20 of Our Best Christmas Cookies-Easy Holiday Favorites
I know you are going to love these 20 Christmas Cookie recipes for an easy holiday season. The holiday season is the perfect time to get together with your kids and grandkids and bake all the traditional Christmas cookies, and try a few new holiday cookie recipes.
You may be making a large batch of cookies for a cookie platter for your Christmas party with friends, or making a few different recipes for a cookie exchange. Check out all the recipes from peanut butter blossoms, chocolate crinkle cookies, and Christmas sugar cookies. Make sure you have a lot of festive sprinkles and the cutest Christmas cookie cutters.
Holiday Treats for Your Dessert Table
The dessert table isn’t just about the sweets—it’s a way to celebrate the season together. Baking holiday treats becomes a special time to slow down, laugh, and connect. It’s where little hands learn to measure, roll dough, and sneak a few sprinkles when no one’s looking.
Whether you’re teaching your kids how to frost cut-out cookies or sharing old family traditions, the kitchen fills with warmth that goes far beyond the oven. Each cookie on the tray holds a memory, and that’s what makes this season so sweet.
1. The Best Soft Cut Out Christmas Sugar Cookies with Sprinkles
Nothing says “Christmas is here” like baking a batch of our family’s favorite sugar cookies. This recipe has been our go-to for years—it’s simple, foolproof, and perfect for cutting into all those fun holiday shapes with the kids. These classic sugar cookies come out soft, buttery, and just the right amount of sweet. Whether you’re decorating them for Santa or making a big batch for a cookie party, they’re a must-have for your holiday baking list.
2. Easy Snowball Cookies with Pecans
Snowball cookies are one of those classic holiday treats that just feel like Christmas. They’re soft, buttery, and literally melt in your mouth. Each bite is sweet with a dusting of powdered sugar and has just the right little crunch from chopped pecans. These are the cookies we make every year, no matter what, during our Christmas baking weekend. They’re simple, delicious, and perfect for a holiday cookie platter or a cookie exchange with friends and family. And honestly? They’re so good, you might find yourself making them well past December!
3. Peanut Butter Kiss Blossom Cookies
Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies have been a sweet tradition in our house for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. They’re soft, warm, and full of that rich peanut butter flavor kids (and let’s be honest, grown-ups like me) can’t resist. That little Hershey’s Kiss on top makes them feel extra festive, like a tiny chocolate hat on the cookie! We bake them every year, and they’re always one of the first to disappear from the cookie tray. These are simple, fun to make with the kids, and perfect for any holiday party or cookie exchange.
4. Easy 7 Layer Magic Cookie Bars Old Fashioned Favorite
Magic Cookie Bars are one of those treats that instantly bring back childhood memories. They’re rich, sweet, and so easy to make just layer everything up and bake! That buttery graham cracker crust is the perfect base for all the gooey goodness on top: sweetened condensed milk, melty chocolate and butterscotch chips, crunchy pecans, and toasted coconut. Every bite is a little piece of holiday magic. These bars are always a hit at cookie swaps and family gatherings—no one can eat just one!
5. Easy Pecan Pie Shortbread Bar Cookie with Maple Syrup
Pecan Shortbread Bars are like little bites of pecan pie, but way easier to make and perfect for sharing. The buttery shortbread crust melts in your mouth, and the maple syrup drizzle over the crunchy pecans gives each bar that warm, cozy holiday flavor. They taste like something straight off the dessert table at Grandma’s house. These bars are a sweet surprise at any cookie exchange and make a lovely addition to your Christmas cookie platter.
6. Molasses Gingersnap Cookies
Ginger Molasses Cookies are the ultimate holiday treat—soft in the middle, just a little crisp on the outside, and full of that warm gingerbread flavor we all love. Dip them in white chocolate and add a few sprinkles, and suddenly they’re holiday-ready with a sweet little sparkle. Every bite feels like Christmas morning! These cookies are perfect for baking with the kids, sharing at cookie swaps, or just treating yourself with a mug of hot cocoa.
7. Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sugar Cookie Mix
Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies are such a fun holiday twist on a classic favorite. The cool mint flavor mixed with rich chocolate chips makes them feel extra special, like a winter wonderland in every bite! And the best part? You don’t even have to make them from scratch. Just grab a sugar cookie mix and you’re halfway there. These cookies are quick, easy, and perfect for holiday baking with the kids or adding something unique to your Christmas cookie platter.
8. Christmas Spritz Cookies Best Buttery German Spritz
Christmas Spritz Cookies are a holiday must in our house—soft, buttery, and just the right amount of sweet. They’re made with a cookie press, so you can create the cutest festive shapes, perfect for decorating with the kids. It’s one of those hands-on baking moments that feels just as special as the cookies themselves. These classic German butter cookies melt in your mouth and look beautiful on any holiday cookie tray. They’re a simple joy to bake and even more fun to share!
