The 7 Best Tools for Your Prettiest Holiday Cookies Yet, According to Reviews

According to radio stations, my Instagram feed and even the calendar, the holiday season has arrived. I'll be whipping up our favorite winter dishes and baking pretty sweets all month long, which means it's time to make sure the kitchen is stocked up for baking season. That includes more than flour and eggs—you'll also want to dust off your holiday cookie cutters, break out the rolling pin and get ready to put your sheet pans to good use. 

Related: The Best Sheet Pans, According to Our Test Kitchen

If you're new to the holiday cookie game, have no fear—we combed through Amazon and Williams Sonoma reviews to find the best of the best cookie stamps, cutters and decorating tools so you can be the toast of the holiday party. 

EatingWell Digital Content Director Penelope Wall is a big fan of baking shortbread in her Nordic Ware English Shortbread Pan ($40, Williams Sonoma), which is studded with various designs. For something a little showier, pick up this Nordic Ware Sweet Snowflake design (buy it: $25, Amazon) that's over 30% off now. Reviewers say it's easier to remove the cookies from the pan than you might think, and the recipe that comes with the tin is one you'll be glad to make year after year.

If you love to have a show-stopping sweet centerpiece at your holiday get-togethers but aren't much for cookie decorating, these cookie stamps may be just the tool for you. These handy stamps ($24, Amazon) cut out circular cookies and print a three-dimensional design on the surface. Each set of three is themed, like the wintry Starry Night set or the Yuletide set, which features a reindeer, ornaments and a wreath for some festive holiday cheer. 

Whether you're decorating cookies for a holiday party or gearing up for a family gingerbread house-decorating contest, this set of piping bags ($10, Amazon) is sure to get you through more than one holiday season. Reviewers say the bags work for any skill level, whether you're simply snipping the bag for simple cookie decorating or using a special coupler or decorative tip for more complicated designs. 

Everyone deserves to have a holly Dolly Christmas. If you've got friends or family who love Dolly Parton, this set of cookie cutters will bring a little extra joy to your next holiday gathering. This all-inclusive set (buy it: $30, Williams Sonoma) comes with eight cookie cutters, a dozen piping bags, four decorating tips and a plastic coupler. You'll get classic shapes in this set, like a tree, wreath and star, plus a guitar, music note and butterfly for extra Dolly-style charm. (For a more basic set, you could always go for this 15-piece set from Amazon.)

These press-and-bake cookie stamps (buy it: $17, Williams Sonoma) make it easy to create those iconic jam- or chocolate-filled thumbprint cookies we love to indulge in around the holidays. (Here are a few recipes to inspire you.) Reviewers say it works well with your favorite stiff shortbread recipes, creating cookies that are easy to make but look professional. 

If you want to make spritz cookies as gorgeous as these, you'll want a dependable cookie press that can help you press out dozens upon dozens of buttery cookies. The OXO Cookie Press (buy it: $34, Amazon) is a 4.5-star press that reviewers love for its ease of use—and its ability to make equally beautiful cheese straws. If you want to be especially seasonal, pick up a set of extra holiday-themed press disks. This set (buy it: $11, Oxo) includes a bow, Santa, a snowflake and more. 

For easy-peasy (but presentable) scoopable cookies, pick up one of these cookie scoops. This sturdy scoop (buy it: $16, Amazon) makes it easy to bake uniform cookies that will bake evenly and look nice and neat in any box of baked goods. Reviewers say you can depend on this tool for its smoothness and year-round relevance—bakers even love it for scooping muffin and cupcake batter.