15 Christmas Cookies to Bake This Season

The holiday season feels incomplete without a warm batch of homemade christmas cookies filling the kitchen with sweet aromas. From classic favorites to creative treats, these cookies bring comfort, joy, and delicious memories to every gathering.

At Spoon and Sizzle, we love recipes that are simple, festive, and perfect for sharing. These 15 cookie ideas are great for holiday parties, cookie swaps, family baking days, or a cozy night at home.

1. Classic Sugar Cookies

Classic Sugar Cookies are a holiday favorite with their soft texture and sweet vanilla flavor. They are perfect for decorating with colorful icing, sprinkles, and festive shapes like stars, trees, and snowflakes.

How to make

• Mix a simple sugar cookie dough with butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
• Roll, cut into shapes, and bake until lightly golden.
• Decorate after cooling with royal icing or glaze.

Tip: Chill the dough before rolling to help the cookies keep their shape during baking.

For sharp royal icing lines, use a thick piping consistency for outlines and a thinner flood consistency to fill. Let the base layer crust for 20 minutes before adding details. Baked undecorated cookies freeze perfectly for a month, so bake early and decorate closer to the holiday. Stack cooled cookies with parchment between layers to protect the designs.

2. Gingerbread Men

Gingerbread Men bring a traditional holiday feeling with warm spices and a rich molasses flavor. These cookies are fun to decorate and make a great activity for kids and families.

Short decorating idea: Use icing to add faces, buttons, and festive details. You can also add small candies for extra color.

Tip: Let decorated cookies dry fully before storing them to protect the designs.

More festive bakes? Browse our holiday cookie recipes.

Roll the dough a touch thicker, about 1/4 inch, for soft centers with crisp edges. For a fun variation, sandwich two cookies with lemon buttercream instead of decorating. The dough also makes excellent gingerbread houses if rolled slightly thinner. Store baked cookies in an airtight tin with a slice of bread to keep them soft for a week.

3. Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles are soft, chewy cookies covered in a sweet cinnamon sugar coating. Their simple flavor makes them a favorite for both kids and adults.

To prepare them

• Create a buttery cookie dough.
• Roll dough balls in cinnamon sugar.
• Bake until the edges are set and the centers stay soft.

Tip: Do not overbake, because Snickerdoodles taste best with a tender center.

The cream of tartar is what gives snickerdoodles their signature tangy flavor and chewy texture, so do not substitute baking powder alone. For a chai-spiced twist, add cardamom and ground ginger to the cinnamon sugar coating. Slightly underbaked centers set as they cool, giving you that perfect soft middle every time.

4. Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies have a rich chocolate taste with a beautiful powdered sugar coating. Their cracked appearance makes them look extra festive on a holiday dessert table.

Serving suggestion: Pair them with coffee, hot chocolate, or a glass of cold milk for a cozy treat.

Tip: Chill the chocolate dough before baking to create deeper cracks and a better texture.

Chocoholic? See our chocolate cookie recipes.

Roll the chilled dough balls in granulated sugar first, then in powdered sugar. The first layer keeps the second from melting into the dough, giving you that bold white crackle. Serve these slightly warm with espresso, since coffee deepens chocolate flavor. The dough freezes well, so roll balls ahead and bake straight from frozen, adding 2 minutes.

5. Peanut Butter Blossoms

Peanut Butter Blossoms combine soft peanut butter cookies with a chocolate candy pressed into the center. The sweet and salty combination makes them a popular holiday choice.

Helpful steps

• Prepare peanut butter cookie dough.
• Roll dough balls in sugar.
• Add the chocolate candy right after baking.

Tip: Press the chocolate gently while the cookies are still warm so it stays in place.

Unwrap all the chocolate candies before the cookies come out of the oven, since you only have seconds to press them in. For a salted caramel version, press a Rolo into each warm cookie instead of a kiss. Cool completely on the pan before moving, as the soft centers need time to set around the chocolate.

6. Linzer Cookies

Linzer Cookies are elegant sandwich cookies made with buttery dough and a layer of jam in the middle. The cutout top gives them a beautiful holiday look.

Common fillings: Raspberry jam, strawberry preserves, or apricot spread.

Tip: Dust the top cookies with powdered sugar before assembling for a bakery-style finish.

Love elegant bakes? Explore our elegant dessert recipes.

Try different fillings like apricot, blackberry, or even lemon curd for variety on the tray. Bake the top and bottom cookies a day ahead and store them unfilled in an airtight container, then assemble with jam just before serving. A light dusting of powdered sugar on the cutout tops right before assembly gives the prettiest finish.

7. Snowball Cookies

Snowball Cookies are delicate, bite-sized treats with a buttery crumb and a generous coating of powdered sugar. They almost melt in your mouth with every bite.

Making method: Mix chopped nuts into the dough, shape into small balls, bake, then roll in powdered sugar while warm.

Tip: Roll them a second time after cooling for a snowy appearance.

For chocolate snowballs, replace 1/4 cup of flour with cocoa powder and keep everything else the same. The double roll in powdered sugar is essential: once while warm so it melts slightly and sticks, then again when cool for that snowy coating. These keep for 2 weeks in a tin, making them perfect for gift boxes.

