40+ Easy Christmas Cookie Ideas — If you’re looking for tried and true Christmas cookie recipes that’ll be a hit with your family, friends, and cookie exchanges you’re a part of, you’ve come to the right place.
Christmas Cookie Ideas
I bake cookies year-round, but there’s something so special about gifting them around the holidays.
While I’ve never been one to hand out beautifully wrapped cookie boxes — I don’t have enough time or patience for that! — I do love giving my family, friends, and my daughter’s teachers a stack of homemade cookies come Christmastime.
To me, a good Christmas cookie is easy to make, requires minimal prep work, and of course it has to taste good!
In this post, I’ve rounded up some of my all-time favorite Christmas cookie ideas. You have to remember that I cook and bake for a living, so picking my favorites wasn’t easy!
This list is broken down into four categories: traditional Christmas cookies, unique Christmas cookies, no-bake Christmas cookies, and latest-and-greatest. I wanted to include a little of everything, so hopefully you can find a recipe or two to make from this list.
Traditional Christmas Cookie Ideas
From classic chocolate chip to frosted cut-out sugar cookies, here are 15 traditional Christmas cookies that everyone loves year after year.
Christmas Cut Out Cookies — These traditional cut out sugar cookies are just like Grandma used to make!! They’re thin but still soft, topped with a simple 2-ingredient royal icing, and loaded with sprinkles!
Classic Gingerbread Cookies – Soft and chewy cutout gingerbread cookies filled with plenty of ginger and warming spices! Decorated with a sweet, soft royal icing and topped with cinnamon candies, these gingerbread men are a nostalgic favorite Christmas cookie that everyone adores!
Softbatch No-Roll Holiday Cookies — These tender, buttery holiday cookies use a no-roll dough with the sprinkles baked right in so you don’t even have to decorate them!
Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip M&M’s Cookies — If you’re looking for a new M&M’s cookie recipe, this is THE ONE! Soft, buttery, and irresistible M&M’s Christmas cookies!
Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies — Holiday sugar cookies topped with cream cheese frosting and loaded with sprinkles! Easy, no-roll cookies that everyone goes crazy for!
The Best Snickerdoodles — Soft, pillowy puffs that are so irresistible! The closest recipe to Mrs. Fields snickerdoodles that you’ll find!
Softbatch Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies — Move over, butter, cream cheese makes these chocolate chip cookies thick and super soft!
Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Scotchies— Soft, chewy, and hearty without being too dense! They’re thick enough, but not overly thick, and are just enough to sink my teeth into. Best of all, they’re loaded with sweet butterscotch chips!!
Chocolate Chip Red Velvet Cookies — These chocolate chip red velvet cookies have a secret ingredient — cake mix! These cookies are super ooey gooey and ultra rich!
Cream Cheese Cookies — Big, soft, buttery cookies with sweet and tangy cream cheese in the middle!! Oh my….Best thumbprints ever!!!
The Best Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies — Soft, chewy, loaded with chocolate, and they turn out perfectly every time! Totally irresistible!!
7 Layer Cookies— These 7 layer cookies are loaded with graham crackers, coconut, butterscotch chips, and chocolate chips. Chewy around the edges, but soft in the center!
Vanilla Melting Moments Cookies with Nutella Filling — These vanilla sandwich cookies are so soft and they literally melt in your mouth! Perfect for Christmas, Easter, and family gatherings!
Soft Molasses Crinkle Cookies — In a word, these are the BEST molasses cookies you’ll ever make! Ultra chewy, easy to make, and you can really taste the spices. Make these for Christmas, or just because!
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies — These peanut butter chocolate chip cookies are hands down the best peanut butter cookies I’ve ever made. Know that I don’t say that lightly! They’re melt-in-your mouth soft and chewy, and extremely moist!
The Best Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies— My favorite recipe for chocolate chip cookies! Just one bite and I think you’ll agree!
Unique Christmas Cookie Ideas
Want to shake things up a bit this year? Maybe you have a competitive edge when it comes to cookie swaps (me too!). Here are 11 unique Christmas cookie recipes that stand out from the crowd while still being festive.
Santa’s Kitchen Sink Cookies — Santa and everyone else won’t be able to resist these AMAZING cookies loaded with everything but the kitchen sink!! EASY, festive, salty-sweet treats with a FUN ingredients list!!
