Food Holidays & Occasions Christmas 30 Holiday Cookie Recipes to Bake This Season Christmas cookies are essential for sweetening all manner of holiday festivities, however you celebrate the season. By Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann is an editor, baker, and confectioner with more than 15 years of experience in content creation, recipe development, and pastry production. She's obsessed with the fine details and ingredients that take dishes from tasty to outright otherworldly. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on December 6, 2024 Close Photo: Justin Walker Whether you're a fan of chocolate, sugar cookies, shortbread, or meringues, you'll want to make at least a few of these holiday cookie recipes to round out seasonal menus and have on hand for gatherings and gifting. You'll be hard-pressed to decide which ones to bake first, from Hot Buttered Rum Biscotti to Triple Chocolate–Peppermint Cookies and Brown Butter-Cardamom Spitzbuben. Cozy up with a mug of hot chocolate or cider and peruse our collection of the best Christmas cookies to bake this season. 01 of 30 Brown Butter-Cardamom Spitzbuben Photo by Jenny Huang / Food Styling by Tyna Hoang / Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka These traditional Bavarian Christmas cookies from F&W deputy editor Melanie Hansche get a tantalizing upgrade with the addition of brown butter and the robust, citrusy flavor of freshly ground cardamom. Paired with your favorite jam, the finished cookies will stop your guests in their snowy tracks. Get the Recipe 02 of 30 Hot Buttered Rum Biscotti Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver Sweetened browned butter, rum, and warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice come together for the cookie interpretation of a buttered rum cocktail. They're perfect with a warm drink. Get the Recipe 03 of 30 Tortellini Dolci al Forno (Emilian Fruit-Stuffed Christmas Cookies) Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Christine Keely A sweet-tart trio of fruit — cherry preserves, rich saba (cooked-down grape must), and candied citron — is enveloped by tender, flaky, anise-kissed half-moons dusted in powdered sugar for these classic Emilian Christmas cookies. Get the Recipe 04 of 30 Triple Chocolate–Peppermint Cookies Justin Walker Homemade peppermint bark tops these super-fudgy cookies made with plenty of cocoa powder, crushed chocolate wafers, and chocolate chips. They just may be the first to disappear off your holiday cookie platter. Get the Recipe 05 of 30 Cardamom Shortbread Cookies with Dulce de Leche Peda Filling Andria Lo Cookbook author Hetal Vasavada's cardamom-spiced sandwich cookies are filled with store-bought dulce de leche and adorned with edible flower petals and gold leaf for a treat that's as gorgeous as it is delicious. Get the Recipe 06 of 30 Cranberry Moscow Mule Gingersnaps Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver More cakey than snappy, the trio of freshly grated ginger, ginger syrup, and ground ginger gives these cookies their zippy sass. They're speckled with lime zest and vodka-plumped dried cranberries to match their namesake's signature flavors. Get the Recipe 07 of 30 Italian Rainbow Cookies Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Shell Royster Also known as rainbow cookies, Neapolitan cookies, or tricolore cookies, these cheery treats have a subtle almond flavor that pairs nicely with the bittersweet chocolate topping and layers of raspberry jam. Get the Recipe 08 of 30 Old-Fashioned Sablés Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver These sandy-textured sablé cookies from cookbook author Jerrelle Guy toe the line between sweet and savory. A combination of cornmeal, rye flour, and mesquite flour imbues them with nuttiness and warmth. Get the Recipe 09 of 30 Fudgy Grasshopper Sandwich Cookies Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver Two soft, tender chocolate cookies are sandwiched around minty white chocolate ganache with streaks of dark chocolate to create a swirling chevron pattern. Get the Recipe 10 of 30 Cacao Nib Meringues Justin Walker Made from just five ingredients — including chopped bittersweet chocolate, cacao nibs, and cocoa powder — these intensely flavored meringues are crisp and delicate on the outside with soft, chewy, marshmallow-like centers. Get the Recipe 11 of 30 Chocolate Ganache Sandwich Cookies Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Crisp, buttery cookies are filled with rich, fluffy milk chocolate ganache made softer by using butter instead of the usual heavy cream. A squiggle of melted dark chocolate on top gives them a fancy look. Get the Recipe 12 of 30 Gramercy Tavern Chocolate Chip Cookies Cedric Angeles Browned butter lends nutty depth to these giant cookies studded with white, milk, and dark chocolate from executive pastry chef Karen DeMasco. Get the Recipe 13 of 30 Brown Butter and Dark Chocolate Rye Cookies Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley 2022 F&W Best New Chef Caroline Schiff adds an extra layer of earthiness to these crumbly