25 Creative Christmas Cookie Recipes (2024)

Now that you’ve perfected making the ultimate pumpkin pie (high five!) it’s time to start wow-ing with another sweet seasonal delight: Christmas cookies! To us, it’s a tradition as significant as a holiday tree, so we made sure to round up 25 amazing unique Christmas cookie recipes for you to make as soon as December hits. Yep—that means one batch of cookies every day through Christmas. At that rate, there’s no way you won’t make Santa’s nice list! ;)

1. Double Chocolate Crinkle Cookies: Is it the crinkle that makes these cookies so good? Or is it the double chocolate? Like the number of licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop, we might never know! ;) (via Melanie Makes)

2. Holiday Cake Mix Cookies: There’s no denying that standard sugar cookie recipes are great, but this twist on the Christmas cookie staple is a real game changer: use cake mix instead! Genius, especially when speckled with festive M&Ms. (via Parent Pretty)

3. Hot Cocoa Cookies: We’re jazzed to share our whimsical take on hot chocolate cookies. Cut into mug shapes and topped with marshmallows and whipped cream, these cookies are almost as sinful as the real thing! (via Brit + Co.)

4. Rudolph Cookies: With chocolate pretzel antlers and a shiny red M&M nose, these Rudolph cookies are sure to go down in history! ;) (via Splash of Something)

6. Oreo Snowflake Cookies: We’re smitten with this gorgeous food hack that upgrades Oreos to bright, wintry bites. Marshmallow fondant and white melting chocolate are the secret ingredients to making this snowy design come to life. (via Cake Whiz)

7. Greek Almond Crescents: These powder sugar-dusted crescent cookies are super addictive. The almond flecked biscuits are perfect for dunking into a warm winter drink. (via Cook Republic)

8. Chocolate Peppermint Patty Cookies: If you ask us, chocolate and peppermint is hands down the best combo for sweet confections. Achieve master baker status by tucking a whole peppermint patty in the center of a chocolate cookie. (via Bakerita)

9. Santa’s Shortbread Cookies: Keep it simple this holiday with delectable shortbread cookies. It’s a go-to recipe that’s sure to satisfy Santa (and anyone sneaking a snack off of his late night plate!) (via The Clever Carrot)

10. Gingerbread Trees With Lemon Icing: Drizzles of lemon icing and a sprinkle of sugar add sweetness to this standard gingerbread cookie recipe. Add some flair to your baking repertoire by doing as Martha does and cutting your cookies into Christmas tree shapes. (via Martha Stewart)

11. Cinnamon Clove Coffee Cookies: One of the best parts about winter baking has to be the use of spices. Warming clove, spicy cinnamon, and the extra special addition of fresh coffee grounds add zing to each bite. (via Katrina’s Kitchen)

12. : Why choose between candy or cookies when you can eat both in one bite? This decadent Christmas cookie is way easier to make than you may think, especially since you’re starting with pre-made cookie dough. (via )

13. : OMG! These are the cutest Christmas cookies around! If we can only choose one way to decorate our treats this year, it’s for sure with melting snowmen! (via )

14. Toasted Pecan Shortbread With Spiked Toffee Sauce: Why dunk your shortbread in milk when you can dunk it in toffee? ‘Nuff said. (via Willow Bird Baking)

15. Red Velvet Cookies: These red velvet cake cookies have our vote for quickest to fly outta the cookie jar. Perfect this recipe now and you can bust out a second batch for your sweetheart in February! (via Food Fanatic)

16. Chili Chocolate Star Cookies: Bring the heat Christmas cookie-style with these chili and chocolate-filled star cookies. If that combo sounds a tad out of reach for your taste, you can always try the cookie recipe with a sweet, jam-based filling instead! (via By Guldahl)

17. Pine Nut and Peppercorn Shortbread: After eating so many sugar-packed cookies this holiday season, we might go ahead and give this more savory recipe a try. Pink and green peppercorns add both spice and festive flair. (via What’s Cooking Good Looking)

18. Walnut Snowball Cookies: Here’s another Christmas cookie recipe where one is never ever enough! Finely chopped walnuts add just the right amount of texture to these mounds doused in powdered sugar. (via Yummly)

19. Spicy Gingerbread Cookies: Experience the dark side of the gingerbread spectrum with this seriously spicy recipe. Be sure to decorate with royal icing to keep the spice at bay! (via Smitten Kitchen)

20. Sprinkle Sugar Cookies: Sure, it’s a no-frills cookie recipe, but sometimes you just can’t go wrong with standard sugar cookies! Don’t these just transport you back to your childhood? That kind of nostalgia is priceless! (via The Coers Family)

21. Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate Cookies: This might be the most decadent Christmas cookie we have on the list thanks to the addition of a flavored hot chocolate mix—caramel hot chocolate, to be exact! Go big or go home by dressing this batch in a gooey salted caramel. We bet it tastes just like heaven! (via Beyond Frosting)

