44 Brand-New Christmas Cookies to Bake This Year

Lumberjack Cookies

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Marokanky

These Czech Christmas cookies are crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. The batter is prepared on the stovetop, then cooled and baked. The original recipe calls for nuts and candied orange zest, but any dried fruit or combination of dried fruits can be used in place of the orange zest. —Cyndee Sindelar, Princeton, New Jersey

Dutch Speculaas

In Holland, it’s tradition to mold this Dutch speculaas dough into the shape of St. Nicholas and serve the cookies on Sinterklaas (St. Nicholas Day). —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Triple-Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Santa is sure to stop by your house if you leave these minty triple-chocolate peppermint cookies waiting for him. They’re quick and easy for the whole family to make together. —Teresa Ralston, New Albany, Ohio

Cranberry Spritz Cookies

Here’s a sure standout on your treat tray. The cheery cookies get their bright-pink color from cranberry-flavored gelatin.

Waffle-Iron Cookies

The recipe for these cookies is the easiest to find in my book because the page is a beautiful mess covered with fingerprints, flour smudges and memories of more than 30 Christmases! I made these with my daughters, and now I make them with my granddaughters. —Judy Taylor, Quarryville, Pennsylvania

Hawaiian Wedding Cake Cookies

Macadamia nuts and pineapple help give this Hawaiian cookie recipe its tropical name. —Darlene Brenden, Salem, Oregon

Holiday Thumbprint Cookies

Speckled with chopped nuts and topped with a candied cherry, these tender cookies will disappear fast.—Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Horn Walnut Cookies

It takes only a few ingredients to create these elegant and delicious horns. This is a terrific make-ahead recipe because the dough can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to seven days. —Loretta Stokes, Philadephia, Pennsylvania

Penguin Cutouts

Your children can help decorate these cute Christmas cookies. It’s a great way to get them involved in the kitchen. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Pecan Tassies

These pecan tassies are very good for parties and special occasions. You’ll probably want to double the recipe, because they’ll disappear in a hurry! —Joy Corie, Ruston, Louisiana

Cherry Icebox Cookies

As a home economics teacher, I often supplied treats for school functions. These delectable cookies were always popular.

Angel Wings

I knew I’d hit a winner with these crisp and simple angel wings when my sister first sampled them. After one taste, she was so impressed she asked me to bake her wedding cake! —R. Lane, Tenafly, New Jersey

Double-Chocolate Rolo Cookies with Pretzels

These chocolate Rolo cookies were a big hit with my father. The generous size makes them wonderful for gift-giving, and they’re always the first to go at parties. —Melissa Keenan, Larchmont, New York

White Chocolate-Cranberry Biscotti

The original version of this recipe was handed down from my great-aunt. Through the years, my mother and I have tried different flavor combinations…this is a favorite for all. —Brenda Keith, Talent, Oregon

Orange Gingerbread Tassies

I make big Christmas cookie plates every year and it’s fun to have something with a different shape to include. These have a delicious flavor with the gingerbread and orange, and they are really easy! This is also yummy with lemon zest if you prefer that over the orange. You can also decorate with some candied orange peel if you have it.
—Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, UT

Rosemary Shortbread Christmas Tree Cookies

These lovely treats are a traditional part of our Christmas cookie platter. Because the scent of rosemary and the shape of its leaves remind me of pine needles, I cut these using a Christmas tree-shaped cookie cutter. They are fragile, so handle the dough and baked cookies carefully. —Amy Bartlett, Depew, New York

Gluten-Free Snowballs

I took a classic holiday cookie and made it gluten-free. It’s now my husband’s favorite Christmas cookie. They’re so buttery, nutty and sweet—and everyone loves how they crumble in your mouth.
—Joan Sarge, Asheville, North Carolina

Butter Pecan Cookies

When my daughter was a teen, these butter pecan cookies earned her blue ribbons from two county fairs. Then a few years ago, her own daughter took home a blue ribbon for the same cookie. Needless to say, these mouthwatering morsels are winners! —Martha Thefield, Cedartown, Georgia

Slice ‘n’ Bake Fruitcake Cookies

A cross between classic fruitcake and buttery cookies, these treats are perfect for Christmas. Each one is chock-full of raisins and candied cherries.