chocolate shortbread cookies with dark rye flour. This recipe prepares two logs of dough to make ahead for slice and bake cookies. Get the Recipe 14 of 30 Snickerdoodle Sugar Cookies Food & Wine / Photo by Carson Downing / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Joseph Wanek The Food & Wine Test Kitchen recipe developers roll these festively spiced cookie logs in Demerara sugar before baking for an extra crisp and sugary crust. Get the Recipe 15 of 30 Cake Cookies Jordan Provost / Food Styling by Thu Buser F&W senior editorial director Sean Flynn says his grandmother's cake cookies are a staple at celebrations in his home. They're a piece of cake to make. Get the Recipe 16 of 30 Dried Cranberry and Chocolate Cookies Food & Wine / Photo by Carson Downing / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Sue Mitchell Cookbook author Sally Sampson adds cranberries and rolled oats to buttery chocolate chip cookie dough for this chocolate chip-oatmeal cookie hybrid. Get the Recipe 17 of 30 Shortbread Cookies Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Debbie Wee Classically crumbly, buttery shortbread cookies can be enjoyed any time of day, any day of the year. Dress them up with white glaze and red and green sprinkles for a holiday variation. Get the Recipe 18 of 30 Milk Punch Cornmeal Cookies Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver Pro baker Cheryl Day gives this cookie dough a light, sandy texture and a sweet, buttery flavor with almond flour and cornmeal. A blanket of bourbon-spiked white chocolate ganache gives the cookies this wintry presentation. Get the Recipe 19 of 30 Chewy Sugar Cookies Food & Wine / Photo by Jacob Fox / Food Styling by Kelsey Moylan / Prop Styling by Lexi Juhl These classic sugar cookies deliver crispy edges, chewy centers, and just a hint of nutmeg in a half hour. Get the Recipe 20 of 30 Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless Letting the dough rest overnight to better hydrate the flour is the secret to the tender texture of these sugar cookies that are flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, and almond extract. Get the Recipe 21 of 30 Linzer Cookies with Spiced Jam © John Kernick Top Chef winner Kevin Sbraga adds anise and coriander to the raspberry jam that he spreads between these hazelnut cookies, which are spiced with cinnamon and cloves. Get the Recipe 22 of 30 Putri Salju Pandan (Pandan-Flavored Indonesian "Snow White" Cookies) Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell In Indonesia, Putri Salju ("Snow White" or "Snow Princess") cookies are traditionally made with almonds, peanuts, or cashews and are popular during the holidays. League of Kitchens cooking instructor Shandra Woworuntu omits the nuts and adds fragrant pandan instead, which gives the cookies a pretty green color. Get the Recipe 23 of 30 Roll-and-Cut Sugar Cookies © Quentin Bacon A staple of every good Christmas cookie assortment, sugar cookies can be as plain or fancy as you please. Simply sprinkle the cut shapes with sugar, decorate the baked cookies with royal icing, or sandwich them together with jam. Get the Recipe 24 of 30 Spiced Gingerbread Cookies © Christina Holmes Made wonderfully zingy with a touch of black pepper, these gingerbread cookies from baker Julianne Jones have a tender and cakey texture, yet they’re sturdy enough to decorate. Get the Recipe 25 of 30 Matcha-Butter Cookies with White Chocolate Drizzle Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell Matcha imparts these crisp cookies with an earthy flavor and verdant hue perfect for holiday shapes like Christmas trees, wreaths, and holly. A drizzle of melted white chocolate boosts the sweetness and gives them a festive look. Get the Recipe 26 of 30 Chocolate-Gingerbread Cookies © Ditte Isager A hybrid of spicy gingerbread and chocolate, these cookies from Brooklyn's Baked are made from a supple dough that's a dream to work with. Cut them into an assortment of fanciful shapes and decorate them as you please. Get the Recipe 27 of 30 Alfajores de Maizena (Argentine Cornflour Sandwich Cookies with Coconut) Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell One of the most popular cookies in Argentina, these soft and tender alfajores are sandwiched with extra-thick dulce de leche and rolled in shredded coconut. Get the Recipe 28 of 30 Salted Caramel Squares © Lucy Schaeffer Bar cookies are a great way to mix up your holiday platter. Here, tender, salt-flecked caramel sits atop a dense, buttery crust for Los Angeles pastry chef Zoe Nathan's salty-sweet treats. Get the Recipe 29 of 30 Kourampiedes (Greek Christmas Cookies) Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell The simple flavors of butter, sugar, almonds, and vanilla shine in these crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth Greek Christmas cookies. Get the Recipe 30 of 30 Hazelnut Sandwich Cookies © Quentin Bacon Warmly spiced cookies are sandwiched together with chocolate and sprinkled with hazelnuts to cover all the bases of holiday flavor. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit