50 of the Best Holiday Cookies that must be devoured this Christmas season. Bake up a batch and spread some holiday {cookie} cheer.

Happy Holidays, friends! It’s time to go and grab a glass of milk, then dunk in a few of these bad boys. I know Santa would enjoy a few of these Christmas Cookies, too!

collage of best holiday cookies left to right: wreath cookies, holly gingersnap cookies, red cookies, gingerbread men, christmas tree sugar cookies, red cheesecake cookies, peanut butter ritz cookies, chocolate mint cookies, chocolate chip cookies.

While all the other desserts of cakes, pies, and fudge are lovely, cookies are the best way to celebrate the holidays. Usually more straightforward to make, assemble, and eat, the best way to bring the jolly into your “ho ho ho” is a dozen or two of one of these cookies.

Of course, I had to put in the traditional favorite cookie recipes like Cut-Out Sugar Cookies, Ginger, Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Laced Cookies and Peanut Butter Blossoms. I had to add a few that may not be known as holiday cookies, but they are the best. Like German Chocolate Cake Cookies, Pecan Pie Cookies and Mint Brownie Cookies.

Seriously, I love all 50 of these holiday cookies. All of them are perfect for cookie platters and a cookie exchange. Sadly, it was even hard to limit it to 50! My friends are rock star bakers, making selecting from such cookie amazingness difficult.

Not looking for Cookies? check out our favorite Holiday Candies

Holiday Baking Tips

Baking cookies this holiday season? Here are some tips for making and storing the best holiday cookies! If you’re making batches for a cookie swap or to giveaway, these tips will make things easier.

How do you keep cookies soft after baking them?

Once your cookies are cool, put them in an airtight container, such as Tupperware. Then, you can place a piece of bread or a moist paper towel into the container with the cookies (but not directly on them) and seal the container with a lid.

How long can you keep cookie dough in the fridge before baking?

Most cookie dough can be refrigerated well-sealed, for three to five days before you bake them. You can make them even further in advance and freeze the dough.

Can you freeze sugar cookies with icing?

I highly recommend for any cookie that requires frosting, such as sugar cookies, to just freeze the cookies unfrosted and make the frosting fresh right before you want to serve. The exception would be my German Chocolate Cake Cookies – these cookies freeze so well.

Pin this collection of 50 of the Best Holiday Cookie Recipes to your favorite Pinterest board for later.

Christmas cookies photo collage for pinterest.

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are the perfect holiday treat, combining rich chocolate and refreshing peppermint flavors in every bite.

chocolate peppermint cookies

What’s more perfectly festive than German Chocolate Cake Cookies? Our customers say these cookies always help spread holiday cheer. They’re soft, chewy chocolate cookies with decadent caramel, coconut, and pecan frosting.

german chocolate cake cookies laid out with chocolate drizzle on top

Holiday Cut-Out Sugar Cookies & Easy Icing, Sally’s Baking Addiction | My kids love decorating Cutout Sugar Cookies over Christmas. Are cutouts a tradition in your home? Check out one of our favorite recipes here.

Christmas tree sugar cookie with green and white frosting and red sprinkles

Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Cookies are a delightful holiday treat: bite-sized cookies with the classic combination of chocolate and peppermint. They are festive and delicious.

Our Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies blend two classic flavors: chocolate and peanut butter. You’ll love this holiday recipe if you’re a fan of either or both.

 Oatmeal Laced Cookies, Add A Pinch | I love how pretty these delicate Christmas tree cookies are. These crunchy crisp cookies are so unique and perfect for Christmas.

Oatmeal Lace Cookies stack

Ginger Snap Cookies, A Dash of Sanity | Gingernaps are a true holiday classic. We’ve made ginger cookies in our home as long as I could remember a tradition now for 3 generations.

 

ginger cookies view of 1/2 dozen from the top, laid flat on a surface

Red Velvet Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookies, Something Swanky | These Red Velvet cookies with a cheesecake filling look so festive and delicious!

