19 Christmas cookie recipes to try this season

Christmas Cookie Recipes

Something about Christmas cookies triggers a flood of memories—and one person’s happy memory makes another’s perfect present.

We’ve rounded more than a dozen traditional Christmas cookie recipes that are perfect for making, baking and giving. Whip up a batch of one (or all) of these 15 holiday favorites and give a tinful of tradition and sugary goodness.

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Bernard's Sugar Cookie Recipe

Bernard’s sugar cookies

Good enough to give tip: Secure stacks of sugar cookies with bakery string or pretty ribbon before placing in a container.

Thin and crispy oatmeal lace cookie with raisins.

Oatmeal lace cookies

Good enough to give tip: A glassine envelope sealed with a round office label makes every cookie perfectly presentable. Stamp the label with a festive design for an extra-special touch.

Bonus! Recipe includes 4 tasty twists: Hawaiian Lace Cookies, Apricot-Walnut Lace Cookies, Cranberry Lace Cookies With Lemon Glaze and Lacy Orange Florentines.

Giant Gingerbread Man Recipe

Giant gingerbread man cookies

Good enough to give tip: After the cookies have cooled, sprinkle powdered sugar through a doily to make a pretty pattern.

Bonus! Recipe includes 3 tasty twists: Iced Rounds, Rum-Tum Gingerbread and Raisin Gingerbread.

Melted snowman cookies with pretzel stick arms and a chocolate star candy hat.

Melted snowman cookies

These melted snowman cookies are adorable and fun to make together. They’re even easier to make if you use premade dough or plain bakery-bought cookies.

Crispy shortbread cookies with an array of holes in a square pattern.

Shortbread cookies

Good enough to give tip: Line your container with festive wrapping paper to add a dash of holiday cheer.

Bonus! Recipe includes 2 tasty twists: Lemon-Drizzled Shortbread and Petticoat Tails.

Green Christmas meringue cookies shaped and decorated like Christmas trees.

Christmas meringue cookies

You can create a unified stand of ever-tasty evergreens or make each tree unique with your own dazzling decorative flourishes.

Chocolate crinkle cookies with crispy ridges and a dusting of powdered sugar.

Chocolate crinkle cookies

Good enough to give tip: Line a box, tin or bread pan with red-and-white tea towels to add an extra layer of protection for these sweet-and-soft chocolate goodies.

Bonus! Recipe includes 4 tasty twists: Mocha Krinkles, Almond Krinkles, Dulce De Leche Sandwiches and Sprinkle Krinkles.

Christmas Cookie Decorating Ideas: 3 Modern Christmas Wreath Cookies

Christmas wreath cookies

This idea is more about the decorating inspo than the recipe, but trust us, it will get plenty of “oohs” and “ahhs.”

Two crisp wafer cookies sandwiched together with a creamy, buttery filling and placed neatly inside a treat box.

Wafer cookies

Good enough to give tip: Punch four holes on both sides of each corner on a plain bakery box. Then lace pretty ribbons through the holes to create a gorgeous gift.

Bonus! Recipe includes 2 tasty twists: Espresso Wafers and Hazelnut Wafers.

Raspberry linzer cookies with jam filling, heart-shaped cutout and a dusting of powdered sugar.

Raspberry linzer cookies

Good enough to give tip: Present individual linzer cookies in paper brioche molds (found at baking supply stores).

Light-colored Danish butter cookies shaped like wreaths, tied with red and white striped ribbons.

Danish butter cookies

Good enough to give tip: Tie each wreath with a fun ribbon and stack in a narrow, paper-lined box.

Russian Tea Cookie Recipe

Russian tea cookies

Good enough to give tip: Wrap a box in pretty paper, nestle the cookies inside, and finish with a coordinating ribbon.

Lebkuchen cookies with a drizzle of glaze resting on a baking pan.

Lebkuchen

German immigrants brought the recipe for this traditional Christmas cookie to the U.S. Lebkuchen cookies sit in sealed containers to “ripen” for a month before being consumed at Christmas.

Vanillekipferl, or crescent cookies, dusted with a light layer of powered sugar.

Vanillekipferl (crescent cookies)

Good enough to give tip: Line a vintage tin with old-fashioned doilies.

Bonus! Recipe includes 3 tasty twists: Apricot Kipfels, Jam Half-Moons and Cherry Cream Kipfels.

Cornflake Christmas wreaths

This retro recipe is making a Christmas comeback—and it’s an easy one for the kids to make, too.

Plate of pink and white peppermint meringue cookies.

Peppermint meringue cookies

These sweet, light-as-air swirls with a minty twist will add the perfect pop of pretty to your holiday cookie tray.

Pepparkakor cookies shaped like gingerbread men.

Pepparkakor

Pepparkakor is perfect for the holidays because it makes so many. Another benefit of baking pepparkakor: Your house will smell like ginger and spice!

Brown sugar cookies in a gift tray with pecans and a buttercream frosting.

Brown sugar cookies

Brown sugar, raisins and pecans or walnuts provide a rustic, nutty flavor to the cookie dough. And the buttercream icing on top is so dreamy!

Festive Christmas Punch Recipes to Serve a Crowd

Need Something to Wash These Down?

Here are five classic Christmas punch recipes to compliment these cookies…