This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

As soon as November hits, I start thinking about cookies. Christmas cookies dominate this house when it comes to holiday baking, so I’ve put together a round up of some the best Christmas cookies!

These Christmas cookie ideas are perfect for Christmas Eve munching, holiday gifts for neighbors & teachers, and would be perfect for a Christmas Cookie Exchange. I happen to know that Santa wouldn’t mind having a few of these waiting for him under the tree!

Pin this recipe for later!Pin This

50+ Festive Best Christmas Cookies & Treats

Christmas cookies are a tradition in many households around the holidays. They are great for gift-giving and have whole parties created around them.

If you’re looking for some new favorite Christmas Cookie recipes, or just something classic, we’ve got you covered!

I’ve broken the list down into different flavors, so use the table of contents above to go straight to your favorite.

Kristin’s Favorite Cookies

I’m a sucker for a good Christmas Cookie, so here are my top 5 favorites!

Chocolate Christmas Cookies

Who doesn’t love a good chocolate cookie? These chocolate cookies have been given a festive makeover with delicious holiday colors and flavors. Some are just super chocolatey and rich, because the holidays are all about decadence.

Chocolate Cheesecake Cookies
These Chocolate Cheesecake Cookies are full of rich chocolate flavor and super creamy and tender on the inside, with a hint of tart cheesecake. It’s the most addictive cookie on the planet!
Cookies on a sheet pan
Nutella Cookies
Nutella Cookies are rich and decadent! The dough is easy to make (no chilling required!) and they look great on your holiday cookie tray.
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies have irresistibly fudgy centers with a crackly finish on the outside, and they as pretty as they are delicious!
Rocky Road Cookies
Loaded with marshmallows, nuts, and chocolate chips, these Rocky Road Cookies are soft and chewy and so much fun! Perfect for bake sales, cookie swaps, and dunking in a cup of milk!
Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies with M&Ms
These Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies with M&Ms are loaded with chocolate and super soft and chewy. They are made with brown sugar which adds a warm, rich flavor. These are soon to be your favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie!
A plate of cookies
Peanut Butter Blossoms
Peanut Butter Blossoms are a classic peanut butter cookie that’s thick and chewy with a big chocolate kiss on top. 
Oatmeal Kiss Cookies (Blossoms)
Oatmeal Kiss Cookies have a thick, chewy, soft oatmeal cookie with a chocolate kiss pressed into the top. Perfect for nut-free cookie trays!
5 Ingredient Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Chocolate and Peppermint is my all time favorite flavor combination so it’s no surprise that these cookies are a holiday staple in our house. These Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are super easy and quick to make with just 5 ingredients!
A tray of cookies
Chocolate Sugar Cookie Blossoms
These Chocolate Sugar Cookie Blossoms are a rich take on traditional Blossom Cookies. Made with Sugar Cookie Mix and classic Hershey’s Kisses.
Close up of chocolate cookies
Chocolate No Bake Cookies
Chocolate No Bake Cookies are a simple, classic dessert recipe that takes hardly any time at all!
A stack of chocolate oat cookies
Peppermint Oreo Truffles
Peppermint Oreo Truffles are a fun and festive holiday treat that's perfect for cookie trays and gift giving. Made with just 3 ingredients!
Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies have a combo of sweet chocolate and tart cranberries in a chewy oatmeal cookie, perfect for any cookie tray.
  1. Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms
  2. Gooey Dark Chocolate Truffle Cookies
  3. Starry Night Marzipan Cookies
  4. Chewy Chocolate Almond Cookies
  5. Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies
  6. Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
  7. Christmas Tree Brownie Pops
Wire cooling rack with nutella cookies with frosting, hazelnuts and chocolate chips.
Nutella Cookies

Sugar Cookies and Shortbreads

Sugar Cookies are pretty much the King of Christmas! It’s always funny to me just how many sugar cookie recipes there are out there. Sugar cookies are really the best Christmas cookies!

There are lots of sugar cookies to choose from, with designs, cutouts, and different kinds of icings. I’ve also included different kinds of shortbreads and other types of non-chocolate cookies.