Red Velvet Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookies rolled in white sugar sprinkles

Pecan Pie Cookies, Spend with Pennies | I love these beautiful Pecan Pie cookies, a bite-sized twist on the classic Thanksgiving pie.

Pecan Pie Cookies with chocolate drizzle pie crust caramel pecan filling

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies, Dash of Sanity | A combination of white chocolate, orange, cranberries & macadamia nuts makes these cookies incredibly festive & beautiful. 

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, Rasa Malaysia | These brownie-like Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are so pretty. They fudgy cookies are coated in confectioners sugar – They make a delicious gift for your friends and neighbors.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies fudgy brownie cookies rolled in powdered sugar

Lemon Drop Cookies, Dash of Sanity | Light, fluffy Italian cookies that are soft and cake-like. They’re topped with a sweet lemon glaze, combining the best of a lemon tart and cake into one delicious bite.

Mint Brownie Cookies, Chelsea’s Messy Apron | These Mint Brownie Cookies made from a brownie mix with a festive green mint frosting will add such a fun pop of color to your Christmas cookie tray.

Green Mint frosting, brownie cookies, topped with chocolate drizzle

Grandma’s Ginger Cookies, A Dash of Sanity | Nothing will ever beat my Grandma’s Ginger Cookies. These are one of my all-time favorite holiday cookies.

Grandma's ginger cookies stack

Candy Cane Kiss Cookies, Sally’s Baking Addiction | Aren’t these the most festive bite-sized cookies? These Candy Cane Kiss Cookies with peppermint Kisses are so fun to make and just as delicious.

Red sprinkles, green spinkles, Candy cane Hershey kisses, sugar cookies, christmas cookies

White Chocolate Dipped Ginger Cookies, Cooking Classy | I love how elegant these White Chocolate Dipped Ginger Cookies look on my cookie tray. They are simple but festive and delicious.

White Chocolate Dipped Ginger Cookies with red and green holly icing decoration

The Perfect Gingerbread Cookies, Sweetapolita | Aren’t these just the cutest?! These really are The Perfect Gingerbread Spice Cookies. The kids love decorating their own gingerbread men with sprinkles and icing.

The Perfect Ginger Bread Cookies, gingerbread man, sprinkles and icing

Amazing Soft Sugar Cookies, A Dash of Sanity | This is my favorite Sugar Cookie recipe. I love how amazingly soft they are. It is so fun to decorate them with festive sprinkles and icing for the holidays!

Candy Cane Cookies, Kitchn | These classic Candy Cane Cookies are perfect with a glass of milk. Kids will love rolling their own dough and twisting them into candy canes.

Candy Cane Cookies

Peanut Butter Buckeyes, Shugary Sweets | You will love these Peanut Butter Buckeyes. They are simple with a soft peanut butter filling dipped in chocolate. They taste just like Reeses but better!

Peanut Butter Buckeyes

M&M Cookies, Dash of Sanity |These cookies have the perfect combination of chewy edges and soft centers, and they’re packed with M&Ms. This recipe comes together quickly and easily – no chill time required!

Peanut Butter Ritz Cookies, Julie’s Eats and Treats | Everyone will love these simple Peanut Butter Ritz Sandwich Cookies. With sweet almond bark coating salty crackers and peanut butter, these are perfect for the holidays.

almond bark, chocolate coated ritz crackers filled with peanut butter layer, sweet and salty cookies

Red Velvet Cake Cookies, A Dash of Sanity | This recipe for Red Velvet Cookies is easy and requires only a few ingredients. Chewy & filled with chocolate chips, this makes a great holiday goodie.

red velvet cookies, chocolate chips, glass, milk, red velvet, cookie

Sugar Cookie Christmas Wreath Cookies, I Am Baker | These Christmas Wreath Cookies are classic and beautifully simple. They are a perfect festive addition to your Christmas dessert table.

