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 least popular 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

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 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 is the #1 cookie in the United States? ›

The chocolate chip cookie is far and away America's favorite cookie This should come as no surprise to anyone who enjoys the tasty treat. More than 53% of American adults prefer the cookies over the next most popular kind, peanut butter.

What are the top 5 favorite cookies? ›

Some of the most popular cookie flavors include:
  • Chocolate chip.
  • Peanut butter.
  • Peanut butter blossoms.
  • Double chocolate chip.
  • Snickerdoodle.
  • Sugar.
  • Shortbread.
  • Pumpkin.

Which Christmas cookies last the longest? ›

Shortbread and spritz cookies are longer-lasting cookies, which means they are perfect for holidays when there is some competition on the table. After all, Christmas in many homes is celebrated with a variety of dishes and sweet treats.

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 the name of the Christmas man cookie? ›

A gingerbread man is a biscuit or cookie made from gingerbread, usually in the shape of a stylized human being, although other shapes, especially seasonal themes (Christmas, Halloween, Easter, etc.) and characters are common too.

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.

Why do people leave Santa cookies? ›

With millions facing sudden hardships, parents wanted their children to learn the importance of giving to others. To do this, families began leaving snacks for a weary Santa Claus and his 8 reindeer.

What is the number 1 Christmas cookie? ›

Peanut Butter Blossoms are America's favorite Christmas cookie, based both on total number of pageviews from the U.S. population as a whole, and number of states that ranked it as their top cookie (which is six, by the way).

What country invented Christmas cookies? ›

The First Christmas Cookies

Those who would like to take credit for the invention of the Christmas cookie will have to arm wrestle the Germans for it. They believe that Weihnachtsplätzchen, a term that refers specifically to cookies and broadly to holiday treats, encompasses the origin of Christmas baking.

What Hallmark movie was the cookie recipe stolen? ›

Annie faces her first obstacle as CEO of Cooper's Cookies when grandma's secret recipe is stolen. While investigating the theft, she works with local baker Sam to recreate the beloved recipe.

What is the most popular cookie today? ›

Chocolate chip cookies

What is the most popular type of cookie? It might just be this one. Ever the crowd-pleaser, the chocolate chip cookie is renowned for its balance of richness and sweetness.

What is the most popular GS cookie? ›

The best-selling Girl Scout Cookies are: Thin Mints® Caramel deLites®/Samoas®

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