BEST Christmas Cookies {Classic & Unique}

These are the best Christmas cookies recipes that are quick and easy to make and package. So many flavors to choose from. Great as a homemade gift too. Classics such as shortbread, cut out sugar cookies, butter cookies, gingerbread men and many more are all included.

Christmas is right around the corner and for most families, it’s baking season. I thought I would make things easier for you and gathered the best and most popular cookie recipe ideas from my blog archives that would be perfect as a homemade gift. I make these homemade Christmas Cookie Boxes for my family, friends and neighbors every December.

These easy Christmas cookies are typically broken down into the following categories (at least, in my family):

1. Cut out cookies
2. Drop cookies
3. Slice and bake cookies
4. Decorated cookies
5. Pressed cookies

I have also shared some some frosting recipes at the end of this post that pair very well with these treats. Also, I went ahead and shared cool ideas on packaging them at the end of this post. Don’t miss out on that!

Popular Flavors of Holiday Cookies

• Peppermint
• Candy cane
• Mint
• Eggnog
• Ginger/ gingerbread
• Cinnamon
• Cloves
• Cranberry
• Orange
• White chocolate
• Dried fruits
• Rum

Storage of Homemade Cookies

This will depend on the recipe you are using. The general rule of thumb is that if there is a perishable filling or fresh fruit add-ins, they should be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Cookies without any such fillings or add-ins can be left in a cookie jar at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Classic Traditional Christmas Cookies

These are some of the most common and popular cookies ever. You are sure to see them at bakeries and I bet these are some of the cookies your mom and grandma made during the holiday season. Among these, the most popular are cut out sugar cookies and gingerbread cookies, in my opinion.

Cut Out Sugar Cookies (With Cake Mix)

Best, buttery, easy cut out sugar cookies recipe with cake mix, homemade with simple ingredients. Rich, buttery, soft yet firm and holds its shape.

Check out this recipe

Christmas Tree Cookies

Easy Christmas tree cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. These cut out gingerbread cookies and soft but firm and lightly spiced.

Check out this recipe

Easy Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies

Quick and easy sugar cookies recipe, made with simple ingredients. Soft and chewy. Decorate with frosting. Holds its shape! No spreading! No chilling! 

Check out this recipe

Easy Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

Quick and easy gingerbread cookies recipe, made with 3 simple ingredients are a classic. This doctored cake mix recipe makes the best soft cut out cookies.

Check out this recipe

Red Velvet Cookies (With Cake Mix)

Quick and easy red velvet cookies recipe with cake mix, homemade with 5 simple ingredients. Soft and chewy and loaded with white chocolate chips.

Check out this recipe

Easy Shortbread Cookies

The best, old fashioned, classic, homemade, quick, easy shortbread cookies recipe, made with 3 simple ingredients: Butter, Sugar, Flour. Soft and crumbly!

Check out this recipe

Almond Crescent Cookies (Vanillekipferl)

Classic, old fashioned, buttery, rich, tender, easy almond crescent cookies (vanillekipferl), homemade with simple ingredients. Dusted with powdered sugar.

Check out this recipe

Easy Homemade Danish Butter Cookies

Easy butter cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. These Danish cookie sandwiches are piped, filled with buttercream and dipped in melted chocolate. Crispy on the outside with a melt in your mouth texture.

Check out this recipe

Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies {Crinkles}

Easy classic red velvet crinkle cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients from scratch. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside with a beautiful crackled powdered sugar topping.

Check out this recipe

Jumbo Gingerbread Men Cookies

Jumbo, giant sized, easy gingerbread men cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients & spice cake mix. Perfect cut out cookies for Christmas!

Check out this recipe

Small batch of sugar cookies

Learn to make a small batch of sugar cookies recipe. This easy sugar cookie recipe requires no chilling. The cookies hold their shape and taste great.

Check out this recipe

Easy Ginger Cookies Recipe

Quick and easy ginger cookies recipe, made with simple ingredients and packed with many spices. Crispy on the outside but soft and chewy on the inside!

Check out this recipe

Easy Gingersnap Cookies

The best, easy crispy gingersnap cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Full of spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and covered in semisweet chocolate.

Check out this recipe

Butter Pecan Cookies

Easy, soft and chewy butter pecan cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Loaded with toasted pecans. Great for Christmas and Thanksgiving!

Check out this recipe

Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

The best, classic, quick and easy, soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Loaded with raisins, oats, butter.

