Traditional Christmas Cookie Recipes Perfect for the Holiday Season

Nothing says "Christmas" quite like a classic sugar cookie. This tried-and-true recipe can be rolled into any shape you like and decorated with colorful frosting.

Cutout gingerbread cookies made with honey-spice dough or traditional boiled gingerbread dough are spectacular when dusted with sanding sugar on top of freshly piped icing. It gives the impression of new-fallen snow. We added some Dark-Chocolate Cutout Cookies here too for their contrasting shade—and because chocolate works so well with ginger.

These pretty wreath cookies tick all the necessary traditional boxes but the flavors have been updated. Meyer lemons add their sweet, citrus perfume and rosemary brings a woodsy note.

Chewy mocha cookies that look like little snow-covered mountains are a Christmas classic.

These favorite Finnish cookies, joulutorttu, are made with a rich, pliable dough that uses cream cheese. It's folded to make a simple star shape. Use your favorite jam in the center, bright colors are best.

One versatile dough and so many cookies! Start with our easy vanilla cookie dough and make five different kinds of thumbprint cookies as well as three different ball cookies. It's all about adding citrus zest, cinnamon, or cocoa powder to plain vanilla dough, and decorating with a variety of toppings from ganache to peppermints, to make a marvelous array of treats.

Some of the best family heirlooms are edible, like these cookies, a tweaked version of Lucinda Scala Quinn's great-grandmother's recipe.

These angelic star cookies are light and chewy. To ensure their soft, almond dough doesn't harden, be sure not to over bake.

The snowy sugar surface of these pfeffernussen contrasts with the peppery flavor that defines this traditional German cookie.

You'll need specially designed springerle molds to shape the fragrant spiced dough for these traditional Dutch cookies.

The German town of Nuremberg has been famous for its lebkuchen since the late 1300s; the soft, cakey cookies are traditionally made with several spices, candied citrus peel, hazelnuts, and almonds.

Break a batch of brownies into bits, mix with dark rum, and roll into balls coated with sparkling sugar to make this delicious holiday treat.

The festive duo of Cranberry-Pistachio Cornmeal Biscotti and Cherry-Almond Biscotti make an excellent gift—along with a pound of your favorite coffee for dunking.

A combination of fresh and ground ginger, molasses, and chunks of semisweet chocolate makes these egg-free cookies sophisticated enough for adults but chocolaty enough for children.

Our take on the traditional English mince pies, these dried-fruit tartlets have decorative toppers made by using different cookie cutters or aspic cutters. Another option is to cut decorative vents with a sharp knife.

The recipe for these traditional Polish fried cookies, also known as angel wings, comes from Martha's mother, Mrs. Kostyra.

Sure, cinnamon is a popular spice, but we prefer nutmeg when it comes to Christmas cookies. Here's a moon-shaped take on the snow-dusted, buttery cookies that everyone loves.

Based on the famous linzertorte, these classic cookies combine the classic nutty and fruity elements but in a smaller package.