10 Christmas Cookie Recipes to Add Magic to Your Holidays

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Christmas is just around the corner, and that means it’s time to start thinking about baking those festive treats! But we get it—finding the perfect cookie recipes that everyone will love can be tricky.

Whether you’re looking to impress with something new or stick to the classics, we’ve got something up our red knitted cardigan sleeves for you—because every Christmas baker deserves a little magic (and a lot of sprinkles)! In this blog, we’re sharing a variety of cookie recipes, from timeless sugar cookies and chocolate chip favourites to fun creations like a melted snowman and reindeer cookies. Whether you’re a beginner or a pro in the kitchen, these simple, delicious recipes are sure to bring joy to your holiday season!

Perfectly Festive Classic Christmas Sugar Cookies

Get ready to indulge in the nostalgia of classic Christmas sugar cookies with a fun, festive twist! We have two cookie ideas reserved just for you!

Rolled Sugar Cookies

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User: @bakingwithjoshandange

A beloved classic for all, rolled sugar cookies are loved for their festive shapes and vibrant icing. Here’s a perfect recipe for these holiday treasures:

• Begin by mixing together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and a dash of salt.
• Use brown butter for an added layer of nutty flavour and cream together with white sugar.
• Add eggs one at a time to the butter and sugar mixture, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.
• Stir in the dry ingredients gradually into the butter mixture to create a smooth dough. Remember not to overmix to ensure that the cookies stay tender and delicate.
• Wrap up your portion of dough and let it cool in the refrigerator before rolling out.
• Once chilled, roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and cut into your desired shapes using cookie cutters.
• As the final step, bake these cut-outs till they are lightly golden, then let them cool completely before getting creative with icing and decorations!

These simple yet delightful rolled sugar cookies will undoubtedly add a pop of colour and taste to your holiday table.

Love biscuits? Go read about this mouth-watering sugar biscuit recipe.

Easy Sugar Cookies

For those in search of a simpler recipe without forgoing the charm of traditional sugar cookies, easy sugar cookies come to the rescue. The best part? Here’s how to make these rounds of sweetness:

• Start by creaming together butter and a blend of white and brown sugar. The brown sugar brings a depth of flavour, enhancing these simple cookies.
• Stir in an egg, followed by vanilla extract for that classic sweet note.
• In another bowl, combine the dry elements – flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until the dough forms.
• Chill the dough for at least an hour. This step is crucial to keep the cookies from spreading while baking.
• Scoop portions of the dough, roll them into balls and place them on a lined baking sheet.
• Bake until the bottom edges are subtly golden.

Easy sugar cookies make a fuss-free addition to your holiday baking, allowing more quality time with family and Santa!

Chocolate-Based Christmas Cookies

Chocoholics, rejoice! We have two chocolate-based cookies just for you. These aren’t your everyday buttery cookies; one is renowned as the “best big, fat, chewy chocolate chip cookie with white chocolate chips,” and the other is the classic chocolate crinkle cookie. No matter which one you try (or why not try both?), these chocolate-based recipes promise to leave a harmonious blend of cocoa and sweetness on your palate.

Best Big, Fat, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie

When the craving for a good old-fashioned chocolate chip cookie hits, the ‘Best Big, Fat, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie’ recipe has got you covered. Here’s the secret to these mouthfuls of joy:

• Cream together butter with white and brown sugar till light and fluffy.
• Beat eggs into the creamed butter one by one, making sure each gets fully incorporated.
• Stir in a hearty amount of vanilla extract.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients – flour, baking soda, and a pinch of salt.
• Gradually blend the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until a dough forms.
• Fold in an ample amount of chocolate chips.
• With an ice cream scoop or spoon, drop portions of dough onto a lined baking sheet and bake.

The result? Perfectly baked, chewy chocolate chip cookies that live up to their name and are sure to disappear from the holiday cookie platter in a flash!

Chocolate Crinkles

Alt text: Chocolate Crinkles

Crinkly on the outside and fudgy on the inside, the chocolate crinkle cookie is the next chocolate-based cookie on our list. Here’s how you can recreate this chocolate lover’s favourite:

• Melt together dark chocolate and butter over simmering water till smooth.
• Meanwhile, Beat eggs with sugar till light and pale.
• Mix the melted chocolate into the beaten eggs, followed by the dry ingredients – flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and a hint of salt.
• Let the dough chill for about 4 hours until firm.
• Roll balls of dough in powdered sugar before baking to get those distinctive cracks or “crinkles.”
• Bake until the tops of the cookies have a sugared, crinkly appearance.

Sure to impress any cocoa connoisseur, chocolate crinkles are a heavenly combination of a brownie’s richness and a cookie’s portability.

Creative & Irresistible Christmas Cookie Ideas

Looking for something different this Christmas? Try these fun and creative cookie ideas, like melted snowman and chocolate crinkle cookies, as well as classic peanut butter cookies and gingerbread cookies that resemble reindeer cookies. With playful shapes and delicious flavours, they’re sure to bring smiles to everyone—kids and adults alike!

Melted Snowman Cookies

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User: @_bakery.bits.by.lara

For a Christmas cookie exchange that’s also a piece of festive art, try the Melted Snowman Cookies. Here’s how to bring these little conversation starters to life:

• Start with baked sugar cookies, store-bought or homemade.
• Prepare white icing – not too thin, not too thick – resembling melting snow.
• Spoonfuls of icing depict your snowmen in a state of adorable melt on each cookie.
• While the icing is still wet, add decorations – an orange sprinkle for a nose, silver dragees for eyes and buttons, and pretzel sticks for arms.
• An added touch of personality comes from using coloured icing to add a scarf or hat.

