28 Best Christmas Cookies

Christmas cookies are the heart of holiday baking, filling homes with warmth and bringing families together around the kitchen. Whether you’re hosting a cookie exchange, packaging treats for neighbors, or simply craving something sweet and festive, these best christmas cookies deliver all the magic of the season. From classic butter cookies to creative twists on holiday favorites, this collection features easy christmas cookies that look impressive but won’t keep you in the kitchen all day. I’ve gathered 30 of my absolute favorites that my family requests year after year, and I’m confident you’ll find your new holiday staple right here.

Why You’ll Love This Christmas Cookie Collection

• Variety for everyone from classic favorites to creative new twists
• Easy christmas dessert options that look bakery-perfect
• Make-ahead friendly recipes perfect for busy holiday schedules
• Kid-friendly options that make baking together a joy
• Gift-worthy treats that package beautifully for sharing
• Tested recipes that deliver consistent, delicious results every time

1. Sugar Cookie Pop Tarts

These sugar cookie pop tarts take your favorite breakfast pastry and turn it into a festive holiday treat. Buttery sugar cookie dough wraps around sweet jam filling, topped with vanilla glaze and colorful sprinkles. They’re perfect for Christmas morning breakfast or afternoon tea with the family.

Get the Sugar Cookie Pop Tarts recipe

2. Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pies

Soft, chewy gingerbread cookies sandwich a luscious cream filling in these bakery-style treats. The warm spices of ginger, cinnamon, and molasses pair perfectly with the sweet vanilla cream. These are Henry’s absolute favorite, and he always requests a double batch.

Get the Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pies recipe

3. Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

Buttery shortbread cookies get a festive makeover with tart cranberries and bright orange zest. These elegant cookies practically melt in your mouth and look stunning on any holiday cookie platter. The combination of flavors tastes like Christmas in every bite.

Get the Cranberry Orange Shortbread recipe

4. Melted Snowman Sugar Cookies

These adorable melted snowman cookies are guaranteed to make everyone smile. Soft sugar cookies are decorated to look like snowmen that have started to melt, complete with candy buttons and pretzel stick arms. Isabella and Emma love helping me decorate these whimsical treats.

Get the Melted Snowman Cookies recipe

5. Starbucks Ginger Molasses Cookies

Recreate your favorite coffee shop treat at home with these ginger molasses cookies. Chewy centers, slightly crispy edges, and the perfect balance of warm spices make these addictively good. Trust me, you’ll want to keep these stocked in your cookie jar all season long.

Get the Ginger Molasses Cookies recipe

6. Easy Whipped Shortbread Cookies

These whipped shortbread cookies are lighter than air and absolutely buttery perfection. Made with just a few simple ingredients, they’re one of the easiest christmas cookies you’ll ever make. I love topping them with maraschino cherry halves for a classic holiday look.

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7. Sprinkle Sugar Cookies

Soft, thick sugar cookies loaded with colorful sprinkles are pure holiday joy. These stay soft for days and are perfect for decorating with kids or enjoying plain straight from the cookie jar. The pop of festive sprinkles throughout makes them extra special.

Get the Sprinkle Sugar Cookies recipe

8. Italian Ricotta Cookies

Soft, cake-like Italian ricotta cookies with a sweet glaze are a traditional holiday favorite in many families. The ricotta keeps them incredibly moist, and the almond glaze adds the perfect finishing touch. These are the cookies my grandmother used to make every Christmas.

Get the Italian Ricotta Cookies recipe

9. Levain Bakery Red Velvet Cookies

These bakery-style red velvet cookies are thick, chewy, and studded with white chocolate chips. They taste like red velvet cake in cookie form, with that distinctive cocoa flavor and gorgeous red color. These always disappear first from my holiday cookie trays.

Get the Red Velvet Cookies recipe

10. Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Rich, fudgy chocolate cookies get a festive twist with crushed candy canes mixed throughout. The combination of dark chocolate and cool peppermint is absolutely magical. Noah requests these every year, and I always make extra because they go so fast.

Get the Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies recipe

11. Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

These stunning crinkle cookies feature deep red centers and snowy powdered sugar coating. They look like little snowballs but taste like rich red velvet cake. The dramatic appearance makes them perfect for holiday parties and cookie exchanges.

Get the Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies recipe

12. Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies

Classic thumbprint cookies with buttery shortbread bases and jewel-toned raspberry jam centers are timeless. These elegant cookies look beautiful on any platter and taste even better than they look. I love how the tartness of the jam balances the sweet, buttery cookie.

Get the Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies recipe

13. Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups

These creative cookie cups are filled with chocolate ganache and topped with mini marshmallows. They’re like drinking hot chocolate in cookie form, complete with all your favorite toppings. These fun treats are always a conversation starter at parties.

Get the Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups recipe

14. Marshmallow Hot Cocoa Cookies

Soft chocolate cookies topped with toasted marshmallows capture all the cozy flavors of hot cocoa. The marshmallow gets perfectly golden and gooey on top of the rich chocolate cookie base. These are so fun to make with kids, especially when you torch the marshmallows.

Get the Marshmallow Hot Cocoa Cookies recipe

15. Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies

These gingerbread crinkle cookies combine the best of both worlds with warm spices and a beautiful crackled appearance. They’re soft in the center with slightly crispy edges and loads of ginger flavor. The powdered sugar coating makes them look like they’re dusted with fresh snow.

Get the Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies recipe

16. Christmas Kitchen Sink Cookies

Loaded with everything delicious, these kitchen sink cookies pack in chocolate chips, pretzels, M&Ms, and more. They’re sweet, salty, crunchy, and completely addictive. I call these my “everything but the kitchen sink” cookies, and they’re always a huge hit.

