So it’s December again and I’m elbow-deep in flour at 11 PM, frantically trying to finish cookies for my daughter’s school party tomorrow. Why do I do this to myself every year? Because these best Christmas cookies recipe favorites are worth the chaos, that’s why. And honestly, there’s something magical about the smell of gingerbread and peppermint filling your house at midnight while you’re covered in powdered sugar and questioning all your life choices.
I started this tradition five years ago when I volunteered to bring “a few cookies” to a holiday party. A FEW. I showed up with seven dozen in twelve different varieties because apparently I don’t understand portion control. But you know what? Everyone lost their minds over them, and now I’m that person who brings the cookies to everything. My reputation is both a blessing and a curse.
This roundup exists because I’ve spent years testing the best Christmas cookies recipe options—some spectacular successes, some epic failures (RIP the batch of candy cane cookies that melted into one giant peppermint blob). These ten recipes are my absolute go-tos. They’re the ones my family requests every year, the ones that actually turn out right even when I’m stressed and rushing, and the ones that make people ask for the recipe.
Some are classics you’ve probably made a million times. Others might be new to you. All of them are tested, tasted, and guaranteed to make your kitchen smell like Christmas threw up in there (in the best possible way). Most can be made ahead and frozen, which has literally saved my sanity during particularly crazy Decembers.
So here are my top picks—tested, tasted, and mildly chaotic in the best way. Let’s bake some cookies.
Table of Contents
1. Classic Gingerbread Cookies
These classic gingerbread cookies are THE holiday cookie in my house. My grandma used to make them every Christmas, and the smell of ginger and molasses instantly transports me back to her kitchen. I’ve tweaked her recipe slightly over the years (she used shortening, I use butter because it tastes better), but the spirit is the same. The dough is incredibly forgiving—you can roll it thick for soft cookies or thin for crispy ones, and both versions are delicious. Fair warning: I burned an entire batch once because I was watching a Christmas movie and forgot about them. Set multiple timers. These cookies are too precious to waste.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1¾ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (150g) packed brown sugar
- ½ cup (120ml) molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves in a medium bowl.
- Beat softened butter and brown sugar with a mixer until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add molasses, egg, and vanilla. Beat until well combined.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Dough will be soft.
- Divide dough in half, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight).
- Roll out dough on floured surface to ¼-inch thickness. Cut shapes with cookie cutters.
- Bake 8-10 minutes until edges are set but centers still look slightly soft. Cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.
Notes:
- Dough keeps in fridge 3 days or freezer 3 months
- Decorate with royal icing once completely cooled
- Makes about 24-36 cookies depending on cutter size
- Store in airtight container 1 week
2. Snowball Cookies (Butter Pecan Balls)
Snowball cookies are criminally underrated. These buttery, melt-in-your-mouth balls rolled in powdered sugar are my mom’s signature cookie, and every year someone at our cookie exchange acts like they’ve never seen them before and loses their mind. They’re also called Mexican Wedding Cookies or Russian Tea Cakes depending on who you ask, but in our family, they’re snowballs. I once forgot to add the pecans (multitasking fail) and they still tasted amazing, just less crunchy. The key is rolling them in powdered sugar TWICE—once when they’re warm and again when cool. Game changer.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (60g) powdered sugar, plus 2 cups for rolling
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups (280g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (85g) pecans, finely chopped
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment.
- Beat softened butter and ½ cup powdered sugar until creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Mix in vanilla extract.
- In separate bowl, whisk flour and salt. Add to butter mixture along with chopped pecans. Mix until combined.
- Roll dough into 1-inch balls (about 1 tablespoon each) and place on prepared sheets 2 inches apart.
- Bake 12-15 minutes until bottoms are lightly golden but tops are still pale.
- Cool 5 minutes, then roll warm cookies in powdered sugar. Cool completely, then roll again in powdered sugar.
Notes:
- Can substitute walnuts for pecans
- Store in airtight container up to 2 weeks
- Freeze baked cookies up to 3 months
- Makes about 36 cookies
3. Peppermint Bark Cookies
These peppermint bark cookies happened by accident when I had leftover candy canes and white chocolate from another project and thought “what if I just throw this in cookie dough?” Best impulse decision ever. They taste exactly like peppermint bark but in soft, chewy cookie form. My kids fight over these, which is both adorable and slightly concerning. The crushed candy canes on top add this satisfying crunch that makes them feel special. Just don’t use the super cheap candy canes that taste like chemicals—splurge for the good ones.
Ingredients:
- 2¾ cups (344g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (150g) packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1½ cups (255g) white chocolate chips
- ½ cup (50g) crushed candy canes, divided
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together.
- Beat softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy, 3 minutes.
- Add eggs, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract. Beat until combined.
- Gradually mix in dry ingredients until just combined.
- Fold in white chocolate chips and ¼ cup crushed candy canes.
- Scoop dough using 2-tablespoon cookie scoop. Top with remaining crushed candy canes.
- Bake 10-12 minutes until edges are set but centers look slightly underdone. Cool on sheets 5 minutes.
