This website may contain affiliate links and advertising so that we can provide recipes to you. Read my disclosure policy.
I’m sort of a cookie fanatic, which is just one more reason why holiday cookies make this the BEST time of the year. Cookies, cookies, and more cookies. I can’t get enough!
I’ve been baking up a cookie storm in my kitchen lately, and today I’ve rounded up my favorite, must-make holiday cookies for this season! Some of my absolute favorites are Gooey Butter Cookies, Snowball Cookies, and my Grinch Cookies! Check ’em out!
Holiday Cookies
Can’t you just smell it? Imagine when you are walking into your family party. As you walk through the door, you are overtaken with the most amazing smell of HOMEMADE COOKIES. It really doesn’t get any better than this! I mean, I guess the beautiful snow, the sight of all of the lights, and the family gathering together are all great too. But the cookies… That’s where it’s at for me! Holiday baking is what I live for during December!
It isn’t just holiday baking though. It’s specifically the cookies. I have rounded up all of my most favorite holiday cookies for you to look through all in one place! Good luck picking “the one” because they are all love at first taste! Ranging from sugar cookies to the classics like Linzer and Milano cookies to kid-loving ones like the grinch cookie… You are just going to have to get started early this year so that you can try them all! I know that you will love them!!
Baking Tips
This year is going to be YOUR year when it comes to holiday cookies! Once you’ve picked a recipe to try, read through these tips to ensure you are doing the basics just right. Then, you will be absolutely sure to bake the best cookies you’ve ever had!
Chill AFTER rolling: Try rolling the sugar cookie dough before you let it chill in the fridge. It’s super soft, and you can just roll it between a few pieces of parchment paper. Then store it to chill!
Round Cookies: If you want your cookies to be perfectly uniform in their size and shape, and you don’t have a round cookie cutter, try using an empty paper towel holder. You can use this as a cookie cutter, and all of your dough will be the exact same size! (This is helpful to evenly bake the cookies too!)
Powdered Sugar: When you roll out cookie dough and need to spread something (usually flour) out onto the counter so that it doesn’t stick, try using powdered sugar instead! It works the same way, except it adds a tiny bit of sweetness to the holiday cookies, and it won’t dry them out!
Bring the Baking Sheet to Room Temperature: Before you throw another batch of cookie dough onto that hot pan, let it cool down to room temperature. (Or you can run it through some cold water for it to cool faster.) This helps so that your butter doesn’t melt before the other ingredients, which will help the cookies not to spread.
Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies
If you're wanting a dessert that is both festive and delicious, look no further! These Christmas tree sugar cookies will shine at any holiday party!
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!
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.
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!
Crispy on the outside, warm and chewy on the inside, these Gingersnap Cookies are everything you want in a holiday dessert! They are the perfect way to finish off any holiday meal and leave everyone feeling merry and bright.
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!
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!
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.
Buttery, tender, and unbelievably light, these homemade Danish butter cookies are so much better than the tinned version. Loaded with flavor, these cookies will melt in your mouth and are so easy to make.
White Chocolate Oreo Cookies are perfectly soft and chewy cookies loaded with slightly melted white chocolate chips and crushed Oreo cookies. These are warm and delicious cookies with just the right amount of sweetness!
Chocolate crinkle cookies are classic chocolate cookies with a decadent chewy texture. The crinkle top on these rich fudgy cookies has a sweet sugar coating making them everyone's favorite holiday cookie!
Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies are must-have holiday cookies that are also perfect for everyday occasions. The classic pairing of peanut butter and chocolate in these cookies will delight chocolate peanut butter lovers and cookie lovers of all ages.
You cannot beat homemade sugar cookies with a crisp edge and a soft center. These are the BEST! Topped with my favorite cream cheese frosting and sprinkles, these sugar cookies are a tried and true favorite.
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!
The buttery shortbread base and a chewy caramel center. They were just missing one thing. Chocolate. I drizzled that chocolate on as fast as I could and viola! A Twix Thumbprint Cookie.
Almond Thumbprint Cookies with a Salted Caramel Center
Almond Thumbprint Cookies are light, buttery, almond flavored shortbread cookies that just melt in your mouth. They get filled with Salted Caramel and topped with slivered almonds. These cookies will blow you away!
Alyssa Rivers is the author of 'The Tried and True Cookbook', a professional food photographer and experienced recipe-developer. Having a passion for cooking, her tried and true recipes have been featured on Good Morning America, Today Food, Buzzfeed and more.
Love your recipes!! I have made many and am looking forward to trying some of your cookies recipes!
What a great roundup! I will make some of these for sure!
Beautiful roundup 🙂 Found a bunch to pin. Thanks!