Christmas Cookie Ideas (with Foolproof Recipes)
Christmas cookie ideas are often elusive when you need them. Now, you can use this convenient list with wholesome recipes that work for stress-free holiday baking! Simply save this post to refer to when it’s time to bake for the holidays.
Originally published Dec. 10, 2012
This extensive list of Christmas cookie ideas (over 60 recipes) will be one I hope you’ll refer to every year!
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Whether it’s Christmas cookies for family, Santa, neighbors, a cookie exchange, or even holiday gifts, you’ll find a recipe for almost every type of cookie you may want right here. Traditional Christmas cookies, international treats, no bake ideas, gluten free, egg free, dairy free bakes, and vegan recipes are included.
Why are These Christmas Cookie Ideas so Marvelous?
I originally published a post about winning a Christmas cookie recipe contest with the LA Times many years ago. The winning cookies are featured in the photo below the following two of me in the LA Times test kitchen and is listed in my collection of Christmas cookie ideas, don’t worry.
“My very own Snow Cookies were chosen as one of the LA Times Top 10 Favorite Cookies this year!” It was one of my very first food contest wins, so as you can see, I was very happy!
If you’re looking for an amazing yule log recipe, you’ve found it! It’s incredibly delicious, naturally gluten free, and you can make it without the extra frosting/decoration. You’ll get rave reviews either way!
Every year, I love to bake treats, cookies, biscotti and more to give to friends and neighbors. Home-baked goods are always so appreciated, especially when they are delicious cookies!
I know good a good cookie recipe (and good food bloggers), so all the recipes I’ve collected and shared on this list are made from whole/real, minimally processed ingredients by trustworthy recipe writers.
You won’t find any boxed cake or cookie mixes, pre-made frostings, or exorbitant amounts of sugar. Wrapping the cookies can be as simple as a food-safe bag and some ribbon or yarn, or extravagant tins, pretty boxes or festive baskets for these Christmas cookie ideas.
Christmas Cookie Ideas,
and Recipes You’ll be Delighted to Make
If you’re tired of looking for foolproof and delicious Christmas cookie recipes, your quest has come to an end. I’m thrilled to help, which is why I curated this fantastic collection of Christmas cookie ideas. Let me know which of these ideas you’ll be baking! For ease, I’ve listed them in alphabetical order.
1. Chocolate Argentinian Alfajores
Two soft cookies sandwiched together with creamy dulce de leche and covered in melted chocolate. (Nut-free)
2. Almond and Orange Biscotti
A crunchy Italian style cookie that’s great with tea or coffee.
3. Almond Bread (Australian Almond Biscuits or Biscotti)
Super crunchy biscotti that apparently are from Australia, but I think Italians brought the recipe with them.
4. Berliner Kranz – Traditional Recipe
Berliner Kranz translates into “Berlin Wreaths” which, surprisingly, are Norwegian Christmas Cookies.
5. Brown Butter Sugar Cookies
These cookies are always the first to go at parties and gatherings—when you take your first bite, you’ll see why.
6. Christmas Candy Cane Cookies Recipe
Cute, minty cookies in the shape of candy canes. The perfect cookie for Santa!
7. Petticoat Tails (Shortbread)
Petticoat tails are a type of delicate Scottish shortbread that look like the bottom of ladies’ petticoats from the olden days. Is it even Christmas without shortbread? (Egg free)
8. Chai Teabag Cookies
These chai cookies are made in the shape of a teabag, complete with string and tag! (Egg free)
9. Chai Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Spicy chai spice and chocolate cookies. (Nut free)
10. Christmas Pudding Cookies
Delightfully festive cookies that look like little Christmas puddings are one of my favorite Christmas cookie ideas! (Nut free)
11. Chewy Date Cookies with Pecans
Dates and pecans come together beautifully in this delightful cookie.
12. Tuile Cigar Cookies (Pirouettes)
Thin, crisp, crunchy and simply delicious!
13. Coconut Macaroons
Simple coconut macaroons just like they’re made in France! (Gluten and nut free)
14. Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies
Minty, chocolatey and also gluten free!