8. Molasses Cookies

Molasses Cookies are soft, chewy, and packed with spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. They offer a deep flavor that feels perfect for cold winter days.

Flavor tips: Use fresh spices for a stronger taste, and add extra molasses for a richer cookie.

Tip: Store these cookies with a slice of bread to help keep them soft.

Spice lover? Find more spiced cookie recipes.

Roll the dough balls in coarse turbinado sugar instead of granulated for extra crunch and sparkle. These pair beautifully with hot coffee, as the bitter notes balance the deep molasses sweetness. Freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months, then thaw at room temperature for 20 minutes. They taste freshly baked every time.

9. Thumbprint Cookies

Thumbprint Cookies are known for their small center filled with jam, chocolate, or caramel. They are easy to customize and look beautiful on a holiday tray.

Simple idea: Create a small indentation in each cookie before baking, then fill it with your favorite topping.

Tip: Avoid pressing too deeply, or the filling may leak during baking.

Fill cooled cookies with lemon curd, dulce de leche, or Nutella instead of jam for easy variety. If the edges crack when you press the indent, simply smooth them with your fingers before baking. For chocolate thumbprints, use a cocoa-based dough and fill with ganache. They look stunning mixed on one platter.

10. Candy Cane Cookies

Candy Cane Cookies are festive peppermint treats shaped like tiny candy canes. Their red and white colors make them stand out among holiday desserts.

How to create the look: Divide dough into two portions, color one portion red, twist the two dough pieces together and shape into candy cane curves.

Tip: Work with chilled dough to make shaping easier.

Peppermint fan? See our peppermint dessert recipes.

Add 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract to the white dough portion only, so the flavor surprises with each bite. For a chocolate version, replace 2 tablespoons of flour with cocoa in the red portion. Store in a single layer, since the twisted shapes are delicate. These keep their peppermint punch for a full week in an airtight tin.

11. Eggnog Cookies

Eggnog Cookies capture the creamy flavor of the classic holiday drink in a soft cookie. They often include nutmeg and vanilla for a warm seasonal taste.

Serving idea: Top with a light glaze and a sprinkle of nutmeg for extra holiday flavor.

Tip: Do not add too much liquid to the dough, as it can make cookies spread too much.

Brush the cooled cookies with a simple glaze of powdered sugar and eggnog, then dust with fresh nutmeg. For extra holiday spirit, add a drop of rum extract to the glaze. Do not overbake: pull them when the edges are just set and the centers look slightly soft. They firm up as they cool and stay tender for days.

12. Red Velvet Cookies

Red Velvet Cookies offer a rich cocoa flavor with a soft texture and a beautiful red color. They are a stylish addition to Christmas dessert collections.

Try this: Add white chocolate chips for sweetness, or use cream cheese frosting for a bakery-style finish.

Tip: Measure cocoa carefully to keep the flavor balanced.

More red velvet? Browse our red velvet recipes.

Sandwich two cookies with tangy cream cheese frosting for an impressive bakery-style treat. For deeper color without extra dye, use Dutch-process cocoa, which reacts beautifully with the red coloring. Slightly chill the dough between batches so every tray bakes up thick instead of spreading thin.

13. Pecan Sandies

Pecan Sandies are buttery cookies filled with crunchy pecans and a delicate crumb. They are simple, classic, and perfect for holiday gift boxes.

Preparation notes: Toast pecans before mixing them into the dough to bring out their natural flavor.

Tip: Let the cookies cool completely before moving them because they can be fragile when warm.

Brown the butter before mixing the dough for a nutty depth that takes these from good to unforgettable. Let it cool until just warm so it does not melt the sugar. These pair wonderfully with hot tea, as the tannins cut through the buttery richness. Pack them in small gift bags tied with ribbon for an easy homemade present.

14. Spritz Cookies

Spritz Cookies are small, buttery cookies made with a cookie press. They come in many shapes and can be decorated with sprinkles or colored sugar.

Best uses: Holiday cookie trays, homemade gifts, and party desserts.

Tip: Use ungreased baking sheets so the dough sticks properly when pressed.

See what’s new in our latest recipes on Spoon and Sizzle.

If the dough will not stick to the pan, chill it for 10 minutes instead of greasing the sheet, since a cold pan grips better. For chocolate spritz, melt 2 ounces of dark chocolate and beat it into the butter before adding flour. Press the cookies close together, as they barely spread, and decorate with sanding sugar before baking.

15. Hot Chocolate Cookies

Hot Chocolate Cookies combine the flavors of a cozy winter drink with a soft chocolate cookie base. Many versions include marshmallows or chocolate pieces for an extra treat.

Serving idea: Enjoy them with a warm mug of hot chocolate for the ultimate holiday pairing.

Tip: Add marshmallow toppings near the end of baking to prevent them from melting too much.

Press a peppermint marshmallow into each cookie for a festive mint-chocolate combo. For extra gooey centers, stuff a teaspoon of Nutella into the dough ball before baking. Serve these warm, about 5 minutes out of the oven, when the chocolate is still melty. A glass of cold milk is the only proper pairing.

Final Thought

Holiday baking is all about sharing sweet moments with the people you love. These christmas cookies bring classic flavors, creative ideas, and festive charm to your kitchen all season long.