Christmas Wreath Cookies

Rainbow Chip Cookies, I Am Baker | The kids love to help me make these adorable Rainbow Chip Cookies. They are so simple but fun shortbread cookies that anyone will love to eat.

Rainbow Chip Cookies

Chocolate Pecan Pie Cookies, A Dash of Sanity | Chocolate Pecan Pie Cookies are a delicious twist on traditional pecan pie filling. I love the chocolatey flavor with the caramel and pecans.

chocolate cookies, pecan pie filling, Chocolate Pecan Pie Cookies

Christmas Pinwheel Cookies, The Slow Roasted Italian | These are super fun and festive Christmas cookies. I love how creative these are!

Christmas Pinwheel Cookies red and white swirl cookies rolled in green red white sprinkles

Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies, Center Cut Cook | Look how soft and fluffy these Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies are! They are a perfect combo of these delicious fall flavors.

Soft Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies for fall

White Chocolate Caramel Snickerdoodles, Dash of Sanity |Classic soft & chewy Snickerdoodle cookie dipped in white chocolate caramel sauce with a dash of salt. You won’t be able to eat one.

stack of caramel snickerdoodles

Gooey Salted Caramel Vanilla Butter Cookies, Kevin and Amanda | Soft Vanilla Butter Cookies filled with ooey-gooey Salted Caramel, these buttery cookies are absolutely mouth-watering.

Salted Caramel Vanilla Butter Cookies, sugar cookies topped with salted caramel and flaky salt

Caramel Stuffed Brown Sugar Cookies, Carlsbad Cravings | Using browned butter to make sugar cookies is simply amazing! I love the rich flavor with the gooey caramel center.

Caramel Stuffed Brown Sugar Cookies

Turtle Ritz Cookie Sandwiches, The Gunny Sack | Another delicious sweet and salty treat, these make perfect gifts for the holidays. Turtle Ritz Cookies are filled with rich caramel, dipped in almond bark, and topped with pecans.

Turtle Ritz Cookies, Ritz crackers filled with homemade caramel dipped in chocolate almond bark, topped with pecans

Thin Mint Cookies, Sally’s Baking Addiction | I’m obsessed with these Homemade Thin Mint Cookies. They taste just like the real thing, so they perfectly satisfy any Thin Mint craving.

Homemade Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies

Best Ever Soft Peanut Butter Cookies, Dash Of Sanity | These Peanut Butter Cookies have gone viral on Pinterest. With hundreds of reviews and pictures, this recipe can’t be beaten!

 Salted Caramel Turtle Thumbprint Cookies, Cooking Classy | Just look at how gorgeous these Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies are. All the flavor of classic chocolate turtles, but in rich chocolate cookie form.

Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies

Best Ever Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies, Dash of Sanity | Soft, chewy and just like what you would get from a corner bakery but better because they come straight from your oven.

 Sprinkle Chocolate Chip Cookies, Two Peas and Their Pod | These Sprinkle Chocolate Chip Cookies are such a fun twist on the classic cookie. The kids will love rolling these in colorful or festive sprinkles.

Sprinkle Chocolate Chip Cookies

Lemon Snowball Cookies, Crazy for Crust | These classic Lemon Snowballs are so light and unique. They’re inspired by Mexican wedding cookies and will be a refreshing addition to your holiday spread.

Lemon Snowball Cookies

Cherry Pie Cookies, The Recipe Critic | These Cherry Pie Cookies are like bite-sized versions of a classic holiday dessert and thumbprint cookies. They are so pretty and simple to make.

Cherry Pie Cookies - soft cookies with cherry pie filling drizzled with white chocolate

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, Dash of Sanity | Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies combine a classic cookie with the best fall flavors. Soft and irresistible, these are a must-make!

a stack of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.

