The best Christmas cookies are the ones that turn an ordinary afternoon into a full-blown holiday, and we have rounded up 18 of our very favorites to fill your trays, tins, and cookie swaps this year. From classic cut-out sugar cookies and gingerbread men to fudgy crinkles, buttery shortbread, and whimsical Grinch cookies, there is something here for every baker and every tradition.
Whether you are baking with the kids, prepping gifts, or just want the house to smell like cinnamon and vanilla, these recipes have you covered with make-ahead friendly options and plenty of festive flair. Scroll through, pick a few to add to your baking list, and click through for the full instructions on each one. Happy baking!
1. Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing
Soft, buttery cut-outs finished with glossy royal icing that sets up firm enough to stack, wrap, and gift. They are the blank canvas of the Christmas cookie tray, ready for trees, stars, snowflakes, and every sprinkle in the cupboard.
2. Soft Frosted Christmas Cookies
Pillowy, bakery-style cookies under a swoop of creamy vanilla frosting and a shower of festive sprinkles. They stay tender for days, which makes them perfect for baking ahead of a busy holiday week.
3. Gingerbread Men Cookies
Warmly spiced with ginger, cinnamon, and molasses, these classic cut-outs hold their crisp edges for decorating. No holiday cookie plate feels complete without a batch of smiling gingerbread men.
4. Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Fudgy chocolate centers roll in powdered sugar and crack into a snowy, marbled finish as they bake. They look like they took real effort, but they come together from one easy bowl.
5. Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
That signature red velvet color peeking through a crackly white coating is pure Christmas on a cookie tray. Soft, cakey, and a little tangy, they are as pretty as they are easy to love.
6. Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Rich double-chocolate cookies get a cool rush of peppermint and a scatter of crushed candy canes. It is the flavor combo that tastes most like the holidays, in one chewy, chocolatey bite.
7. Snickerdoodles
Soft, chewy, and rolled in cinnamon sugar, these old-fashioned favorites bring cozy spice to the holiday tray. Their crinkled tops and tangy bite make them a cookie-swap staple everyone reaches for.
8. Buttery Shortbread Cookies
Just three ingredients turn into melt-in-your-mouth shortbread with a rich, buttery snap. Simple enough for last-minute baking and elegant enough for a gift tin tied with ribbon.
9. Almond Crescent Cookies
Tender, nutty crescents dusted in powdered sugar, these are the delicate little cookies that disappear first. They are a beloved holiday tradition in kitchens around the world for good reason.
10. Snowball Cookies
Buttery, nutty, and rolled twice in powdered sugar so they look like little snowballs fresh off the sled. They practically melt on your tongue and look right at home on any Christmas platter.
11. Peanut Butter Blossoms
Soft peanut butter cookies rolled in sugar and crowned with a chocolate kiss the moment they leave the oven. A nostalgic classic that kids and grown-ups fight over every December.
12. Raspberry Linzer Cookies
Buttery almond rounds sandwiched with raspberry jam and framed by a powdered-sugar window. Elegant and jewel-bright, they are the cookie that makes your holiday tray look professionally baked.
13. Cherry Almond Thumbprint Cookies
Tender almond cookies with a glossy pool of cherry jam tucked into each center. The red-and-gold color makes them a naturally festive addition to any Christmas cookie box.
14. Eggnog Cookies with Creamy Nutmeg Frosting
Soft cookies spiced with nutmeg and topped with a creamy eggnog frosting taste exactly like the season in cookie form. They turn your favorite holiday drink into a tender, two-bite treat.
15. Classic Spritz Cookies
Buttery pressed cookies shaped into wreaths, trees, and stars with a cookie press make a big, pretty batch fast. A vintage holiday tradition that is as fun to make as it is to eat.
16. Soft Chewy Molasses Cookies
Deeply spiced with ginger, cinnamon, and molasses, these stay soft and chewy with crackly sugar-coated tops. They fill the kitchen with the coziest winter-baking aroma imaginable.
17. Toffee Pecan Sandies
Crumbly, buttery shortbread studded with toasted pecans and bits of crunchy toffee. Rich and a little grown-up, they are the sophisticated cookie your holiday tin has been missing.
18. Grinch Cookies
Bright green crinkle cookies topped with a tiny red heart that kids absolutely adore. They are a playful, whimsical treat that brings a little movie-night magic to your Christmas baking.
More Holiday Baking to Love
Looking for more festive inspiration? Browse all of our Christmas recipes and dessert & baked goods for more cookies, cakes, and sweet treats to round out your holiday table. From everyone at The Kitchen’s Aid, we hope your season is merry, bright, and full of cookies!
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