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25 Jolly Christmas Cookies Recipes

It's the jolliest time of year and we love to celebrate Christmas, baking all the delicious Christmas Cookies out there. This post is filled to the brim with all the classics and some new ones, 25 cookies so you can try a new recipe every day during the Holidays!

 

Pinterest pin with text overlay in turquoise and 6 images of cookies.

 

Christmas is a lot about traditions, and that is why there are so many different Christmas cookies from various parts of the world. And I'm not complaining! I love trying new cookie recipes, and I am definitely trying some of these beauties over the Holidays.

 

If you want something different than cookies, I can recommend this Christmas box of chocolates for you!

 

1. Vixen's Soft and Chewy Eggnog Cookies with a Creamy Maple Eggnog Frosting

 

Eggnog Cookies with creamy frosting on a blue background.

 

We can't have Christmas without eggnog! Vixen's Eggnog Cookies are made using Dasher's Creamy Eggnog and these two reindeer made one glorious Christmas cookie if you ask me! Soft and chewy are my favorite words with cookies, and these definitely fit the part. Recipe from Ginger with Spice.

 

2. Cinnamon Anise Shortbread Cookies (Biscochitos)

 

Biscochitos Star Cut Christmas Cookies stacked. Cream colored background.

 

How cute are these? Biscochitos are a shortbread-like cookie, flavored with anise and cinnamon and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar for an extra festive cookie. The perfect pairing with a cup of coffee! Recipe from Itsy Bitsy Kitchen.

 

3. Classic Thumbprint Cookies

 

Classic thumbprint Christmas cookies, one open. Filled with raspberry jam.

 

There’s a reason why Classic Thumbprint Cookies are so popular. They are a holiday favorite, easy to make, and even easier to customize with different filling and flavor variations! These are delightfully buttery with a sweet jam. Recipe from The Flavor Bender.

 

4. Fudgy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

 

Fudgy chocolate crinkle cookies stacked, the top two are open. Turquoise mug in the background.

 

The cute little snowballs can also be known as brownie cookies. These cookies are soft and chewy, perfectly fudgy with a slight crust – just like a brownie should be! A classic Christmas cookie that really should be made all year round. And they are SO easy to make! Recipe from Ginger with Spice.

 

5. Christmas Pudding Cookies

 

Round chocolate Christmas cookies with white icing and mistletoe decoration.

 

A Christmas pudding is a date pudding that is traditionally served in the UK at Christmas for dessert, topped with brandy cream and garnished with holly. But why not make a Christmas Pudding Cookie instead? These chocolate sugar cookies are so CUTE! Recipe from Culinary Ginger.

 

6. German Cinnamon Star Cookies (Zimtsterne)

 

Cinnamon cookies cut as stars and glazed with white glazing.

 

Similar to a macaroon, these chewy cut out cookies are made with almonds, egg whites, sugar, and cinnamon. Plus, they’re naturally gluten and dairy free. A must on your Holiday cookie tray! Recipe from The Toasty Kitchen.

 

7. Norwegian Christmas Men Cookies (Julemenn)

 

Collage of three images of Christmas Men Cookies; 1. unbaked on cookie tray, 2. stacked open, 3. full cookie.

 

These puffy little Christmas Men are on every Norwegian Christmas cookie tray. The crisp exterior and soft interior is such a satisfying texture, and the taste of hartshorn is amazing in these cute Christmas Men! If you're going to try one foreign Holiday cookie this year, this is it! Recipe from Ginger with Spice.

 

8. Ginger Snap Cookies

 

Ginger snap Christmas cookies on baking tray, crinkled cookies.

 

Full of yummy molasses, warming cloves and delightful cinnamon flavours, they’re perfect for cool fall and winter months. These ginger snap cookies have the perfect crunchy outsides with soft, chewy insides and magazine-worthy appearance. Recipe from Crave the Good.

 

9. Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies (GF & DF)

 

Double chocolate peppermint cookies on a cooling rack. Flatlay.