Get the Christmas Kitchen Sink Cookies recipe

17. Reindeer Cookies

These adorable reindeer cookies are made with peanut butter cookie dough and decorated with pretzels, candy eyes, and red M&M noses. Kids absolutely love making these festive treats, and they’re perfect for leaving out for Santa. Isabella takes charge of decorating these every year.

Get the Reindeer Cookies recipe

18. Easy Spritz Cookies

Traditional spritz cookies are buttery, crisp, and beautifully shaped using a cookie press. These German Christmas classics come together quickly and can be decorated with colored sugar or left plain. They’re perfect for filling up your holiday cookie tins.

Get the Easy Spritz Cookies recipe

19. Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

Rich chocolate thumbprint cookies filled with chocolate ganache or Nutella are pure decadence. These are like little chocolate truffles in cookie form, with a soft, fudgy texture. If you’re a chocolate lover, these need to be on your Christmas cookie list.

Get the Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies recipe

20. Christmas Cranberry Orange Cookies

Bright, citrusy orange cookies studded with tart dried cranberries taste like sunshine during the winter months. The combination of flavors is refreshing and not overly sweet, making these a nice balance to richer cookies. The cranberries add beautiful pops of red throughout.

Get the Cranberry Orange Cookies recipe

21. Candy Cane Cookies

Festive red and white candy cane cookies are twisted into classic candy cane shapes. These buttery cookies taste like vanilla and peppermint, and they look absolutely stunning on cookie platters. Making the twisted shape is easier than it looks, I promise.

Get the Candy Cane Cookies recipe

22. Christmas Pinwheel Cookies

Beautiful pinwheel cookies feature swirls of vanilla and chocolate dough in every slice. These striking cookies look fancy but are surprisingly simple to make. The key is rolling the dough tightly so you get perfect spirals in every cookie.

Get the Christmas Pinwheel Cookies recipe

23. Best Butter Cookies

Sometimes you just can’t beat a classic, and these butter cookies are perfection. Rich, tender, and not too sweet, they’re ideal for decorating with royal icing or enjoying plain. This is my go-to recipe for cut-out cookies every single year.

Get the Best Butter Cookies recipe

24. Whipped Shortbread Cookies

Another take on the beloved shortbread, these whipped shortbread cookies are incredibly light and buttery. The whipped texture gives them a melt-in-your-mouth quality that’s hard to resist. These are perfect for serving at holiday tea parties or giving as gifts.

Get the Whipped Shortbread recipe

25. Traditional Christmas Cookies

These traditional christmas cookies feature all the classic flavors and shapes you remember from childhood. From stars to trees to bells, these decorated sugar cookies are what holiday baking is all about. Henry and I spend an entire afternoon decorating these together each year.

Get the Traditional Christmas Cookies recipe

26. Homemade Christmas Chex Mix

While not technically a cookie, this crunchy Christmas Chex Mix is an essential holiday treat. Sweet, salty, and completely addictive, it’s perfect for snacking during movie marathons or packaging as gifts. The festive M&Ms make it extra special for the season.

Get the Christmas Chex Mix recipe

27. Hot Chocolate Muddy Buddies

These chocolate-coated muddy buddies (also called puppy chow) taste just like hot chocolate. Crispy Chex cereal gets coated in chocolate, tossed in powdered sugar, and mixed with mini marshmallows. Emma can’t stop eating these straight from the bowl.

Get the Hot Chocolate Muddy Buddies recipe

28. Peppermint Bark Muddy Buddies

Peppermint bark muddy buddies combine white chocolate, crushed candy canes, and Chex cereal for an irresistible snack. These are incredibly easy to make and taste exactly like peppermint bark. They’re perfect for packaging in festive bags for teacher gifts or party favors.

Get the Peppermint Bark Muddy Buddies recipe

How to Store Your Christmas Cookies

Most of these christmas cookies stay fresh for 5-7 days when stored properly in airtight containers at room temperature. Keep different types of cookies in separate containers to prevent flavors from mixing and to maintain proper textures.

For longer storage, most cookies freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Layer them between sheets of parchment paper in freezer-safe containers, and thaw at room temperature when ready to enjoy.

Tips for the Best Christmas Cookies

Use room temperature ingredients for better mixing and texture. Take butter and eggs out of the fridge about 30 minutes before baking.

Don’t skip chilling the dough when recipes call for it. This step prevents spreading and helps cookies maintain their shape, especially important for cut-out and shaped cookies.

Invest in quality baking sheets for even baking. Light-colored sheets work best to prevent over-browning on the bottoms.

Measure accurately using proper measuring techniques. Spoon flour into measuring cups and level off rather than scoking directly from the bag.

Making Christmas Cookies with Kids

Isabella, Emma, and Noah love helping me bake easy christmas cookies every year. I’ve learned that assigning each child specific tasks keeps things running smoothly and makes the experience more enjoyable for everyone.

Simple tasks like adding chocolate chips, rolling dough balls, or decorating with sprinkles are perfect for younger kids. Older children can help measure ingredients and use cookie cutters to create festive shapes.

The memories we create baking together are just as sweet as the cookies themselves, and I treasure these moments in our kitchen every holiday season.

FAQs About Christmas Cookies

Conclusion

I love that this collection includes everything from quick easy christmas cookies for busy weeknights to show-stopping treats that’ll impress at parties. My family has tested every single one of these recipes, and they’ve all earned spots in our annual cookie rotation.

Now it’s your turn to fill your kitchen with the irresistible aroma of freshly baked cookies. Pick a few favorites from this list, gather your ingredients, and start a new holiday tradition. Tag me on Instagram when you make these I can’t wait to see which cookies become your family’s favorites!

Happy baking, and I hope your holiday season is filled with love, laughter, and plenty of warm cookies straight from the oven.