The holiday season is officially underway, and the month of December always makes us want to spend even more time in the kitchen. Even though we might not be gathering this year, we still plan to honor holiday traditions. And, it wouldn’t feel like the holidays without cookies!
We’ve done the hard work for you and scoured the web for what we think are some of the best holiday cookie recipes. They’re all what we’re calling tried and true favorites, and we’re sharing the details for 10 of the top recipes we’ve found below. Plan to spend a festive night baking on your own, or spend a Saturday or Sunday whipping up cookies with your kids as a fun holiday activity.
No matter what you decide to make, we hope you discover a recipe you will make year after year!
Snickerdoodle Cookies:
You can’t go wrong with a melt-in-your-mouth cinnamon sugar cookie! Snickerdoodles are a great option to make with kids because you can form the dough, and your kids can add the cinnamon sugar coating. As a note, the yield is typically high for Snickerdoodles, and this recipe will leave you with four dozen cookies!
Chocolate Chip Cookies:
Chocolate chip cookies are not necessarily seasonal, but we do always find ourselves baking a batch (or many!) during the holidays. We have yet to uncover a recipe that’s better than the one from Nestle Toll House, so we’re sticking with it. A key for great chocolate chip cookies that aren’t flat is to make sure to add the dash of extra flour the recipe suggests!
Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies:
Sugar cookies are another classic all-year-long recipe, but just like chocolate chip cookies, they’re always a welcome treat during the holidays! We all love sugar cookies for their taste, plus they’re perfect for kids to decorate. Add a few cookie cutters to your cart, and don’t forget the sprinkles and icing! This Old Fashioned Sugar Cookie recipe is excellent, and there’s also step-by-step instructions in case you want to make your own icing.
Raspberry Jam Thumbprint Cookies:
Please be warned: these cookies are delicious! Raspberry Jam Thumbprint Cookies feature a cookie that’s dipped in crushed pecans or walnuts. Once the cookies are out of the oven, you will flatten the center and add your jam. Raspberry jam tastes wonderful, but any fruit jam will do!
Gingerbread Cookies:
It wouldn’t be a holiday cookie recipe roundup without Gingerbread Cookies! The fun of Gingerbread Cookies is they are perfect to cut out and decorate, particularly with royal icing. Keep in mind, similar to bread, the dough needs rise for 2-8 hours, so this is a recipe you will likely work on in shifts.
Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies:
We love the fresh taste of mint during the holidays, and candy canes are a must-have treat! This cookie recipe calls for both chocolate and candy canes. The cookies are chocolate, and the outer surround is where you will taste the candy cane pieces. Because the pieces are crushed, mints work too!
Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies:
Few combinations are tastier than peanut butter and chocolate, and Peanut Butter Blossom cookies feature both! The cookie is where you will find the peanut butter, and the chocolate is added in when you place a Hershey Kiss on top. These are another simple and easy recipe to make with kids because they can easily add the chocolate!
Ginger Eggnog Sandwich Cookies:
Two of the most classic holiday flavors are ginger and eggnog, and this recipe combines both! The cookies are where you will find the ginger flavor, and the taste of eggnog is incorporated into the icing that will be sandwiched in the middle. The recipe yields 16 sandwich cookies, and they sound perfect to enjoy while watching a holiday movie!
Spritz Cookies:
Spritz Cookies are known for their shapes and buttery taste, so we had to make sure to add them to our list! The dough is simple to make, and they’re also easy to decorate with sprinkles. The step that can sometimes prove tricky is working a press. Yes, these cookies require a specific tool – a cookie dough press – that forms them into their holiday shapes.
Dark Chocolate Orange Slice & Bake Cookies:
If you have ever watched “The Great British Baking Show”, you know how much the bakers love to combine chocolate and orange. We’re here to add our stamp of approval! Sally’s Baking Addiction shares some of the best cookie recipes (and general baking recipes), and this one for Dark Chocolate Orange Slice & Bake Cookies is a winner. If you’re looking for another chocolate and orange cookie recipe, this one also gets an honorable mention!
Which holiday cookie recipes will you be baking this year? Share your favorites with us on Facebook!