to be gluten-free for allergy-friendly parties.

Get the Flourless 5-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies recipe.

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14

Homemade Oatmeal Creme Pies

Our All-Time Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes to Bake This Holiday Season (16)

While these sweet sandwiches take a little more time and ingredients, the pay-off is worth it (and they are dairy-free).

Get the Homemade Oatmeal Creme Pies recipe.

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15

Vegan Salted Caramel Coconut Thumbprint Cookies

Our All-Time Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes to Bake This Holiday Season (17)

These cookies are the epitome of a chewy inside and a crunchy outside (a.k.a the ideal combo).

Get the Vegan Salted Caramel Coconut Thumbprint Cookies recipe.

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16

Pimiento-Cheese Tea Cookies

Our All-Time Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes to Bake This Holiday Season (18)

These cookies have a savory flavor that may make them a dual Christmas appetizer.

Get the Pimiento-Cheese Tea Cookies recipe.

Shop Red Currant Jelly

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17

Stained Glass Stars

Our All-Time Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes to Bake This Holiday Season (19)

You'll never want to make traditional Christmas sugar cookies again once you give these olive oil and butter cookies a whirl.

Get the Stained Glass Stars recipe.

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18

Cinnamon Sugar Lattice Cookies

Our All-Time Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes to Bake This Holiday Season (20)

If you love pie just as much as you love cookies, then these elegant lattice treats are for you.

Get the Cinnamon Sugar Lattice Cookies recipe.

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19

Gingerbread Reindeer Cookies

Our All-Time Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes to Bake This Holiday Season (21)

Instead of making traditional gingerbread men, make a pack of adorable deer cookies to help pull Santa's sleigh.

Get the Gingerbread Reindeer Cookies recipe.

Shop Reindeer Cookie Cutter

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20

Green Tea Cookies

Our All-Time Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes to Bake This Holiday Season (22)

To get green Christmas cookies without using any food coloring, try adding matcha to shortbread biscuits (and then top them off with red sprinkles if you really want to feel festive).

Get the Green Tea Cookies recipe.

Our All-Time Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes to Bake This Holiday Season (2024)

FAQs

What is the number 1 Christmas cookie? ›

The Iced Sugar Cookie takes the top spot, stealing the show as the most favorite Christmas cookie with classic sweetness and festive decorations. Simple, delicious, and a canvas for creativity- it's the “go-to” for holiday bakers.

What is the favorite Christmas cookie survey? ›

Among those who can make a single choice, frosted sugar cookies lead the list (32%), with gingerbread (12%) and chocolate chip (11%) rounding out the top three.

What is the least favorite Christmas cookie? ›

On the naughty list of cookies, Americans gave the lowest win records to anise cookies, which only won 29% of its matchups.

What is Santa Claus's favorite cookie? ›

Chocolate Chip cookies

You can never go wrong with these classic, delicious cookies. Santa himself lists these as his favorites, and he prefers them soft and gooey with lots of chocolate chips. If you decide to leave these out for him, make sure there's a glass of cold milk nearby!

What is the most loved cookie? ›

Chocolate chip cookies

What is the most popular type of cookie? It might just be this one.

What is America's favorite cookie? ›

America's favorite cookie and the one dubbed “the American cookie” is the Chocolate chip cookie. Chocolate chip cookie is simply tantalizing both in flavor and in texture. The chips of both milk and dark chocolate provide you with a rich and strong flavor while the butter makes the cookies velvety.

What is the original Christmas cookie? ›

Modern Christmas cookies can trace their history to recipes from Medieval Europe biscuits, when many modern ingredients such as cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, almonds and dried fruit were introduced into the west.

What Christmas cookies stay fresh the longest? ›

Softer or filled cookies will last on the short end of the range, while biscotti and other hard cookies stay fresher for longer. Auxer suggests storing baked cookies in the freezer for up to six months if you want to enjoy them far beyond that timeline.

Which cookies freeze best? ›

As a general rule of thumb, 'drop cookies,' which include oatmeal and chocolate chip cookies, and 'cut-out cookies,' such as gingerbread and sugar cookies, are freezer-friendly.

What is Santa's wife's name? ›

The Santa Claus that we know lives in the North Pole. According to some North American sources, his original name was Kris Kringle before he changed his name to Santa Claus. Kris Kringle was a toymaker who married Jessica. Other names found for Mrs Claus are Mary Christmas, Gertrude, and Carol.

What is Mrs. Claus' favorite food? ›

One of her personal favorites is a confetti sprinkle cookie that tastes like birthday cake batter. Santa always requests Snickerdoodle, because he is a sucker for something cinnamon.

What country invented cookies? ›

The Origin of the Cookie

They date back as early as 7th Century A.D. Persia which is now Iran. They were one of the first countries to grow and harvest sugar cane. With war and exploration eventually sugar was introduced to the Mediterranean area and European countries and so were cookies.

What is the number 1 best-selling packaged cookie? ›

Oreo is the best-selling cookie in the world. It is now sold in over 100 countries. Oreo was first produced in 1912 by the National Biscuit Company, now known as Na-Bis-Co. But did you know Oreos are a copycat product?

What is the most popular Christmas candy? ›

According to America's Favorite Christmas Candy by State Report, a comprehensive study by research firm HubScore that delved into a survey of the top 20 favorite Christmas candies, Kit Kat ranked top in 13 states followed by a tie between Skittles and candy canes, both ranked top in six states.

Which Christmas cookies last the longest? ›

Shortbread cookies and spritz cookies are real holiday troopers, lasting a bit longer than the rest. These buttery and crumbly cookies are a great option for a holiday cookie. Shortbread is known for its rich flavor, while spritz cookies are often made with a cookie press.

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