Glazed Eggnog Cookies — Soft, buttery tea cakes topped with a creamy eggnog glaze are a Christmas treat that everyone will love!! EASY to make, not at all dry, and great for cookie exchanges or hostess gifts!!
Crème Brûlée Cookies — Super SOFT sugar cookies topped with tangy cream cheese frosting and caramelized sugar!! If you’re a crème brûlée fan, you’re going to LOVE these cookies! So many INCREDIBLE flavors and textures in every bite!!
Chocolate Kiss Powder Puff Cookies — Easiest cookies ever with only 3 ingredients! The Kiss in the middle makes everyone smile! So fun!
Soft & Chewy White Chocolate Chip Nutella Cookies — Thick, rich, chocolaty cookies that are so soft you won’t be able to resist them!
Soft and Chewy Molasses Gingerdoodles —These soft molasses cookies taste like a cross between chewy gingerbread cookies and crinkly snickerdoodles. An unbeatable holiday cookie recipe!
Cream Cheese White Chocolate Chip Cookies — These soft and chewy white chocolate chip cookies use two special ingredients to achieve their pillowy texture: instant pudding mix and cream cheese!
Andes Mint Chip Soft Fudgy Chocolate Cookies – Big, thick, fudgy chocolate cookies with a hint of mint and loads of chocolate in every bite!
Soft and Chewy Sugar-Doodle Vanilla Cookies — Part soft sugar cookie, part chewy snickerdoodle, with tons of rich vanilla flavor! The best vanilla cookies you’ll ever make!
Quadruple Chocolate Pudding Cookies — These pudding cookies are packed with cocoa powder, chocolate chips and chunks, and chocolate pudding mix to deliver seriously chocolatey flavor!
Chewy Molasses Chocolate Chip Cookies — Amply flavored with molasses, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Chocolate is used three times! Cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and chocolate chunks are used, making these perfect for chocolate lovers!!
No-Bake Christmas Cookie Ideas
No-bake Christmas cookies are especially great if you plan on sending a care package in the mail and are worried it won’t arrive on time. Or, maybe you need a fun activity to do with your kids when they’re home from school!
Here are 5 of my absolute favorite no-bake cookie recipes that are perfect for making at the holidays.
Ritz Cookies (No-Bake Christmas Cookies) — If you need a ridiculously easy, no-bake dessert for a party, holiday cookie exchange, or just have a spur of the moment craving for chocolate and peanut butter, these Ritz cookies are perfect!
Christmas Chocolate-Covered Oreos — Oreo cookies dipped in chocolate and loaded with sprinkles are an irresistible holiday treat! Fast, EASY, no-bake, can be made in advance! Perfect for cookie exchanges and hostess gifts. Get ready to break out the sprinkles and have fun making and then eating these family favorite Christmas cookies!
White Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles – Fast, EASY, no-bake, and the BEST peanut butter truffles! A creamy peanut butter filling with a bit of texture from graham cracker crumbs, dipped in white chocolate (or milk or dark), and topped with sprinkles!
Edible Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bars — Safe-to-eat raw cookie dough that’s every bit as good and satisfying as the real thing! Easy, no-bake, and no eggs required!
Holiday Special K Bars — Super chewy, gooey, FAST, easy, no-bake cereal bars loaded with peanut butter, chocolate, and sprinkles!! Like scotcheroos but with Special K!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Bars — Can’t decide if you want PB or chocolate? Make these easy no-bake fudge bars! Chocolate + PB is sooo irresistible!!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Chex Mix Bars – SO EASY, NO-BAKE, and ready in FIVE minutes!! Chex cereal, pretzels, and M&Ms glued together with peanut butter and marshmallows!! An IRRESISTIBLE salty-sweet combination!!
Here are my Newest Christmas Cookie Additions
Everyone loves seeing my newest, latest, and greatest creations and here they are!
Christmas Shortbread Cookies – Jazz up typical Christmas shortbread cookies with these two-toned, soft and buttery shortbread cookies! They have fun and festive star-shaped sprinkles and are decorated with white chocolate Christmas trees making them perfect for holiday entertaining and cookie exchanges. They look impressive, but are easy enough for beginning bakers!
