Our 78 All-Time Best Christmas Cookie Recipes
Santa won't be the only one munching on these delectable treats.
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Christmas truly is the most wonderful time of year, filled with festive tunes, one-of-a-kind gifts and delicious holiday feasts. And what would the holidays be without sweet treats? That’s why we’ve gathered a fabulously festive roundup of our Test Kitchen editors' favorite Christmas cookie recipes to bake (and eat) this season.
Here, you'll find dozens of options for every taste and cookie box — from classics like gingerbread, sugar-dusted crescents and Italian Christmas cookies to inventive recipes featuring matcha, sesame and freeze-dried fruit for a pop of color. Chocolate lovers can indulge in gooey treats, and for those skipping the scooping and shaping, bar cookies are here to save the day. We've even included some jazzed-up store-bought options for when baking isn't in the cards.
Whether you're looking for a new treat for Santa, a holiday dessert to pair with your Christmas cocktail or a sweet addition to a holiday party, these Christmas cookie recipes are sure to delight.
Black Sesame Sablés
Packed with nutty sesame and malty rye, these delicate, earthy shortbread cookies will bring complexity to your cookie box. Use roasted sesame seeds for the greatest depth of flavor.
Get the Black Sesame Sablés recipe.
Italian Rainbow Cookies
Also called Venetians or tricolores, these jam-layered, almond-scented mini cakes were said to be created by Italian immigrants to evoke the colors of their home country’s flag. So pretty!
Get the Italian Rainbow Cookies recipe.
White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies
Dot the tops of these irresistibly buttery cookies with more chopped nuts and chocolate before baking for extra-pretty, portrait-worthy treats. Smile!
Ciambelline al Vino (Wine Cookies)
These rustic Italian sugar-coated knots are made with wine — but the party doesn't end there! Dunk them in a glass of vino to mark the sweet finale of your meal.
Black & White Cookies
These cakey, dual-toned cookies will be the first to go at any cookie swap. Lemon zest in the batter adds a touch of balanced brightness.
Get the Black & White Cookies recipe.
Pandan Checkerboard Cookies
Native to Southeast Asia, pandan boasts a pleasantly sweet flavor with vanilla notes. Here, pandan extract lends a beautiful hue to the grid-like pattern.
Get the Pandan Checkerboard Cookies recipe.
Good Housekeeping Holiday Cookies: 100 Fun and Festive Treats to Enjoy Throughout the Season
Find all these cookies and more — plus our secrets to hosting the ultimate cookie swap — in our latest holiday cookbook.
Strawberry Pinwheels
Freeze-dried strawberry powder adds fruity flavor and rich color to these gorgeous swirled cookies.
Get the Strawberry Pinwheels recipe.
Danish Butter Cookies
Pipe these tender, ultra-buttery treats into different shapes for a delicious, gift-worthy assortment (you can even put them in a blue tin!).
Get the Danish Butter Cookies recipe.
Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
A splash of peppermint extract gives these dark chocolate-dipped cookies just the right amount of minty flavor. Top ‘em off with crushed candy canes for that extra-festive touch.
Get the Chocolate Peppermint Cookies recipe.
Speculoos Dippers
Packed with a medley of warm baking spices, these cute, snappy cookies are even better dipped in speculoos cookie butter.
Get the Speculoos Dippers recipe.
Chocolate-Dipped Cookie Sticks
Use a tall glass to dip these crunchy, Pocky-inspired sticks into melted chocolate (dark or white, or both). So fun!
Waffle Cookies With Strawberry Buttercream
Upgrade store-bought waffle cookies by sandwiching them with a pretty pink frosting tinted with freeze-dried strawberries. Last-minute dessert, done!
Get the Waffle Cookies With Strawberry Buttercream recipe.
RELATED: 12 Most Popular Types of Frosting
Nut Butter Ritz Sandwiches
Sweet, salty and totally unique, these chocolate-dipped sandwich cookies take the humble butter cracker to the next level. A honey-sweetened banana and almond butter filling is the perfect pairing.
Get the Nut Butter Ritz Sandwiches recipe.
Pecan Berry Bursts
Processing freeze-dried berries with confectioners’ sugar creates a vibrant, flavorful dusting for homemade pecan cookies.
Get the Pecan Berry Bursts recipe.
RELATED: What Is Confectioners' Sugar?
Moss Cookies
These whimsical, cookie-crumb-topped cookies are giving enchanted forest vibes and will add something fresh (and super cute) to your cookie spread.
Get the Moss Cookies recipe.
Brown Butter Crispy Rice Treats
These might not technically be cookies, but trust us, no one will complain about a tray of these brown butter-infused marshmallow treats. You can top them with red and green sprinkles for a seasonal touch.
Linzer Stars
The secret to these traditional Austrian cookies is using a high-quality jam. Trust us, they taste just as good as they look.
Get the Linzer Stars recipe.
Matcha Snowball Cookies
Don't these green cookies with a light dusting of sugar just scream Christmas? We'd bet no one else will bring something this creative to the cookie exchange this year.
Get the Matcha Snowball Cookies recipe.
Black Forest Cookies
The classic cake, now in cookie form. Honestly, who wouldn't want a chocolate cookie topped with whipped cream and cherries?
Get the Black Forest Cookies recipe.
Samantha (she/her) is the Senior Editor at Delish, where she edits the most-talked-about food news and features on the internet. In her previous role as Assistant Editor in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen, she taste-tested hundreds of products and recipes (tough job!). A graduate of Fordham University, she considers the kitchen to be her happiest place.
Joy (she/her) is an assistant food editor in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen, where she develops and tests recipes to ensure both deliciousness and accuracy before they appear in titles like Good Housekeeping, Women’s Health, Woman’s Day, Prevention and Country Living. After graduating from UChicago with a major in political science, she made the (best) decision to pursue her passion for food by enrolling in pastry school and working at her dream restaurant, Gramercy Tavern. Before joining the GH team, Joy assisted on cookbook and editorial shoots, ran an Instagram micro bakery, and worked as a freelance writer and developer with bylines appearing in Eater, Food52, Simply Recipes, Food Network and more. Joy has a special place in her heart for croissants and tiramisu, and is always on the hunt for the next cafe to explore in the city (a journey that never ends!).
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