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Delicious cookies are my FAVORITE way to kick off the holiday season! Ooey gooey and delightful, there is no better way to celebrate the holidays than eating my way through different cookies!

No matter what you prefer in a cookie, I have ALL of the delicious cookie options you will need right here! Flavors, textures, everything is so scrumptious that the only question will be which one will you try first?? My favorites to start with are Chocolate Peppermint Dipped Shortbread Cookies, Snowball Cookies, and Homemade Milano Cookies!

Picture collage of holiday cookies.

Delicious Holiday Cookies

Tis’ the season for delicious holiday cookies! Is there any better treat to munch on? These cookie recipes are all of my tried and true favorites. I made sure to round up recipes that were simple but looked and tasted impressive! You will have so many options to choose from when you head to your holiday parties this year!! I love that the holidays bring out some of my favorite delicious cookies and flavors like gingerbread, peppermint, and buttery soft Italian cookies! If you have not branched out with your holiday baking, the is the perfect place to start!

I like to start to bake at the beginning of the season! I continue baking delicious cookies once a week or so so that I constantly have them on hand for the kids (and myself!) to snack on! Plus, it gives me a good excuse to try out recipes beforehand so I know just which ones to give out to neighbors or which ones to bring to parties! Just because I have to bring a terrible gift to a white elephant party does not mean I have to bring a terrible holiday cookie! These delicious cookies are amazing and I cannot wait for you to try them out!!

Holiday Baking Tips

Get a fresh start with your holiday baking by trying out these delicious cookies! I have put together a few tips that will give you the softest, most delectable cookies! You will be baking up a storm and have the best cookies on the block!

  • Butter: Make sure to double check HOW your recipe calls for butter. Is it salted or unsalted? Softened or melted? Softened means room temperature (not melted.) Follow the butter instructions carefully as this will help with the texture of your delicious cookies!
  • Nonstick baking mats: If you want to make sure that you never have the problem of running out or parchment paper, then get some nonstick baking mats! Then you will always be sure to have what you need on hand!
  • Chill: Try chilling your cookie dough before baking. This will help so that your cookies don’t spread and become too thin.
  • Flour: All purpose flour is what is most commonly used to bake cookies. If you want to switch things up, bread flour makes cookies chewier and cake flour makes them more delicate! An easy thing to switch up!
  • Don’t overbake: Everyone’s ovens cook a little differently. I like to set my time a few minutes before the recipe states and continue checking on them. This way, I don’t overbake and ruin my cookies!

Triple Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

5 from 5 votes
Triple chocolate peppermint cookies are soft and chewy cookies that get drizzled with white and dark chocolate. They are topped with crushed candy canes and are the perfect treat for the holidays!
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Homemade Milano Cookies

Homemade Milano Cookies have tender cookies with a nice crunch sandwiched around a layer of rich dark chocolate in the center! They taste even better than the store bought version!
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Italian Christmas Cookies

4.50 from 6 votes
Italian Christmas Cookies are soft, buttery, fluffy and melt in your mouth delicious. Flavored with a hint of vanilla and a sweet glaze, these tasty treats are a perfect holiday treat. Take them to your next cookie exchange, party or just for a fun occasion! 
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Chocolate Peppermint Dipped Shortbread Cookies

5 from 1 vote
Chocolate Peppermint Dipped Shortbread Cookies are buttery, melt in your mouth shortbread cookies that get dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with crushed peppermint. These cookies make the perfect holiday treat!
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Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies

5 from 6 votes
Soft and chewy cookies that are coated in powdered sugar to make them extra special.



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Frosted Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars - Why do you need ppeppermint bark when you can have these incredibly easy sugar cookie bars? So moist with the creamiest frosting, then topped with chopped candy canes. Only one bowl is needed!

Frosted Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars

Frosted Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars –  Why do you need peppermint bark when you can have these incredibly easy sugar cookie bars?  So moist with the creamiest frosting, then topped with chopped candy canes. Only one bowl is needed! 
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Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

4 from 5 votes
Soft and chewy gingerbread cookies are my favorite Christmas treat to decorate with my kids. They're just as delicious to eat as they are cute to look at!
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Peppermint Meltaways

5 from 2 votes
These peppermint meltaways literally melt in your mouth with each and every bite. The combination of butter, powdered sugar, and cornstarch creates a fluffy and delicious cookie that everyone will LOVE!
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Gingerbread Sugar Cookie Bars

5 from 2 votes
Spread the holiday cheer with these festive gingerbread sugar cookie bars. These soft and chewy spiced cookie bars are topped with smooth cream cheese frosting and festive sprinkles! The perfect dessert to feed a crowd at your next holiday party.
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Chocolate Peppermint Gingersnaps