Notes:
- Don’t overbake or peppermint flavor fades
- Makes about 36 cookies
- Store 5 days at room temperature
- Dough freezes well for 3 months
4. Eggnog Cookies
Eggnog cookies are for people who wish they could drink eggnog year-round but society frowns upon it. These soft, cake-like cookies taste EXACTLY like eggnog—nutmeg, rum extract, the whole deal. I started making them after my brother-in-law mentioned he wished eggnog lasted longer than December, and now he requests these at every family gathering. The glaze is optional but highly recommended because it adds extra eggnog flavor and makes them look fancy. Pro tip: don’t skip the nutmeg on top. It’s not just for looks.
Ingredients:
- 2½ cups (313g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon rum extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120ml) eggnog
- For glaze: 2 cups (240g) powdered sugar, 3-4 tablespoons eggnog, pinch of nutmeg
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg together.
- Beat softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 minutes.
- Add eggs, rum extract, and vanilla. Beat well.
- Alternately add flour mixture and eggnog to butter mixture in three additions, mixing just until combined.
- Drop by rounded tablespoons onto prepared sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
- Bake 10-12 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Cool completely.
- Whisk powdered sugar, eggnog, and nutmeg for glaze. Dip cooled cookies or drizzle over top.
Notes:
- Use store-bought eggnog, not homemade for consistency
- Makes 30-36 cookies
- Store glazed cookies in single layer
- Best eaten within 3 days
5. Sugar Cookies (Decorated)
Decorated sugar cookies are non-negotiable at Christmas. These are THE sugar cookies—the ones that hold their shape, don’t spread, and taste buttery and delicious even under a mountain of frosting. I’ve tried approximately 47 different sugar cookie recipes over the years (not exaggerating), and this one is the winner. The secret is chilling the dough and the cut shapes before baking. Yes, it’s extra work. Yes, it’s worth it. My daughter and I spend an entire afternoon decorating these every year, and it’s become our favorite tradition even though we always end up with more frosting on ourselves than the cookies.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- For royal icing: 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons meringue powder, 5-6 tablespoons water, food coloring
Steps:
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
- Beat softened butter and sugar until fluffy, 3 minutes.
- Add egg, milk, and vanilla. Beat until combined.
- Gradually add dry ingredients, mixing until dough comes together.
- Divide dough in half, flatten into disks, wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll dough to ¼-inch thickness on floured surface. Cut shapes.
- Place cutouts on parchment-lined sheets. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
- Bake 8-10 minutes until edges barely begin to turn golden. Cool completely before decorating.
Notes:
- Royal icing: beat powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water until stiff peaks form
- Thin with water for flooding consistency
- Makes 24-48 cookies depending on size
- Undecorated cookies freeze 3 months
6. Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies
These cranberry white chocolate cookies are my contribution to the “not everything has to be brown and beige” Christmas cookie movement. The tart cranberries and sweet white chocolate are such a good combo, and the red and white colors make them look festive without any decorating required (lazy baker approved). I use dried cranberries because fresh ones make the cookies too wet, which I learned after ruining a batch. The cookies spread a bit, so don’t skip spacing them out properly on your sheet.
Ingredients:
- 2¼ cups (280g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (150g) packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (150g) dried cranberries
- 1 cup (170g) white chocolate chips
- ½ cup (60g) chopped walnuts (optional)
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together.
- Beat softened butter with both sugars until creamy, 2-3 minutes.
- Add eggs and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
- Gradually mix in dry ingredients until just combined.
- Fold in dried cranberries, white chocolate chips, and walnuts if using.
- Drop by rounded tablespoons onto sheets, spacing 3 inches apart.
- Bake 10-12 minutes until edges are golden but centers still look soft. Cool on sheets 5 minutes.
Notes:
- Don’t substitute fresh cranberries
- Makes about 36 cookies
- Store 1 week in airtight container
- Dough freezes 3 months
7. Candy Cane Cookies
Candy cane cookies are basically sugar cookies’ fun cousin who shows up to the party in a festive outfit. The crushed candy canes mixed into the dough create little pockets of peppermint crunch, and they make your kitchen smell AMAZING while baking. I add red food coloring to half the dough sometimes to make them look like actual candy canes, but that’s extra work and they taste the same either way. My kids love helping crush the candy canes—I just put them in a zip-top bag and let them go to town with a rolling pin. Great for burning off pre-Christmas energy.
Ingredients:
- 2½ cups (313g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- ¾ cup (75g) finely crushed candy canes, plus more for topping
- Red food coloring (optional)
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together.
- Beat softened butter and sugar until fluffy, 3 minutes.
- Add egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract. Beat well.
- Gradually add dry ingredients, mixing until combined.
- Fold in ¾ cup crushed candy canes.
- Roll dough into 1½-inch balls. Roll in additional crushed candy canes to coat.
- Bake 10-12 minutes until edges are set. Cool on sheets 5 minutes.
