Have you ever tried a new Christmas cookie recipe and knew instantly that you would make it again the following year? We bet you’ll feel that way after making these creative Christmas cookies.
31 Christmas Cookies We Can’t Wait to Pass Down
Updated on Sep. 16, 2024
French Macarons
Even decorated simply—a sprinkle of sugar, a drizzle of icing—these stylish beauties are part of our creative Christmas cookies collection. They will be the showstoppers on any cookie tray. —Josh Rink, Photo Stylist Taste of Home
1/31
2/31
No-Bake Cookie Butter Blossoms
Total Time
25 min
Servings
about 2-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Chewy and sweet, these easy treats mix Rice Krispies, cookie spread and chocolate kisses in an unforgettable spin on an old favorite. —Jessie Sarrazin, Livingston, Montana
Store your cookies in these adorable Christmas cookie tins!
3/31
Coconut Drops
Total Time
35 min
Servings
about 3-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Red raspberry preserves add a festive flair to these tender coconut cookies. Perfect for holiday 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
Find even more thumbprint coookie recipes.
4/31
Reindeer Tracks
Total Time
30 min
Servings
about 2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
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
5/31
Chocolate Mint Sandwich Cookies
Total Time
30 min
Servings
2-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
I got this recipe from my daughter years ago. I've taken these chewy filled treats—and the treasured recipe—to many cookie exchanges. —Bertha Bratt, Lynden, Washington
6/31
Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
Total Time
25 min
Servings
about 4 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
These moist, delicious ginger cookies have an old-fashioned appeal that'll take you back to Grandma's kitchen. I'm never surprised when these treats disappear quickly from my cookie jar.—Bernice Smith, Sturgeon Lake, Minnesota
7/31
Peppermint Puff Pastry Sticks
Total Time
30 min
Servings
3 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
I wanted to impress my husband’s family with something you’d expect to find in a European bakery, and these chocolaty treats are what I came up with. The flaky pastry melts in your mouth. —Darlene Brenden, Salem, Oregon
8/31
Christmas Wreath Cookies
Total Time
25 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Cornflakes take the place of traditional rice cereal in these sweet, no-bake Christmas wreath cookies. Dressed up with green food coloring and red candies, they’re a pretty addition to cookie platters and dessert buffets. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
9/31
Chocolate Mint Creams
Total Time
30 min
Servings
about 6 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
This recipe came from an old family friend and is always high on everyone’s cookie request list. I make at least six batches for Noel nibbling and give some away as holiday food gifts. —Beverly Fehner, Gladstone, Missouri
10/31
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Total Time
25 min
Servings
about 3-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
When I baked these moist, fudgy cookies for the first time, my three preschool children went wild over them! But I like them because they're lower in fat and easy to mix and bake. —Maria Groff, Ephrata, Pennsylvania
11/31
Lemon Snowflakes
Total Time
40 min
Servings
4 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
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
12/31
Festive Thumbprints
Total Time
40 min
Servings
about 4 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
I never cared for jam-filled thumbprints, so I decided to fill them with frosting instead. This makes them easy to ship, which you can’t do with the sticky jam filling. I sent these to my daughter while she was serving in Iraq, and they made the long haul in perfect condition. —Wendy Schlueter, Babbitt, Minnesota
13/31
Chocolate Caramel Kiss Cookies
Total Time
25 min
Servings
2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
I make this cookie every Christmas with my family. It’s a fun twist on a classic peanut butter blossom because of the cinnamon in the batter and the caramel kiss on top. We love the cinnamon-caramel combination, but you could switch out the kiss with a different festive flavor. —Kristen Heigl, Staten Island, New York
14/31
Double Whammy Eggnog Cookies
Total Time
45 min
Servings
4 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
These cookies are an amazing way to use extra eggnog. They’ve become a new family classic. — Teresa Morris, Laurel, Delaware
15/31
Santa's Coming Cookie Puzzle
Total Time
50 min
Servings
1 cookie puzzle (24 servings)
From the Recipe Creator:
This clever confection is 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
16/31
Holiday Almond Tassies
Total Time
45 min
Servings
4 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
I make so many of these fancy tassies, I use up a 7-pound container of almond paste every year! They’re one of my family’s holiday favorites. —Donna Westhouse, Dorr, Michigan
