by Alyssa RiversThis website may contain affiliate links and advertising so that we can provide recipes to you. Read my privacy policy.
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!
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
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!
Ingredients: butter, sugar, egg, peppermint extract, flour, baking cocoa, baking soda, salt, white baking chocolate, semisweet baking chocolate, candy canes
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!
Ingredients: salted butter, at room temperature, powdered sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, room temperature, egg white, room temperature, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, salt, baking soda, dark chocolate, chopped
Italian Christmas Cookies
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 fun occasion!
Ingredients: butter, sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, ricotta cheese, eggs, vanilla extract, powdered sugar, milk, almond extract, Christmas sprinkles for topping
Chocolate Peppermint Dipped Shortbread Cookies
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!
Ingredients: butter, sugar, salt, flour, bag semi sweet chocolate chips, peppermint candy canes
Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies
Soft and chewy cookies that are coated in powdered sugar to make them extra special.
Ingredients: unsalted butter, 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, room temperature, egg, almond extract, orange extract, pkg. white cake mix, sprinkles, powdered sugar
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!
Ingredients: unsalted butter, sugar, large egg, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla frosting, peppermint extract, candy canes
Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
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!
Ingredients: Unsalted Butter, Dark Brown Sugar, granulated sugar, Molasses, vanilla extract, Egg, All-Purpose Flour, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, salt, baking powder, milk, Frosting and candy for decorating
Peppermint Meltaways
I should have titled these cute little cookies, Christmas in your mouth!
Ingredients: unsalted butter, powdered sugar, peppermint extract, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, candy canes for garnish, cream cheese, salted butter, powdered sugar, peppermint extract
Gingerbread Sugar Cookie Bars
Theses soft and chewy spiced cookie bars topped with smooth cream cheese frosting is divine!
Ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, butter melted, granulated sugar, brown sugar, molasses, egg, vanilla extract, butter softened, cream cheese softened, powdered sugar sifted, vanilla extract, purple or navy food coloring, Sprinkles
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!
Ingredients: semisweet chocolate chips, egg, sugar, canola oil, corn syrup, peppermint extract, vanilla extract, all purpose flour, baking soda, salt, coarsely crushed peppermint candies, white chocolate chips, coarsely crushed peppermint candies
Linzer Cookies
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.
Ingredients: unsalted butter, granulated sugar, orange zest, egg yolk, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, almond flour, kosher salt, cinnamon, jam, Powdered sugar for finishing
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.
Ingredients: powdered Sugar, butter, peppermint extract, vanilla extract, large egg, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, finely chopped candy cane flavored Hershey’s kisses, Granulated sugar, About 30 unwrapped Candy Cane Kisses
Grinch Cookies
Brightly colored Grinch Cookies for your holiday cookie tray!
Ingredients: unsalted butter softened, sugar, large eggs, vanilla extract, drops bright green food coloring*, all-purpose flour, corn starch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, red and green M&Ms
Chocolate Snowball Cookies
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!
Ingredients: packed brown sugar, butter, egg, milk, vanilla, all purpose flour, baking cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt, walnuts, powdered sugar
Eggnog Cookies
One bite of these delicious cookies and they became my favorite. After I took the first bite, I instantly wanted to not share them and eat them all myself.
Ingredients: white sugar, butter, eggnog, vanilla extract, egg yolks, nutmeg, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, powdered sugar, eggnog
White Chocolate Cranberry Macadamia Cookies
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!
Ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, white sugar, packed light brown sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla extract, white chocolate baking chips, chopped macadamia nuts, dried cranberries
Eggnog Meltaways
I love how these cookies meltaway in your mouth and have a subtle eggnog taste. They were delicious!
Ingredients: flour, corn starch, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, powdered sugar, butter, rum extract, vanilla, eggnog, powdered sugar
Snow Kiss Cookies (Snowball Cookies)
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!
Ingredients: Walnuts, Sticks Unsalted Butter, sugar, salt, vanilla, Flour, Powdered Sugar for coating your cookies
Rocky Road Chocolate Cookies
These rich Rocky Road Chocolate Cookies loaded with chocolate chunks, marshmallows, and walnuts are a chocolate lover’s dream come true!
Ingredients: 4 ounce semi-sweet baking chocolate bars, chopped, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, large eggs, vanilla, walnut pieces, mini marshmallows, milk chocolate bars
White Chocolate Cherry Cranberry Cookies
Soft and chewy cookies stuffed with white chocolate chips, dried cranberries and cherries!
Ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, butter, brown sugar, sugar, egg, vanilla, almond extract, white chocolate chips, dried cherries, dried cranberries
Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies
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!
Ingredients: unsalted butter, white sugar, salt, vanilla extract, large egg, and ½ cup all purpose flour, dark chocolate chips
Hot Cocoa Cookies
Delicious and chocolatey hot cocoa cookies with a gooey marshmallow on top and hidden melted chocolate inside!
Ingredients: unsalted butter, semisweet chocolate bars, flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, light brown sugar, eggs, pure vanilla extract, marshmallows, semisweet chocolate bars cut into ½ inch squares for garnish
Mint Sandwich Cookies
Easy and delicious cookies topped with a mint sandwich square makes this the perfect mint cookies!
Ingredients: Devils food cake mix, oil, eggs, chopped Mint Sandwich Chocolates, mint sandwich chocolates for melting on top
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.
Ingredients: sweetened coconut flakes, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, salt, egg whites, semi sweet chocolate chips, shaved almonds
Best Ever Molasses Cookies
Best Ever Molasses Cookies have a slightly crisp sugar coated edge and a soft and chewy center. These are the perfect holiday cookie!
Ingredients: shortening, sugar, molasses, egg, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, *Optional 1 cup white chocolate chips
Chocolate Coconut Whoopie Pies
A delicious chocolate cookie made with a cake mix and stuffed with a delicious coconut cream filling!
Ingredients: devil’s food cake mix, eggs, butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cream cheese, butter, coconut extract, powdered sugar, Shredded coconut for decoration
Chocolate Mallow Drops
Delicious fudgy cookies with a layer of marshmallow and drizzled in chocolate!
Ingredients: butter, sugar, egg, 2% milk, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, Baking Cocoa, baking soda, salt, pecans, large marshmallows, semi sweet chocolate chips
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.
These toffee crunch cookies are stunning. I’m not a talented baker, but I would love to give these a try! Thanks, Alyssa!
That’s a huge list they all look fantastic!
Looking for recipe for magic bars made with m&m and vanilla cookies
YUM! Thanks so much for including my cookies too 🙂
What a round up! Thank you for including my cookies!
What a fantastic list!
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 🙂
What a line up! Thanks so much for including my ginger cookies too 🙂
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.