These cookies will not only melt in your mouth but will ‘melt’ hearts with their charm as well!

Reindeer Cookies

These Reindeer cookies are sure to charm with their adorable faces and sweet taste. Here’s a simple way to create these festive treats:

• Use your favourite peanut butter cookie dough for this recipe.
• Shape the dough into balls and pinch them at one end to form a teardrop shape. This acts as the reindeer’s face.
• Add pretzels as antlers before baking these cookies.
• Once baked and cooled, use melted chocolate to stick on candy eyes and a red M&M as a shiny Rudolph nose.

These cookies offer a dash of creativity, making them not only delicious but also a fantastic addition to your holiday decor!

Easy & Delicious No-Bake Christmas Cookies

For those who find themselves a little oven-shy or are just seeking to mix things up, we have the perfect solution – scrumptious, no-bake recipes! No-bake cookies often require fewer ingredients and come together quickly, making them the perfect choice for a hectic holiday schedule. Dive into the world of simplicity with the no-bake Cookies III and saltine toffee cookies, both rich and satisfying in taste while requiring minimum fuss.

No Bake Cookies III

Looking for a break from your oven without compromising on taste? Try these No-Bake Cookies III:

• Combine sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa in a saucepan and bring it to a boil.
• Stir in oats, peanut butter, and vanilla.
• Once the mixture is smooth, drop spoonfuls onto wax paper and let them cool.
• Quick setting, easy, and chocolatey, what’s not to love?

These ultra-simple, no-bake cookies are not just a stress-free option but also certain to satisfy those sudden chocolate cravings during the holiday season.

Saltine Toffee Cookies

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User: @aladdinrecipes

Another no-bake recipe that serves up a treat is the Saltine Toffee Cookie. The balance of salty, sweet, and nutty flavours makes them irresistible. Here’s how to make them:

• Spread saltine crackers out on a baking sheet.
• Create toffee by boiling butter and sugar together until caramelised.
• Pour this hot toffee over the crackers, spreading it evenly.
• Sprinkle chocolate chips over the hot toffee and let the warmth melt them.
• Spread the melted chocolate chips to cover the entire surface, then sprinkle crushed nuts for added crunch.
• Let it set in the refrigerator before breaking into pieces.

These exceptional toffee-centred cookies make a vibrant addition to your holiday cookie platter, promising flavour and richness in each bite.

Nutty Delights: Festive Cookies with a Crunch

Winter’s the perfect time to enjoy the rich, nutty flavours in your holiday baking. These nutty delights, like Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti and Linzer Tarts, offer a satisfying crunch and pair perfectly with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate. Get ready for some festive treats packed with tradition and flavour!

Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti, traditional Italian twice-baked cookies, are festive and flavourful. Here’s all you need to do:

• Sift the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Beat butter with sugar and then add in the eggs, one by one, till the mixture is fluffy. Stir in the vanilla extract.
• Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into this butter mixture until dough forms.
• Fold in sweet dried cranberries and salty pistachios.
• Form two logs with the dough and bake until golden brown, then cool and slice before giving them their second bake.

These biscotti not only provide a counterpoint of flavours – sweet from cranberries and salty from pistachios, but they also look beautiful in your cookie box with the pop of colour from cranberries and pistachios.

If you like a little almond in your biscotti, we have the classic almond biscotti recipe to make your day.

Linzer Tarts

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User: @bakeitaway_mandy

Linzer Tarts are another treat that uses nuts to their full potential. These Austrian cookies are as beautiful as they are delicious.

• Beat together butter and sugar until creamy. Add an egg and almond extract for a fragrant touch.
• Mix in the flour, almonds, and spices.
• Divide the dough in half, wrapping each in plastic wrap and refrigerating it until firm.
• Roll out one portion of dough and cut out circles. With the second portion, use a Linzer cookie cutter to cut out the traditional shapes.
• These cookies sandwich sweet raspberry jam, adding a fruity flavour and appealing look.

The blend of almond and raspberry is a classic, making Linzer Tarts a delightful addition to your holiday cookie collection.

Love jam? Check out the ultimate Jam Tart Recipe here.

Bake Your Way to Christmas Cheer

Christmas and cookies go together like mince pies and mulled wine! With these 10 festive cookie recipes, including a delightful snowball cookies recipe, you’re all set for a sweet holiday season. Whether you’re keeping it classic with sugar cookies or trying something fun like melted snowman cookies, the joy of baking is all about the memories you make along the way. So grab your apron, preheat that oven (or skip it with no-bake options), and enjoy the magic of holiday baking.

You can also check out our latest delicious cookie recipes here.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some healthy Christmas cookie options?

While most cookie recipes include butter and sugar, it is possible to make healthier swaps. Using whole grain flour and natural sweeteners, reducing the amount of sugar, and incorporating healthy fats like avocado or coconut oil, along with a touch of almond extract, can help create healthier Christmas cookies.

How can I store my Christmas cookies to keep them fresh?

Most Christmas cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature for up to a week. For longer storage, freeze baked cookies in freezer-safe bags or containers. They can be thawed and warmed up in the oven before serving.

Are there any gluten-free or vegan Christmas cookie recipes available?

Yes, many traditional Christmas cookies can be made vegan or gluten-free by making simple substitutions, like gluten-free flour, flax eggs, or dairy-free milk and butter. Also, many no-bake cookie recipes are naturally gluten-free and vegan-friendly.

What are some international Christmas cookie recipes that are popular around the world?

From Italian Pizzelles and Mexican wedding cookies to German Lebkuchen, Italian Rainbow Cookies, and French Madeleines, there is a whole world of Christmas cookie recipes to explore. Trying out international recipes can be a wonderful way to experience cultures and traditions different from your own during the holiday season.