12 Delicious Holiday Cookies for Your Christmas Cookie Tray
The holidays call for cookies that feel special and taste like the season. These recipes bring together all the classic flavors – warm spices, eggnog, gingerbread, and buttery shortbread – that make December baking so magical.
1. Iced Eggnog Chewy Spice Cookies
These cookies scream holiday party to me with their warm spice blend and creamy eggnog icing. The soft, chewy texture makes them impossible to resist, and that powdered sugar glaze gives them the perfect festive finish for any cookie exchange.
2. Snowy Eggnog Melt-Away Cookies
I love how delicate and buttery these cookies are – they literally dissolve on your tongue. The eggnog flavor with hints of nutmeg and cinnamon makes them taste like the holidays, and that sparkling sugar coating looks like fresh snow on your cookie platter.
3. Brown Butter Maple Chocolate Chip Cookies
The brown butter in these gives them this incredible nutty, almost butterscotch flavor that pairs beautifully with maple syrup. They’re not your typical chocolate chip cookie – the maple makes them feel cozy and seasonal, perfect for holiday gatherings.
4. Thick and Soft Snickerdoodle Cookies
Snickerdoodles are such a classic holiday cookie with that cinnamon-sugar coating. These have a soft, cake-like texture that’s different from the usual chewy version, and they stay tender for days – which is great when you’re making cookies ahead for the holidays.
5. White Chocolate Maple Oat Cookies
The maple syrup in these cookies gives them such a warm, cozy flavor that screams winter comfort. I love the chewy texture from the oats, and the white chocolate chunks make them feel a little fancy for holiday cookie platters.
6. Toffee Cookies
The homemade toffee pieces in these cookies make them feel really special and gift-worthy. Brown butter adds this toasted, caramelized flavor that’s so rich and indulgent – exactly what you want from holiday treats.
7. The Best Shortbread Cookies
Shortbread is such a timeless holiday cookie – buttery, simple, and elegant. These melt in your mouth and are perfect for decorating with icing or enjoying plain with hot cocoa by the fireplace.
8. Chewy Ginger Cookies
These are everything a holiday ginger cookie should be – deeply spiced with molasses and brown sugar for that perfect chewy texture. The crystallized ginger pieces add little bursts of heat that make them addictive.
9. Tiramisu Cookies
I know tiramisu cookies might sound unusual for the holidays, but the espresso flavor and mascarpone cream topping make them feel sophisticated and special. They’re perfect when you want something a little different on your dessert table.
10. White Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Cookies
The frozen peanut butter center in these is such a clever trick – it stays soft and gooey while the cookie bakes around it. The white chocolate makes them look festive, and kids absolutely go crazy for the surprise peanut butter middle.
11. Bakery Style S’mores Cookies
These have that perfect bakery texture – thick and puffy instead of flat and chewy. While s’mores might feel more summery, there’s something about the marshmallows and chocolate that makes them feel cozy for winter gatherings too.
12. S’mores Cookies
Sometimes you want s’mores flavor without building a fire, and these cookies deliver exactly that. The brown sugar cookie base loaded with chocolate and marshmallows brings back all those campfire memories, even when it’s snowing outside.