Check out this recipe

Easy Snowball Cookies (Mexican Wedding Cookies)

Quick, easy snowball cookies recipe (Mexican wedding cookies), homemade with simple ingredients. Rich, buttery, tender, loaded in pecans and powdered sugar.

Check out this recipe

Christmas Pinwheel Cookies

The best, colorful, easy, old fashioned pinwheel cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Perfectly crispy sugar cookies for Christmas holidays.

Check out this recipe

Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies (With Cake Mix)

Quick and easy gooey butter cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Starts off with yellow cake mix. Soft and chewy with a rich butter flavor.  

Check out this recipe

Classic Snickerdoodles Recipe

This quick and easy Snickerdoodles cookies recipe yields soft and chewy cookies with crispy, sugary tops. Snickerdoodle recipe without cream of tartar included.

Check out this recipe

Cake Mix Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Classic, quick and easy chocolate crinkle cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Soft and fudgy. Starts off with a chocolate cake mix.

Check out this recipe

Iced Oatmeal Cookies

Easy, classic, soft and chewy iced oatmeal cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Packed with cinnamon and nutmeg. Topped off with vanilla icing.

Check out this recipe

Easy Meringue Cookies (Egg White Cookies)

Easy meringue cookies recipe (egg white cookies), homemade with simple ingredients. A classic Christmas cookie that's delicate, light, airy and packed with vanilla flavor. 

Check out this recipe

Classic No Bake Cookies Recipe

This quick and easy no bake cookies recipe, requiring simple ingredients is a classic. These old fashioned no bake oatmeal cookies have a chewy texture.

Check out this recipe

Stained Glass Cookies (Glass Window Cookies)

Quick, easy stained glass cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. These classic Christmas cut out sugar cookies are filled with rock candy or Jolly Ranchers.

Check out this recipe

Cinnamon Cookies Recipe

Quick and easy cinnamon cookies recipe, requiring simple ingredients and loaded with cinnamon! They are soft and chewy on the inside, crispy on the outside.

Check out this recipe

Molasses Cookies

Old fashioned, easy molasses cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. This classic Christmas crinkle cookie has a soft and chewy texture.

Check out this recipe

Ginger Molasses Cookies

Easy fat free ginger molasses cookies recipe with no butter, no shortening, no oil, no egg yolks. Crispy on the outside but soft and chewy on the inside.

Check out this recipe

Classic Spritz Cookies

This rich and buttery classic Spritz cookies recipe is easy to make with a few simple ingredients. They are crispy and tender and great as a homemade gift.

Check out this recipe

Jam Thumbrpint cookies

Classic, easy jam thumbprint cookies recipe from scratch, homemade with simple ingredients. Soft and tender sugar cookies are indented and filled with jam!

Check out this recipe

Chocolate Christmas Cookies

These cookies are for all the chocoholics out there. They are heavily focused on chocolate in the form of cocoa powder or chocolate chips or ganache or melted chocolate or even chopped up candy bars.

Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Quick and easy chocolate sugar cookies recipe with crispy texture of classic cut out sugar cookies and a rich chocolate flavor. Great for cookie decorating!

Check out this recipe

Easy Smores Cookies

Quick and easy smores cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Soft, chewy and loaded with graham crackers, chocolate chips and mini marshmallows.

Check out this recipe

Easy Oatmeal Lace Cookies

Quick and easy oatmeal lace cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Thin, crispy, delicate, buttery cookies, filled with melted chocolate.

Check out this recipe

Easy Church Window Cookies

The best, classic, no bake, easy Church window cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Packed with chocolate, marshmallows, coconut and nuts.

Check out this recipe

Best Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Best chocolate chip cookies recipe from scratch with simple ingredients that are quick and easy to make. These homemade soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies are better than bakery cookies!

Check out this recipe

Fudgy Chewy Triple Chocolate Cookies

Fudgy chewy triple chocolate cookies recipe from scratch, homemade with simple ingredients. They are loaded with cocoa powder, chocolate chips and fudge candy.

Check out this recipe

Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies (With Cake Mix)

Easy spicy Mexican hot chocolate cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Starts off with cake mix and full of cinnamon, cayenne, chili powder.

Check out this recipe

Chocolate Spritz Cookies

Classic, old fashioned, buttery, easy chocolate spritz cookies recipe, homemade from scratch with simple ingredients that are piped into decorated designs.

Check out this recipe

Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies

Quick and easy chocolate cake mix cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Soft and chewy, dipped in melted chocolate and covered in sprinkles. Many add-in options included.