 

My friend Leanne's Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are soft and chewy with cocoa, dark chocolate, peppermint and crushed candy canes. They’re also grain-free and dairy-free making them a killer allergy friendly Christmas cookie. Recipe from Crumb Top Baking.

 

10. Easy Christmas Chocolate Rice Puffs (Risboller)

 

Chocolate rice puffs on a wooden table and red cloth.

 

If you like soft and chewy, you will LOVE these! It's my great grandma's recipe, so it's definitely an oldie but a goldie. They are chocolatey, chewy treats that can be eaten straight from the freezer. They are also no bake and so so easy to make. Highly recommend! Recipe from Ginger with Spice.

 

11. Peppermint Meltaways Christmas Cookies

 

White cookies with white peppermint glazing.

 

Peppermint Meltaways are a delicate cookie, smothered with a creamy frosting and bursting with just the right amount of peppermint flavor. This festive cookie is truly special. It tastes like snowflakes melting in your mouth. Recipe from Happy Life Blogspot.

 

12. Chocolate Dipped Orange Macaroons

 

Coconut macaroons dipped in chocolate.

 

Sweet, citrusy, orange coconut macaroons dipped in dark chocolate for an everyday-is-a-special-day treat. I think these are perfect for Christmas because at least to me, chocolate and orange is a Christmas (and Easter) combination. Recipe from Twists & Zests.

 

13. Norwegian Gingerbread Cookies (Pepperkaker)

 

Decorated gingerbread men and stars.

 

This will be the only gingerbread cookie recipe here, because this is the only gingerbread cookie recipe you will need! Snappy cookies that are perfectly spiced with a warming blend of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and molasses. And not to mention how fun they are to decorate. Recipe from Ginger with Spice.

 

14. Candy Cane White Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Cream colored cookies with candy cane flakes.

 

Candy Cane White Chocolate Chip Cookies are everything you love in a cookie. These are soft and chewy with white chocolate bites and the added candy cane on top give them another layer of flavor and extra color to jolly up your Holiday. Recipe from Simply Made Recipes.

 

Bonus: if you thought these looked yummy, I'm sure you would enjoy these white chocolate macadamia nut cookies as well!

 

15. Cardamom Krumkake with Mascarpone Filling

 

Many krumkake forming an S-curve.

 

Have you ever heard about the 7 Kinds of Norwegian Christmas Cookies (De 7 slag til jul)? There are 7 kinds of cookies we all bake each year (not everyone agrees on the 7 kinds, but most agree on some cookies - pepperkaker, julemenn and smultringer are some I use, see the rest of this post). And krumkake is one of those 7 as well! They are the Norwegian version of a pizzelle, a snappy waffle with beautiful patterns. Recipe from Proportional Plate.

 

16. Scottish Snowballs Christmas Cookies

 

White cookies sandwiched with raspberry jam and coated in shredded coconut. On a blue snowman plate.

 

Scottish Snowballs are a classic raspberry and coconut biscuit (cookie) treat from Scotland. They are raspberry jam filled sandwich cookies dipped in coconut. I mean, talk about festive! They are not hard, not soft, but somewhere in the middle. Recipe from Christina's Cucina.

 

17. Gluten Free Christmas Sugar Cookies

 

Decorated sugar cookies; Christmas trees and stars.

 

Because we will be having lots of Holiday parties, it's nice to have some allergy friendly recipes at hand as well. They are tender and sweet cookies that are the perfect delicious blank canvases to decorate this holiday season! Recipe from Allergy Free Alaska.

 

18. Moravian Molasses Cookies

 

A cellophan bag with dark wafers.

 

Moravian (or Czech) molasses cookies are thin and crisp wafers, but they are not a delicate cookie. These cookies have a nice spicy flavor with lots of dark molasses, cloves, cinnamon and ginger. Sounds like just my thing! Recipe from What a Girl Eats.

 

19. Christmas Donut Cookies

 

Sugar cookies decorated as donuts with green and red glazing.

