There’s just something about baking cookies at Christmas that makes everything feel a little MORE magical! The smell of butter and sugar in the oven, a bit of flour on your sweater, Christmas music in the background, that’s the good stuff…
This year, we’ve rounded up 13 Christmas cookie recipes that’ll make your kitchen smell like pure holiday joy! From classic sugar cookies and chewy gingerbread men to peppermint-studded chocolate cookies and cozy spiced shortbread, these recipes are made to share (or sneak straight from the tray)!
Each ONE is simple, festive, and full of the kind of flavor that reminds you why homemade cookies just hit differently. So grab your mixing bowl, turn on those twinkle lights, and let’s bake our way through the season, one warm, buttery cookie at a time!
1) M&M Christmas Cookies by Celebrating Sweets
These soft, chewy cookies are packed with red and green M&M’s and topped with sprinkles, basically Christmas in cookie form! They’ve got those crisp edges and gooey centers everyone LOVES, and the dough doesn’t even need to chill. Mix, bake, and you’ve got cookies that look straight out of a bakery. Great for cookie swaps, gifting, or sneaking while they’re still warm!
2) Easy Christmas Butter Cookies by Drive Me Hungry
Crisp on the edges, buttery in the middle, and dipped in chocolate… these Christmas butter cookies are a holiday classic you’ll want to bake every year! They ONLY take 20 minutes and need just six ingredients, which makes them perfect for last-minute baking. Pipe them into pretty swirls, dip in chocolate, and finish with sprinkles for that classic bakery look!
3) Christmas Sugar Cookies by Simply Recipes
You can’t talk about Christmas cookies without mentioning the classics! These soft, buttery sugar cookies from Simply Recipes are perfect for cutting into stars, trees, or whatever shapes you like BEST! The dough rolls out beautifully and bakes up golden at the edges, ready for colorful icing and sprinkles. Whether you’re decorating with kids or prepping Santa’s cookie plate, this recipe is a holiday must-bake!
4) 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Christmas Cookies by Savvy Saving Couple
You only need THREE ingredients to make these soft, sweet peanut butter cookies: just peanut butter, sugar, and an egg. That’s it! They bake up golden and chewy, and if you drizzle a little melted white chocolate and toss on some holiday sprinkles, they look straight out of a bakery. Perfect for last-minute baking or an easy gluten-free treat that still feels festive.
5) Christmas Sprinkle Cookies by Dash of Jazz
These soft cream cheese sugar cookies are rolled in festive red and green sprinkles and baked until just golden at the edges. They’re buttery, tender, and have that perfect mix of soft inside and a little crunch outside. Best part?! The dough chills ahead of time, so you can prep it days in advance for stress-free baking. Great for cookie boxes, parties, or just a cozy afternoon treat with a cup of cocoa.
6) Christmas Sugar Cookies by Modern Honey
Soft, chewy, and frosted to perfection… these Christmas sugar cookies from Modern Honey are what holiday dreams are made of! The dough is rich and buttery with just the right amount of sweetness, and the cream cheese buttercream on top is smooth and creamy.
You can decorate them with any colors or sprinkles you like, from classic red and green to gold and white for a fancier touch. They hold their shape beautifully and taste even better than they look!
7) Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies by In Bloom Bakery
If you’re baking for someone who really loves chocolate, these ARE the ones to make! These dark chocolate cookies are rich and chewy, made with Dutch cocoa and filled with silky smooth ganache… They get just the right amount of holiday flair with a sprinkle of nonpareils on top, simple but stunning! You’ll want to chill the dough before baking to help the cookies hold their shape, but trust me, it’s worth the wait.
8) Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookies by In Bloom Bakery
These are next-level gingerbread cookies. Soft, chewy, perfectly spiced… and YEP, they’ve got a creamy cheesecake center hiding inside! You roll the dough in spiced sugar before baking, so the outside gets a little crunch while the inside stays soft and gooey. They take a little more effort than your average cookie, but honestly, they’re worth every step!
9) Candy Cane Crumbl Cookies by Kimspired DIY
If you love those big, soft Crumbl cookies, this one’s for you! These homemade candy cane Crumbl cookies are thick, chewy, and full of peppermint flavor… just like the bakery version, but way easier to make at HOME! They’re topped with creamy peppermint frosting and a sprinkle of crushed candy canes for that perfect holiday crunch. Great for parties, cookie exchanges, or just keeping a few in the fridge for yourself.
10) White Chocolate Dipped Gingersnap Cookies by The Novice Chef
These gingersnaps are soft, chewy, and full of cozy molasses and warm spice… and just when you think they can’t get better, they’re dipped in melted white chocolate and topped with holly sprinkles! They look fancy, but they’re SUPER simple to make and smell amazing while they bake. A great option for gifting or filling up the cookie tray with something classic (but a little extra)!
11) Linzer Christmas Cookies with Jam
These look fancy, but they’re surprisingly simple! These cookies are buttery and soft with a little almond flavor, and that sweet jam center makes them feel extra special. You cut out a little window on top so the filling peeks through (hearts or stars both look GREAT), then dust everything with powdered sugar for that classic snowy finish.
They’re crisp on day one, tender by day two, and somehow even better by day three!
12) Snowball Cookies by Kitchen Fun with My 3 Sons
These are the cookies that practically melt in your mouth. Snowball cookies are a buttery shortbread classic, packed with finely chopped nuts and rolled (twice!) in powdered sugar. They’re soft, crumbly, sweet and look exactly like little snowballs, which makes them a staple on any holiday tray! You ONLY need 6 basic ingredients, and no decorating skills at all… Just bake, roll in sugar, and try not to eat them all before the guests arrive!
13) Red Velvet Kiss Cookies by Sally’s Baking Recipes
Soft, chewy, and extra festive, these red velvet kiss cookies are like the HOLIDAY version of peanut butter blossoms. They’ve got that buttery red velvet flavor, a little cocoa, a little vanilla, all rolled in sugar for a light crunch! Press a chocolate Kiss in the center while they’re still warm, then pop them in the freezer for a few minutes so it sets perfectly. They look fancy, taste amazing, and disappear fast from any cookie tray!
So there you have it, 13 festive, crowd-pleasing Christmas cookies you’ll want to bake on repeat! Some are super simple, others feel a little fancy, but they’re all totally doable and DELICIOUS! Perfect for cookie boxes, bake sales, cozy nights in, or showing off at your holiday party. And let’s be honest… a few might not even make it off the cooling rack!
Go ahead and pick one (or five), get the oven going, and let your kitchen smell like Christmas magic. Don’t forget to PIN or SAVE this list for later… you’ll definitely want it on hand when the cookie cravings hit!
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