Check out this recipe

Nutella Cookies

These quick and easy chewy chocolate Nutella cookies are addictive. They are rich and fudgy and have a brownie-like texture. Great for cookie exchanges.

Check out this recipe

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

These quick and easy chocolate thumbprint cookies with ganache are made from scratch. They are crispy on the outside but soft and chewy on the inside.

Check out this recipe

Cake Mix Chocolate M&M Cookies

Easy cake mix chocolate m&m cookies made with simple ingredients from your pantry. Crispy on the outside but soft on the inside. Great as a snack or gift!

Check out this recipe

Peppermint Filled Cookies

Easy peppermint filled cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. These chocolate sugar cookies are filled with a Peppermint patty.

Check out this recipe

Easy Chocolate Chunk Cookies Recipe

The best ever, soft and chewy, quick and easy chocolate chunk cookies recipe, made with simple ingredients and browned butter. Perfectly ooey gooey!

Check out this recipe

Chocolate Covered Oreos (Chocolate Dipped Oreos)

Quick, easy chocolate covered Oreos recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Classic Oreos are covered in melted chocolate (semisweet or white) and sprinkles.

Check out this recipe

Chocolate Covered Graham Crackers

Quick, easy chocolate covered graham crackers recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Covered in melted chocolate (semisweet or white) and sprinkles.

Check out this recipe

Chocolate Rolo Cookies

These brownie-like chocolate Rolo cookies are crispy on the outside but soft and fudgy on the inside. Really easy to make and great for gift giving too!

Check out this recipe

Coffee Cookies (Espresso Mocha Cookies)

Quick and easy coffee cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. These mocha cookies are full of cocoa and espresso flavors. Crispy on the outside but soft on the inside.

Check out this recipe

White Chocolate Cookies

White chocolate is so underrated. It’s just as delicious as semisweet or dark chocolate in desserts, if paired with the correct flavors and ingredients. You can use white chocolate chips, white chocolate chunks, chopped up white chocolate candy bars or white almond bark/ candy melts.

White Chocolate Chip Cookies (With Cake Mix)

The best, quick and easy white chocolate chip cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Starts off with a cake mix. Rich, soft and chewy. 

Check out this recipe

Best White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Quick and easy white chocolate macadamia nut cookies recipe, made with simple ingredients and ready in 20 minutes. They are classic, soft and chewy!

Check out this recipe

Peppermint Cookies

Quick and easy white chocolate peppermint cookies recipe, made from scratch with simple ingredients. Crispy and crackly on the outside, chewy on the inside.

Check out this recipe

Easy Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

Easy oatmeal cranberry cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Soft and chewy and loaded with fresh cranberries, white chocolate chips, orange zest and pecans.

Check out this recipe

Peanut Butter Cookies

Small Batch Peanut Butter Cookies (Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies)

Easy, soft and chewy small batch peanut butter cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Full of chocolate chips and browned butter.

Check out this recipe

Easy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Classic, quick and easy peanut butter chocolate chip cookies recipe, made with simple ingredients. These thick soft and chewy cookies are sweet and salty.

Check out this recipe

Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

The best, classic, quick and easy homemade peanut butter cookies recipe, requiring simple ingredients. Soft and chewy with a sugar coating.

Check out this recipe

Easy Peanut Butter Blossoms Recipe

Quick and easy peanut butter blossoms recipe, requiring simple ingredients. These classic peanut butter thumbprint cookies with chocolate are soft & chewy.

Check out this recipe

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Quick and easy chocolate peanut butter cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Soft, thick, and full of brown sugar, cocoa powder, chocolate chips.

Check out this recipe

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies

Quick and easy peanut butter and jelly cookies recipe is filled with strawberry jam. Sweet and salty, crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside.

Check out this recipe

Fruit Cookies

Cranberry and orange are two of the most popular fruit flavors that are used in the baking during the holiday season. When it comes to orange, you can use the zest, freshly squeezed orange juice and/or orange extract. For cranberries, you can use fresh or dried. Typically, cut out cookies or slice and bake cookies use dried cranberries and drop cookies use fresh cranberries.

Easy Orange Cookies (With Cake Mix)

Soft and chewy, quick and easy orange cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. A doctored cake mix recipe, loaded with orange zest, extract, juice. 

Check out this recipe

Dried Cranberry Orange Cookies

Easy cranberry orange cookies recipes, homemade with simple ingredients. Soft and crumbly. Loaded with dried cranberries and orange zest.

