The Best Christmas Cookie Recipes We've Ever Tried

Tracy Snyder Molina said:  Looking for the perfect sugar cookie? This is one of the best Christmas cookie recipes because the dough is easy to work with, and the icing hardens so they can be stacked on a cookie platter or for gift giving. The decorating can be as simple or as intricate as you like with frosting and holiday sprinkles galore. From Food.com

Tracy Snyder Molina said:  These peanut butter blossoms are one of my favorite easy Christmas cookie recipes and are always a huge hit with cookie recipients. Make them even more festive by rolling them in holiday-colored sanding sugars. From Sally's Baking Recipes

Kristy Pepping said:  If you are looking for the best Christmas cookie recipes to win a family or work bake-off, this one is the ticket! It earned me top honors at my last two office jobs. First of all, these are super easy to make and a drop cookie so no need for a rolling pin. If you are not familiar with snickerdoodles, they are like a sugar cookie with cinnamon. Plus, they remain soft even after being baked so they melt in your mouth! From Food.com

Tracy Snyder Molina said:  These fun salty and sweet Christmas treats are so simple to make but they look great and even more importantly they taste great! From Cooking Classy

Tracy Snyder Molina said:  These adorable cookies are our new favorite Christmas cookies for kids! They are easy to make, but will impress everyone. Using a peanut butter cookie base, just add some mini chocolate-covered pretzels for antlers, mini M&Ms for the eyes and if you are making Rudolph cookies, a red M&M for the nose! From Bakergirl

Tracy Snyder Molina said:  Buttery sugar cookies infused with peppermint and shaped into candy canes are the perfect addition to any holiday cookie assortment. This is one of the best Christmas cookie recipes for kids to help make because they are so much fun. They especially like making the "snakes" of dough and twisting them together. From Home Cooking Memories

Katie G. said:  This sweet, buttery toffee crunch is as easy to make as it is delicious. A few simple ingredients make it my go-to recipe for gift giving. Add some holiday sprinkles instead of pecans to make this kid-friendly. And be sure to watch the "caramel" mixture as it cooks on the stove to avoid burnt toffee. I must warn you, this stuff is addicting and you will find yourself making several batches over the holidays because it's that good! From The Girl Who Ate Everything

Vanessa M. said:  While soft-baked chocolate cookies are still warm, top them with whole Andes mints, which melt into a delicious frosting over each cookie. The result is a Christmas cookie that we want to make every year! From Chocolate With Grace

Tracy Snyder Molina said:  Full of spicy goodness, gingerbread men are some of the best Christmas cookies because they are fun to make and even more fun to decorate. This a great one to let the kids help you with and your kitchen will smell fantastic with these in the oven! From McCormick

Tracy Snyder Molina said:  This holiday candy classic is meant to look like actual buckeye nuts. The tried and true combination of peanut butter and chocolate will delight kids and adults alike. From Allrecipes

Tracy Snyder Molina said:  I had never heard of Oreo truffles until a few years ago, boy was I missing out! These decadent delights are ridiculously easy to make and taste amazing. Plus, once you've got the basic recipe down, there are a huge variety of truffles you can make. It's one of those easy Christmas cookie recipes that you will love making every year. From Cooking Classy

Dawn Denning said:  Peppermint is the flavor of the season and these are special occasion treats. Although a few more steps than usual, the best Christmas cookie recipes are worth the effort! My kiddos love the texture and filling. A double batch allows me to eat some too! From Food Network

Lisa R said:  This spicy take on gingerbread is a holiday must in the Netherlands. They are quick to mix, roll, and bake (with a refrigeration step in the middle), but have a surprisingly big flavor. Not overly sweet, they pair well with coffee and can be a nice break from more sugary tasting Christmas cookie recipes. However, don't think that the more 'adult' taste will keep them safe from little hands: they are cookies, after all. From Eat the Love

Molly Weber said:  Who knew that peanut butter cups could be even tastier? Popping them into a delicious peanut butter dough makes these one of the best Christmas cookie recipes ever. From Allrecipes

Molly Weber said:  This is a very unique Christmas cookie recipe and one that I definitely remember making with my grandma throughout my childhood. It's the perfect mix of sweet and savory. When's the last time you made a dessert that included potato chips in the recipe? Trust me on this one, it sounds crazy but it's definitely delicious! From Allrecipes

christadiserio said:  My husband is Italian and this is one of their family favorite Christmas cookies! This year, I made them for my family and they were all gone within the hour. They are buttery and delicious. It's the perfect cookie for someone who's craving something sweet but doesn't want anything overly sugary. The best part is - if you're the one making the cookies, you don't have to carve out hours of time to bake. This is an easy and quick recipe that will only take you about 35 minutes from start to finish. From Food.com

Juan L. said:  Gingersnaps just smell and feel like the holidays. This is one of the best Christmas cookie recipes because a dunk in white chocolate makes them look extra special and pairs perfectly with the strength and spice of the ginger flavor. They are relatively simple and quick to make. From Taste of Home

Beth Wood said:  These cookies bring together the wonderful tastes of classic sugar cookie, melted white chocolate and crushed peppermint. They are easy Christmas cookies to make and are always a hit in our house around the holidays. From Pillsbury

Tracy Snyder Molina said:  These traditional buttery Christmas cookies are made with the use of a cookie press in the shapes of trees, wreaths, stars and more. You can also color the dough and add festive sprinkles to make these cookies shine. From Christmas-Cookies.com

Amanda Banta said:  At first look of this recipe I was skeptical about the combination of red velvet and peppermint, but it turns out that this is a delicious pairing! The cookies are soft and chewy, thanks to the cake mix. And the peppermint candies and extract add a festive Christmas flavor. From Tasty Kitchen