22. Flourless Fuffernutter Thumbprint Cookies: Instead of filling your thumbprint cookies with jam, fill them with marshmallows! That’s the amazing move that this blogger pulled to create the fluffernutter thumbprint cookie. Here’s to taking more risks in the kitchen! (via Cupcakes & Kale Chips)

23. Molasses Spice Cookies: You can’t go wrong with this classic Christmas cookie. Case in point: we’re already craving this gooey treat topped with crunchy sugar granules. (via American Heritage Cooking)

24. Cookie Christmas Trees: These towering cookies are sure to wow all your holiday guests, including Santa himself! Plus, it’s way fun to add a twist to the Christmas cookie game! (via Brit + Co.)

25. Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies: If you’re looking to dazzle with your cookie decorating skills, then this is the Christmas cookie for you! Whip out your pastry tips to get this look that’s almost too elegant to eat. (via Damn Delicious)

What’s your go-to holiday cookie recipe? Tell us in the comments below!

From Your Site Articles

  • 19 New Holiday Cookies to Make Right Now - Brit + Co ›
25 Creative Christmas Cookie Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What was the first Christmas cookie? ›

History. 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.

How far in advance make Christmas cookies? ›

If you plan to keep them at room temperature, it's best to make the cookies about two weeks or less in advance. According to Prepared Cooks, homemade sugar cookies can last two weeks if stored in an airtight container.

How many Christmas cookies are eaten each year? ›

2 billion Christmas cookies – Americans reportedly eat more than two billion Christmas cookies each year, according to The Cookie Elf, a holiday baking blog.

What is the 1 cookie in the world? ›

Oreo is the best-selling cookie in the world. It is now sold in over 100 countries. Oreo was first produced in 1912 by the National Biscuit Company, now known as Na-Bis-Co.

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 cookie was not invented until 1938? ›

It wasn't until very recently, around 1938, that chocolate chip cookies were first invented. Unlike a lot of other things, the chocolate chip cookie was not invented by accident. During the 1930s, a chef named Ruth Graves Wakefield decided to give something different to her customers.

What cookie does Santa eat? ›

Chocolate Chip cookies

You can never go wrong with these classic, delicious 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 cookie was invented in 1912? ›

On this day in 1912, Oreo cookies were first developed and produced by Nabisco in New York City. It's time to celebrate the iconic crunchy chocolate sandwich cookie with the sweet vanilla cream filling that Americans have enjoyed for over one hundred years. March 6th is National Oreo Cookie Day!

Which Christmas cookies last the longest? ›

Shortbread cookies and spritz cookies are real holiday troopers, lasting a bit longer than the rest. These buttery and crumbly cookies are a great option for a holiday cookie. Shortbread is known for its rich flavor, while spritz cookies are often made with a cookie press.

Which cookies last the longest? ›

Dry cookies, like shortbread cookies, gingersnaps, and Danish butter cookies, will stay fresher for longer because they have very little moisture. Dry cookies become stale when they suck up moisture from the air - causing them to become soft and lose their snap.

Do you decorate Christmas cookies before baking? ›

Coarse Sugar

If you're making unfrosted cookies like shortbread or drop cookies, sprinkle the sugar on before baking. If you're icing the cookies, bake them, then decorate, and then shake the sugar on while the icing is still wet.

What are the most Googled Christmas cookies? ›

Italian Christmas Cookies grow as top cookie

Zoom in: Italian Christmas Cookies were the top cookie in 13 states, more than double the six states from 2022, Google Trends curator Katie Seaton told Axios. Seaton said the Italian cookies dominated the East Coast both this year and last year.

What is a fun fact about cookies? ›

General Cookie Facts

Over a lifetime, the average American eats 35,000 cookies (we think we can beat that!). Santa Clause eats an estimated 336 million cookies on Christmas Eve. Americans spend $550 million on Oreos each year—it was the best-selling cookie of the 20th century, and it's still going strong!

What does Santa Claus eat? ›

Santa isn't very picky as he will eat any cookie and drink any milk, but why do we leave milk and cookies out for Santa?

What is the most Googled Christmas cookie? ›

Italian Christmas Cookies grow as top cookie

Zoom in: Italian Christmas Cookies were the top cookie in 13 states, more than double the six states from 2022, Google Trends curator Katie Seaton told Axios. Seaton said the Italian cookies dominated the East Coast both this year and last year.

What is Santa Claus's favorite cookie? ›

Chocolate Chip cookies

You can never go wrong with these classic, delicious 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 Santa's second favorite cookie? ›

2. Holiday Candy Cookie Bites – Number two on the list of Santa's favorite cookies is Holiday Candy Cookie Bites, which is a holiday version of the year-round favorite, Chocolate Chip Cookies. Instead of traditional chocolate chips, these cookies are studded with red and green candies and white baking chips.

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.

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