Food & Drink

30+ of the Best Holiday Cookie Recipes

written by THE EVERYMOM EDITORS
best holiday cookie recipes"
best holiday cookie recipes

Can you remember your favorite childhood holiday cookie recipes? Are those cookies still your favorite now? So many precious holiday memories can happen in the kitchen, from helping to cook or bake your family’s traditional holiday meals to experimenting with cookie cutters or cookie stamps for the first time—not to mention the time-honored tradition of constructing your own gingerbread house.

As you’re thinking of ways to make the holiday season special this year, consider trying out a new holiday cookie recipe. We’ve rounded up 30+ of the best recipes, from kid-friendly cookies to grown-up treats (margarita cookies, anyone?). And if you’re gifting cookies or participating in a cookie exchange, consider including a printout of the recipe and a festive note to make your gesture even more memorable. Read on for some of the best holiday cookie recipes to try this year.

1. Candy Cane Kiss Cookies

This recipe takes eye candy literally—not only are these cookies topped with peppermint Hershey’s Kisses delightful to behold, but also to pop into your mouth! If you enjoy freshly baked soft and chewy sugar cookies, then these will hit the spot.

holiday cookie recipes
Source: Sally’s Baking Addiction

2. Peppermint-Frosted Chocolate Cookies

‘Tis the season for peppermint! These cookies have the quintessential holiday flavor. 

best holiday cookies
Source: Sally’s Baking Addiction

3. Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies

How cute are these reindeer cookies? Take your annual cookie-baking day to the next level with these cookies that your little ones will love decorating (and eating).

holiday cookie recipes
Source: Baking Beauty

4. Fluffy One-Bowl Sugar Cookies

With any baking undertaking, we’re all about pursuing a recipe where there’s less potential for a mess. Not only are these melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookies made in a single bowl, but they’re vegan and gluten-free. If you’ve never heard of the wonders of aquafaba, then you’re in for a pleasantly surprising vegan baking hack!

holiday cookie recipes
Source: Minimalist Baker

5. Mint Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Mint and chocolate are a match made in heaven and perfect for wintertime. This recipe is great for anyone who can’t get enough of this beloved pairing.

best holiday cookies
Source: Chungah Rhee | Damn Delicious

6. Salted Caramel Stuffed Chocolate Snickerdoodles

Who doesn’t love a gooey stuffed cookie with a wonderfully soft texture? As one of the most decked-out snickerdoodle recipes we’ve ever encountered, its magic of blending chocolate, cinnamon, and caramel is an unbeatable combination.

holiday cookie recipes
Source: Ambitious Kitchen

7. Paleo Cinnamon Roll Cookies

Turn your favorite sweet breakfast treat into a delicious cookie with this recipe! The best part? This recipe is paleo-friendly. 

cinnamon Roll Cookies
Source: Real Food With Jessica

8. Holiday Spritz Cookies

Cookies that are as cute as they are tasty are our favorite kind. This is a recipe to keep in mind for your holiday baking day. 

best holiday cookies
Source: Chef Lindsey Farr

9. Hot Cocoa Cookies

A cozy cup of hot chocolate in the form of a cookie just out of the oven? We’re sold. From its cocoa and almond buttery batter to its creamy vanilla bean frosting, they’re decadent yet healthy. By skipping butter, flour, and refined sugars, this is a minimalist recipe you can feel better about indulging in!

holiday cookie recipes
Source: Fit Foodie Finds

10. The Best Snickerdoodle Cookies

A classic snickerdoodle always hits the spot, and this recipe is delicious and super easy to follow.

best holiday cookies
Source: Brown Sugar

11. Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Soft Sugar Cookies

Holiday baking wouldn’t be complete without decorating sugar cookies, and this is the best recipe for adorable, extra-soft cookies. 

best holiday cookie recipes
Source: Chef Lindsey Farr

12. Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Any cookie covered in powdered sugar automatically gets my stamp of approval. What makes these even better is that they’re the perfect amount of chewy, chocolatey goodness, thanks to the Mexican chocolate.

best holiday cookie recipes
Source: Isabel Eats

13. Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread cookies are a holiday season necessity, and we’ve found the perfect recipe to make yours the best of the best. 

best holiday cookie recipes
Source: Baking Mischief

14. The Grinch Cookies

The Grinch doesn’t seem like such a holiday hater when transformed into a yummy cake mix cookie. Blanketed in powdered sugar and studded with red candy hearts, these festive green cookies will definitely be a hit with kids or at your next holiday party.