Chocolate Peppermint Gingersnaps are soft and chewy chocolate gingersnaps with a hint of vanilla and peppermint mixture baked to perfection, then dipped in a creamy white chocolate and coated with coarse peppermint candies. Perfect for the holiday season!
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Linzer Cookies

5 from 2 votes
Linzer cookies are a combination of buttery orange infused shortbread and jam, as pleasing to look at as they are to eat. These festive treats are perfect for any holiday or special occasion.
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Peppermint Kiss Sugar Cookies

I am surprised that any of them made it on top of these cookies! They are so good and my new favorite treat! These peppermint cookies are the perfect cookie exchange treat.
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Grinch Cookies

4.65 from 17 votes
Grinch Cookies are a fun and festive twist on a classic chocolate chip cookie! Inspired by the popular Christmas movie, these soft and chewy cookies are colored Grinch-green and decorated with green and red M&Ms.
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Chocolate Snowball Cookies

5 from 2 votes
Chocolate Snowball Cookies are a buttery melt in your mouth chocolate cookie featuring ground walnuts and sprinkled with powdered sugar. This is a delicious holiday classic cookie that you need to put on your baking list!
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Eggnog Cookies

These eggnog cookies are soft, chewy, and beautifully flavored with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg. They are going to become fast favorites with their heavenly eggnog glaze!
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White Chocolate Cranberry Macadamia Cookies

5 from 1 vote
White Chocolate Cranberry Macadamia Cookies are the perfect combination, of chewy, crunchy, sweet and decadence all wrapped up in a cookie! These amazing cookies have great texture and flavor! 
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Eggnog Meltaways

I love how these cookies meltaway in your mouth and have a subtle eggnog taste.  They were delicious!
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Snow Kiss Cookies (Snowball Cookies)

5 from 4 votes
Snow Kiss Cookies are buttery cookies with walnuts that just melt in your mouth.  They get dusted in powdered sugar and are are such an amazing classic cookie! 
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Rocky Road Chocolate Cookies

5 from 2 votes
These rich Rocky Road Chocolate Cookies loaded with chocolate chunks, marshmallows, and walnuts are a chocolate lover’s dream come true!
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White Chocolate Cherry Cranberry Cookies

White Chocolate Cherry Cranberry Cookies are the perfect holiday cookie, with velvety white chocolate, red tart cranberries, and cherries in a chewy, tender treat. Ideal for making any time of the year, you have to try them now!
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Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies

5 from 1 vote
Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies. The easiest cookie recipe ever! These shortbread cookies are soft, buttery, and loaded with chocolate chips. Drizzle with a little extra chocolate for the ultimate cookie treat. These will disappear fast!
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Hot Cocoa Cookies

These hot cocoa cookies are the perfect treat for the winter season! These soft and delicious cookies have a marshmallow on top and some ooey, gooey chocolate in the middle. You will be won't be able to stop at just one! 
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Mint Sandwich Cookies

5 from 1 vote
Easy and delicious cookies topped with a mint sandwich square makes this the perfect mint cookies!
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Almond Joy Macaroons

Almond Joy Macaroons are an easy peasy no-fuss dessert that absolutely heavenly. These macaroons are highly addictive with their chewy coconut centers and chocolate drizzle.
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Best Ever Molasses Cookies

5 from 9 votes
Best Ever Molasses Cookies have a slightly crisp sugar coated edge and a soft and chewy center. These are the perfect holiday cookie!
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Chocolate Coconut Whoopie Pies

5 from 1 vote
A delicious chocolate cookie made with a cake mix and stuffed with a delicious coconut cream filling!
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Chocolate Mallow Drops

Delicious fudgy cookies with a layer of marshmallow and drizzled in chocolate!
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About Alyssa Rivers

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Alyssa Rivers and the food blogger behind The Recipe Critic. The blog launched in 2012 as a place to share my passion for cooking. I love trying new things and testing them out with my family. Each recipe is tried and true, family-tested and approved.

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10 Comments

  1. For years, I’ve made these cookies. It’s a tradition of the family. “These” cookies, everyone want, I never added baking powder to my bread bakery recipe. In this recipe I am wondering about the advantage of using the soda powder. Thank you for that.

  2. These toffee crunch cookies are stunning. I’m not a talented baker, but I would love to give these a try! Thanks, Alyssa!

  3. They all look fantastic! It would be tough to narrow down my baking list with so many yummy options. Thanks for sharing this great round up 🙂

  4. That is one amazing lineup of cookies! My mouth was totally watering big time by the time I got to the bottom of the list! Thanks so much for including my Salted Peanut Butter Blossoms in the list.