Our Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes, from Biscotti to Gingerbread

By Frances Kim
Updated June 03, 2020
'Tis the season to bake cookies! Use our delicious recipes for biscotti, gingerbread, shortbread, spritz, and more to make the best edible gifts for family and friends.
Start Slideshow

1 of 26

It's the most magical time of the year—Christmas bells are ringing, our hearts are merry, and we can't wait to bake our favorite Christmas cookie recipes. These are the very best and brightest of the bunch—we have all the classics like Peanut Butter Blossoms, Russian Tea Cakes, Thumbprint Cookies, and Lemony Brown-Butter Crinkle Cookies as well as a few more unexpected options. From cookie swaps to holiday parties, there's no better time to make a festive batch of Christmas cookies.

If you're hosting a cookie decorating party for family, friends, or small children, there's no better recipe to prepare than our Ideal Sugar Cookies. Set out piping bags filled with icing and small bowls with a variety of sprinkles in various shapes and colors, and let everyone design their own festive bite. Looking for a way to upgrade the appearance of classic shortbread cookies? Have fun with food coloring and a large pastry tip and pipe a batch or two of our Shortbread Swirls. Choose red and green for Christmas, or divide the batter up and create every color of the rainbow. They're sure to go fast (who could eat just one?). How about a cookie that doesn't call for making cookie dough? The Sweet Snowflake Crisps seen here are made from wonton wrappers and dusted with powdered sugar.

Of course, you could also create treats made of meringue. If you're whipping up a batch, why not make a forest full of trees? Meringue Trees are stacked on top of each other to create the look of whimsical Christmas trees. Our version shows off shades of pink, brown, and white but feel free to use various shades of green for a more realistic effect. To display, nestle them between shredded coconut or cotton to create the allusion of freshly fallen snow.

These Christmas cookies not only taste spectacular, but they look picture perfect, too—and they are sure to help you have a very sweet holiday season.

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 26

Gingerbread Bells

Romulo Yanes
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

These bells don't need to ring to capture your guests' attention! They're made of gingerbread and finished with the most eye-catching icing (creating the pattern only calls for one tool: a toothpick).

3 of 26

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

Bryan Gardner
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Give classic peanut butter cookies some love—adorn each one with a chocolate kiss before baking!

Advertisement

4 of 26

Peppermint-Spritz Cookies

Louise Hagger
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Peppermint extract imparts a candy cane-like flavor here, while a red-and-white glaze lend these spritz cookies the appearance of the popular holiday confection.

5 of 26

Coconut-Pistachio Biscotti

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

A guaranteed crowd-pleaser around the holidays, our take on the twice-baked Italian cookies calls for cornmeal, coconut, lemon, pistachios, and dried cherries.

6 of 26

Glazed Spiced Snowflake Cookies

Aaron Dyer
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Skip the mold when making these speculaas cookies and use a doily and a rolling pin instead. It's a clever, easy way to imprint the dough. Then cut into snowflakes and finish with a frosty glaze.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 26

Coffee-Meringue Acorns

ANITA CALERO
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Coffee extract amps up the flavor of these meringue kisses. The bases are coated with melted dark chocolate and toasted pistachios for the acorn effect.

8 of 26

Fruitcake Cookies

Louise Hagger
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Enrobed in dark chocolate and studded with glace cherries, dried papaya, and candied citron, these decadent bite-size cookies will turn anyone into a fruitcake convert.

9 of 26

Gingerbread Cookies

Alpha Smoot
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

The holiday season wouldn't be complete without these quintessential treats. Cut out gingerbread "boys" and "girls" in different sizes, then decorate with white royal icing and currant "buttons."

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 26

Double-Chocolate Peppermint Sandwiches

Aaron Dyer
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Like peppermint patties in cookie form! A rich mint chocolate filling is spread between chocolate cookies and sprinkled with chopped peppermint candies.

11 of 26

Pistachio Spritz Pinwheels

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Time to break out your cookie press! Simply push our easy pistachio dough through it and bake the resulting pinwheels. Finish with a dollop of dark chocolate in the center.

12 of 26

Chewy Chocolate-Gingerbread Cookies

Joseph De Leo
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Fresh ginger is the secret-weapon ingredient in these cookies that have earned a permanent spot in our test kitchen's hall of fame. The heat is tempered by dark chocolate and molasses.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 26

Hazelnut Sandwich Cookies

Romulo Yanes
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Sandwich rich melted dark chocolate or your favorite fruit jam between these cinnamon-hazelnut cookies—the cutouts showcase the filling beautifully.

14 of 26

Meringue Trees

Will Anderson
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Tinted pale pink and chocolatey brown, these ethereal stacked meringues are crisp on the outside and soft and marshmallow-like on the inside.

15 of 26

Raspberry Palmiers

Sang An
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Instead of fussing with puff pastry, make a simple sour-cream dough for these diminutive elephant ears, then fill with raspberry jam and roll in cinnamon sugar.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 26

Russian Tea Cakes

Bryan Gardner
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

No, these aren't snowballs! But the resemblance of is uncanny, thanks to all the powdered sugar coating these almond cookies.

17 of 26

Stained-Glass Sugar Cookies

Romulo Yanes
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

We can't think of a better use for Jolly Ranchers than these festive ornament-shaped cookies. The candies are crushed and used to fill the cutouts before baking.

18 of 26

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

linda xaio
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Add everyone's favorite fall ingredient to these beloved cookies: pumpkin. It goes marvelously with the cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg in the batter.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

19 of 26

Thumbprint Cookies

Joseph De Leo
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

A Christmastime classic! Fill the wells of these almond-flavored cookies with any jam you please—we used apricot, red currant, and raspberry.

20 of 26

Shortbread Swirls

Aaron Dyer
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Let your guests taste the rainbow by whipping up a batch of buttery vanilla shortbread cookies in five vivid hues.

21 of 26

Lemony Brown-Butter Crinkle Cookies

Stephen Kent Johnson
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Nutty brown butter adds wonderful depth of flavor to these treats, while lemon juice and zest balance out the richness. Roll the dough into balls and toss with powdered sugar before baking to get that telltale crinkle.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

22 of 26

Coconut-Lime Bars

Romulo Yanes
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Put a tropical twist on bar cookies with three ingredients: shredded coconut, grated lime zest, and chopped macadamia nuts.

23 of 26

Pfeffernusse

Mike Krautter
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

German for "pepper nut," these spice cookies get their name from the pinch of black pepper in the batter. We've upped the ante with two finishing touches: a kirsch-spiked glaze and a sprinkling of pink peppercorns.

24 of 26

Sugar-Dusted Macaroon Trees

Seth Smoot
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Festive and easy to make, these macaroon evergreens only require six ingredients: shredded coconut, sugar (regular and powdered), egg whites, vanilla, and salt. Bonus: they're gluten-free!

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

25 of 26

White Chocolate-Gingerbread Blondies

Victor Schraeger
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Turn up the volume on blondies by adding warming spices (cinnamon, ginger, and cloves) and a generous dose of white chocolate to the mix.

26 of 26

Ideal Sugar Cookies

Alpha Smoot
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Martha has made hundreds of different cookies over the years. Her favorites for the holidays are these classic sugar ones. (The secret ingredient: a splash of brandy.) Cut into any shape you like and decorate with royal icing.

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Up Next

Advertisement
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.marthastewart.com