The 90 Best Christmas Cookies to Make This Holiday Season (All Cookie Swap and Santa Approved)

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 24

Cookie texture meets brownie flavor in these festive sandwich cookies. Jam is traditional, but we’ve swapped it for a vibrant pink peppermint ganache.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 24

Oh hi, 25-minute frosted and decorated cookies. This is ideal for anyone making last minute dessert table additions. (Royal icing could never.)

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 15

Vegetables in a cookie? You better believe it. Here, the sweet potato lends moisture and color for a soft, bright cookie that’s better than any marshmallow-topped casserole.

• Time Commitment: 3 hours, 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 24

Icebox cookies are a holiday savior because you can make the dough ahead of time and bake the cookies whenever a craving strikes.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 24

It’s a cookie within a cookie! They’re like our favorite store-bought sammies, only a little classier and a lot tastier.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 15

If a soft molasses cookie and a good old chocolate chip number had a very delicious Christmas cookie baby, it would be one of these treats.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours, 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
• Serves: 24

The time you would’ve spent frosting is spent weaving instead—and the result is a hundred times more sophisticated.

• Time Commitment: 3 hours, 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 36

Here’s an ingenious way to make good use of all those candy canes. (C’mon, no one ever finishes a whole one.)

• Time Commitment: 3 hours
• Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
• Serves: 35

Here’s a nifty baking trick: Gently simmer a can of sweetened condensed milk and it’ll turn into homemade dulce de leche like magic.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 30

So you have to make the pecan brittle bark ahead of the cookies. We promise the results are worth the effort.

• Time Commitment: 3 hours, 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, make ahead
• Serves: 24

These come together with just seven ingredients. We repeat: seven ingredients.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours, 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
• Serves: 12

The buttery, almost salty cookies are the perfect foil to the tart filling. Take a batch of these Christmas cookies to Aunt Jackie’s house and you’ll win major brownie (er, cookie?) points.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours
• Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
• Serves: 24

Food dye who? These adorable Christmas cookies are colored with matcha powder for a seasonably appropriate hue and a toasty flavor.

• Time Commitment: 42 minutes
• Why I Love It: gluten free, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 22

No one will know that they’re gluten free, even when they go in for round two.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: no cook, make ahead, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 20

Are they a cookie or a candy? Who cares? They’re delicious, and you can totally start with store-bought cookies to add to the food processor with cream cheese and white chocolate.

• Time Commitment: 3 hours, 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, make ahead, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 24

Vanilla isn’t boring, it’s underrated. One cookie and you’ll understand.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 24

Is it really the holidays if you aren’t swimming in a sea of snowflake and reindeer cutouts? These buttery cookies aren't just adorable, they also taste amazing.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 24

These will be a hit with your Gen Z cousin who’s all over the latest trends. (Or she’ll scoff and say tie dye is *so* last year, but whatever.)

• Time Commitment: 3 hours, 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 24

Last-minute cookie swap? We’ve got your back. This dough can be made up to three months in advance.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 10

No, Ina Garten isn’t coming to your Secret Santa party, but her cookie recipe will suffice. And if you end up with a little extra icing, we strongly suggest serving with strawberries.

• Time Commitment: 3 hours, 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 24

You had us at three little words: pure maple syrup.

• Time Commitment: 3 hours
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy
• Serves: 24

Chewy, spicy cookies are filled with molten caramel…and the results are glorious. You’ll want a few napkins for these babies.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 36

Go ahead, eat a few cookies for breakfast. (’Tis the season, right?) They go great with espresso — we promise.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 25

Pie? Way too much work. These cookies offer the best of both dessert worlds (and leave you more time to watch A Christmas Story).

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
• Serves: 20

They look like little works of art, but don’t let that stop you from eating one, or a few. Serve with some tea, lemonade, or eat on their own. We hear they pair well with vanilla ice cream.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 20

Caffeine and sugar? This has afternoon snack written all over it. Dip into a latte or wash it down with hot cocoa... maybe just make two batches.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours, 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, gluten free, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 20

We love a good ol’ jar of Nutella, but bonus points if you make your own. Eat these for breakfast or as an accompaniment to your espresso martini nightcap.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 24

Everyone needs a 30-minute cookie on their Christmas list. Especially when it involves chocolate and marshmallows. Similar to the iconic ice cream flavor, they're a total fan favorite.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly
• Serves: 10

The bigger the cookie, the closer to Santa—or so they say. These babies are perfect if you're sick of chocolate or simply want something easy to go with your morning cuppa.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 24

Sugar cookies and macaroons happen to make a fantastic pair. We know that because we've helped ourselves to far too many of these.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
• Serves: 24

We’ve never met a person who can say no to cheesecake. Just saying. Drizzle with strawberry sauce or eat them on their own... either way is approved by us.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
• Serves: 20

Psst: Those bagged cookies have been on the grocery store shelf since last Christmas. You can do better. While they require a bit more effort, they're so worth it.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy
• Serves: 36

Honey, we shrunk the Oreos. And good thing, too. Now you can eat them by the handful.