17/31
Spearmint Thins
Total Time
30 min
Servings
4 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
No time to bake Christmas cookies from scratch? Create a tasty treat in little more than half an hour by doctoring butter-flavored crackers with vanilla chips and mint candies.—Kathleen Felton, Fairfax, Iowa
18/31
Soft Gingersnap Cookies
Total Time
25 min
Servings
3 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Soft gingersnaps embody the tastes and smells of the Christmas season, but they are perfect for any fall or winter gathering. I enjoy the blend of cloves, ginger and cinnamon in this delicious cookie. —Lara Pennell, Mauldin, South Carolina
19/31
Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies
Total Time
40 min
Servings
about 3-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
This is a variation of the cookies my mother made when I was growing up. Now my 13-year-old daughter and I bake them together. They’re always a huge hit! The taste is like rich holiday hot chocolate baked into a scrumptious cookie. —Larry Piklor, Johnsburg, Illinois
20/31
Fruitcake Christmas Cookies
Total Time
40 min
Servings
4 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
As holiday gifts, these rich fruit-and nut-filled cookies are pretty and practical. These are great make ahead Christmas cookies —the taste actually gets better over time! —Julia Funkhouser, Carson, Iowa
21/31
Holly Wreaths
Total Time
30 min
Servings
about 3 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
I've never come across another spritz cookie like this - one calling for cream cheese as an ingredient. That helps to keep these wreaths moist a long time, while also adding a delicious flavor. —Dee Lein, Longmont, Colorado
22/31
Chocolate Snowballs
Total Time
45 min
Servings
about 4 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
This is my favorite Christmas cookie recipe. The cookies remind me of the snowballs I packed as a child during many cold Wisconsin winters. —Dee Derezinski, Waukesha, Wisconsin
23/31
Cream Cheese Spritz Cookies
Total Time
25 min
Servings
about 6 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
A hint of orange and cinnamon highlights these Christmastime classics. I like to add colorful sprinkles before baking them. The recipe is from a booklet that came with a cookie press in the 1950s…and I still have the press! —Sarah Bedia, Lake Jackson, Texas
24/31
Chocolate Gingersnaps
Total Time
55 min
Servings
about 3-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
When my daughter Jennifer was 15 years old, she created this recipe as a way to combine two of her favorite flavors. They're perfect with a glass of milk. —Paula Zsiray, Logan, Utah
25/31
Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Total Time
50 min
Servings
5 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Santa is sure to stop by your house if you leave these minty chocolate cookies waiting for him. They’re quick and easy for the whole family to make together. —Teresa Ralston, New Albany, Ohio
26/31
Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
Total Time
30 min
Servings
4 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Guests will stand in line to kiss the cook when these treats are served! For a change of pace, try them with chunky peanut butter, too. —Canada60, Tasteofhome.com Community
27/31
Drizzled Gingerbread Biscotti
Total Time
1 hour 15 min
Servings
3-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
After stumbling across a community recipe for gingerbread biscotti, I made several batches and tweaked it to our tastes. These became an instant obsession at our house.—Susan Board, Palmer, Alaska
28/31
Raspberry Pistachio Thumbprints
Total Time
40 min
Servings
about 3 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Thumbprint cookies are a Christmas classic, and I especially like my updated version with pistachios. The rich, buttery bites are not only delicious, but they are also pretty enough to give for gifts—if you manage to share them! —Laura Murphy, Columbus, Mississippi
29/31
Silver Bells
Total Time
35 min
Servings
about 4 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
My mom and grandma are known for their signature Christmas cookies. I decided to create my own, inspired by one of my favorite Christmas songs. Edible shimmer dust gives them their iconic shine. Look for the dust in the cake decorating section of craft or grocery stores. —Crystal Schlueter, Northglenn, Colorado
30/31
Rum Balls
Total Time
30 min
Servings
about 2-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
I make these rum balls for special occasions with my wonderful family and friends. The treats are so easy to make and pack a festive punch. — Diane Duschanek, Council Bluffs, Iowa
31/31
Cinnamon Sugar Crackle Cookies
Total Time
30 min
Servings
about 6 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
I get lots of compliments on these crunchy cookies. They're always part of my Christmas cookie platter. —Sarah Miller, Wauconda, Washington