Tracy Snyder Molina said:  After our younger son was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, it meant changing up some of our best Christmas cookie recipes. These fun snowman sugar cookies are easy enough to make with the kids and taste so great even those that don't have to eat gluten-free desserts loved them! From Gluten Free on a Shoestring

Tracy Snyder Molina said:  Growing up, these bourbon balls were in standard rotation on my family's Christmas cookie list. These are best made a few days ahead to let the flavors develop. Careful, they do pack a punch so save these holiday treats for the adults! From Brown Eyed Baker

Amanda Banta said:  Crinkle cookies make the best Christmas cookies because the coating of confectionery sugar always reminds me of a fresh dusting of snow. In addition to their good looks, these gingerbread crinkle cookies have a delicious holiday flavor. You get a strong gingerbread taste, but instead of a snappy crunch, it's in a chewy cookie, with a little extra sweetness on top with the powdered sugar. Little helpers will love rolling the balls of dough in the sugar! From If You Give a Blonde a Kitchen

Amanda Banta said:  You won't regret adding these sweet and crispy biscotti to your Christmas cookie platter this holiday season. Kids are drawn to the candy cane pieces and white chocolate drizzle. I love to dip these into a post-dinner cup of hot coffee.

Give yourself plenty of time to bake these and follow the steps as described. It's tempting to rush the cooling period between the first and second baking but it's an important step. If you want to reduce sweetness and sugar intake, skip the chocolate drizzle. The cookies still are super delicious without it! From What Megan's Making

Tracy Snyder Molina said:  Fudgy chewy cookies rolled in confectioners sugar and baked to crackled perfection. These chocolate crinkle cookies are always among the best Christmas cookies and with good reason. Enjoy these with a cup of homemade hot cocoa and you'll be in chocolate heaven! From Simply Recipes

Tim Ponisciak said:  Everyone knows Santa's favorite Christmas cookies are chocolate chip! This recipe features a heavy dose of chocolate chips along with sea salt adding a little something extra. Plan ahead though as this recipe requires chilling the dough for at least 24 hours. From Brown Eyed Baker

christadiserio said:  These cranberry almond treats are favorite Christmas cookies in my husband's family. They're easy to make and appeal to those who are big or moderate dessert fans. Something to note about this recipe is that baked cookies can be frozen for up to 6 months, meaning you can bake your cookies early and not have to worry about compromising the flavor or texture! From MyRecipes

Vanessa M. said:  It doesn't feel like Christmas until I bake these chewy ginger molasses cookies! This old-fashioned cookie recipe has just the right blend of spices; the mixture of ginger, cinnamon, and cloves sings to your taste buds like two partridges in a pear tree. Made with real molasses and rolled in sugar before baking, this cookie has a crisp sugar-laced outside, with a satisfyingly thick and chewy inside. From Gimme Some Oven

Beth Wood said:  If you like coconut, you'll love these coconut macaroons. Chewy on the inside, crunchy on the outside with the bold taste of coconut, these are always a crowd pleaser! And they are super easy Christmas cookies to make! We sometimes melt chocolate chips and dip the macaroons in chocolate for an added treat! From Food Network

Kristy Pepping said:  One of my favorite easy Christmas cookie recipes, these are a dropped version of the traditional Christmas sugar cookie. No need to roll out the dough and cut with cookie cutters. Just flatten the cookies a bit with the bottom of a glass and stick them in the oven. This recipe is still a great sugar cookie, but takes a little less time. I then frost these cookies and let our kids decorate them how they want. It's simple and even little ones can be involved in the decorating! From Food.com

Katie G. said:  Growing up, my mom always made lemon bars for Christmas. I'll admit as a kid I preferred the sprinkled sugar Christmas cookies over lemon bars, but as an adult I have come to appreciate the citrusy taste of these cookies. With a buttery crust, tangy lemon filling and powdered sugar on top, these bars give you a taste of summer during the cold winter months. From Everyday Dishes

When baking for the holidays, it's always nice to be able to make 1 big batch of dough that is flexible enough to turn into a variety of easy Christmas cookies. This classic shortbread recipe is just that - it can be eaten on its own or embellished with chocolate, dried fruit, sprinkles, etc. From Martha Stewart

Yoli B said:  The ingredients may be a little exotic for some, but this Curry Cardamom Cookie is a favorite in our house! I have been making this recipe for over 10 years and they are not only a hit in my home, but they hold up at Christmas cookie exchanges and parties also. Try something different and you will love the taste explosion (and butter flavor) from this recipe! From The Spice House

Kelly R. said:  These Santa cookies have been a family Christmas tradition of ours for years and years, since I was a kid. Store bought dough and frosting make them easy, but I love to make them with my favorite homemade sugar cookie recipe and fresh buttercream. From Pillsbury

Tracy Snyder Molina said:  These cherry coconut cookies are a relatively new addition to my holiday cookie rotation and already one of my favorites. These flaky treats are full of almond and coconut flavors with a sweet maraschino cherry surprise in the middle. From Homemade In The Kitchen

christadiserio said:  Who knew the crispy noodles used in Asian dishes could be used as the main ingredient for easy Christmas cookie recipes? They're so simple to make and absolutely delicious. This recipe requires only 4 ingredients, your hand to stir with, a microwave and a fridge. How simple is that? And when you're done, you'll have a chunky chocolate butterscotch cookie! This is a perfect recipe for kids to make. From Taste of Home

Tracy Snyder Molina said:  Dark chocolate and cherries is a favorite combination of mine and these cookies are absolutely divine. These melt-in-your-mouth decadent delights are addicting! From How Sweet Eats

Tracy Snyder Molina said:  These light and airy cookies are a perfect gluten-free treat for the holidays. The egg white meringue makes them literally melt in your mouth with the added treat of chocolate chips in each bite. From Skinnytaste