30 Favorite Christmas Cookies & Recipes
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For the first time that I can ever remember, I woke up yesterday on December 1st to look out the window and see the season’s first snow. The start of the holiday season doesn’t get much more perfect than the first snow on December 1st. Not for me anyway 
So it seems like a perfect time to share some of my all-time favorite Christmas cookie and holiday recipes. I absolutely love baking during December, and will be whipping up new cookies, candies and treats for you all month, along with some foodie gift ideas! Now without further ado, my favorite recipes for the holidays…
Candy
1. Buckeyes
2. Cheesecake Truffles
3. Dark Chocolate Truffles
4. Homemade Marshmallows
5. Peppermint Bark
Cookies
6. Anise-Almond Biscotti
7. Anise Cookies
8. Biscotti
9. Chocolate Biscotti
10. Chocolate Chip Tea Cookies
11. Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons
12. Chocolate-Pistachio Biscotti
13. Chocolate Sandwich Cookies (Homemade Oreos)
14. Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
15. Cranberry-White Chocolate Almond Biscotti
16. Cucidati (Italian Fig Cookies)
17. Empire Cookies
18. Italian Walnut Cookies
19. Lebkuchen (German Christmas cookies)
20. Nut Crescents
21. Peanut Butter Blossoms
22. Peanut Butter Cookies
23. Pizzelle
24. Rugelach
25. Snickerdoodles
26. Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies
27. How to Decorate Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing
28. Ultimate Ginger Cookies
Breads and Pastries
29. Cannoli
30. Chocolate Babka
Wishing you a month full of baking fun!
What are some of your favorite holiday goodies?
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this post made me get even more excited about holiday baking then i already am! peppermint bark, thumbprints, and biscotti are some of my favorites too. i also love making peanut brittle around the holidays, yum!
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wow so many ,..:-) mine are sugar cookies
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These are such fabulous gift ideas for around Christmas. I love the first picture in particular!
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I’ve saved some of these recipes, but today I’ve had to add some more, so I hope try at least one of two this Christmas!!
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All these pictures are amazing! I love so many Christmas cookies its hard to pick just one
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chocolate babka…always wanted to bake this…i scrolled through the ingredients & WOW…a lot of eggs, chocolate & butter but, then i saw this was for 3 loaves so i am going forward with this bake!
thanks for all these wonderful choices!!
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This is JUST what I needed before I embark on my baking extravanganza this weekend!!!
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My vote is for #20 – But Babbi called those “Vanolkovi Rholiki” or “Vanilla Crescents.” Seriously, before my diagnosis, it was hard to make them, because they NEVER ended up in the cookie tins, but in my BELLY!
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THANK YOU. I was searching your site just last night for holiday cookie inspiration! Love having it all in one place
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Michelle on December 6th, 2010 at 11:15 pm
Perfect timing!
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Great post! I am inspired by your cannoli making and will surely try those myself soon! Thanks!
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Oooh – so many yummy choices!!! I found the Chocolate Chip Tea Cookies (aka Chocolate Chip Snowball Cookies) recipe earlier this year on another site and they have quickly become a family favorite. You have got to try these! So easy to make, too! This Peppermint Bark looks so pretty. It’s definitely on my list to make. I enjoy giving tins of assorted homemade candies as Christmas gifts. Always looking to add something new – this looks perfect!
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Such an enticing collection of holiday baking! Love how so many of your beautiful options are all gathered here in one place. Almost like being in a *bakery* where I can point and click saying *I’ll have one of those and one of those and….*
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These all look mouth-wateringly delicious. It makes me antsy for Christmas and excited to begin my cookie baking!
*makes me want a cookie (or 5) right now!
Meghan Rae
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You’ve just made me a very happy camper, I was looking for some good candy and cookie ideas for gifts! Thank you!
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Fabulous! I want to make all of these…today.
‘Tis the season.
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I want them ALL
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Thank you for your wonderful assortment of Christmas delights. I can’t wait to get started. I’m making fudge today. I give it as gifts. I do want to try the Chocolate Tea cookies. Everything is better with chocolate.
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Oh my goodness! Can you make me all of these and mail them to my house? I can’t wait to try some of these recipes!!!
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I’m so glad you included pizelles! They’re one of my favorite and I’ve made them the past 2 years.
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I seem to be stuck on the candy and cookie section – I want that one and that one and that one! sigh………..
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Love this post. Pretty much all the traditional holiday cookie and candy recipes all in one spot…what more could sweet lover want? Thanks!