9. Classic Italian Pizzelle Cookies Traditional Waffle Cookie
Pizzelles are one of those special cookies that instantly bring back sweet holiday memories. Crisp, golden, and full of delicate flavor, these Italian waffle cookies are made with a pizzelle maker and come out beautifully every time. They’re a true family favorite in our house, light, a little buttery, and perfect with a cup of coffee or hot cocoa. Making pizzelles is more than just baking, it’s a holiday tradition that brings everyone into the kitchen. These cookies are always a hit on Christmas trays and make such a lovely gift to share with family and friends.
10. Chocolate Pizzelle Cookie Recipe
Chocolate pizzelles are a fun twist on a traditional Italian Christmas cookie. They’re thin, crisp, and full of rich chocolate flavor, made in a pizzelle press just like the classic version. The dough is simple, and the end result is something special. While pizzelles are usually flavored with anise, this chocolate version with a touch of vanilla is absolutely delicious. They’re light, beautiful, and perfect for holiday cookie trays or gifting to friends and neighbors.
11. Easy Grinch Crinkle Cookies Decorated with Sprinkles
Grinch Crinkle Cookies are the perfect mix of sweet, soft, and a little silly, just like the classic holiday movie we all love. These chewy, bright green cookies rolled in powdered sugar and topped with sprinkles are so fun to make with the kids. They’ve quickly become a favorite in our house, especially for Grinch movie night! Growing up, we always watched How the Grinch Stole Christmas (and of course Rudolph), and now baking these cookies brings that same magic to our own family traditions. They’re playful, easy, and guaranteed to make your heart grow three sizes.
12. Easy Mint Buttercream Frosted Brownies Topped with Chocolate
These Frosted Brownies start with a simple box mix, but the rich, creamy buttercream layer on top takes them to a whole new level. They’re thick, fudgy, and topped with just the right amount of sweet frosting and a drizzle of chocolate. If you’re looking for a dessert that’s easy but still has that “wow” factor, this one’s a winner. Perfect for holiday parties, cookie exchanges, or just a cozy night at home, these brownies are always the first to disappear!
13. Ginger Molasses Christmas Cookies
Molasses Gingersnap Cookies have become one of our family’s favorite holiday bakes. I didn’t get the recipe from a relative, but I still remember the soft centers, crisp edges, and cozy molasses spice from my childhood. Years ago, I found a version in a magazine, gave it a few tweaks, and now it’s a must-make every Thanksgiving and Christmas. These cookies fill the house with that warm holiday smell and bring back all the memories with every bite.
14. Grinch Rice Krispies Treats with Cookie Cutters
These Grinch Rice Krispies Treats are such a cute and easy holiday snack just 3 ingredients and a little Christmas magic! Made with the classic gooey marshmallow flavor we all love, they’re tinted Grinch green and cut into fun shapes like Santas, trees, and snowflakes. Top them with heart and holiday sprinkles, and they’re ready for your next Grinch movie night. These treats are perfect for little hands to help with and are always a hit at Christmas parties or school celebrations!
15. Soft Gingerbread Cutout Cookies – Gingerbread Men
Baking soft gingerbread cookies is one of our favorite ways to kick off the holiday season. These cookies are full of that classic spiced flavor and are perfect for cutting into fun shapes, gingerbread men, trees, stars, and more. It’s the kind of recipe that turns into a sweet family tradition, with little hands helping and lots of laughter along the way. Whether you decorate them with icing or keep them simple, these cookies bring that cozy Christmas feeling to every bite.
16. Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodle Cookies
This easy pumpkin spice snickerdoodle cookie recipe is one of the best and most fun to make. Add a little pumpkin spice, and you have the perfect fall cookie. They are soft, chewy, and full of buttery cinnamon sugar flavor that everyone loves. It is a great recipe to bake with your kids and a sweet way to help them learn their way around the kitchen. These classic snickerdoodle cookies are simple, delicious, and perfect for cozy fall days or holiday baking.
17. The Best Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe
Snickerdoodles are that perfect mix of soft and chewy with just a little crisp on the edges and plenty of buttery cinnamon sugar flavor in every bite. This easy recipe is a favorite in our house during Christmas and Thanksgiving. The cookies come together fast and are great for baking with the kids. Warm and full of classic flavor, they are always a hit for any holiday or family get-together.
18. German Christmas Cookies: Lebkuchen
German Christmas Cookies, also called Lebkuchen or German gingerbread cookies, are an authentic German cookie that is spicy, soft, and incredibly flavorful. You can give them as gifts to your family and friends! Easy to make with aromatic lebkuchen spice mix.
19. Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies
Austrian Husaren Krapferl or Austrian hazelnut thumbprint cookies are the ultimate holiday treat; when you’re craving a little comfort, they are the ideal treat! Bake up a batch of Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies just like Grandma used to make with this easy and delicious recipe!
20. Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
You are going to love this classic recipe for Chocolate Crinkle Cookies! They are soft, with a texture similar to brownies, and include a sweet, soft, powdered sugar coating.