Sugar Cookie Dough Dip
This sugar cookie dip takes 3 ingredients and 5 minutes to whip up! It's topped with festive sprinkles and is great for any Christmas party!
Sugar cookie dip with a graham cracker dipped in and sprinkles.
Frosted Sugar Cookies
The best Sugar Cookies have the perfect balance of chewy with golden, slightly crisp edges. This is a perfect anytime sugar cookie recipe!
Eggnog Cookie Recipe
Eggnog cookies are buttery tender and melt in your mouth. With just a hint of spiced rum flavor, these Christmas cookies will steal the show!
Red Velvet Shortbread Cookies
Shortbread is a great cookie option because it naturally doesn't use eggs. Perfect for when you are short of them or when you are dealing with allergies.
A close up of red velvet cookies
Easy Snowball Cookies Recipe (no nuts)
This Snowball Cookie Recipe is nut-free, soft, chewy, tender cake mix cookies coated in powdered sugar to look like “snowballs.” Perfect for the holidays!
Easy Snowball Cookies Recipe (no nuts)
Christmas Cookie Pinwheels
Christmas Cookie Pinwheels are a festive holiday treat that’ll be the star of your Christmas cookie plate!
Christmas Cookie Pinwheels are a festive holiday treat that'll be the star of your Christmas cookie plate!
Cheesecake Cookies
Creamy, fluffy cookies with a delicate powdered sugar topping
A half eaten Cheesecake Cookie
Butter Cookies
Homemade Christmas Butter Cookies are a must-make for the holidays! Soft and tender with amazing buttery flavor, and a festive presentation. 
Italian Ricotta Cookies
Italian Ricotta Cookies are a fluffy treat that begs to be eaten! Top them with your favorite seasonal sprinkles for an irresistible cookie perfect for the holidays!
Italian Ricotta Cookies are a fluffy treat that begs to be eaten! Top them with your favorite seasonal sprinkles for an irresistible cookie perfect for the holidays!
  1. Royal Iced Sugar Cookies
  2. Santa Sugar Cookies
  3. Slice & Bake Christmas Tree Cookies
  4. Easy Iced Sugar Cookies
  5. Perfect Sugar Cookie Cut Outs
  6. Old Fashioned Sour Cream Cut Out Cookies
  7. Soft Batch Sprinkle Christmas Cookies
stack of eggnog cookies on a wood plate
Eggnog Cookies

Festive Christmas Cookies and Bars

If those chocolate cookies and sugar cookies weren’t quite what you were looking for, you’re bound to find something that makes your heart sing in these next two batches! (pun intended!).

Candy Cane Cookies
These candy cane cookies are a holiday favorite. They're buttery cookies with a hint of peppermint and adorable candy cane shape!
Christmas Cheesecake Cookies
These Christmas Cheesecake Cookies are the perfect, festive cookie to feed to Santa!
These Christmas Cheesecake Cookies are the perfect, festive cookie to feed to Santa!
Magic Bar Cookies
These cookies are everything you love about 7-Layer Bars, or Magic Bars, in a neat little cookie. Full of graham crackers, butterscotch, chocolate and coconut, they are a delicious sweet treat.
A close up of a stack of Cookies
Iced Thumbprint Grinch Cookies
Grinch Cookies are fun and festive iced thumbprint cookies, with colorful candy centers and a bright red Grinch's heart.
Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies
These Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies are soft and chewy with a creamy filling. Perfect to treat your loved ones for Valentine’s Day!
Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies
Molasses Cookies
Molasses Cookies are filled with the warm fall flavors of cinnamon, ginger, clove and molasses. They are crispy on the edges, soft and chewy on the inside.
Molasses cookies
Christmas Brownies
Christmas Brownies have a layer of chocolate brownie, topped with layers of coconut, sweetened condensed milk, M&Ms and sprinkles.
Pecan Bars
Pecan Bars bring you the flavor of pecan pie in an easy-to-eat bar! Made with a buttery shortbread crust topped with a sweet pecan filling.
Cranberry Bliss Bars
Cranberry Bliss Bars have cranberries, white chocolate, and cream cheese frosting for a homemade version of the Starbucks treat.
Orange Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies
These delicious Orange Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies combine tangy orange and cranberry with smooth white chocolate for a wonderful holiday cookie!
A plate of Orange Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies
  1. Cranberry Bliss Cookies
  2.  Pomegranate White Chocolate Chunk Cookies
  3. Rolo Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
  4. Chocolate Chip Snowball Cookies
  5. Candy Dipped Shortbread Cookies
  6. Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups
  7. No Bake Christmas Trees
  8.  Chocolate Covered Caramel Thumbprint Cookies
  9.  Soft Baked Cake Batter Christmas Cookies
Christmas Brownies