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I don’t know which one to choose – I want to try them all!!
Thanks so much for the inspiration!
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Everything looks so good. I want to try all of them.
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Christmas cookie season is here! Every year my dad and I make my great-grandmother’s sugar cookies. It’s quite a production … but it’s more than worth it!
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So many great cookies and stuff! A friend and I have started a tradition of doing all of our Christmas baking together and you have given me some great ideas. A must every year for me are seven layer cookies.
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Oh my goodness…yinz have a link on The Pioneer Woman cooking tab!!!!!! You go homegirl!
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Allison on December 2nd, 2010 at 4:43 pm
I just saw it too! Congrats!
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Michelle on December 6th, 2010 at 11:17 pm
Thank you ladies!
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Wow- now that is a good list of cookies. You have some of my favorites there. And you tutorials are awesome. In Sweden we make lots of candy during the Christmas time but all very different kinds from the US.
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I LOVE CHRISTMAS COOKIES!!!! I bake 20-25 different cookies every year ,I love it! This year I’m gonna try Cucidati for the first time! Thank You for always sharing wonderful recipes that never fail!
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Michelle on December 6th, 2010 at 11:20 pm
You’re welcome Tina! And you will love Cucidati! It’s one of my absolute favorites!
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Yay!!! I love Christmas cookies!! Last year I made about 7 different kinds. This year I’m toning it down a little and focusing on a few to give away (hoping that my 2011 jeans fit better than my 2010). My favorite Christmas treat is puppy chow – chocolate peanutbutter cereal covered in powdered sugar. My mom used to make it all the time I’m going to continue the tradition by giving it away in pretty jars as a special treat. I also LOVE Buckeyes (but not OSU)!!
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OK, that is awesome! Putting the list of 30 together was quite a feat. There are sooo many things from your list that I want to make, where do I begin? Kudos on the great pictures too. Thank you!
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What fantastic cookies.. I don’t even know where to begin with choosing one to bake! They all look so good.
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I really don’t know where I would start as all these cookie recipes look great. I am swooning those fig filled goodies
Nice round-up!!
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Thanks for some great new recipes to try this baking season. I just saw a cute idea for Peppermint Bark in a magazine – it was made in a silcone ice cub tray that looked like Christmas Trees – too cute.
Congrats on the PW shout out for the Homemade Oreos!!
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Michelle on December 6th, 2010 at 11:21 pm
Thank you Terri!
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It’s so awesome that these are all yours! My blog isn’t so big but I can’t wait until I can add up my recipes “over the years”!! Congrats and these all look very enticing!
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I am annually required by law to make green holly cookies, magic cookie bars and Grama’s fudge by the first week in December. I introduce new items each year, but my family still looks at me like I have 2 green heads without the above mentioned items. I also make Irish Toffee, Sweet & Spicy pecans, and a variety of caramels.
I am totally adding your peppermint bark and lebkuchen to the deal this year!
Cooking & baking is a delight for me, and you are one of my favorite sources of information & inspiration.
Thank you all to pieces
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Michelle on December 6th, 2010 at 11:22 pm
Aw you are welcome Melodi! Everything you make sounds insanely good!
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This post gave me some inspiration that I have to thank you for. I wanted to make a peppermint patty cupcake, but when I made my mint icing, it did not turn out so tasty. I was looking for a way to revamp it and this post helped me. The minute I saw your peppermint bark I knew exactly what to do!!
So, I made a peppermint bark cupcake with a white chocolate buttercream and sprinkled candy canes on top!!
Thanks!
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Michelle on December 6th, 2010 at 11:23 pm
Yay! I love your quick thinking! And your creation sounds delicious!
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I made the Buckeyes and Peppermint Whoopie Pies yesterday. I’m sending a box off for my dd who is away at school. A little sugar boost before finals!
KellyH
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Michelle on December 6th, 2010 at 11:24 pm
Aw what a great mom you are!
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What a great list! Thanks!
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being from ohio i LOVEEE buckeyes! i am also going to make my own peppermint bark this year and add pretzels to it as well!
amanda
thepinkfork.com
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Just looking at these pictures is making me hungry! I am not usually a baker, but around Christmas time, I love it! I like to bake the traditional cookies with my family, but I always like to try something new each year. I want to give those homemade Oreos a whirl. My father is obsessed with Oreos and I think this would be a perfect gift for him!
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the holidays would indeed be merrier with cookies as pretty as these! hope i can make some someday!
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