Christmas Cookies Kids Will Beg to Help Make

Santa's Coming Cookie Puzzle

This clever confection s easy to make with store-bought cookie dough and is entirely edible to boot! Blanched almonds make it simple for little hands to grasp the puzzle Pieces, which are completely removable.—Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Chocolate Reindeer Cookies

Add a touch of whimsy to your holiday spread with these chocolaty treats. They're perfect for getting little ones involved. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Santa Claus Cookies

Store-bought peanut butter sandwich cookies become jolly Santas with white chocolate, colored sugar, mini chips and red-hot candies. —Mary Kaufenberg, Shakopee, Minnesota

Snow Day Cookies

Clear your pantry to make these chocolate chip cookies loaded with goodies. We add oats, M&M’s, pretzels and even potato chips. —Brittney Musgrove, Dallas, Georgia

Stacked Snowman Cookies

Though they hold their cute snowman shape well, these cookies are still nice and soft. Kids love the design and everyone loves the chocolate flavor packed into the cookie. —Evangeline Bradford, Erlanger, Kentucky

Gingerbread Buddies

These cookies were ideal for a winter get-together I hosted. I like to share these crunchy treats on the way home from cutting our fresh Christmas tree.—Shelly Rynearson, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin

Stacked Christmas Tree Cookies

Using prepared cookie dough gives you a nice head start to your own little forest of Christmas trees. Get the kids involved in this holiday craft to keep them busy making memories.—Sue Draheim, Waterford, Wisconsin

Merry Grinchmas Cookies

Baking cookies around the holidays is a big deal in our house. Some are a must every year and we also come up with new recipes. This one is simple, delicious and fun to make with the kids!—Angela Lemoine, Howell, New Jersey

Decorated Christmas Cutout Cookies

Rich and buttery Christmas cutout cookies like these never last long at a party. They're one of my favorite homemade Christmas cookies. I use seasonal cutters to celebrate the holidays tastefully. —Lynn Burgess, Rolla, Missouri

Peppermint S'more Tassies

Graham cracker cookie cups brim with a luscious peppermint-milk chocolate filling, sweet marshmallow creme and crushed peppermint candies. Santa (and his elves) will look forward to these! —Edwina Gadsby, Hayden, Idaho

Holiday Cornflake Cookies

I can't seem to make enough of these cornflake wreaths around the holidays. The cookies firm up quickly, so you'll need to place the Red Hots right away. —Kathleen Hedger, Fairview Heights, Illinois

Santa Star Cookies

Cookie baking can't get any more fun than when you are making—and decorating—these adorable Santa cookies. But they're not too cute to eat! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Gumdrop Cookies

These fun cookies are chock-full of chewy gumdrops. I use red and green ones at Christmas, black and orange for Halloween and pastel shades for Easter. I've made this recipe for years and find that kids really get a kick out of the cookies with a candy surprise inside! —Carolyn Stromberg, Wever, Iowa

Christmas Lights Cookies

What better way to brighten chilly winter days than with light-shaped cookies? My classic dough recipe has been a holiday tradition in our family for years. —Carolyn Moseley, Dayton, Ohio

Snowy Mountain Cookies

I was so excited to bake these with my mom after coming home from studying abroad in Germany. They remind me of the Swabian Alps I could see from my room there. Be careful not to overheat the white chocolate; it’ll lose that attractive shine. —Stephanie Bouley, North Smithfield, Rhode Island

Christmas Eve Mice

Assembling these merry mice is so much fun that the kids will definitely want to help. My daughter gave me the recipe, along with a warning...your guests just might think these treats are too cute to eat! —Margene Pons, West Valley City, Utah

Snowman Treats

My daughter, Hannah, and I came up with this recipe on Christmas Eve when she wanted to make treats for Santa. Building a real snowman is fun, but we think coating one in candy is even cooler! —Lori Daniels, Beverly, West Virginia

Yeti Cookies

When the weather outside is frightful, these smiley guys are so delightful. And they really know how to celebrate the season. Let it snow! —Shannon Roum, Cudahy, Wisconsin

Elf Cookies

A sweet frosting glaze, colorful candies and well-placed almond slices turn these sugar cookie diamonds into a big batch of Santa’s helpers. TIP: Bake a batch of the adorable elves as a classroom treat or use a few to brighten each of your cookie trays. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Reindeer Tracks

This is the first cookie recipe I’ve ever created! It captures the essence of the holidays because there’s a trace of eggnog flavor in these adorable reindeer hoof prints. You can add red and green frosting to make them even more Christmasy or use brown sprinkles for a more natural reindeer look. —Pam Sano, Voorhees, New Jersey

Gingerbread Sandwich Trees

Fun and festive, these cookie sandwich trees will be a huge hit with kids of all ages. They're a super-cute holiday treat! —Steve Foy, Kirkwood, Missouri

Peanut Butter Christmas Mice

With their black licorice tails, candy noses and peanut ears, these chewy "mice" were always a hit at classroom parties. My children are in their teens now, but they still ask me to make these cookies for the holidays. —Nancy Rowse, Bella Vista, Arkansas