Christmas Cookie Recipes

These festive cookie recipes will help make your holidays merry and bright.

'Tis the season for cookies, cakes and all your favorite festive baked goods. We have shared more than two dozen of our favorite cookie recipes that remind us of our own grandmas' favorite baked goods. From basic sugar cookie recipes to eye-catching spritzes and gingerbread men, we're sure to have a holiday cookie recipe that will remind you of your own grandmother's recipe. 

Inspired by the German cookie Kardamom Plätzchen, we swap rum for rye whiskey, as the spiciness pairs well with the cardamom in these delicate cookies. For the melted chocolate, we recommend that you chop a chocolate bar instead of using chocolate chips—the former has a higher cocoa butter content which means smoother melting. Candied grapefruit peels add an extra flavor contrast as well as a pretty finish.

Pfeffernüsse are small spiced German cookies commonly seen during the holiday season. Translating to "pepper nut," the aromatic cookie gets its name from the pinch of pepper added to the dough—here, we use white and black pepper for a punch of flavor. The sweet orange glaze helps balance the pepperiness of the cookie's spices. Serve with a cup of warm mulled wine.

These light and airy cookies take their flavor inspiration from cannoli, a Sicilian dessert featuring a crisp pastry shell filled with creamy ricotta. Orange zest adds a nice citrus flavor, while chopped pistachios provide crunch. Serve these cookies for any holiday gathering.

Marzipan is typically made with almonds, but here we use walnuts to make the marzipan for these nutty cookies. The espresso flavor is delicate, but adds a nice bitterness to the cookie. If you prefer, you can brew your own espresso and use that instead of instant espresso.

Hazelnuts do double duty in this cookie recipe. Hazelnut flour adds nuttiness to the dough, while chocolate-hazelnut spread is used for the filling. A touch of fresh orange zest and juice adds a sweet note to balance the nut and chocolate flavors.

In this installment of Diaspora Dining, Jessica B. Harris' series on foods of the African diaspora, the author and historian rings in some changes to the Christmas traditions of her own childhood. 

"This is a really good, solid gingerbread recipe," says Duff Goldman. "I was in a baking store and I saw this really cool cookie mold shaped like a pine cone and I knew I had to have it. I thought this would be a perfect gingerbread cookie and if I could make it look like it got snowed on, that would be awesome." You can also cut out the dough using traditional cookie cutters: In Step 3, roll the dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out cookies with 2 1/2- to 3-inch cookie cutters. Transfer the cookies to the prepared pans, spacing them about 1 1/2 inches apart. Reroll any dough scraps and continue cutting out cookies until all the dough is used. Bake until just beginning to brown along the edges, 9 to 12 minutes. This recipe is adapted from Super Good Cookies for Kids Copyright © 2022 by Duff Goldman. Used with permission of HarperCollins Children's Books.

These delicious and festive cookies can be made ahead and are perfect for holiday gatherings.

Few cookies feel as festive as a thumbprint cookie. We have recipes for fruity jam-based thumbprints, some with a chocolate filling and thumbprints with a tart citrus center. You're sure to find a flavor combo you won't be able to resist. Make a batch for your next cookie swap or enjoy them yourself with a hot cup of cocoa or tea.

In France these are called merveilles, which means miracles. As the dough is fried in oil, it puffs up slightly, transforming into a delicate, airy confection. Here, we have cut the dough into triangles, but you can cut it into any shape you please.

Patti Anderson, a professional quilter, had never entered a cooking contest before she took our challenge. This quick, no-fuss, chewy chocolate cookie is made on your waffle iron. No need to haul out the big mixer, you can mix the batter with a small hand mixer or even by hand. Kids love these!