• Time Commitment: 26 minutes
• Why I Love It: gluten free, dairy free, <30 minutes
• Serves: 12

You wouldn’t know it, but these babies are gluten free and dairy optional. So if you have less than 30 minutes on your hands, we say go for it.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 24

Forget the little lad: There’s a big man up north who loves this flavor combination. But you can totally sing the jingle while you bake them.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
• Serves: 12

These cookies have a secret: They’re packed with crushed freeze-dried raspberries for a sweet-tart punch of flavor.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 30 to 40

They’re. So. Cute! (And you can fill them with any flavor you please.)

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, gluten free, dairy free
• Serves: 14

A cookie that’s kinda good for you? Be still our sugar-loving heart. These are flourless, not to mention dairy and egg free.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 12

Just because the leaves have fallen doesn’t mean pumpkin season is over, people. In fact, we're happy to make these year-round.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, <15 minutes
• Serves: 24

We get it: You have a thousand presents to wrap. But we bet you can still craft a batch of these cookies. (Psst: All you need in 15 minutes.)

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, gluten free
• Serves: 24

Meet your new favorite holiday cookie: They’re sweet but not cloying, play nice with chocolate and are easy to pack into cookie boxes.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: gluten free, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, <30 minutes
• Serves: 18

The Christmas season is a marathon, not a sprint. These 20-minute, three-ingredient beauties will get you through the busiest parts.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 24

No, it’s not Valentine’s Day. The heart shape is because we love Christmas, duh! But honestly you can opt for any shape you'd like.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 12

Hot tip: If you bite down the middle, you get a bit of every flavor. The recipe reiterates the importance of using plain canned pumpkin as opposed to pie filling, though, because you'll be adding your own spices.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy
• Serves: 36

How’d you like to spend Christmas on a tropical island? Well, these cuties are the next best thing. And something else great— the glaze doesn't contain any food dye, thanks to the hibiscus concentrate used to flavor it. 

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 18

If there’s a time to take things OTT, it’s the holidays. Pair these cookies with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you’re really committed. This recipe comes from popular California bakery Milk Jar Cookies, and honestly, we can't get enough of 'em.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 16

But if you want to keep things simple, we don’t blame you. These six-ingredient cookies are unexpectedly sophisticated. But we promise, the kids will love them.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, one bowl, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 36

The eggnog icing is optional, but we know you have an open carton lingering in your fridge. We definitely recommend dipping them.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes (+ chilling time)
• Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
• Serves: 26

Let it snow…cookies, that is. The gingerbread spice has quite a few ingredients (cinnamon, cloves, all spice, star anise seeds and mace, to name a few), but the end result is so worth it.

• Time Commitment: 38 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 42

Polvorones, Russian tea cakes, snowball cookies: Call ’em what you want, just don’t inhale as you take a bite into that buttery goodness.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 24

These cookies are flavored with vanilla, but you can swap in anise if you want to be traditional. Regardless, don't skimp on the sprinkles!

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 40

You can’t go wrong with a Santa-approved classic. Make sure to get your hands on a variety of cookie cutters.

• Time Commitment: 32 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 40

They’re soft, rich and lightly spiced. Would pairing them with a glass of eggnog be overkill? Actually, don't answer that—we don't care.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, gluten-free (optional)
• Serves: 48

The snappier, the better. (As an added bonus, these are easily made gluten free.) They're low-sugar too, so the whle family can get in on them.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 36

We can’t explain it, but these are a Christmas classic. Pro tip: mix up the Hershey's Kisses and Reese's Cups, to make a totally mixed batch.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
• Serves: 10

Everyone knows the best Christmas cookies are typically covered in confectioners’ sugar. You can get creative with the jam, but we all know that raspberry is the best.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 22

Deck the halls with sugar, butter and frosting. Just make sure to Instagram these babies, or they totally didn't happen.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy
• Serves: 48

These are—dare we say?—better than the real thing. Don't worry, we won't tell Santa.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
• Serves: 42 to 46

Snappy, crunchy cookies aren’t for everyone. For those of you who prefer pillowier treats, these soft, spiced cookies are just like what Grandma use to make.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly
• Serves: 24

If you don’t already have a stiff cocktail at the holiday party, grab one of these guys. And don't worry, the bourbon will bake out so the whole family can have them.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy
• Serves: 84

You’ll need a cookie press to make these classic Christmas cookies, but look how pretty they turn out. The colors really add to it.