15. Homemade Custard Creams
A traditional and classic British biscuit (cookie in the US) which melts in your mouth and just tastes so good! (Egg and nut free)
16. Chocolate Eggnog Cookies
Creamy eggnog and rich chocolate flavor in one pillowy soft cookie. (Nut free)
17. Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies
Gingerbread with a chocolate twist! (Nut free)
18. Christmas Crescent Cookies
Buttery, nutty bites of powdered sugar coated deliciousness. (Egg free)
19. Coconut Macaroons: Cookies and Sandwiches (Nut free)
A super easy macaroon recipe which requires no beating egg whites until stiff.
20. Danish Butter Cookies- Festive & Delicious
Buttery cookies with a long life (if you can hide them long enough) and sprinkles! (Nut free)
21. Danish Fedtebrod – Coconut Cookie Slices with Rum Glaze
Short buttery cookies packed with coconut and topped with a rum glaze. (Egg and nut free)
22. Elisen Lebkuchen
German gingerbread, the King of Lebkuchen. (Gluten and dairy free)
23. Empire Biscuits
A classic Scottish biscuit topped with icing and filled with raspberry jam is another of my most made Christmas cookie ideas (make them into Christmas shapes). (Nut free)
24. European Gingerbread Cookies
Classic European Gingerbread with a Light Glaze. (Nut free)
25. Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies
These gingerbread crinkle cookies are a beautiful addition to your Christmas cookie platter.
26. Florentine Lace Cookies
Lacy, crisp and sweet, these cookies are simply addictive! (Egg free)
27. Ginger Chip Spice Cookies
Ginger x 3 in these soft and spicy cookies! (Nut free)
28. Hallon Cookies
Raspberry jam cutout cookies no one can resist. (Nut free)
29. Hojarascas (Mexican Shortbread Cookies)
Mexican shortbread cookies covered in a sweet cinnamon and sugar coating. (Egg and nut free)
30. 4-Ingredient Hazelnut Cookies
Easy to make with only 4 ingredients; perfect for nut lovers! (Egg free)
31. Hedgehog Cookies
Adorable shortbread cookies shaped like hedgehogs. (Egg free)
32. Honey Lemon Sable Biscuits
A delightful honey and lemon flavored cookie everyone will love. (Nut free)
33. Italian Christmas Cookies (Roccocò)
A traditional Neapolitan Christmas biscuit normally served with Marsala or another fortified wine. (Egg free dough)
34. Lemon Ricotta Cookies (Biscotti alla Ricotta Morbidi)
A soft, cake-like cookie with a tart and lemony sweet icing. (Nut free)
35. Linzer Cookies
Austrian butter cookies filled with jam.
36. Homemade Maple Leaf Cookies
Maple flavored, leaf-shaped sandwich cookies filled with maple butter frosting and are perfect for gift-giving. (Egg and nut free)
37. Melomakarona (Greek Christmas Honey Cookies)
These traditional Greek butter cookies are easy to make, studded with roasted almonds and always a favorite during the Christmas season. (Egg and dairy free)
38. Melting Moments – Mini Oat Cookies
Oaty cookies that are easy to make and melt in your mouth. (Egg free)
39. No Suet Mincemeat Pinwheels
Easy to make puff pastry mincemeat pinwheels are a unique and delicious way to use mincemeat. (Egg free)
40. Mostaccioli Cookies
Traditional Neapolitan chocolate cookies served at Christmastime. (Egg and dairy free)
41. Moravian Molasses Cookies
Moravian Molasses cookies are wafer thin, crispy and spicy, and make a great packable cookie.
42. Norwegian Butter Cookies (Serinakaker)
Superb butter cookies from Norway.
43. Orange Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread Cookies
Three festive flavors come together in these buttery cookies.
44. Peanut Butter Cookies (Gluten Free)
Such a delicious tasting cookie, no one will ever guess that there is no flour in the recipe.
45. Peppermint Christmas Wreath Cookies
Peppermint fans will love these beautiful wreath cookies.
46. Pfeffernusse
Another famous and delicious German Christmas cookie filled with spice.
47. Pizzelle
Made in a waffle iron, traditional Italian pizzelle are light, crisp and delicious!
48. Rugelach Cookie Recipe (with a Gluten-Free Option)
Soft cream cheese dough with a cinnamon laced filling shaped into crescents are a classic cookie loved by many.
49. Scottish Snowballs
A traditional Scottish treat with that great coconut and raspberry flavor combination!
