45 of Grandma’s Last-Minute Christmas Cookies

Chocolate Linzer Torte Stars

Wanting a treat that tastes like traditional linzer torte without the time commitment, I came up with these simple, sensational cookies. They have the nuts and chocolate with a filling of bright raspberry preserves—festive enough for any holiday gathering. —Edwina Gadsby, Hayden, Idaho

Oat & Coconut Icebox Cookies

This recipe was passed down through my family from Grandma Irene and is a favorite of my dad and cousin Dennis. It's a true cookie lover's cookie: crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside and perfectly dunkable. —Lori Rowe, Tigerton, Wisconsin

Cardamom Spritz

As far back as I remember, I have loved cardamom. My grandmother often added the spice to her baked goods. I usually make these cookies in a camel design with a camel spritz press I found at a thrift shop—it reminds me of a time when I rode a camel in the desert while deployed with the Navy. Of course, any design will do! —Crystal Schlueter, Northglenn, Colorado

Butterscotch Gingerbread Cookies

Every time I make these wonderful cookies, the spicy aroma takes me back to my childhood. I helped Mom make them and delivered them to neighbors. —Kara Cook, Elk Ridge, Utah

Semisweet Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies

Chocolate and vanilla provide a delightful contrast in their flavor and appearance. —Nancy Arevalo, Brookfield, Wisconsin

Cathedral Cookies

Children love the colorful marshmallows in these festive confections, which look like stained glass when they're sliced. They practically light up the room from the serving platter at our holiday parties. —Carol Shaffer, Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Homemade Chocolate Shortbread

This recipe has been in my files for a long time...probably from when I first learned to bake. Any chocolate lover will like these melt-in-your-mouth cookies. I make them year-round with variations. They're even richer with a thin coat of icing or as a sandwich cookie with frosting in the middle. —Sarah Bueckert, Austin, Manitoba

Cherry Surprise Cookies

I tuck a rich chocolate surprise into each of these cute bites. Candied cherries add a colorful finishing touch. —Gloria McBride, Payson, Utah

Butterscotch Toffee Cookies

With its big butterscotch and chocolate flavor, my cookie stands out. I like to enjoy it with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee. It’s my fallback recipe when I’m short on time and need something delicious fast. —Allie Blinder, Norcross, Georgia

Tender Pecan Logs

Folks always ask me to make these tender nutty logs. Not overly sweet, they're just right with a steaming cup of coffee or tea. —Joyce Beck, Gadsden, Alabama

Cinnamon Star Cutouts

These cookies fill your home with an irresistible aroma as they bake. My grandmother made them every Christmas when I was a child. I have fond memories of helping her in the kitchen. —Jean Jones, Peachtree City, Georgia

Chocolate Almond Pizzelles

If you love fun baking gadgets, you'll enjoy making these crispy, almond-flavored cookies, which get their unique waffle design from a pizzelle maker. They bake up golden brown in only a few minutes. Feel free to double the chocolate drizzle if you'd like to cover the cookies more generously. —Hannah Riley, Norwalk, Ohio

Fruit 'n' Spice Rounds

While I was looking for a way to use up an abundance of dates, I came across this recipe. Made with raisins, walnuts and a delectable lemon glaze, these quickly became a family favorite. —Allison Bell, Helena, Montana

Chocolate Mint Creams

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 gifts. —Beverly Fehner, Gladstone, Missouri

Peanut Butter Cookies

It is amazing how much flavor these simple peanut butter cookies without brown sugar have. I make them very often because I always have the ingredients on hand. —Maggie Schimmel, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin

Classic Sugar Cookies

Use cookie cutters to cut seasonal shapes from a few cups of Gloria’s dough. Prepared frosting and colored sugar make it a snap to decorate these classic Christmas cookies. —Gloria McBride, Payson, Utah

Crispy Norwegian Bows

I've been fixing these cookies for so long, I don't recall where the recipe came from. They're a "must" at our house.—Janie Norwood, Albany, Georgia

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

Here's proof that peanut butter and chocolate just belong together. These peanut butter blossoms are an easy family favorite and never fail to make my children smile. —Tammie Merrill, Wake Forest, North Carolina

Cherry Kisses

Cookies that melt in your mouth and are practically fat-free—is it any wonder these crispy meringue morsels disappear as fast as I can whip them up? Friends and family love them. —Jo Ann Blomquest, Freeport, Illinois

Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookies

Cookie butter and ground ginger add a new layer of flavor. The recipe makes about 2 dozen cookies, and they go fast. You may want to make a double batch. —Carole Resnick, Cleveland, Ohio

Triple Nut Snowballs

This super-crunchy, not-too-sweet cookie is a fun update on the classic snowball. I used cashews, macadamia nuts and pecans, but you can mix and match other nuts to your liking. —Thomas Faglon, Somerset, New Jersey

Mom’s Buttermilk Cookies

I treasure my mother’s recipe for these comforting cookie pillows. The tender treats are topped with thick frosting and a sprinkling of chopped walnuts. —Jane Darling, Simi Valley, California

Cranberry Pecan Cookies

These are so tasty and simple to prepare! Each delightful little cookie is loaded with cranberries, nuts and vanilla, giving them the taste of a treat that’s been slaved over. —Louise Hawkins, Lubbock, Texas

