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  7. The Most Wonderful Cookies to Make for Santa This Year

The Most Wonderful Cookies to Make for Santa This Year

By Lynn Andriani December 08, 2021
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cookie press cookies
Credit: Bryan Gardner

Leaving out a plate of cookies and a glass of milk for Santa on Christmas Eve is a much-loved and delicious tradition. Here, we've gathered together the best cookies—favorites old and new—to share with Father Christmas.

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extraordinary chocolate chip cookies
Credit: Mike Krautter

The tradition of leaving out cookies and milk for Santa is a simple act of generosity and kindness, but it's also a great reminder of the pure joy cookies can bring. And you can't beat the nostalgia factor. Although we don't know exactly what Santa loves, we can say this: The treats you put out for him should be three- or four-bite cookies. Anything giant-sized would slow him down (he's got work to do, after all). Your treats shouldn't be too sticky, either, lest he leave fingerprints behind on the gifts. Last but not least, you shouldn't prepare anything that requires refrigeration, as the treats could sit out for a few hours before his arrival. Your best bet is to stick to the classics, and the recipes in this selection certainly deliver on that front.

Buttery sugar cookies are a can't-go-wrong choice, and that's true whether you opt for Snowmen Shortbread Cookies or Cookie Press Cookies. Another good option is Shaped Icebox Cookies, which can be as plain or as elaborate as you'd like depending on which mix-ins you go with. There are winning combinations, too: peanut butter and chocolate come together in Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies, and almond and fruit unite in Thumbprint Cookies (use any flavor jam you wish).

Chocolate is here, of course, although it's not over-the-top. Cocoa Shortbread Diamonds are just the thing with a glass of milk and Chocolate Spice Cookies combine wintery flavors (ginger, cinnamon and cloves) with chocolate. Coconut-Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies almost feel like a brownie swirled inside of a cookie, and traditional bites like Martha's Chocolate Chip Cookies, seen here, or Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies are always going to be a slam dunk.

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Russian Tea Cakes

russian tea cakes
Credit: Bryan Gardner
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Rolling these classic Christmas cookies in powdered sugar twice—one while they're still warm and again when they're completely cooled—ensures maximum snowball effect.

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Chocolate-Peppermint Cookies

Chocolate-Peppermint Cookies
Credit: Victor Schrager
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Indulge in this version of the minty classic, with a holiday-inspired topping of crushed red-and-white candies.

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Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

soft chewy chocolate-chip cookies
Credit: Bryan Gardner
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Everyone (and we're pretty sure that extends to Santa) loves a chocolate chip cookie. And this version—which is made in the soft and chewy style—delivers both the nostalgia of childhood and the satisfying, grown-up flavors of dark chocolate.

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Coconut-Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies

christmas pinwheel cookies birds-eye view
Credit: Bryan Gardner
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The chocolate filling rolled into these chewy Christmas pinwheel cookies creates a beautiful, brownie-like swirl that's completely irresistible.

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Thumbprint Cookies

holiday handbook 2011 almond jam thumbprint cookies
Credit: Joseph De Leo
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A signature Christmastime sweet, these tiny almond-flavored cookies bear the print of the baker's thumb, which is gently pressed into the partially baked cookie to create a well.

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Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles
Credit: Victor Schrager
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It doesn't get more classic than this cinnamon-sugar cookie. Pro tip: Give them ample room on cookie sheets, as they spread a lot as they bake.

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Chocolate Spice Cookies

chocolate spice cookies
Credit: Alpha Smoot
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This recipe starts with a delicious ginger-spiced dough that you can take in one of two directions: emboss the dough with a cookie stamp and brush it with an orange-butter glaze; or (the more Santa-friendly option) omit the cocoa powder, swap in chocolate chunks, and roll the cookies in sanding sugar for sweet sparkle.

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Cocoa Shortbread Diamonds

Cocoa Shortbread Diamonds
Credit: Victor Schrager
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These cookies are perfect alongside a glass of milk. To decorate them, use a spoon to drizzle the melted white chocolate, or a resealable plastic bag with a corner snipped off.

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Basic Gingerbread Cookies

gingerbread cookies
Credit: Alpha Smoot
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This gingerbread recipe is dependable and straightforward, and you can use it to make cutout cookies in any shape. Snowflakes, girls and boys, bells, houses, trees—anything goes.

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Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies

vanilla-bean sugar cookies
Credit: Alpha Smoot
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You can make these cookies two ways: either cut out circles using a cookie cutter and edge them in sanding sugar; or shape the dough into a log, coat it in sugar, and then chill, slice, and bake.

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Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

peanut butter blossom cookies
Credit: Bryan Gardner
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These are the quintessential sweet-and-salty Christmas treat, combining a chocolate kiss with a peanut butter cookie. And we're pretty sure Santa will view these as we do: a two for one (candy plus cookie!).

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Snowmen Shortbread Cookies

shortbread snowmen
Credit: Joseph De Leo
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Almond extract and ground almonds infuse a nutty flavor and texture to basic shortbread dough. Roll it out and cut into jaunty snowman shapes. A generous coat of confectioners' sugar is all each snowman needs to wear.

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Shaped Icebox Cookies

cookies
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Here's a customizable shortbread cookie that's basically a homemade version of slice and bake. A few of our favorite ingredient combinations: toasted blanched almonds and dried cherries; dried cranberries and chopped candied orange peel; and dried apricots and pistachios.

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Cookie Press Cookies

cookie press cookies
Credit: Bryan Gardner
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Rich, buttery, and made with lots of vanilla, these cookies are easy to make and to decorate. Use a cookie press—a cylinder fitted with a decorative nozzle at one end and a plunger at the other—to press the cookies directly onto the baking sheet.

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By Lynn Andriani

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    1 of 15
    2 of 15 Russian Tea Cakes
    3 of 15 Chocolate-Peppermint Cookies
    4 of 15 Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
    5 of 15 Coconut-Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies
    6 of 15 Thumbprint Cookies
    7 of 15 Snickerdoodles
    8 of 15 Chocolate Spice Cookies
    9 of 15 Cocoa Shortbread Diamonds
    10 of 15 Basic Gingerbread Cookies
    11 of 15 Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies
    12 of 15 Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
    13 of 15 Snowmen Shortbread Cookies
    14 of 15 Shaped Icebox Cookies
    15 of 15 Cookie Press Cookies

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