50. Shortbread (Recipe from Scotland)
Classic and authentic Scottish Shortbread recipe containing only three ingredients: flour, butter and sugar. A must have for Christmas in every Scottish household!
51. Simple Almond Cranberry Crunch Cookies
If you love granola, these almond and cranberry cookies are for you.
52. Snowballs – No Bake Coconut Bites
No bake treats for coconut lovers.
53. Snow Cookies – Holiday Cookie Bakeoff Favorite (Winner)
Two buttery cookies sandwiched together with raspberry jam, iced and sprinkled with finely shredded, unsweetened coconut. A Christmas take on Empire biscuits!
54. Soft Amaretti Cookies: Tested until Perfect!
Classic Italian almond cookies. (Gluten and dairy free)
55. Stained Glass Cookies
This delicious sugar cookie recipe adds hard candies to make cookies that look like stained glass!
56. Taralli dolci, or “Nana’s Cookies”
Sweet Italian cookies (but not too sweet) that are perfect for breakfast or in the afternoon with a cup of coffee.
57. Taylor Swift Chai Cookies
Deliciously simple with warming spices, these cookies are a favorite for the season.
58. Tuile Cookies (Tuiles aux Sesame)
Thin, deliciously crisp wafers with sesame seeds.
59. Vegan Speculoos Cookies (Homemade Biscoff)
Vegan speculoos cookies are full of cinnamon and spice flavor that everyone loves. (Vegan)
60. Zimtsterne: German Cinnamon Stars
A light, sweet, gluten free German cookie delight that is popular at Christmastime. Zimt=cinnamon sterne=stars
BONUS ~ Giftable: Cookie Mix in a Jar (with Free Printable!)
Last, but not least, if you would rather give a non-baked gift to someone, this “Cookies in a Jar” idea, is a fantastic idea.
Don’t miss another recipe or travel post, sign up for my free subscription below!
Italian Christmas Recipes
And get inspired by my Easter dessert recipes, too.
Please let me know if you enjoyed this collection of Christmas cookie ideas.
Christina’s Cucina is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associate Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
So many to choose from that look absolutely mouth-watering as well as beautiful! Thank you for curating this lovely list.
So disappointed by the Chewy Date Cookies, #11. I was a little concerned about the baking time but trusted the comments and inclusion on this list. I ended up baking twice as long and they are still almost raw. I wonder if the original baking time is even long enough for the raw egg? They are a disappointing waste of good ingredients. I hate to trash a recipe but want to warn other bakers looking for a healthyish treat.
Hi Cyndi, I’m sorry to hear this, but it honestly sounds like you have an oven issue if you baked cookies for 20 minutes and they are still almost raw. I would recommend buying an oven thermometer to test your oven temperature. I looked over the recipe again, and everything is fine as far as the baking time and temperature for these sort of cookies. Yes, 350 for 8-10 minutes will cook the egg in the cookies especially since the cookies continue to cook after they’ve been removed from the oven.
There are 12 reviews averaging almost 5 stars, so your experience isn’t the norm. I hope you can figure out the oven issue, good luck.
Oh what a great collection I printed out a lot of them
Good for you, Ann! You’re ahead of the game! :)
Wow! So many yummy and delicious cookies to choose from! All on one site! Fabulous and easy accessibility! Thank you so very much!
I’m making your Belgium waffles for Christmas morning on Friday for all my boys, young and older.
Your pizzelle and chocolate chip cookies on Monday.
Just wondering by chance in your travels and all your foodie buddies if you can share a Calabrese turdilli cookie recipe.
My nonna use to make them( no written recipe) at Christmas.
They are fried and look like a giant gnocchi and then dipped in honey. Thanks again. Luisa in Woodbridge Ontario. Cold snow and wintry weather here! Happy Holidays to you and yours
Thanks, Luisa! I think you may be referring to what my family calls “cicerchiata”? Let me know, and have a Merry Christmas!
This is, as Janette said, a fabulous collection. Have you ever wanted to eat something just because it is so pretty? (Of course you have…) For me, that would be the Empire Biscuits – they are the Audrey Hepburn of cookies! Thanks for including my Christmas Crescent Cookies! :)
Oh the Empire biscuits are SOOOO good! You are welcome, David! They’re so pretty, too!
What a fabulous collection, they all look so good and pretty too.
Thanks, Janette! Yours are fabulous!