Oreo Peppermint Crunch Cookies, Inside BruCrew Life | Oreo Peppermint Crunch Cookies are loaded with an amazing combo of Oreos, Andes Peppermint Crunch candies, and dark chocolate chips. These are perfect for Christmas!

Oreo Peppermint Crunch Cookies candy canes chocolate chips, andes peppermint crunch candy

No Bake Cookies, Dash of Sanity | Easy No Bake Cookies just like you remember but better. We make these easy no-bake oatmeal cookies on repeat and soon you will, too.

Apple Pie Cookies, OMG Chocolate Desserts | I love this idea! Bite-size, easy-to-make Apple Pie Cookies taste just like the classic pie but without the baking time or mess.

Apple Pie Cookies - bite-size pie crust with caramel and apples and cinnamon sugar.

Oatmeal Pecan Cookies, Chelsea’s Messy Apron | Oatmeal Cookies with pecans are stuffed with rolled oats, chocolate chips, and chopped pecans. If If you love soft and chewy cookies, this is a simple recipe you won’t want to miss.

Oatmeal Pecan Cookies with chocolate chips

Pumpkin Cheesecake Snickerdoodles, The Recipe Critic | Combining three favorite fall treats, these Pumpkin Cheesecake Snickerdoodles are so flavorful and will please anyone.

pumpkin snickerdoodles cookies filled with cheesecake filling rolled in cinnamon sugar

Maple Cinnamon Sugar Cookies, Design Eat Repeat | These Maple Cinnamon Sugar Cookies with Maple Cream Cheese Icing are full of delicious fall flavors, making them perfect this time of year.

Soft sugar cookies with maple cinnamon cream cheese icing dusted with cinnamon

Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies, Buns In My Oven | This combination of two classic cookies hits the spot. Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies are a great twist to add to your cookie jar.

Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies

Peppermint Patty Cookies, A Treats Affair | These Double Mint Peppermint Patty Cookies are so addictive. They are the perfect winter treat.

Peppermint Patty Cookies

Chocolate Sprinkle Cookies, Julia’s Album | These adorable Chocolate Cookies with sprinkles are so simple yet soft and tasty. They are a perfect bright addition to your holiday spread.

Chocolate Sprinkle Cookies soft chocolate sugar cookies with rainbow sprinkles

Easy No-Bake Avalanche Cookies, Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts | My kids are obsessed with No-Bake cookies, so these Easy No-Bake Avalanche Cookies are their favorite winter treat. Simply mix Rice Krispies, marshmallows, white chocolate, and peanut butter.

Easy No-Bake Avalanche Cookies with Rice Krispies, marshmallows, white chocolate, and peanut butter.

Easy Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies, Sugar and Soul | I love these crisp buttery Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies. Add the lemon glaze and these are perfect for serving at parties.

Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies

Rocky Road Cookies, Let’s Dish Recipes | Based on the classic ice cream flavor, these Rocky Road Cookies are addictive. Chocolate cookies topped with almonds, marshmallows, and drizzled with more chocolate.

Rocky Road Chocolate cookies topped with almonds, marshmallows, and drizzled with more chocolate.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Cookies, Dash of Sanity |Cream Cheese Cookies with Blueberries are soft, easy to make, and a great way to use fresh fruit in a delicious cookie recipe.

three cookies stacked on top of each other.

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, The Recipe Critic | Using Brown Butter in classic Chocolate Chip Cookies takes them to another level of rich flavor. That makes these perfect for holiday treats.

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

This list is full of the best Christmas cookie recipes – I hope you find some new favorites to make this year. Have a fantastic holiday season! XOXO San

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28 Comments

  1. These cookies look amazing! The Christmas tree sugar cookies are so cute. The gingerbread men are also really cute, and such a classic Christmas treat. These really got me in the mood for the holiday season!

  2. These all look so delicious, it’s hard to pick a favorite — better try them all! Thanks for recommending these recipes

  3. What a fun and festive roundup, I love looking through all of these and checking off the ones I want to make! 🙂

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