15 Best Holiday Cookies

Holiday cookies are basically required for Christmas – you gotta have them for parties, cookie exchanges, and leaving out for Santa. These 15 recipes give you everything from simple classics to fancy decorated ones. Most of these freeze really well so you can make big batches ahead of time. Nothing makes your house smell more like Christmas than fresh cookies baking in the oven.

Classic Sugar Cookies

These are the perfect blank canvas for decorating with royal icing or just rolling in colored sugar. The dough holds its shape really well when you cut it with cookie cutters. Don’t overbake them or they get hard – you want them just set around the edges. These are great for making with kids cause they’re simple and fun to decorate. Make the dough a day ahead so it’s easier to roll out. Check the recipe here.

Gingerbread Cookies

You can’t have Christmas without gingerbread! The spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves make your kitchen smell amazing. The dough needs to chill before rolling or it’ll be too sticky to work with. These are sturdy enough for building gingerbread houses if you’re feeling ambitious. The cookies actually taste better after a day or two when the spices have time to blend together. Check the recipe here.

Snickerdoodles

These cinnamon sugar cookies are soft and chewy with slightly crispy edges. The key is rolling the dough balls in cinnamon sugar right before baking. The cream of tartar in the recipe is what gives them their slightly tangy flavor and soft texture. These are my personal favorite cause they’re not too sweet but still feel like a treat. Perfect with coffee or hot chocolate. Check the recipe here.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

These look fancy with their cracked powdered sugar coating but they’re actually pretty easy. The chocolate dough spreads and cracks while baking which makes the pretty pattern. Roll them in powdered sugar right before baking – not too far ahead or it’ll dissolve. They’re fudgy inside and slightly crispy outside. Great for chocolate lovers who want something different from regular chocolate chip cookies. Check the recipe here.

Peppermint Bark Cookies

These taste like peppermint bark candy but in cookie form. The chocolate cookie base has crushed candy canes mixed in and sometimes white chocolate chips too. The peppermint flavor screams Christmas and they look really festive. Don’t crush the candy canes too fine or they’ll dissolve – you want some chunks for texture and appearance. Check the recipe here.

Eggnog Cookies

These taste exactly like eggnog but in cookie form with nutmeg and vanilla flavors. They’re soft and cake-like with a simple glaze on top. Some recipes use actual eggnog in the dough but you can get the same flavor with spices. These are perfect for eggnog lovers and people who like subtle flavors instead of super sweet cookies. Check the recipe here.

Candy Cane Cookies

These are basically sugar cookies shaped and colored like candy canes. You make white and red dough then twist them together before baking. They take some time to shape but kids love helping with this part. Add peppermint extract to make them taste like real candy canes. These look really impressive on cookie platters even though they’re not hard to make. Check the recipe here.

Linzer Cookies

These sandwich cookies have jam in the middle and a cut-out top so you can see the pretty filling. Traditional ones use raspberry jam but any flavor works. The dough has ground nuts which gives them a rich flavor and delicate texture. These are more work than drop cookies but they look so elegant and fancy. Dust the tops with powdered sugar for the full effect. Check the recipe here.

Shortbread Cookies

These Scottish cookies only have three ingredients – butter, sugar, and flour – but they’re amazing when done right. Use good butter cause that’s mostly what you taste. Don’t overwork the dough or they’ll be tough. They’re buttery and crumbly and perfect with tea. You can add things like chocolate chips or lemon zest but plain ones are classic for a reason. Check the recipe here.

Thumbprint Cookies with Jam

These are simple butter cookies with a dent in the middle filled with jam. Kids love making the thumbprints and picking what flavor jam to use. The cookies are tender and buttery which goes perfect with the sweet-tart jam. You can use any flavor jam or even Nutella if you want something different. These look homemade in the best way. Check the recipe here.

Christmas Tree Cookies

These are usually sugar cookies cut into tree shapes and decorated with green icing and sprinkles. You can make them as simple or elaborate as you want. Stack different sized trees to make 3D ones if you’re feeling crafty. These are fun to make with kids and look really cute on cookie platters. The decorating takes time but it’s worth it for how festive they look. Check the recipe here.

Molasses Cookies

These old-fashioned cookies are soft and chewy with warm spices like ginger and cinnamon. The molasses gives them a deep flavor and dark color. Some people like them crispy but I think the soft chewy version is better. Roll them in sugar before baking for sparkly tops. These taste like something your grandmother would make. Check the recipe here.

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

The tart cranberries and sweet white chocolate make a perfect combination for Christmas. Use dried cranberries that are still soft – the hard ones are no good. White chocolate chips work fine but chopped white chocolate looks fancier. The red and white colors are perfect for Christmas. These are fruity without being too healthy-tasting. Check the recipe here.

Cinnamon Star Cookies

These European cookies are made with ground almonds instead of flour which gives them a unique texture. They’re covered with a shiny meringue coating that cracks when you bite into it. The almond and cinnamon flavors are warm and sophisticated. These are more work than regular cookies but they’re really special and different from what most people make. Check the recipe here.

Hot Chocolate Cookies

These chocolate cookies taste like hot chocolate with mini marshmallows and sometimes crushed graham crackers mixed in. They’re soft and fudgy like drinking hot chocolate in cookie form. Some recipes have a marshmallow glaze on top which makes them extra special. These are perfect for kids who love hot chocolate and adults who want something nostalgic and cozy. Check the recipe here.