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    Home » Christmas

    25+ Christmas Cookies

    November 29, 2020 by Amee Leave a Comment

    You're going to love these 25+ Christmas Cookies! The holiday is nearly here, so now is the time to make ALL the treats! In this post I've pulled together 25+ recipes for cookies, bars, brownies, and more so you can finalize your holiday baking plans!

    Collage of Christmas Cookies.

    This post may contain affiliate links, and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I’ll never link to anything I don’t use and love! Click here for full disclosure and privacy policy.

    Each of these 25+ Christmas Cookies can be served alone, or make a variety and serve them up on a tray or pack them in gift boxes for friends and family! I've also included some bar, brownie, and madeleine recipes to give you more variety!

    If you're looking for more Christmasy content, check out my posts for Christmas Desserts and Christmas Breakfasts, and Gifts for Bakers!

    Jump to:
    • The History of Christmas Cookies
    • Christmas Cookie Recipes
    • Bar & Brownie Recipes
    • Madeleine Recipes
    • Other Recipes You May Like
    • 💬 Comments

    The History of Christmas Cookies

    So why do we make Christmas cookies, anyway? My nerdy nature made me wonder, so I had to investigate (with the aid of History.com)! I found that festivals to celebrate the start of Winter started eons ago, long before Christmas existed. These festivals, of course, included food and desserts.

    By the Middle Ages, people were celebrating Christmas, but the old traditions of the Winter solstice festivals remained. During this time, spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon, and black pepper were just starting to be used. People also started using fruits such as citron, apricots, and dates to add sweetness to their gatherings. These items would have been quite expensive, as were sugar, lard, and butter. As such, it made sense that these ingredients would be used for special occasions like Christmas.

    Unlike other desserts, cookies can be more easily stored and shared with others, so they became the norm to celebrate Christmas. Though cookies have, of course, changed since this time, they still tend to be spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger as they were in the Middle Ages.

    Now that you've had your cookie history lesson (that no one asked for), let's get to the recipes!

    Christmas Cookie Recipes

    It's just not Christmas without cookies! Each of these cookies would be a beautiful (and, more importantly, delicious) addition to your holiday gatherings!

    Strawberry Jam Cookies
    These Strawberry Jam Cookies are melt-in-your-mouth vanilla bean thumbprint cookies filled with strawberry jam, then drizzled with vanilla bean glaze! So versatile and delicious, you'll find yourself making them for every occasion!
    Check out this recipe!
    Stack of Strawberry Jam Cookies on a Christmas plate.
    Soft Glazed Gingerbread Cookies
    These Soft Glazed Gingerbread Cookies are so soft, chewy, and flavorful! Deeply spiced with the glaze giving the perfect amount of sweetness! I never cared for gingerbread before I made these cookies!
    Check out this recipe!
    Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies
    These Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies are crisp at the edges, soft and chewy in the center, and absolutely delicious! With a little tweak to my go-to recipe, you don't need eggs to make perfect chocolate chip cookies!
    Check out this recipe!
    Closeup of Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies, one with a bite missing.
    Chocolate Covered Graham Crackers
    These Chocolate Covered Graham Crackers are crisp homemade graham crackers dipped in chocolate! Whether you use dark, milk, or white chocolate (or a combination of all three) is up to you!
    Check out this recipe!
    Closeup of Chocolate Covered Graham Crackers, one with a bite missing.
    Sour Cream Cookies
    These Sour Cream Cookies are soft, chewy, and frosted with an irresistible sour cream frosting! They're the perfect canvas for festive sprinkles to dress them up for any holiday or occasion!
    Check out this recipe!
    Three Sour Cream Cookies on a white fluted plate, one with a bite missing.
    Fresh Ginger Cookies
    These Fresh Ginger Cookies let the bold spice of both fresh and candied ginger take center stage! No other spices necessary (cinnamon who?), these cookies are perfect for Christmas, for a cozy Winter day next to the fire, or anytime you're craving a sweet and spicy treat!
    Check out this recipe!
    Closeup of Fresh Ginger Cookies on a red and white plaid plate.
    Lemon Sugar Cookies
    These Lemon Sugar Cookies are simple, lemony perfection!! Crisp on the edges, chewy in the middle, and with fantastic lemon flavor, you won't be able to stop at one!
    Check out this recipe!
    Closeup of four Lemon Sugar Cookies on a white plate with white and yellow twine tied in a bow around them.
    Pumpkin Pie Cookies
    These Pumpkin Pie Cookies are cinnamon sugar cookie cups filled with pumpkin filling and topped with whipped cream! These bite-sized gems are irresistible!
    Check out this recipe!
    Closeup of a Pumpkin Pie Cookie with a bite missing on a small fluted plate with cinnamon sticks in the foreground and more cookies in the background.
    Earl Grey Cookies
    These Earl Grey Cookies combine buttery shortbread with the delicate, citrusy notes of Earl Grey tea! These comforting cookies are perfect alongside a cup of tea for any occasion, from a fancy tea party to a simple afternoon treat.
    Check out this recipe!
    Sprinkle Cookies with Browned Butter
    These Sprinkle Cookies are thick, chewy, and delicious! The deep, rich flavor of browned butter and festive sprinkles make these cookies a year-round favorite!
    Check out this recipe!
    Christmas Sprinkle Cookies stacked on a white plate.
    Peppermint Mocha Cookies
    Peppermint Mocha Cookies! Super chocolatey with hints of espresso and peppermint! Get your holiday coffee craving in cookie form!
    Check out this recipe!
    Peppermint Mocha Cookies stacked on a holiday plate with candy canes in the background.
    Buttermilk Cookies
    These Buttermilk Cookies are soooo soft and cakey, and topped with buttermilk frosting! You'll love how simple, delicious, and versatile this recipe is! Appropriate for any season or occasion, you'll find yourself making them again and again!
    Check out this recipe!
    Three Buttermilk Cookies on a white plate topped with Christmas sprinkles.
    Strawberry Shortbread Cookies
    These Strawberry Shortbread Cookies have fantastic strawberry flavor thanks to freeze-dried strawberries in both the cookies and the strawberry glaze! With these cookies you can have a taste of summer year-round! Recipe can be used to make slice-and-bake shortbread or cut-outs--it's up to you!
    Check out this recipe!
    Strawberry Shortbread Cookies with Strawberry Glaze on a cooling rack, one with a bite missing.
    Dirty Chai Cookies
    These Dirty Chai Cookies are crisp and chewy with the warm, spiced goodness of chai paired with a hint of rich espresso. They're so cozy and comforting!
    Check out this recipe!
    Dirty Chai Cookies piled on a wooden table, one with a bite missing.
     
    Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies
    These Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies are cream cheese sugar cookies sandwiched with swirls of strawberry cream cheese frosting!
    Check out this recipe!
    Strawberry Cream Cheese Cookies on white plate.
    Honey Lavender Latte Cookies
    These Honey Lavender Latte Cookies are espresso sugar cookies frosted with honey lavender buttercream! Your favorite drink in cookie form!
    Check out this recipe!
    Closeup of Honey Lavender Latte Cookies on a pan.
    Orange Shortbread Cookies with Cranberry Glaze
    These Orange Shortbread Cookies are the most flavorful, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread you've ever tasted! Flavored with orange zest and orange oil, with a beautiful glaze made from fresh cranberries, you'll want make these beauties for the holidays and all winter long!
    Check out this recipe!
    Stack of Orange Shortbread Cookies with Cranberry Glaze.
    Date Pinwheel Cookies
    These Date Pinwheel Cookies have a buttery brown sugar dough filled with swirls of dates and pecans. These babies are crisp, chewy, crunchy, and gooey all in one bite!
    Check out this recipe!
    Closeup of Date Pinwheel Cookies stacked on a plate.
    Lemon Curd Cookies
    These Lemon Curd Cookies are soft, chewy lemon cookies topped with homemade lemon curd! The mix of textures and the sweet-tart lemon flavor will make these a new favorite!
    Check out this recipe!
    Lemon Curd Cookies on a silver cooling rack with a jar of lemon curd in the background.
    Chocolate, Cinnamon, & Hazelnut Thumbprints
    The rich flavors of bittersweet chocolate, cinnamon, and toasted hazelnuts combine forces in the best thumbprint cookie you'll ever have!
    Check out this recipe!
    Chocolate, Cinnamon, & Hazelnut Thumbprints
    Honey Cookies
    These Honey Cookies are tender and chewy, with the floral flavor of honey! Drizzled with a honey vanilla bean glaze, these cuties are simple and delicious!
    Check out this recipe!
    Glazed Honey Cookies on a gold cooling rack with a honey dipper nearby.
    Coconut Pecan Cookies
    These Coconut Pecan Cookies are crisp at the edges and chewy in the center with the stellar flavor team of browned butter, coconut, and toasted pecans! Perfect for picnics, potlucks, or a random Tuesday night!
    Check out this recipe!
    Closeup of Coconut Pecan Cookie with bite missing.
    Caramel Cookies
    These Caramel Cookies have the nutty richness of browned butter paired with the silky sweetness of dulce de leche! If you enjoy a sweet and salty treat, sprinkle them with some flaky sea salt for the perfect finishing touch!
    Check out this recipe!
    A round, stamped Caramel Cookie with dulce de leche in the center on a dark wood table with a bite missing.
    Brown Butter Sugar Cookies
    These Brown Butter Sugar Cookies elevate your average sugar cookie with the nutty, caramelized flavor of brown butter! So simple and scrumptious, they may just become your new favorite cookie recipe!
    Check out this recipe!
    Closeup of red and green Brown Butter Sugar Cookies in a Christmas tin with Christmas lights in the background.
    Baileys Chocolate Chip Cookies
    These soft, chewy Baileys Chocolate Chip Cookies have homemade Baileys Irish cream in both the cookies and the buttercream!
    Check out this recipe!
    Bailey's Chocolate Chip Cookies on a baking sheet.
    Sage Cookies with Cranberry Buttercream
    These Sage Cookies with Cranberry Buttercream are an unexpected treat! The sage sugar cookies are sandwiched with cranberry buttercream, for an outstanding combination of flavors and textures!
    Check out this recipe!
    Stack of three Cranberry Sage Cookies on parchment paper with a candied sage leaf on top.
    Hazelnut Espresso Shortbread
    These Hazelnut Espresso Shortbread combine the flavors of rich espresso and toasty hazelnuts in a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookie! You can enjoy them plain or give them a decadent finish with some chocolate.
    Check out this recipe!
    Tp view of chocolate-dipped Hazelnut Espresso Shortbread stacked on a white plate with hazelnuts and coffee beans.
    Raspberry Cookies
    These Raspberry Cookies are soft, chewy sugar cookies bursting with raspberry flavor! The gorgeous pink color and wonderful flavor are from freeze-dried raspberries--not a drop of food color here!
    Check out this recipe!
    Raspberry Cookies stacked on a white plate with fresh raspberries, one cookie with a bite missing.
    Text says "Christmas Gift Guide for Bakers" surrounded by pine branches, a gingerbread man, and a whisk.

