The holidays are the best time to indulge in sweet treats, and nothing is more festive than an assortment of home-baked holiday cookies. Whether you’re looking for baking projects to do with your friends or kids, or tasty homemade gifts, these holiday cookie recipes are sure to please!
We’ll add to this list over time as we add more cookies to our library of tested step-by-step recipes, so bookmark and check back later for new goodies!
Quick & Easy Drop Cookies
These drop cookie recipes are the easiest cookies to bake. Just mix the dough, scoop it, and bake. Couldn’t be simpler, or quicker… these are perfect when you’re in a hurry or want a minimum of mess and fuss!
Soft Blackstrap Molasses Spice Drop Cookies
Delicious molasses spice drop cookies are soft, sweet, and taste like gingersnaps, but so easy to scoop and bake!
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Nana’s Orange Creamsicle Dream Cookies
These soft, cake-like iced drop cookies are flavored with fresh orange and vanilla. From my great-grandmother's recipe file, but with a few modern twists!
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Peanut Butter Oatmeal Trail Mix Cookies
These jumbo cookies are packed with peanut butter, whole grain oats, and chocolatey trail mix, for a giant cookie that really satisfies! Make big monster cookies, or small bite sized ones… either way, these will give you the energy to get through the most epic present wrapping sessions!
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Vegan Pumpkin Ale Spice Cookies
These nutty pumpkin spice cookies aren't just for the fall… and best of all, these tender, cake-like cookies are vegan, so you can share them with all your little elves!
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Shaped & Molded Cookies
These cookies are extra special, and will really add pizazz to your Christmas cookie plates. These holiday cookie recipes are either shaped by hand, piped, stamped, or molded and shaped into colorful creations.
Hand-Piped Holiday Spritz Cookies
These are the quintessential Christmas butter cookies. Use a cookie press if you have one, or pipe them with a sturdy pastry bag and star tips. Leave the plain, tint the dough, or decorate them with sparkle sugar, sprinkles, or melted chocolate to add variety to your cookie boxes!
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Yule Moon Crescent Cookies
These buttery shortbread cookies have ground nuts and are shaped into cheerful crescent moons. Fun to make with kids, but elegant enough to serve at a fancy party. These are one of my favorite holiday cookies!
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Spekulatius or Spekulaas Shaped Spice Cookies
These traditional spiced cookies are shaped by pressing them into carved wooden or ceramic cookie molds, or can be rolled out with decorative rolling pins or pressed with cookie stamps. The dough keeps its shape when baked, so your designs will show and make these cookies extra special!
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Biscotti & Other Slice-and-Bake Shapes
Whether you’re looking for an old-fashioned icebox cookie that you can make ahead and slice and bake as needed, or crispy twice-baked biscotti that last for weeks and weeks once you’ve baked them, these are fantastic cookies for folks who plan ahead.
Because they keep so well, or can be frozen and baked as needed, they’re great for people who are crunched for time just before the holidays. These cookies are some of my favorites that I make again and again!
Old-Fashioned Pinwheel Icebox Cookies
These vintage charmers are fun to make any time of year, but especially welcome in Christmas colors! They're easy to make ahead, and slice and bake as needed, or freeze the dough to get a head-start on your holiday cookie baking.
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Mint Chocolate Chip Biscotti
Peppermint and chocolate chips together in this crispy twice-baked cookie, perfect for dunking in hot cocoa or a Christmas morning mocha!
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Spiced Cranberry Nut Biscotti
These crispy sliced cookies have dried cranberries, almonds, and a blend of sweet spices. Try dipping them in your hot coffee, spiced tea, or leave them out for Santa with a glass of milk!
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London Fog Biscotti with Almonds, Lavender, and Earl Grey
This one is for the romantics and tea-lovers on your gift list. Fragrant crunchy cookies with aromatic Earl Grey tea, almonds, and floral notes, with an optional white chocolate drizzle.
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Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Walnut Biscotti
Chocolate chips, cinnamon, and toasted walnuts flavor these delicious biscotti. Delicious for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or a light dessert.
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Loved these cookies? Try some of our other holiday recipes!