holiday cookie recipes
Source: I Heart Naptime

15. Ooey Gooey Butter Cookies

The best cookies are the ones that melt in your mouth, and these butter cookies do just that. 

best holiday cookie recipes
Source: Brown Sugar

16. Lemon Shortbread Cookies

We’ve found the easiest, tastiest shortbread recipe that will leave your home smelling festive and delicious. Plus, they’re extra fun to decorate!

holiday cookie recipes
Source: Jo Cooks

17. Pecan Sugar Cookies (with Brown Butter Icing)

The traditional red-and-green frosting gets a makeover here with brown butter icing and pecans atop soft sugar cookies—yum! 

christmas cookie recipes
Source: Sally’s Baking Recipes

18. Chocolate Peppermint Sandwich Cookies

If you look forward to the holiday Oreo flavors hitting the shelves, look no further than this recipe to make an elevated version of your own.

chocolate peppermint sandwich holiday cookie recipe
Source: Celebrating Sweets

19. Gluten-Free White Chocolate Matcha Shortbread Cookies

Matcha lovers rejoice! You can get the nutty flavor in cookie form, too—like with these adorable gluten-free white chocolate matcha tree cookies.

christmas cookie recipe
Source: The Snixy Kitchen

20. Almond Butter Sparkle Cookies

The crunchy exterior of these cookies is perfectly contrasted against the soft interior. We know you won’t be able to have just one! 

best holiday cookies
Source: Sally’s Baking Addiction

21. Christmas Cowboy Cookies

With all the best flavors wrapped in one, these Christmas cowboy cookies are the perfect salty/sweet treat. 

christmas cowboy cookies
Source: Baker by Nature

22. Lace Cookies

If snowflakes could be captured and baked to a golden caramel crisp, we imagine this would be the result. These dainty lace cookies are a type of delectable holiday cookie that will pair perfectly with hot cocoa, a hot toddy, or your favorite Starbucks drink.

holiday cookie recipes
Source: Life, Love and Sugar

23. Cheesecake-Stuffed Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

This recipe basically combines three delicious treats in one with a festive spin—essentially, everything you could hope for in a cookie. 

cheesecake stuffed red velvet holiday cookie recipe
Source: Girl Versus Dough

24. Hazelnut Gelt Cookies

If your family celebrates Hanukkah or you’re just in the mood to try a new delicious recipe, try these gelt cookies made with homemade (or store-bought) hazelnut flour. Kids will love decorating with toppings of their choice.

gelt holiday cookie recipe
Source: Chantell and Brett Quernemoen for My Name is Yeh

25. Peppermint Sugar Cookies

Wintertime is captured by many flavors, and the fusion of white chocolate and peppermint is definitely one of them. While white chocolate can be overly sweet for some, this soft cookie’s crushed peppermint pieces add a kick that invites you to make an exception.

holiday cookie recipes
Source: Life, Love and Sugar

26. Soft Batch Christmas Sprinkle Cookies

Easy and effortlessly festive, these sprinkle cookies are the perfect holiday treat! 

sprinkle cookies holiday cookie recipe
Source: The Salty Marshmallow

27. Lime Coconut Snowball Cookies

If you’re not a fan of traditional holiday cookie flavors, go outside the box with these tropical-flavored treats.

coconut lime snowball holiday cookie recipe
Source: Two Peas & Their Pod

28. Blizzard Cookies

The perfect recipe for a cold winter day! When the weather outside is frightful, warm up by making these blizzard cookies with white chocolate chips and cream cheese.

blizzard holiday cookie recipe
Source: Sugar Spun Run

29. Hot Toddy Molasses Cookies

A hot toddy is one of the best ways to warm up on a cold day. Capture the bourbon and honey flavors in dessert form with this cookie recipe. 

hot toddy molasses holiday cookie recipe
Source: Girl Versus Dough

30. Margarita Cookies

When the cold winter weather seems never-ending, transport yourself to summer with this cocktail-inspired recipe. These margarita cookies could be just the thing to bring to your friends’ gift exchange

holiday cookie recipes
Source: Smitten Kitchen

31. Peppermint Mocha Cookies

If you were as thrilled as we were when the Starbucks holiday drinks came out, you’re sure to love these cookies, too.

peppermint mocha holiday cookie recipe
Source: Sally’s Baking Recipes

32. Snowball Cookies

These snowball cookies delicately crumble in your mouth. You may find yourself indulging in one (or more) before you’re even done baking.

snowball holiday cookies
Source: Kristine’s Kitchen
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