• Time Commitment: 22 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, <30 minutes
• Serves: 32

Unlike Frosty, these won’t melt on you. Sweet buttercream on top of a chewy sugar cookie, FTW.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
• Serves: 18

What’s the secret to these decadent and perfectly chewy Christms cookies? They’re made with actual hot cocoa mix for the full effect.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
• Serves: 24

It’s two treats in one, and what could be bad about that? These are both delicious and festive, making them the ultimate Christmas cookie.

• Time Commitment: 26 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
• Serves: 16

A sweet-salty number is just what your cookie plate needs to be complete. Just remember to serve a healthy amount of milk to wash it all down.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, special occasion–worthy
• Serves: 24 to 36

Red and green are givens, but we have a soft spot for this millennial-loved color. And again, make sure you have a wide range of cookie cutters for these! It's more fun that way.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours, 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, gluten free, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 24 to 30

Who’s the winner of the cookie swap? You are. (Psst: These "cookies" are actually soft and gooey meringues, but no one at the cookie swap will mind after they take one delicious bite.)

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 24

It’s buttery and tender like a shortbread but studded with chocolate chips and baked like a bar. Basically, it has everything we could ever want.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: gluten free, vegan, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 18

What makes them magical? Well, they’re free of nuts, gluten, grains and refined sugar, and they’re vegan (not to mention delicious).

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy
• Serves: 34

Christmas tree sprinkles on everything, we say. (We’re pretty big fans of the white chocolate, too.) Just don't forget to chill before serving.

• Time Commitment: 23 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 8

The sour cream ensures these cut-out cookies are ultra-tender and just a little tangy. But we all know the decorating will be the best part.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 18 to 20

Psst: They’re spiked with rum. Need we say more? Jenny, the creator behind the recipe claims the secret is high quality butter... so don't skimp!

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 40

Replace the usual shortbread base with store-bought gingersnaps, and suddenly you have a party-ready version of the grocery fave. We promise it's worth making from scratch.

• Time Commitment: 38 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
• Serves: 30

The cookie dough is flavored with vanilla and orange for a tart twist. Amanda, the baking extraordinaire who came up with the recipe, says "they're like sugar plum fairies dancing on your tastebuds."

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 24

Cookie butter, meet snickerdoodle cookies. (Now meet our mouth.) Bet you can't only eat four.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, <30 minutes
• Serves: 20 to 22

Go ahead and leave them out with a note for Santa, but save us one from the batch. Consider adding cinnamon and cayenne for an extra kick.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy
• Serves: 24

Brown butter, toasty pecans, boozy bourbon: These are a few of our favorite things. They were made for the derby but TBH are perfect year-round.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy, kid-friendly
• Serves: 30

They look so fancy, but they’re actually super easy to pipe and bake. Like, your kids could honestly make them.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, special occasion–worthy
• Serves: 22

They’re almost too cute to eat…but we’re not about to hold back. Note: This one is best for the piping pros.

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
• Serves: 30

Merry Christmas to all, but especially to these spicy, chocolatey cookies that take less than an hour to make.

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy, make ahead
• Serves: 32

Since the holidays are busy even without a baking project, you can (and should!) make the curd a couple days ahead of time and refrigerate it until you’re ready to bake.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 2 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 16 to 20

Not only are these cookies delicious, but according to the Contessa, the house smells amazing when you make them.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours, 30 minutes (includes chilling)
• Why I Love It: make ahead, special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 22

These chewy-yet-crisp jewels are vying for the top spot at your cookie exchange, and with their sweet-tart fruit flavor, they just might win.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
• Serves: 14

If you’ve ever been torn between baking cookies or brownies, this is the decadent mashup of your dreams. Just don't skimp on that flaky salt topping!

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, one bowl
• Serves: 24

These babies are meant to be eaten in multiples (or better yet, by the handful). And since our motto is “more cookies, fewer dishes,” we made sure that the dough can be made using a single bowl.

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, no bake
• Serves: 12

Sans the raw eggs and wheat flour, this cookie dough won't put you at risk of salmonella. And trust us: everyone at the party—adults and kids alike—will lose their minds over these delightful bowls.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy, make ahead
• Serves: 24

Here's a pro tip: chill these babies in the fridge for 15 minutes before popping them in the oven. That way, the cookies won't spread too much.

• Time Commitment: 26 minutes
• Why I Love It: gluten free, vegan, no bake
• Serves: 16

This lighter option will be much-appreciated after a major feast. And lucky for you, the oven gets to stay off. Yep, we got ourselves a no-bake here.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours, 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, make ahead, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 36

Don't forget to leave some out for Santa! The best part is you can make a ton of the shortbread dough and freeze it, to slice and bake it whenever you want.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours, 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 24

Make with red and green M&Ms for the ultimate festive Christmas cookies. And trust us— this mashup is way easier than making an entire cheesecake.