Christmas cookies are a holiday tradition for many families. Festive cookies make wonderful gifts and cookie baking and decorating is a great way to get the kids involved in the festivities.
Most baked cookies can be frozen decorated or undecorated or you can freeze your cookie dough now for baking and decorating just before the holidays. Whether you're a novice cook or experienced baker, these cookie baking tips will give you plenty of great ideas for decorating and gift-giving.
Here are dozens of our favorite cookie recipes, including basic shortbread and sugar cookies, butter cookies, fancy bars, and traditional Christmas recipes.
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Czech Susenky (Czech Christmas Cookies)
These enticing Czech Susenky are also known as vanocni cukrovi, which translates to "Christmas cookie or sweets." The cookies are delicious plain or fancy. Transform the cookies by sandwiching them with jam or cut them out into holiday shapes. You can also apply a thin icing or dusting of powdered sugar.
Low-Fat Christmas Sugar Cookies
These low-fat sugar cookies offer all the flavor with about half the fat. Roll the chilled cookie dough out and cut it into festive shapes. Dress the cookies up with a simple vanilla glaze or royal icing.
Whimsical Ugly Christmas Sweater Cookies
These whimsical Ugly Christmas sweater cookies are a joyful nod to everyone's favorite holiday contest. Use your imagination to make your cookies as "ugly" as possible.
Low-Fat Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
These low-fat double chocolate chip cookies contain half the fat and—trust us—you won't miss it! Unsweetened cocoa along with chocolate chips intensifies the chocolate flavor in these delicious little cookies.
Continue to 5 of 29 belowChristmas Lizzies Fruitcake Cookies
These Christmas Lizzies fruitcake cookies feature a variety of chopped dried fruits and nuts. Use all orange juice in these cookies or replace all or part of the liquid with Kentucky bourbon to give them holiday spirit.
Hot Chocolate Cookies
These unique little hot chocolate cookies are the perfect remedy for a cold winter day! Sliced marshmallows are partially melted on the cookies, giving them a hot cocoa look and taste.
Frosted Ginger Cookies
These frosted ginger cookies will take you back to your childhood. The treats are soft and chewy and they are fabulous when frosted with your favorite buttercream frosting or icing. Enjoy them right away or freeze them and ice them later.
Classic Sugar Cookies
Bake these classic sugar cookies in shapes to fit the occasion, then decorate them with icing or sprinkles. The cookies are also wonderful sandwiched with a filling of jam, dulce de leche, or chocolate ganache.
Continue to 9 of 29 belowClassic Austrian Linzer Cookies
These classic Austiran Linzer cookies originated in the Austrian city of Linz (thank you, Linz!). Add these little gems to your Christmas cookie recipe box. While they may look intricate and complicated, even baking novices can bake up a beautiful bunch if you follow our step-by-step guide.
Chocolate Chip Icebox Cookies
One thing that makes these chocolate chip icebox cookies great is that they're mixed ahead of time and chilled until you are ready to bake. You can just slice and bake as many as you want. You can even freeze the unbaked cookie dough sliced or in whole logs.
Sand Tart Cookies With Cinnamon
A cinnamon-sugar topping makes these sand tart cookies with cinnamon extra-special. Add an almond or pecan half to the center of each cookie if you like or leave them plain.
Chinese Sesame Cookies
These Chinese sesame cookies use a combination of butter and vegetable shortening instead of the more traditional lard but still gets the same rich flavor and tender crumb.
Continue to 13 of 29 belowOld Fashioned Sugar Cookies
These old-fashioned sugar cookies are always a hit. Add a dash of ground nutmeg for seasonal flavor or decorate the cookies with colorful icing and sprinkles.
Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
Those eliminating gluten shouldn't be left out during the holidays, and luckily, these cookies are not only gluten-free but also delicious. Almond flour swaps in for all-purpose, creating a thin, crispy, slightly chewy chocolate chip cookie that has that familiar taste while adding a hint of nuttiness.
Classic Forgotten Cookies With Variations
This treat's intriguing name comes from "forgetting" about the cookies and leaving them in the oven overnight or for several hours after turning the oven off. This classic forgotten cookies with variations recipe offers several variations.
Jam-Filled Kolache Cookies
A cream cheese dough makes these classic jam-filled kolache cookies deliciously soft and tender. Make them with apricot preserves or use your favorite preserves or jam in the filling. A bright red jam would be perfect for Christmas.
Continue to 17 of 29 belowMeltaway Butter Cookies
The name says it all! These melt-in-your-mouth meltaway butter cookies are a snap to fix and bake and they deserve a place on your Christmas cookie list, especially when you're short on time.
Florentines
Florentines are a nice alternative to standard cookie offerings. The Italian sweets are thin and crisp and flavored with orange peel, lemon, and chocolate.
Three-Ingredient Coconut Macaroons
These simple three-ingredient coconut macaroons can be dressed up for the Christmas holidays with chopped red and green candied cherries.
Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies
Make these lemon cream cheese cookies for friends and family and watch them disappear! A flavorful lemon icing is the perfect finishing touch. Wrap up a dozen and give them to your favorite citrus lover.
Continue to 21 of 29 belowSouth American Coconut Macaroons (Cocadas)
These South American coconut macaroons—also known as cocadas—are gussied up with dulce de leche and a quick dip in melted chocolate.
French Belgian Waffle Cookies (Galettes)
Who can resist chewy brown sugar cookies shaped like waffles? These French-Belgian waffle cookies are a classic Christmas delicacy.
Old-Fashioned Hermit Cookies
If you like old-school favorites, these old-fashioned hermit cookies are for an excellent choice. The cookies are spiced and filled with chopped walnuts and dates or raisins. Make them festive for Christmas with dried cranberries instead of raisins or dates.
Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies
If you crave crunchy peanut butter cookies just like grandma used to make, this is the recipe for you! The cookies are baked to perfection with the familiar criss-cross ridges. This version includes chunky peanut butter, but feel free to use creamy peanut butter for a more classic cookie.
Continue to 25 of 29 belowSouth American Cookies With Caramel Filling (Alfajores)
South American cookies with caramel filling (Alfajores) are a traditional South American cookie. The cookies vary from region to region. They are usually filled with dulce de leche and topped with powdered sugar and edged with coconut, but some versions are dipped in chocolate.
Chow Mein Noodle Haystacks
Whether you call them candy or cookies, these chow mein noodle haystacks will reward you with smiles and kudos. The basic haystacks—sometimes called bird's nests—include butterscotch chips, peanut butter, and peanuts, and there are several variations to try. These treats are a snap to fix in the microwave oven.
Easy Chocolate No-Bake Cookies
If the oven is in use and you need a delicious treat fast, make these easy chocolate no-bake cookies. Oats, chocolate chips, and optional peanut butter flavor the easy stovetop cookies.
Copycat Do Si Do Girl Scout Cookies
These copycat "do-si-do"Girl Scout cookies taste just like the original cookies and you can make them any time of the year. A creamy peanut butter icing makes up the filling for these brilliant cookies.
Continue to 29 of 29 belowBrown-Eyed Susan Cookies
These brown-eyed Susan cookies are similar to the popular peanut blossoms, but they are made without peanut butter. If you have people with peanut allergies, this is an excellent alternative.