Check out this recipe

Strawberry Cookies (With White Chocolate Chips)

Quick, easy fresh strawberry cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Soft, chewy and full of fresh berries, shredded coconut, walnuts and oats.

Check out this recipe

Chocolate Cherry Cookies (Black Forest Cookies)

Quick and easy chocolate cherry cookies recipe with cake mix. These black forest cookies are filled with vanilla buttercream icing, cherry pie filling and chocolate shreds.

Check out this recipe

Easy Lemon Cookies Recipe

Quick and easy lemon cookies from scratch recipe, made with simple ingredients. These soft and chewy cookies are packed with lemon flavor, coming from lemon zest, lemon juice and lemon extract. 

Check out this recipe

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

Easy banana chocolate chip cookies recipe, requiring simple ingredients, ripe bananas and lots of chocolate. They are soft, moist with a cake like texture. 

Check out this recipe

Key Lime Cookies

This quick and easy key lime cookies recipe requires simple ingredients. They are sugary and crispy on the outside but soft and chewy on the inside.

Check out this recipe

Easy Rose Cookies (Piped)

Easy rose cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. These piped cookies are crispy, rich and buttery and perfect for Summer.

Check out this recipe

Easy Linzer Cookies

Classic Linzer cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Vanilla and almond flavored shortbread cookie sandwiches are filled with raspberry jam.

Check out this recipe

Caramel Cookies

Caramel can be stuffed inside dough balls and baked or drizzled on top of cookies after they are done baking. You can also use caramel chips instead of chocolate chips as an add-in for the dough.

Caramel Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe

Quick and easy caramel snickerdoodle cookies recipe, made with simple ingredients. It’s a twist on classic soft and chewy snickerdoodles. Perfect for Fall. 

Check out this recipe

Chocolate Caramel Cookies

Quick and easy stuffed chocolate caramel cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Soft, moist, fudgy, bakery style, loaded with chocolate chips. 

Check out this recipe

Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies

This soft and chewy salted caramel chocolate chip cookies recipe is easy to make and has an ooey gooey center. They are huge, like bakery style cookies!

Check out this recipe

Chewy Coconut Cookies Recipe

Quick and easy coconut cookies recipe, made with simple ingredients. These crispy, chewy coconut cookies with caramel center are great for cookie exchanges. 

Check out this recipe

Churro Cookies Recipe

Quick and easy churro cookies recipe, made with 4 ingredients: pie crust, sugar, cinnamon and butter. These crunchy, crispy cookies are ready in 30 minutes!

Check out this recipe

Special Unique Cookies

These recipes are not the typical treats you will find on a cookie platter at a holiday party. However, if you want to make something fun and different that tastes as good as it looks, then consider trying out one of these cool recipes.

Easy Eggnog Cookies

Quick and easy eggnog cookies recipe, made with simple ingredients. These doctored cake mix soft and chewy Christmas cookies can be glazed too!

Check out this recipe

Easy Snowman Cookies (Snowman Oreos)

Quick and easy snowman cookies recipe (Snowman Oreos), homemade with simple ingredients. Dipped in white chocolate and decorated with chocolate chips.

Check out this recipe

Snowflake Cookies (Snowflake Oreos)

Quick and easy snowflake cookies recipe (Snowflake Oreos), homemade with simple ingredients. Great no bake dessert for Christmas parties and Winter parties and even Frozen themed birthday parties.

Check out this recipe

Easy Pistachio Cookies

Classic, easy cut out pistachio cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Requires no chilling. They also hold their shape well and don't spread during baking.

Check out this recipe

Funfetti Sugar Cookies (Cut Out Recipe)

Quick, easy funfetti cookies recipe from scratch (cut out cookies), with simple ingredients. Crispy outside, soft inside. No chilling! No spreading!

Check out this recipe

How to Make Cookie Bowls (Cookie Cups)

Learn how to make easy homemade cookie bowls recipe with simple ingredients. These edible cookie cups make wonderful centerpieces, party favors, place settings or homemade gifts.

Check out this recipe

Italian Rainbow Cookies (Italian flag cookies, Venetians, Neapolitans)

Classic Italian rainbow cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Colorful layers of almond cookies with raspberry jam and topped with chocolate.

Check out this recipe

Avocado Cookies

This quick and easy low fat healthy avocado cookies recipe replaces butter with avocados. They are soft and moist with a cake-like texture.

Check out this recipe

Champagne Cookies

This easy champagne cookies recipe requires a few simple ingredients and no chilling. These champagne sugar cookies are decorated with champagne frosting.

