14 Festive Christmas Cookies to Bake and Share

Holiday baking is even better when cookies are involved, and this festive collection is perfect for spreading Christmas cheer. These recipes are great for cookie swaps, gifting, or baking with family and friends. With a mix of traditional favorites and fun, creative designs, this roundup makes it easy to create beautiful, delicious cookies at home. Simple instructions and cozy holiday flavors make these Christmas cookie recipes a must for the season.

Gingerbread Yule Log Cookies (with Nutella filling)

Rectangular iced pastries decorated with holly-shaped icing sit in a festive red tin with reindeer and trees, lined with white parchment paper. — Gingerbread Yule Log Cookies (with Nutella filling). Photo credit: Food Meanderings.

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These cookies roll gingerbread dough around a smooth filling. The baked logs hold their spiral shape well. Gingerbread spices stay bold without overpowering the filling. Slices look decorative when arranged on a platter.
Get the Recipe: Gingerbread Yule Log Cookies (with Nutella filling)

Sugar Cookie Cups

Rows of mini cookie cups topped with swirls of white frosting and red-green sprinkles are arranged on a white rectangular tray. — Sugar Cookie Cups. Photo credit: My Rad Kitchen.

Sugar cookie dough is baked into cup shapes. The centers are firm enough to hold fillings. The edges stay lightly crisp. They work well with frosting, candy, or chocolate centers.
Get the Recipe: Sugar Cookie Cups

Castagnelle Christmas Cookies with Almond & Orange

A tray of powdered sugar-dusted cookies sits next to a cup of black coffee and Christmas ornaments on a rustic wooden table. — Castagnelle – EASY Italian Christmas Cookies with Almond & Orange. Photo credit: An Edible Mosaic.

These Italian cookies bake into crunchy rounds. Almond and orange flavors blend evenly. The exterior browns lightly in the oven. They store well for several days.
Get the Recipe: Castagnelle – EASY Italian Christmas Cookies with Almond & Orange

Oreo Penguin Cookies Recipe

Chocolate-covered cookies decorated to look like penguin faces, with candy eyes, white candy bellies, and colorful candy earmuffs. — Try This Adorable Oreo Penguin Cookies Recipe. Photo credit: Moms Who Save.

Oreos form the base of these decorated cookies. Candy pieces create penguin features. No baking is required. Once assembled, they stay intact for serving.
Get the Recipe: Try This Adorable Oreo Penguin Cookies Recipe

Eggnog and Baileys Irish Cream Cookies

Cookies with white frosting and red, green, and white sprinkles are cooling on a wire rack. — Eggnog and Baileys Irish Cream Cookies. Photo credit: Food Meanderings.

These cookies feature warm holiday flavors throughout the dough. The texture bakes soft with lightly set edges. Flavor develops more as they cool. They pair well with hot drinks.
Get the Recipe: Eggnog and Baileys Irish Cream Cookies

Cathedral Windows (Shortcut Version of Church Window Cookies)

A plate of chocolate marshmallow squares with colorful mini marshmallows, set on a polka-dot napkin, with an Easter sign in the background. — Cathedral Windows (Shortcut Version of Church Window Cookies). Photo credit: Grits And Gouda.

Melted chocolate binds marshmallows and cookies together. The mixture sets firmly when chilled. Slices reveal colorful patterns inside. Each piece holds its shape cleanly.
Get the Recipe: Cathedral Windows (Shortcut Version of Church Window Cookies)

Soft Peppermint Frosted Sugar Cookies

A stack of chocolate chip cookies sits on a white surface, surrounded by peppermint candies, with a red and white striped cloth in the background. — Soft Peppermint Frosted Sugar Cookies. Photo credit: 365 Days Of Baking And More.

These cookies bake thick and tender. Frosting spreads smoothly over the tops. Peppermint flavor stays balanced. They remain soft after cooling.
Get the Recipe: Soft Peppermint Frosted Sugar Cookies

Easy Homemade Christmas Cookies

A stack of six cookies with colorful pieces sits on a marble surface, surrounded by mini marshmallows and holiday-themed decorations. — Easy Homemade Christmas Cookies. Photo credit: In the Kitch.

This recipe focuses on a simple dough that bakes evenly. The cookies hold their shape well. Texture stays soft with lightly golden edges. They are easy to customize with toppings.
Get the Recipe: Easy Homemade Christmas Cookies

Christmas Pinwheel Cookies

A square white plate with three round, red, white, and green swirl cookies. A fourth cookie is tied with a white ribbon in the background. Holiday confetti is scattered around. — Christmas Pinwheel Cookies. Photo credit: Food Meanderings.

Two colored doughs roll together into spirals. The pattern stays visible after baking. The cookies slice cleanly before baking. Each cookie looks uniform on the tray.
Get the Recipe: Christmas Pinwheel Cookies

Double Chocolate Snowball Cookies

A red polka dot bowl filled with powdered sugar-coated chocolate balls, some with a bite taken out, sits in front of white decorative trees and lights. — Double Chocolate Snowball Cookies. Photo credit: Blend With Spices.

Chocolate dough forms soft balls before baking. Powdered sugar coats the exterior. The centers stay tender. Each cookie keeps a rounded shape.
Get the Recipe: Double Chocolate Snowball Cookies

Molasses Crinkle Cookies

A plate with three crinkle cookies beside a green mug with a tree design, surrounded by pinecones, ornaments, and festive holiday decorations. — Molasses Crinkle Cookies. Photo credit: Blend With Spices.

Molasses gives these cookies deep color and flavor. The tops crack as they bake. Centers remain chewy after cooling. Sugar coating adds texture.
Get the Recipe: Molasses Crinkle Cookies

Baci di Dama (Italian Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies)

A plate of sandwich cookies with chocolate filling is arranged with scattered hazelnuts on a white surface. — Baci di Dama (Italian Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies). Photo credit: Blend With Spices.

These sandwich cookies pair chocolate and hazelnut dough. A chocolate filling binds the halves together. The cookies stay crisp once assembled. They look polished and uniform.
Get the Recipe: Baci di Dama (Italian Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies)

Dolly Parton’s Sugar Cookie Recipe (the BEST Sugar Cookies!)

A plate of snowflake-shaped sugar cookies decorated with white icing and sugar crystals. — Dolly Parton’s Sugar Cookie Recipe (the BEST Sugar Cookies!). Photo credit: Kitchen Treaty.

This sugar cookie dough rolls smoothly. Cookies bake flat and even. The surface stays ideal for icing. Shapes remain sharp after baking.
Get the Recipe: Dolly Parton’s Sugar Cookie Recipe (the BEST Sugar Cookies!)

Keto Sugar-free Snowball Cookies with vegan option

A plate of powdered sugar-coated cookies is stacked in front of a jar filled with pecans on a white surface. — Melt-In-Your-Mouth Keto Sugar-free Snowball Cookies with vegan option. Photo credit: Whole New Mom.

These cookies bake into tender, delicate bites. The powdered coating finishes them neatly. The texture stays soft throughout. They hold their shape once cooled.
Get the Recipe: Melt-In-Your-Mouth Keto Sugar-free Snowball Cookies with vegan option