20 Delectable Christmas Cookie Recipes to Get Your Party Started (2024)

As the holidays are approaching, I keep thinking about cookies. Soft, dry, balls, etc… no matter which way you go with them they are sure to please a crowd.

It’s even better when you can make a batch of this and your friends can make a batch of that and everyone brings theirs and a bucket to come up with a nice mixture of goodies to take home to the family.

Here’s a list of some of my favorite ones.

Delectable Christmas Cookies worth Sharing

1. Snowball Cookies

The first time I had snowball cookies was in high school. My Spanish teacher brought them. It is a dry and crumbly recipe with a powdered sugar coating that makes it look like snowballs.

Wicked Good Kitchen did a beautiful presentation job with these cookies. If you want something to wow a crowd, try making these babies.

2. Dark Chocolate Peppermint Cookie

Olivia over atLiv for Cake comes up with some delicious recipes. I have her on this list twice. Dark chocolate cookies dipped in white chocolate and sprinkled with crushed peppermints. I love tasting anything with dipped chocolate. Adding a hint of peppermint to the fun and consider me sold.

3. Soft Gingerbread Cookies

The worst thing in the world to me is a hard gingerbread cookie. They just are not worth eating. I feel the same way about sugar cookies; however, if you switch to the soft side it’s enough to make people swoon talking about how it melts in their mouth.

If you are looking for the perfect recipe that will be gone in seconds at a party, be sure to check outCooking Classy’s rendition of this holiday classic.

4. Buckeye Balls

Buckeye ball recipe is really nice this time of the year if you want to make a batch of something that doesn’t require actual baking. Make a batch of your favorite recipes and then whip these up while you are letting the other ones set.

For full information on how to do it, be sure to check outDinner at the Zoo’s post.

5. Christmas Pinwheel Cookies

The colors used in these cookies make them look so festive and beautiful. The pan used adds to the effect as well.Yellow Bliss Road definitely outdid themselves this round.

These cookies are equally as yummy as they are beautiful. Believe it or not, they are pretty simple to make as well!

6. Decorated Sugar Cookies

This is on my list of things to make with my students. How beautiful are these guys? I love this kind of frosting, it makes you think it should melt right off but it never does.

Sweetopia went over the top with these cutouts, I even see a hint of edible sprinkle down below which I absolutely adore. The swirls are beautiful as well and adding the candy sprinkles really brings out the green over on the right-hand side.

If you want beautiful, go for these.

7. Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

My whole family loves Chocolate Covered Cherries, so it’s no wonder that when these cookies get made they go very quickly. The soft chewiness from the melt-in-your-mouth cookies combined with the sweet-tartness from the cherries goes a long way.

I dare say these cookies would be good at Christmas and Valentine’s Day- or any time of the year you are craving chocolate. I tip my Christmas hat over to the chef atFrom Valorie’s Kitchen.

8. White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

The chef over atOh My Goodness Chocolate Desserts did a fabulous job on this one, with the sweet bitterness from the dried cranberries combining with the white chocolate chips. The batter itself is similar to chocolate chip cookie dough. Delicious.

I like that it uses cranberries as well, pulling me back into the holiday season as cranberries are almost a staple on our plates from October 1st until the end of January.

Putting it in cookies makes me want to take them with my lunch, for a snack, or any other time I need a reminder that the holiday season really is here, despite the crazy weather Texas throws at us.

9. Peppermint Patties

Mel’s Kitchen Cafe may or may not have been trying to recreate the York Peppermint Patty but either way- this is one you could really have fun with. Do you prefer more filling? Then add more while you’re making the cooking portion. You want pretty luster dust on them to give them a sparkle? Go for it.

There are so many different ways to play with this delicious cookie, you choose which one works best for you!

10. Christmas Wreath Cookies

Beth over at The First Yearshowed off her skills with this recipe; however, I chose it for a couple of reasons. 1 – they are super cute, 2 – they do taste good if you are into the rice crispies kind of thing, and 3 – I have a special memory making them!

You see, I am a Family and Consumer Science teacher (also known as Home Economics) ironically enough though, I only took 3 FACS classes in high school. The first one I took was my freshman year and it was a half-semester introduction class with a lady who retired during our sophom*ore year.

She had us make these cookies and chocolate no-bake cookies as well. They were both so good and I guess since that was one of the few times we were in the kitchen I really remember how much fun it was. I hope that one day my students will say that about me too.

11. Hot Chocolate Cookies

Christi at Love From the Oven came up with these delicious treats and being the chocoholicthat I am I think they look delicious. In addition, they have those dehydrated marshmallows that I absolutely adore. I’m not a big fan of soft marshmallows but dehydrate them and give them that crunch? I am all over it.