    Bar & Brownie Recipes

    While cookies get all the spotlight this time of year, bars and brownies are fantastic holiday treats, too!

    Top view of Oatmeal Brownies with one brownie turned on its side.
    Blondie Brownies
    These Blondie Brownies are two desserts in one! The browned butter blondie layer is topped with a fudgy brownie layer for the ultimate treat! I drizzled a few of mine with homemade salted caramel sauce for a truly decadent dessert, but these are so rich and delicious they don't really need it!
    Check out this recipe!
    Stack of Blondie Brownies with salted caramel sauce dripping down the side.
    Apple Crisp Macchiato Bars
    These Apple Crisp Macchiato Bars have a crisp espresso shortbread crust topped with an apple-cinnamon filling, then with a crunchy cinnamon-espresso topping! These bars are so cozy and delicious!
    Check out this recipe!
    Side view of sliced Apple Crisp Macchiato Bars with apples in the background.
    Cinnamon Roll Bars
    These Cinnamon Roll Bars taste just like your favorite cinnamon roll slathered in vanilla-cinnamon cream cheese frosting, but bake up in a fraction of the time!
    Check out this recipe!
    Closeup of Cinnamon Roll Bar with bite missing.
    Oatmeal Brownies
    These fudgy Oatmeal Brownies have a buttery, crisp oatmeal crust! A recipe tried-and-true from my childhood, and a regular occurrence at my house during the holidays!
    Check out this recipe!
    Top view of Oatmeal Brownies with one brownie turned on its side.

    Madeleine Recipes

    Looking for something a little unique to bake this Christmas? Make some of these madeleines for an easy-but-fancy treat! Part cookie, part cake--but all delicious!

    Dark Chocolate Madeleines
    These Dark Chocolate Madeleines are tender and suuuuper chocolatey thanks to bittersweet chocolate and black cocoa powder! I should have called them Midnight Madeleines!
    Check out this recipe!
    Gingerbread Madeleines
    Crisp at the edges and tender in the center, these Gingerbread Madeleines are a holiday treat! With gingerbread spice and a vanilla bean glaze, you can't go wrong!
    Check out this recipe!

    I hope your holiday has LOTS of sweet treats--I know mine will! Happy baking!!

    Other Recipes You May Like

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    Updated 11/29/2024

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