Cut-Out Coffee Cup Cookies – Soft, buttery sugar cookies cut out in the shape of coffee cups and decorated with red and white royal icing! These sugar cookies are PERFECT for Christmas as well as for wintertime parties and entertaining. No one will be able to resist these unique beauties!
Classic Gingerbread Cookies – Soft and chewy cutout gingerbread cookies filled with plenty of ginger and warming spices! Decorated with a sweet, soft royal icing and topped with cinnamon candies, these gingerbread men are a nostalgic favorite Christmas cookie that everyone adores!
Snowflake Linzer Cookies – Linzer cookies are the ultimate sandwich cookies! A layer of raspberry jam is tucked in between two buttery, nutty cookies and dusted with powdered sugar! Great Christmas cookies that are perfect to serve at your holiday parties or to include in cookie exchanges!
Stacked Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies – Softy, chewy, buttery sugar cookies are stacked in the shape of Christmas trees and layered with buttercream frosting! Fun and festive for the holidays and EASY to make! No need to roll out the dough nor chill it. A great holiday cookie to make with kids!
These look amazing! Do they freeze well? I assume you make cookie balls and stick them in the freezer then defrost for 15 minutes or so and bake? My 4 year old said we have to make them all today 😜 I’ll try to oblige 😁😉
Yes regarding freezing in balls and then defrosting. Or just bake straight from freezer to oven, add a couple extra mins to baking time.
Hi Averie! I just wanted to say thank you for your recipes. They are well-written, easy to follow, and delicious. I also appreciate the storage and freezing tips that you give. Truly complete recipes. Thank you for your time and for sharing the results.
You are welcome and so glad you are happy with my recipes and find them well written, easy to follow, and delicious!
I seriously want one of each!! I love them all! ;) You cookie queen you ;) Pinned!
Thanks for pinning!! :)
Holy wow, what a great recipe roundup!! They all look and sound absolutely delicious. I’m celiac but still drooling over all of them! Keep up the great work!
Pinned it! They look so delicious, can’t choose wich one to bake :)
Thanks for pinning!
Oh I love your cookies. I want one of each!
How do you even pick 25 out of all your recipes?
I ilove that these are all “basic” recipes. Nothing crazy – no over the top, outrageous, loaded with everything, no weird ingredients – just COOKIES. GOOD cookies.
Soooo many cookies. So hard to pick, but yes, I tried to stick with some basics and nothing weird. You know I’ll never put beans in brownies type of thing!
Averie,
Love these cookies. So many delicious recipes, I can’t pick just one.
Annamaria
Can’t wait to start my holiday cookie baking!!!
Averie, I am dying over those molasses cookies!!
I’ll take 1 of everything. And eat them all in a single sitting. Then run 15 miles the next day. And repeat every day until Christmas. ;) Pinned!
Thanks for pinning and tis the season for cardio :)
Ahh! All of these look so amazing! I will have to make some of these recipes.
Chocolate Lava Nutella Cookies! Averie, seriously, where have you been all my life?!? Amazing. I’m bookmarking your blog right.this.second.
Enjoy! :)
Oh my goodness! So many amazing cookie recipes where do I begin!!! pinned :)
Thanks for pinning and going through these made me want one of each all over again :)
I love (and want) every single one!!
I do too. Except I’m drinking beet juice right now rather than cookies…girl. I know you know what it’s like to have SO MANY COOKIES around :)
Amazing collection of holiday cookies! Going to be trying a few on this list!
They all look amazing! So hard to pick just one so I’d like a sample of all. :)
Enjoy your Friday, Averie!
These cookies look incredibly tempting! What a fabulous holiday baking lineup. Your Quadruple Chocolate Soft Fudgy Pudding Cookies look especially delicious.
This is one sweet round up–they all look amazing and beautiful! It would be fun to have a big cookie exchange with some of your other readers–we could all use your recipes and sample everything that way!
I am actually going to a craft fair with my daughter and am going to clean out my freezer stash of literally hundreds of dough balls and bake them off :) I love things like that to sample other people’s homemade stuff!
Oh My! Averie, these all look amazing! Are you trying to make me fat? I can’t wait to try them all.
SENSATIONAL cookie recipe roundup!