More Holiday Collections

Kristin Maxwell

Kristin Maxwell is the creator and main recipe developer, writer, and photographer of Yellow Bliss Road. A self-taught cook and self-appointed foodie, she specializes in easy, flavorful and approachable recipes for any home cook.

Free Email Series
5 Secrets to Dinnertime Sanity
Free email series with tested, tasted & terrific dinner recipes!

You Might Also Like

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Ladybug says:

    Hello Kristin,

    Thank you very much for all your time and effort making all of these wonderful recipes and all the input about hints and inputs to help all of us.
    I do have one request.
    Is there anyway that the ads and the one “Hey Marketers” that is repeated over and over, that you can somehow, when we would like to print your pages, that they are not included when we print?
    These ads or whatever they are, sometimes when you go to print the system, ends up blocking part of the recipe or important information.
    I do know that these are income producing for you. I agree with them for this reason. I know that some other sites have it set up when you want to print those things are not included.
    Just asking.
    Thank you very much for all you do and all the time that you put into your site.
    It is very much appreciated!!!
    Ladybug

    1. Kristin Maxwell says:

      Hello! Since you’re commenting on a round up post, I can’t recreate what you’re experiencing. Anytime you print a recipe from my site, it should not include any ads. Just make sure you are using the “print” button within the recipe card or at the very top of the post.

  2. Nancy says:

    Delicious cookies…

  3. Pamela Mamona says:

    I’m not sure if this is possible or not but is there a way to set this type of “screen” for lack of the word that once upon a time lived in my head but moved out as I was typing But have it so that when you see the pictures of the individual cookies and see one that really really interests you that you can just but your curser/arrow from mouse…?? over it and have it show the name of those particular cookies?? It would be easier then counting and opening every recipe to see if the correct pic. pops up? Just a un-related to these recipe’s question I know but I thought well, it never hurts to ask. Thank you, as well thank you for putting in the time I’m sure it takes to do and try, create and add or modified recipe’s for every one elts to try. So thank you for all that effort and time and in case I don’t later, Merry Christmas and a happy new year from my family to yours.

    1. Kristin Maxwell says:

      I understand what you’re saying, and I wish that was possible. Unfortunately we don’t have that ability. It would slow our site down significantly.

  4. star says:

    how can u make buttercream frosting harden i want to make for family but most don’t like royal icing. im afraid they will smear once i package thrn

    1. Kristin says:

      Buttercream frosting doesn’t really harden, which is why the royal icing is usually recommended. You could try flavoring it with some lemon juice or extract for a better flavor.

  5. Sheila Robbins says:

    Your recipes look so delicious!

    1. Kristin says:

      Thank you Sheila!

  6. cassandra says:

    I think christmas cookies are the best

  7. Sheila Rich says:

    I am super excited to start planning our annual Christmas Cookie party! These recipes are wonderful and I will share this page with all my girlfriends who attend! One question though… the chocolate dipped shortbread cookie in the last photos caught my eye but I can’t find the recipe! Please share that one too pretty please!! Thanks for all your hard work and congrats on the new baby!! <3

  8. Julie Saldana says:

    You really inspire me to prepare Christmas party! Can’t not wait to try those recipe!

  9. Kacey @ The Cookie Writer says:

    Love the variety here! There is something for everyone 🙂

  10. Aletha says:

    thanks for the corn starch tip, I am baking 12 kinds starting on Monday

  11. Maria says:

    Cookie heaven! I want them all! Thanks for including our cookies!

  12. Lolly Jane says:

    Thanks for sharing, girl!
    XO