Notes:
- Crush candy canes in sealed plastic bag with rolling pin
- Makes about 30 cookies
- Store 5 days at room temperature
- Best made within a week or candy canes get sticky
8. Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies
These chocolate peppermint thumbprint cookies are for people who can’t decide between chocolate and peppermint, so they just eat both at once. The fudgy chocolate cookie base with a peppermint patty pressed in the center is chef’s kiss. I use mini peppermint patties (the York kind), but you could also fill them with peppermint buttercream or melted chocolate mixed with crushed candy canes. The first time I made these, I pressed the peppermint patties in AFTER baking and they didn’t stick. You need to add them when the cookies come out of the oven while they’re still hot. Learn from my mistakes.
Ingredients:
- 1¼ cups (156g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (50g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- ⅔ cup (133g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 24-30 mini peppermint patties, unwrapped
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment.
- Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together.
- Beat softened butter and sugar until fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
- Add egg and vanilla. Beat until combined.
- Gradually add dry ingredients, mixing just until combined. Dough will be thick.
- Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place on prepared sheets 2 inches apart.
- Bake 8-9 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press a mini peppermint patty into center of each cookie.
- Cool on sheets 10 minutes (patties will soften and stick), then transfer to wire rack.
Notes:
- Don’t overbake—cookies should look slightly underdone
- Makes 24-30 cookies
- Store in airtight container 1 week
- Can freeze baked cookies 2 months
9. Spiced Molasses Cookies
Spiced molasses cookies are the unsung heroes of Christmas cookie plates. They’re chewy, deeply spiced, and have this incredible cinnamon-sugar coating that gets slightly crunchy on the outside while the inside stays soft. My husband’s grandma made these every year, and when she passed, I spent months trying to recreate them from memory. This recipe is pretty close (Grandma never measured anything, so it’s my best guess). The key is not overbaking them—pull them when they still look slightly underdone and they’ll be perfectly chewy.
Ingredients:
- 2¼ cups (280g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar, plus ¼ cup for rolling
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup (60ml) molasses
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (for rolling)
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ginger, and cloves together.
- Beat softened butter and 1 cup sugar until fluffy, 3 minutes.
- Add egg and molasses. Beat until well combined.
- Gradually add dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- In small bowl, mix ¼ cup sugar with 2 teaspoons cinnamon.
- Roll dough into 1½-inch balls, roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture, and place on sheets 3 inches apart.
- Bake 10-11 minutes until edges are set but centers look slightly underdone. Cool on sheets 5 minutes.
Notes:
- Don’t overbake for chewy texture
- Makes about 30 cookies
- Store in airtight container 1 week
- Dough freezes well for 3 months
10. Pistachio White Chocolate Cookies
Pistachio white chocolate cookies are the trendy newcomer to my cookie lineup, and honestly? They’re staying. The green and white color combo is naturally festive, the pistachios add this subtle nutty flavor and great texture, and they just LOOK fancy. I started making these last year after seeing them all over Pinterest, and they’re already a family favorite. Use shelled pistachios (not the ones with shells—learned that one the hard way when I grabbed the wrong bag at the store and had to shell them myself for 45 minutes). The slight saltiness of the pistachios balances the sweet white chocolate perfectly.
Ingredients:
- 2¼ cups (280g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (150g) packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup (140g) shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
- 1 cup (170g) white chocolate chips
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together.
- Beat softened butter with both sugars until creamy, 2-3 minutes.
- Add eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat until smooth.
- Gradually add dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Fold in chopped pistachios and white chocolate chips.
- Scoop dough using 2-tablespoon cookie scoop onto prepared sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
- Bake 10-12 minutes until edges are golden and centers still look slightly soft. Cool on sheets 5 minutes.
Notes:
- Use unsalted or lightly salted pistachios
- Makes about 36 cookies
- Store 1 week in airtight container
- Dough freezes 3 months
Okay, so if I’m being completely honest? My favorite from this entire list is still the classic gingerbread. I know that’s boring, but there’s something about that molasses-ginger combo that just FEELS like Christmas to me. Although the pistachio white chocolate cookies are a close second, and the snowballs are my husband’s ride-or-die favorite, so I have to make those or there’s trouble.
My confession: I usually make the dough for all ten of these in one weekend in early December, freeze it all, and then bake batches as needed throughout the month. Am I slightly insane? Probably. But it means I always have fresh cookies ready to go, which makes me look like I have my life together when I absolutely do not.
These best Christmas cookies recipe options have saved me countless times when I needed a last-minute gift or forgot about a party until the day before. Most of them are forgiving enough that even if you mess up a little (or a lot, no judgment), they still taste good. And honestly, homemade cookies don’t have to be perfect—they just have to taste like you care.
Which one are you making first? Seriously, let me know in the comments because I love hearing about other people’s cookie chaos. And if you try any of these, tag me in your photos—I want to see those beautiful (or hilariously imperfect) results!
Happy baking, and may your cookies be chewy, your kitchen smell amazing, and your smoke alarms stay quiet! 🍪🎄
