The holiday season just isn’t complete without mixing dough, cutting out cookies, slathering icing, and sprinkling sprinkles. Though Christmas cookies are, of course, traditional for those who celebrate, this is the perfect time of the year to bake up batch after batch of your favorite holiday cookie recipes, whether or not you’re gearing up for a festive gathering. You can easily keep pre-made dough in the freezer for cookies (almost) whenever you want them, and (in much of the country, at least) you don’t have to worry about the oven overheating an already sweltering kitchen like it does when you try to bake cookies in July or August. Basically, baking cookies is the ideal winter activity.
To inspire you to get baking, we rounded up 45 holiday cookie recipes that are perfect for this time of year. Pick out a few favorites and fill up a tin to share—or keep for yourself!
1. Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies
Source: Camille Styles
2. Italian Ricotta Cookies
Source: Cooking Classy
3. Peppermint Macarons
Source: Ahead of Thyme
4. White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies
Source: Two Peas and Their Pod
5. Gooey Butter Cookies
Source: Sugar Spun Run
6. Peppermint Bark Fudge
Source: Sally’s Baking Addiction
7. Slice and Bake Chocolate Orange Shortbread Cookies
Source: Girl Versus Dough
8. Gooey Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Source: What’s Gaby Cooking
9. Chocolate Ginger Cookies
Source: By Erin Clarke of Well Plated
10. Gingerbread Cookies
Source: A Classic Twist
11. Eggnog Iced Butter Cookies
Source: Grandbaby Cakes
12. Gluten-Free White Chocolate Matcha Shortbread Cookies
Source: Snixy Kitchen
13. White Chocolate and Peppermint Christmas Wreath Cookies
Source: Foodie Crush
14. Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Source: Savory Nothings
15. Almond Flour Red Velvet White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Source: The Toasted Pine Nut
16. Spiced Vegan Christmas Cookies with Vanilla Almond Cream
Source: Well and Full
17. Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies with Easy Icing
Source: Snixy Kitchen
18. Mint Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
Source: Downshiftology
19. Chocolate Kiss Cookies
Source: Two Peas and Their Pod
20. Christmas Linzer Cookies with Raspberry Preserves
Source: What’s Gaby Cooking
21. Peppermint Mocha Cookies
Source: Sally’s Baking Addiction
22. White Chocolate Ginger Cookies
Source: Grandbaby Cakes
23. Raw Peanut Butter Patties
Source: Minimalist Baker
24. Speculoos Spice Cookies
Source: The View from Great Island
25. Raspberry-Chocolate Rugelach
Source: Brooklyn Supper
26. Shortbread Mug Lid Cookies
Source: As Easy As Apple Pie
27. Mini Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
Source: Pinch of Yum
28. Chocolate Chip Snowball Cookies
Source: Homemade in the Kitchen
29. Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies
Source: Isabel Eats
30. Red and Green Striped Christmas Meringue Cookies
Source: Salt and Lavender
31. The Best Soft Gingerbread Cookies
Source: Oh, Sweet Basil
32. Gingerbread Oatmeal Pies
Source: Ambitious Kitchen
33. Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies Three Ways
Source: A Classic Twist
34. Marbled Dark Chocolate Peppermint Spritz Cookies
Source: Host the Toast
35. Chai Spiced Santa Cookies
Source: Half Baked Harvest
36. Chocolate Peanut Butter Rocky Road Cookies
Source: Love and Zest
37. White Chocolate-Dipped Brown Butter Ginger Cookies with Pistachios
Source: Ambitious Kitchen
38. Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies with Amaretto
Source: Cotter Crunch
39. Christmas Tree Shortbread Cookies
Source: The Café Sucre Farine
40. Turtle Thumbprint Cookies
Source: Tastes Better From Scratch
41. Cranberry Bliss Cookies
Source: Gimme Some Oven
42. Ombré Peppermint Slice and Bake Cookies
Source: Girl Versus Dough
43. Southern Pecan Praline Cookies
Source: Sweet Tea + Thyme
44. Hazelnut Gelt Cookies
Source:My Name is Yeh
45. Lemon and Cardamom Gingerbread Cookies
Source: Top with Cinnamon