Check out this recipe

Ricotta Cheese Cookies

These easy ricotta cheese cookies are great for cookie exchange, dessert or snack! They are soft and moist on the inside but crispy on the outside!

Check out this recipe

Cream Cheese Cookies

Easy cream cheese cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Super soft cookies that melt in your mouth. Slightly tangy with vanilla and almond flavor.

Check out this recipe

Coconut Sugar Cookies

Easy coconut sugar cookies recipe that requires no chilling. They are crispy and packed with coconut flakes. They also hold their shape and don’t spread.

Check out this recipe

Crackly Sugar Cookies

This easy crackly sugar cookies recipe is packed with vanilla flavor. These rich crackle cookies are chewy in the center but crispy/ crinkly on the outside.

Check out this recipe

Italian Almond Cookies (Ricciarelli)

Easy Italian almond cookies recipe (Ricciarelli), homemade with simple ingredients. Full of almond meal, almond extract, sliced almond topping and a bit of lemon or orange zest. Soft and chewy!

Check out this recipe

Cotton Candy Cookies

Quick and easy cotton candy cookies recipe with cake mix. These crispy, chewy chocolate cookies are topped with buttercream icing and pink cotton candy. Great for serving at kids birthday parties!

Check out this recipe

Pizzelle Cookies

Easy, classic Italian pizzelle cookies recipe, homemade from scratch with simple ingredients. Beautiful, thin and crispy with aromatic vanilla and anise extracts.

Check out this recipe

Madeleines (Mini French Butter Cakes)

Best old fashioned French Madeleines recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Soft, tender mini butter cakes with beautiful shell design on one side and signature bump or hump or belly on the other side. Dusted with powdered sugar.

Check out this recipe

Chocolate Banana Almond Biscotti

Easy chocolate banana almond biscotti recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Great way to use up ripe bananas. Rich, buttery, crispy and crunchy!

Check out this recipe

Cookie Frostings

• Royal Icing– Dries hard- great for cookie decorating. This one is also perfect for people with allergies since it’s egg-free and dairy-free.
• Glace Icing– Dries hard- great for cookie decorating.
• Sugar Cookie Frosting– Does not harden and remains soft and fluffy but is still easy to spread on cookies, especially soft sugar cookies. Loaded with vanilla flavor.
• Chocolate Buttercream Icing– Rich, creamy and perfect for chocoholics!

My favorite Christmas Biscuits- Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

For my family, nothing beats these triple chocolate cookies with peppermint chocolate chips. There are 3 sources of chocolate in them: cocoa powder in cake mix, chocolate chips in the dough and melted chocolate that’s drizzled on top. Totally choco-licious!

They are also ridiculously easy to make because start off with a cake mix and require simple ingredients that you already have in your pantry. That heavenly chocolate and peppermint flavor combination makes them the perfect holiday cookie, in my opinion.

Ingredients

• 1 box Chocolate cake mix, 15 oz. box
• 1/3 cup Butter , Unsalted, Melted
• 2 Eggs, Large
• 1 tsp Peppermint extract, Optional
• 3/4 cup Chocolate chips, Semisweet
• 1/2 cup Peppermint chocolate baking chips, I use Andes brand, Can also replace with Andes mint chocolate baking chips
• 1/2 cup Melted chocolate, Semisweet

Instructions 

1. In a large mixing bowl, add chocolate cake mix, butter, eggs, peppermint extract and mix until combined.
2. Stir in chocolate chips.
3. Chill dough in the fridge for 30-40 minutes to make it easier to handle.
4. Scoop out small portions of the dough and roll into balls. Oil your hands to make this step easier and to prevent stickiness, if necessary.
5. Place them on a cookie tray, lined with parchment paper.
6. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until edges are firm and centers are slightly soft.
7. Remove from oven and stick peppermint chocolate baking chips on top of each cookie. You will need to work quickly before cookies cool down.
8. Let the cookies cool now.
9. Drizzle melted chocolate over the cookies.
10. Let it set and harden. Enjoy!
11. Yield: 24 Cookies

Storage

Leftovers can be stored in a cookie jar at room temperature for up to 3 days. They can also be refrigerated in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days. 

Packaging for Xmas Cookies

There are so many quick and easy ways to package edible gifts such as cookies. Be sure to check out my post on Food and Cookie Packaging Ideas and feel free to share any other ideas you have in the comments below. All these ideas are affordable, creative and beautiful!