I think these hot chocolate cookies would be perfect by a fireplace, with a cup of hot chocolate, while watching the Santa Clause with my family.

12. Polar Bear Cookies

Tara over at Noshing with the Nolands came up with this adorable edible creation. First off, these bears are so cute. My oldest daughter is into bears so when I showed her she said we just had to make them. Honestly, I couldn’t agree more. I am getting excited already and cannot wait to have a cookie baking day.

Second, I love that she used another person’s recipe- gave them credit for it- and then gave her suggestions for what worked better for her. This is the kind of blogger, or person, that you should want to be friends with. Added bonus? She makes delicious and cute cookies.

13. Melt-In-Your-Mouth Eggnog Cookies

Jaclyn at Cooking Classy made these beauties. And they have to taste like eggnog because the drink is in both the cookies and the icing.

I have said over and over again that I am a fan of seasonal items – only eating strawberries during the late spring and early summer, only eating apples in the fall and only drinking eggnog during the holiday season. Though my season might start sooner than others.

Therefore, I cannot wait to make these cookies. As soon as I whip up a batch of eggnog.

14. Eggnog Cheesecake Cookie Cups

Yes, it seems I am still stuck on eggnog but the stuff is so good – especially when it’s made from scratch. This recipe comes from our good friend Olivia over at Liv for Cake. Yes, we have had one of her recipes on here already. I told you there were two.

Anyway, this one is kind of fun because you get to have a mouthful even in one bite. And the crust? It’s gingerbread. Need I say more? This recipe is a surefire hit among guests young and old as it is much more than a cookie- it’s an eggnog pie in a bite or two.

15. Nutella Truffles

Dorothy over at Crazy for Crust came up with this pretty and delicious recipe.

I love the darkness of the chocolate combined with the bright sprinkles on top. It reminds me of looking at multi-colored lights in the dark. Plus, it’s not just chocolate – it’s Nutella. Even better – the whole thing is only 3 ingredients. Want even MORE good news? Every single ingredient says “chocolate” on it somewhere. Consider me sold.

The older one wants to make the polar bears, I want to make the eggnog cookies, and this one would be for the younger child in our family. She loves Nutella and that might be an understatement.

16. Sugar Cookie Christmas Tree

First off, I’m not a big sugar cookie fan. Think I might have mentioned that already too but these cookies are too much fun not to add to the list. It would be fun to make a village out of candy and cookies. These would definitely be added in as the trees.

Another thing I noticed was how well she did with the ornaments. They are so cute and neatly placed. Lindsay Conchar posted this adorable recipe over at Delishthat will soon be on my centerpiece. Be sure to check it out.

17. Soft-Baked Christmas Funfetti Cookies

One of the best cookies I have ever had was Sally’s cake batter cookies. The ones I normally eat have white and milk chocolate as well as the cake mixture. I make them so often now that these are the cookies I am known for at school now. I give her all the credit too, showing them the signed book I have with her.

Head on over to Sally’s Baking Addiction to try out this one and many more of her delicious recipes. You won’t be sorry.

18. Red Velvet Bars

No, this is not a cookie recipe per se but it’s one that is worth posting. My teenagers at school all want red velvet cake when we bake a cake.

This would give the kid and kid at heart in your life a chance to enjoy the red velvet flavor and it is a bit easier for you to make too. Plus there is a pretty large amount of icing on this which gives it a thumbs up in my book. I like it about 50/50.

In addition to everything else with the added sprinkles, it really brings out the holiday season. This deliciousness comes from Kimberly over at A Night Owl.

19. Melted Snowman

Sara at My Imperfect Kitchen dolled these snowmen right up. And how cute are they? So cute that my girls and their grandma made these close to New Years’ last year and had so much fun making them.

It made me smile because they also made happy memories together. I think they used some different ingredients, including Twizzlers for the scarf. However, all in all, it looked similar and was delicious. I made sure to try at least two of them.

20. Milano Reindeer Cookies

Cadence Davidson over at Delish made these sweet little reindeer faces. Like the polar bears, these cookies are easier to make than many of the others simply because you are using pre-made parts.

The cookies are already baked. The eyes, the nose, and the ears are all something you find in your kitchen. Add a little bit of icing glue and you are good to go. This is one for when you lack time but still want that wow effect.

Conclusion

I am not really sure where the idea of a cookie exchange came from but I love the idea of spending a day in the warm kitchen with my loved ones, baking cookies, eating cookies (and cookie dough), and listening to Christmas music.

Spending time together, that’s what Christmas and the holiday season is all about. Not the money – but the time.