Christmas Tree Cookies

Delight family and friends with this holly jolly Christmas tree cookie recipe. Iced with creamy frosting and dusted with sparkly colored sugars, the 3-D cookie trees are as delicious as they are beautiful!—Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Lace Cookies with Chocolate Middles

Melted chocolate sandwiched between two golden and slightly crisp oatmeal cookies makes for a delicious spin on traditional oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

Vanilla-Butter Sugar Cookies

These butter sugar cookies are one of my favorite cookies to bake for Christmas. The dough recipe is versatile, so you can use it for other holidays, too. Children like to help with the cookie decorating. —Cynthia Ettel, Glencoe, Minnesota

Jeweled Coconut Drops

Red raspberry preserves add a festive flair to these tender coconut drops. Perfect for potlucks and cookie exchanges, these shaped cookies never last long when I make them for my husband and two sons. —Ellen Marie Byler, Munfordville, Kentucky

Double-Dutch Chocolate Holiday Cookies

Rich dark chocolate and crunchy, colorful M&M’s combine to make these cookies extra special. Who wouldn’t want to receive this mix as a gift? —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Salted Brown Sugar and Rye Chocolate Chip Cookies

These bakery-style cookies are a delicious twist on the classic chocolate chip cookie! The combination of rye flour, chocolate and brown sugar makes these cookies truly unique. They’re soft and chewy with crunchy edges, perfectly salty-sweet and loaded with just the right amount of chocolate. —Julie Peterson, Crofton, Maryland

Butterscotch Shortbread

After sampling these tender cookies in a specialty store, I knew I had to duplicate them. My version has lots of toffee bits and butterscotch chips. I’ve given away dozens as home-baked gifts. —Sandra McKenzie, Braham, MN

Chinese Almond Cookies

Each Christmas, my mother baked these Chinese almond cookies and stored them in clean coffee cans. When she passed away, I started giving our kids a can of these sentimental sweets. (Traditional Chinese almond cookies typically use lard, but butter is a great substitute if you don’t have lard on hand.) —Jane Garing, Talladega, Alabama

Shortbread Cutouts

I found this recipe in a magazine over 30 years ago and have made these shortbread cutout cookies for Christmas ever since. They’re an oh-so-simple recipe to whip up during the hectic holidays. —Jean Henderson, Montgomery, Texas

Sugared Date Balls

When I was a youngster, Mom always baked these tender old-fashioned cookies dotted with chewy dates and crunchy walnuts. Much to the delight of my family, I’ve continued her delicious tradition.

Jammy Dodgers

On my first trip to Great Britain, I stumbled upon these cookies (or biscuits, as they’re known in the U.K.). These iconic treats, sold as Jammie Dodgers, can be found everywhere over there. Since I couldn’t find them in the States, I had to make my own version. —James Schend, Taste of Home Deputy Editor, Culinary

Swedish Spice Cutouts

My sister, Judith Landgren of White Sulphur Springs, Montana, brought this recipe with her when she came to the United States from Sweden in 1928.

Holiday Eggnog Snickerdoodles

Eggnog flavor is infused into the cookie and the glaze with this yummy recipe, perfect for the Christmas season.—Bonnie Massimino, Brookeville, Maryland

Chocolate Rum Balls

Roll these truffle-like rum balls in crushed Oreos to get just the right amount of crunch. They can be made three days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. I also tuck some in the freezer!

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cookies

My mother-in-law was known for her chocolate and peanut butter cookies, and her special Sunday dinners. She always enjoyed baking and even worked in a bakery to help put her sons through college. Her cookies were always picture-perfect. —Cathy Pawlowski, Naperville, Illinois

Crunchy Apricot-Coconut Balls

My Mom gave me this no-bake cookie recipe years ago when she had them on her Christmas buffet. I can’t believe how simple they are to make.—Jane McMillan, Dania Beach, Florida

White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

These white chocolate cranberry oatmeal cookies that I adapted from another recipe call to mind ones my mother used to bake. Instead of stirring in raisins like she did, though, I add bright red cranberries for festive flair. —Marjorie Goertzen, Chase, Kansas

Swedish Butter Cookies

It’s impossible to eat just one of these Swedish cookies. Naturally, they’re a favorite with my Swedish husband and children—but anyone with a sweet tooth will appreciate this treat. My recipe is “well-traveled” among our friends and neighbors. —Sue Soderland, Elgin, Illinois

Mexican Wedding Cakes

As part of a Mexican tradition, I tucked these tender cookies into small gift boxes for the guests at my sister’s wedding a few years ago. Most folks gobbled them up before they ever got home! —Sarita Johnston, San Antonio, Texas

Easy Mint Thins

My friends often try to guess the ingredients, but I never tell them how simple they are to make. They taste just like the Girl Scout cookie, and they’re perfect for Christmas and bake sales. —Jennifer Setser, Morgantown, Indiana

Christmas Mice Cookies

These whimsical little cuties taste like truffles. Every Christmas, we make sure to have enough for friends and neighbors. —Deborah Zabor, Fort Erie, ON

White Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cookies

This is a cookie you will want to make again and again. I like to take it to church get-togethers and family reunions. It’s very delicious…crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.
-Denise DeJong, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pistachio Cookies

This wonderful pistachio cookie recipe is fun to make and everyone will be impressed with how pretty the green coloring is. They’re one of my favorite holiday cookies. —Pat Habiger, Spearville, Kansas

Lemon Snowflakes

You’ll need just four ingredients to make these delightful lemon snowflake cookies. Confectioners’ sugar highlights the cracked tops to give them their snowflake appearance. —Linda Barry, Dianna, Texas