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!
Ingredients: All Purpose Flour, Salt, Baking Powder, Unsalted Butter, Granulated Sugar, Egg Yolks, Sour Cream, Vanilla Extract, Lemon Extract, cream cheese softened, unsalted butter softened, vanilla extract, salt, powdered sugar
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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
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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
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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!
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
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Gingersnap Cookies
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.
Ingredients: butter, granulated sugar, large egg, molasses, all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, salt
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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
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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
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Grinch Cookies
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.
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
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Butter Cookies
Buttery, tender and unbelievably light these homemade Danish butter cookies are so much better than the tinned version. Loaded with flavour,they’ll literally melt in your mouth and are so easy to make.
Ingredients: unsalted butter, softened, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, egg yolk, milk, all purpose flour, semi-sweet chocolate, melted, Sprinkles if desired.
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White Chocolate Oreo Cookies
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!
Ingredients: butter, brown sugar, sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, oreo cookies, white chocolate chips
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Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are classic chocolate cookies that kids of all ages will love. This particular recipe is enhanced with brown butter to give it a more complex flavor that takes these cookies from good to great!
Ingredients: browned butter, granulated sugar, lightly packed brown sugar, cream cheese, large egg, vanilla extract, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, kosher salt, granulated sugar, powdered sugar
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Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
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.
Ingredients: stick unsalted butter, peanut butter, lightly packed brown sugar, large egg, vanilla extract, flour, kosher salt, baking soda, baking powder, chocolate kisses
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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
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The Best Sugar Cookies Ever!
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.
Ingredients: Butter, Sugar, Egg, Vanilla Extract, Almond Extract, All-Purpose Flour, Baking Powder, Salt, Cream Cheese, Butter, Powdered Sugar, Vanilla Extract, Food Coloring (Optional)
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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
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White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Pudding Cookies
A delicious and soft pudding cookie made with the classic white chocolate and macadamia nuts!
Ingredients: flour, baking soda, white chocolate instant pudding mix, salt, unsalted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, large eggs, vanilla extract, white chocolate chips, macadamia nuts
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Twix Thumbprint Cookies
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.
Ingredients: Unsalted Butter, sugar, Eggs, vanilla, all-purpose flour, soft caramel candies, heavy cream, milk chocolate chips
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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!
Ingredients: butter, white sugar, McCormick Almond Extract, all-purpose flour, caramels: store-bought or homemade soft, heavy cream, sea salt, Flaking salt for topping, Slivered almonds for topping
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