Every December, my kitchen transforms into a full-blown cookie factory. There’s flour on every surface, butter wrappers overflowing the trash, and at least three timers going at once. But here’s the thing—I wouldn’t have it any other way. These are the Christmas cookies I bake on repeat, year after year, because they’ve earned their place on my holiday cookie tray.
Whether you’re building a cookie platter for gifting, prepping for a cookie swap, or just want something sweet to dunk in your cocoa while you binge holiday movies, this lineup has you covered. Grab your cookie sheets and let’s bake!
1. Perfect Spritz Cookies
These buttery, cookie-press cuties are ready in 20 minutes flat and make any platter look instantly festive. I love that they freeze beautifully, so I can make them ahead and pull them out whenever I need a quick cookie win.
2. Linzer Cookies
Soft shortbread sandwiches filled with jewel-toned jam and dusted with powdered sugar—these are my show-off cookies that look bakery-fancy but come together with just a handful of ingredients. That little peek of preserves through the cutout makes them irresistible.
3. Russian Tea Cakes (Snowball Cookies)
Buttery, pecan-studded snowballs rolled in powdered sugar that literally melt in your mouth. These are incredibly make-ahead friendly and always the first to disappear from the cookie tray.
4. Danish Butter Cookies
My homemade version of those iconic blue-tin cookies, with crisp buttery edges and only four ingredients. They pipe up beautifully, taste like pure nostalgia, and everyone fights over the last one.
5. Soft and Chewy Molasses Cookies
No chill time required for these spiced, sugar-rolled beauties! They bake up with crunchy, sparkly edges and soft, chewy centers that taste like a cozy cross between snickerdoodles and gingerbread.
6. Brown Butter Cinnamon Crinkle Cookies
Nutty brown butter and warm cinnamon come together in these cozy crinkle cookies with a snowy powdered sugar coating. They look fancy but the dough comes together without a mixer, which is a total win in my book.
7. Homemade Polish Kolaczki
These delicate cream cheese pastry cookies with bright fruit filling are my color pops on every holiday platter. I love switching up the jam flavors to create a rainbow effect—they’re as pretty as they are delicious.
8. Red Velvet Thumbprint Cookies
Festive red velvet cookies topped with white chocolate buttercream for instant holiday drama. These bake up fast, stack beautifully for gifting, and bring that classic red velvet flavor in cute little bites.
9. Classic Italian Ricotta Cookies
Soft, cakey ricotta cookies with sweet almond icing and colorful sprinkles—pure Christmas bakery vibes. The ricotta keeps them moist for days, making them perfect for cookie tins and swaps.
10. Pecan Sandies
Easy slice-and-bake shortbread cookies packed with buttery pecan crunch. These are my go-to for last-minute cookie emergencies—just chill, slice, bake, and you’ve got crispy, crumbly perfection.