Snickerdoodles

The history of this whimsically named treat is widely disputed, but the popularity of this classic cinnamon-sugar-coated cookie is undeniable! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Orange Crispies

When I want to drop a little sunshine into my cookie jar, I bake up a double batch of these citrusy and sweet treats. —Ruth Gladstone, Brunswick, Maryland

Cranberry Slices

The holidays wouldn’t be complete without a plateful of homemade cookies to give family and friends. Try these for gifts.—American Dairy Association, Stacy Duffy, Chicago, Illinois

Soft Cornmeal Cookies

Combining humble ingredients can sometimes result in a delicious treat. Use these versatile cookie as the base for ice cream sandwiches or crumble them over strawberries and ice cream. —Gina Martin, Spooner, Wisconsin

Cherry-Coconut Slices

My mother got this recipe from a woman named Emmie Oddie, a well-known home economist in Canada who had a column in a farming newspaper. Oddie would test reader recipes in her own kitchen and write about it. These tasty sweets are so rich that you need only a small piece. —Judy Olson, Whitecourt, Alberta

Winter Fruit Macaroons

Coconut macaroons with sweetened condensed milk instead of egg whites are my version of a recipe my mom loved. All you do is mix, drop and bake. —Veronica Miller, Aliquippa, Pennsylvania

Joe Froggers

Large, soft and chewy, these cookies are made to munch. This classic recipe has a warm blend of spices that seems stronger the second day. Your family will definitely ask you to make them again!, soft and chewy, these are a great snack. This classic recipe has a warm blend of spices that seems stronger the second day. Your family will definitely ask you to make these again. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

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

Butter Pecan Icebox Cookies

My grandmother used to bake very similar cookies. As a little girl, I always loved their butterscotch flavor and was fascinated by the way Grandmother prepared these cookies (from logs that she took out of the icebox!). These are simple but delicious old-fashioned cookies. The dough logs can be stored in the freezer, then pulled out to defrost a day or two before baking time.—Lisa Varner, El Paso, Texas

Sandbakkelse (Sand Tarts)

Translated from Norwegian, the name of these cookies is "'sand tarts." They're most attractive if baked in authentic sandbakkelse molds, which can be purchased online or in a Scandinavian import shop. Most any decorative cookie mold will do, though, and the interesting shapes will make these tarts the focus of your cookie tray. —Karen Hoylo, Duluth, Minnesota

Butter Mint Cookies

These delicate mint cookies were a big hit when I made them for a party at work. —Anita Epitropou, Zion, Illinois

Spiced Toffee Cookies

I bake these cookies for family gatherings because my crowd likes cookies thin and chewy with a crispy exterior. The toffee bits make a happy surprise.—Gloria Bradley, Naperville, Illinois

Candied Fruit Cookies

These no-fuss candied fruit cookies are both nutty and fruity, so they're always a hit at holiday time. —Florence Monson, Denver, Colorado

Shortbread

I live in Missouri, but many family recipes come from New Zealand where I was born. My parents moved there when I was a year old, so I have a "Down Under" heritage. This easy shortbread recipe brings back warm memories of my childhood, and I'm going to make sure they're passed on to the next generation in my family…no matter where they live! —Allen Swenson, Camdenton, Missouri

Cranberry Nut Swirls

This recipe originated with my sister-in-law. It gets used a lot over the holidays when we want to pull a fast one on the guys in our family. They claim they don't like cranberries in any shape or form, but everyone enjoys these. —Carla Hodenfield, Ray, North Dakota

Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

I packed chocolate chips, raisins, nuts and cinnamon into my oatmeal cookie recipe. These soft cookies are easy to make. Best of all, our kids love them! —Janis Plageman, Lynden, Washington

Mom's Lemon Sugar Cookies

These tender, soft sugar cookies have just a hint of lemon. If you like more lemon flavor, go ahead and kick it up a notch. It's also fantastic made with orange instead. —Nancy Foust, Stoneboro, Pennsylvania

Chewy Almond Cookies

My children and grandchildren adore these old-fashioned cookies, and they make a good unfrosted choice for a holiday cookie plate. But they’re wonderful year-round, too—I even keep unbaked dough in my freezer so I can whip up a batch whenever my family comes for a visit. —Betty Speth, Vincennes, Indiana

Cream Cheese Spritz

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

Sinterklaas Cookies

After opening our gifts on Christmas Eve as children, we would make these cookies for Santa Claus to snack on with his glass of milk. The crisp spice cookies are delicious dipped in that milk—or in your coffee on Christmas morning. —Charli Fontana, Pella, Iowa

Pecan Meltaways

This sweet, nutty pecan balls recipe is a tradition in our house at Christmastime, but the treats are delightful any time of the year. —Alberta McKay, Bartlesville, Oklahoma

Fruit ‘n’ Nut Cookies

Once after making a fruit cake, I had some fruit and nuts left over. I mixed them into a basic cookie dough along with pineapple and coconut. These soft, colorful cookies are a nice addition to a Christmas dessert tray. —Jennie Loftus, Gasport, New York