 

This is just a super fun way of presenting a classic sugar cookie. I absolutely love these. Each vanilla sugar cookie is decorated with red and green icing and then holiday sprinkles are sprinkled on top.  They look just like Christmas donuts but in cookie form. Recipe from Brooklyn Farm Girl.

 

20. White Chocolate Almond Cookies

 

Cookies in a white bowl. One open on the table.

 

Soft and delicious, these cookies are sweet with a caramel tone and lots of crunchiness from the sliced almonds.
This one-bowl recipe will certainly make a fantastic addition to your list of baked Holiday goodies. Recipe from Vintage Kitchen Notes.

 

21. Greek Christmas Honey Cookies

 

Ooey gooey Christmas cookies on a cake stand and some in front.

 

I can't get enough of traditional Christmas cookies around the world! These Greek honey cookies are like a cross of a baklava and ooey, gooey pecan pie. Spicy, nutty and caramely gooey cookies, I can't wait to try them. Recipe from Scrummy Lane.

 

22. Peanut Butter Blossoms

 

Christmas cookies formed as blossoms with Hershey kiss in the middle.

 

In this Hershey kiss cookies recipe, a soft peanut butter cookie is coated in sugar and topped with a chocolate kiss! It’s a favorite Christmas cookie that will become a must-make for your holiday cookie trays. Recipe from Joy Food Sunshine.

 

23. Lemon Snowball Cookies

 

Lemon Snowball cookies in a metal bucket.

 

Lemon shortbread cookies dusted in powdered sugar makes these awesome lemon snowball cookies. They’re fun, fresh and vibrant - perfect to brighten up any Holiday cookie tray! Crunchy, slightly sweet and super lemony cookies. Recipe from Away from the Box.

 

24. Hot Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Chocolate chip cookies with small marshmallows on a red plate.

 

If a regular chocolate chip cookie isn't festive enough, add some marshmallows! I make a rich and decadent hot chocolate every Christmas morning, but  this year I'll take it in cookie form - warm and gooey right out of the oven. Yes please. Recipe from Cheese Curd in Paradise.

 

25. Chewy Amaretti Cookies

 

Amaretti Christmas Cookies on a dark wooden table. Pouring coffee in the background.

 

These chewy Amaretti Cookies are crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside. Italian almond flavoured biscuits that make a great gluten-free nibble to go with your afternoon coffee. These are the perfect way to use up those extra egg whites! Recipe from Kitchen Sanctuary.

 

Ok, so you thought I was done at 25? I have a bonus for you! Another Norwegian treat, from the 7 Kinds of Christmas Cookies. I don't think they qualify as cookies per se, but since they are a classic from the 7 Kinds, I will add it as a bonus. They are f'ing DELICIOUS.

 

Bonus: Norwegian Crispy and Fluffy Donuts (smultringer)

 

Donuts, unglazed on a cooling rack.

 

These Norwegian donuts have a slightly crispy exterior but is so soft and flavorful on the inside. They are fried, because that is the very best way of indulging on donuts. I have no words to express how much better these Norwegian donuts are than cakey donuts. I've also made it into apple cider donut for a special Fall treat. Recipe from Ginger with Spice.

 

I sincerely hope you found some inspiration here for your Holiday baking this year. I'm always making a few old favorites and a few new ones to keep things interesting but still enjoying my dearest family recipes.

 

Pair These Christmas Cookies with Some Cozy Drinks:

 

 

Vixen's Soft and Chewy Eggnog Cookies

 

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Comment below or tag me @thegingerwithspice on Instagram. And don’t forget to Pin it for later! To make sure you’re never missing another recipe, please feel free to subscribe to my newsletter. As a thanks you will receive a free e-cookbook Travels Through the Seasons, with many delicious recipes from around the world that suit different seasons of the year. 

 

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Christina

Tuesday 9th of November 2021

What a superb list of recipes! I'll be coming here when I start my Christmas baking! Thanks for including my snowballs!

Stine Mari | Ginger with Spice

Sunday 14th of November 2021

Thank you so much, Christina! They look fantastic!

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