10 Holiday Cookies to Make Spirits Bright

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Get into the holiday spirit with these festive Christmas cookie recipes. From Chewy, Soft Gingerbread Cookies to Biscoff Reindeer Linzer Cookies and Grandma’s Soft Molasses Crinkle Cookies, this list has something to delight every taste. Whether you’re making Christmas Sugar Cookies or Buttery Whipped Shortbread Cookies, these Christmas treats will coax every happy expression!

Gingerbread Cookies that Don’t Spread in the Oven

Gingerbread Cookies that Don't Spread in the Oven
Photo credit: Baking A Moment

Making gingerbread cookies this holiday? This is the recipe for you! These cookies have a wonderfully traditional molasses and spice flavor, a tender texture that’s not too hard, and the dough is a dream to work with. No spreading in the oven! Keep your cute shapes and neat edges.

Get the Recipe: Gingerbread Cookies that Don’t Spread in the Oven

Biscoff Reindeer Linzer Cookies

Round cookies decorated to look like reindeer, featuring red candy noses, chocolate chip eyes, and antler-shaped cookie pieces. The cookies are dusted with powdered sugar and arranged on a parchment-lined surface.
Image Credit: xoxoBella

Biscoff Reindeer Linzer Cookies are a fun and festive choice for holiday baking. The combination of buttery cookies and caramel-flavored Biscoff spread makes them irresistible to both kids and adults. Perfect for Christmas cookie trays, they bring a playful reindeer theme to the table.
Get the Recipe: Biscoff Reindeer Linzer Cookies

Christmas Butter Cookies: Southern Holiday Funfetti Bites

A glass bowl filled with square shortbread cookies, each dotted with colorful sprinkles, including red, blue, green, and yellow. The cookies have a soft, crumbly texture and create a festive, inviting appearance.
Image Credit: Not Entirely Average

Christmas Butter Cookies are bite-sized, colorful treats that brighten up any holiday table. Their rich, buttery flavor makes them perfect for gifting, and they also make a great topping for ice cream. Kids will love their festive look, and they’re fun to snack on throughout the holiday season.
Get the Recipe: Christmas Butter Cookies: Southern Holiday Funfetti Bites

Eggnog Cookies

A holiday-themed mug sits next to frosted cookies and a stack of plain cookies. The frosted cookies have white icing and a sprinkle of cinnamon. The scene includes a red star pattern, a striped cloth, and colorful decorations.
Image Credit: Noshing With The Nolands

Eggnog Cookies capture the warm flavors of the season with a chewy texture and hints of nutmeg and cinnamon. These cookies make a great addition to holiday dessert trays and are sure to be a hit at Christmas parties. The soft consistency and spiced aroma bring the holiday spirit to life.
Get the Recipe: Eggnog Cookies

Christmas Sugar Cookies

A variety of festive Christmas cookies on a cooling rack, shaped like bells, trees, candy canes, and stars, decorated with red and green icing and sprinkles. The rack rests on snowflake-patterned fabric.
Image Credit: Culinary Hill

Christmas Sugar Cookies are a classic treat, with buttery sweetness and colorful frosting that kids love to decorate. These cookies are a must for Christmas, as they bring festive fun to the kitchen and can be shaped into all kinds of holiday designs. Perfect for adding to your seasonal traditions.
Get the Recipe: Christmas Sugar Cookies

Hershey Kiss Sugar Cookies

A plate of festive cookies topped with white chocolate kisses. The cookies are brightly colored in red and green sugar sprinkles. Surrounding the plate are more chocolate candies and bowls with colored sugar.
Image Credit: Mama’s on a Budget

Hershey Kiss Sugar Cookies combine classic sugar cookies with a sweet surprise in the center. The Hershey kiss on top adds a festive touch, making these cookies a fun choice for holiday swaps and parties. Easy to make, these treats bring a little extra joy to the Christmas season.
Get the Recipe: Hershey Kiss Sugar Cookies

Snowball Cookies

A checkered teal and white cup holds several powdered sugar-covered doughnut holes, with more in the background on a wooden surface. White cloth is draped around the scene, and a dusting of sugar is sprinkled on the table.
Image Credit: Noshing With The Nolands

Snowball Cookies melt in your mouth and deliver a delicate sweetness that’s perfect for the holidays. With their snowy, powdered sugar coating, these cookies bring a wintery feel to any Christmas cookie exchange. Plus, they’re easy to make, so you can whip up a batch quickly.
Get the Recipe: Snowball Cookies

Grandma’s Soft Molasses Crinkle Cookies

A stack of four gingerbread cookies topped with white icing and festive decorations, including small holly leaves and berries. The top cookie has a bite taken out. The cookies sit on a decorative white plate.
Image Credit: SugarYums

Grandma’s Soft Molasses Crinkle Cookies are a comforting holiday favorite with a chewy texture and deep molasses flavor. These nostalgic cookies are perfect for Christmas, offering a warm and cozy feel that’s ideal for sharing. Their rich flavor makes them a standout on any holiday tray.
Get the Recipe: Grandma’s Soft Molasses Crinkle Cookies

Buttery Whipped Shortbread Cookies – 4 Ingredients!

Close-up of thumbprint cookies topped with colorful jelly candies, arranged on a red plate. The cookies are surrounded by glowing string lights, adding a festive touch. Sprinkles decorate some of the cookies for a cheerful appearance.
Image Credit: Not Entirely Average

Buttery Whipped Shortbread Cookies come together with just four simple ingredients, making them an easy option for holiday baking. Their light, melt-in-your-mouth texture and rich buttery flavor make them a favorite for Christmas cookie tins. Great for sharing with family and friends!
Get the Recipe: Buttery Whipped Shortbread Cookies – 4 Ingredients!

Linzer Cookies

Powdered sugar-dusted cookies with star-shaped cutouts, revealing red jam filling, are arranged on a wooden surface beside a glass bowl filled with red jam.
Image Credit: xoxoBella

Linzer Cookies blend buttery almond cookies with sweet raspberry filling for a holiday classic. These sandwich cookies have a beautiful look and rich flavor, making them a great pick for Christmas gatherings. Their festive shape adds a touch of elegance to any dessert spread.
Get the Recipe: Linzer Cookies

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About Jenny deRemer

I am a Charleston, South Carolina-based culinary novice, an ardent authority on all things travel, a designer by trade, and the creator of Not Entirely Average. I have a weakness for farmers' markets, delight in adventures way off the beaten path, enjoy documenting my many moods through photography, and have been known to conquer the occasional yard sale with gusto!

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