There’s nothing quite like the aroma of fresh cookies baking in the oven during the Christmas season. It’s the smell of nostalgia, comfort, and holiday magic all rolled into one. Whether you’re an experienced baker or someone who’s intimidated by the kitchen, this collection of easy holiday cookies will have you feeling like a pro in no time.
The best part about baking cookies for the holidays? You don’t need fancy techniques or complicated ingredients. With the right recipes, you can create impressive, delicious cookies that’ll make your home smell amazing and impress everyone who tastes them. Let me share fifteen of my favorite easy holiday cookies that are perfect for baking this Christmas.
Why Holiday Cookie Baking Matters
Cookie baking has become a beloved holiday tradition for good reason. It brings families together, fills your home with warmth and incredible smells, and creates edible gifts you can share with loved ones. Plus, cookies are the perfect way to practice your baking skills while building confidence in the kitchen.
The recipes I’m sharing today range from classic favorites that everyone loves to unique combinations that’ll make people wonder where you found the inspiration. Some are no-bake options for when you need something quick, while others are traditional baked cookies that truly shine during the holiday season.
1. Easy Shortbread Cookies
Let’s start with a timeless classic that never fails to impress. Shortbread cookies are buttery, tender, and absolutely foolproof. These cookies require just a handful of ingredients—butter, flour, sugar, and a pinch of salt—but somehow taste like pure indulgence.
The beauty of shortbread is that you don’t need a mixer or fancy equipment. You can make these by hand in about fifteen minutes. They’re crispy on the outside with a tender, melt-in-your-mouth center. Decorate them simply or go fancy—either way, they’re absolutely delicious.
2. Classic Peanut Butter Blossoms
Peanut butter blossoms are a Christmas cookie essential. These soft, pillowy cookies topped with a chocolate kiss are nostalgic, adorable, and tasty all at once. If you have peanut butter, chocolate kisses, and basic baking ingredients on hand, you can make these happen.
What makes these cookies so special is the contrast between the peanut butter cookie and the rich chocolate on top. They’re indulgent without being overly complicated. Kids love helping with these too—there’s something fun about pressing a chocolate kiss into the center of each warm cookie.
3. Soft Christmas Thumbprint Cookies
Thumbprint cookies are fun, versatile, and surprisingly easy to make. These soft, buttery cookies get a little indent in the center—hence the name—which you fill with jam, chocolate, or frosting. They look fancy but come together quickly.
You can make one flavor or create a variety. Red and green jam fillings are perfect for Christmas, but honestly, any flavor works beautifully. These cookies are great for cookie platters because they’re visually interesting and absolutely delicious.
4. Gingerbread Men Cookies
No holiday cookie collection is complete without gingerbread cookies. These warm, spiced cookies are fragrant, nostalgic, and perfect for decorating. While they take a bit longer than some other cookies due to chilling time, the actual work is minimal.
The dough comes together quickly, chills while you do something else, and then you simply cut out shapes and bake. Decorate them as simply or elaborately as you like with icing. These cookies make incredible gifts and look beautiful on any Christmas table.
5. Christmas Tree Cake Macarons
Want to impress people with your baking skills? Macarons look intimidating but are actually quite forgiving once you understand the technique. These delicate, tree-shaped cookies filled with frosting are absolutely stunning and easier to make than people think.
The key is following the recipe carefully and using the right consistency. Macarons are gluten-free naturally, making them perfect for guests with dietary restrictions. Decorate them with green frosting and little candy decorations for the ultimate festive look.
6. Christmas Crack Saltine Cracker Toffee
This isn’t technically a cookie, but it’s often served on cookie platters and it’s so easy that it deserves a spot here. Saltine crackers topped with butter, brown sugar, and chocolate create something that looks fancy but comes together in under fifteen minutes.
The best part? Everyone goes crazy for this stuff. It’s salty, sweet, buttery, and absolutely addictive. Make it a few days ahead and store it in an airtight container. People will beg you for the recipe.
7. Candy Cane Cookies
These festive cookies are striped with red and white just like actual candy canes. They’re softer than candy canes and have a fun peppermint flavor. Don’t let the appearance fool you—these are actually quite simple to make.
You create a basic dough, divide it, add red food coloring to half, then twist the two colors together. It’s a fun project that yields impressive-looking results. People will be amazed that you made them from scratch.
8. Peppermint Meltaways
These melt-in-your-mouth cookies are literally named for how they dissolve on your tongue. Made with butter, powdered sugar, and peppermint flavoring, they’re simple yet luxurious. They look elegant rolled in crushed candy canes or peppermint bark.
These cookies take about twenty minutes from start to finish and require no fancy techniques. They’re perfect for gift-giving because they look and taste expensive but are actually quite budget-friendly to make.
9. White Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies
If you love white chocolate and peppermint together, these cookies are your new obsession. Loaded with white chocolate chips and crushed candy canes, these soft cookies combine two flavors that were meant to be together.
They’re simple to mix up, they don’t require chilling, and they’re done in about thirty minutes. Plus, the white chocolate pieces and bits of candy cane make them visually festive without needing any decoration.
10. Red Velvet Sugar Cookies
Sugar cookies are the ultimate blank canvas for holiday decorating, but sometimes you want something a bit more special. Red velvet sugar cookies are gorgeous, festive, and have a subtle cocoa undertone that makes them interesting.
These bake up soft and tender, perfect for decorating with royal icing. The red velvet flavor is subtle not overwhelming so they appeal to people who might be tired of traditional Christmas flavors by December.
11. Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
If you prefer chocolate to everything else during the holidays, these are your cookies. Rich chocolate cookies with a warm chocolate center are basically a warm hug in cookie form. They’re simple to make but feel incredibly indulgent.
These come together quickly no chilling required—and they bake in about ten minutes. The chocolate stays slightly warm in the center, which makes them even more delicious. Serve them warm for the ultimate treat.
12. Classic Peanut Butter Cookies
Don’t overlook the simple peanut butter cookie. These soft, pillowy cookies are comfort food at its finest. With just a few ingredients, you can make cookies that taste like they came from a professional bakery.
The secret is not overbaking them. Pull them out when they’re still slightly soft in the center and they’ll firm up as they cool, leaving you with the perfect texture. These are great plain or dipped in chocolate.
13. Oreo Balls
Oreo balls are basically cookies and candy rolled into one. Made from crushed Oreos and cream cheese, dipped in chocolate, these no-bake bites are addictive. They’re perfect for when you want something impressive without turning on the oven.
These come together in about thirty minutes and they’re foolproof. Kids love helping with these because the process is fun and they get to taste the results immediately. Make them a day ahead so the chocolate sets completely.
14. Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies
Crinkle cookies get their distinctive cracked appearance from rolling the dough in powdered sugar before baking. When you use gingerbread dough, you get the added benefit of that warming spice combined with the white sugar cracks.
These cookies are softer than traditional gingerbread and have a more cake-like texture. They stay fresh for several days, making them perfect for baking earlier in the holiday season.
15. Easy Grinch Cookies
These vibrant green cookies shaped like the Grinch’s face are fun, festive, and easier to make than you’d think. With basic sugar cookie dough and simple decorations, you can create cookies that look professionally decorated.
The fun comes from the decorating, which kids will love helping with. These are perfect if you have younger bakers in your family they can take ownership of the decorating while you handle the baking.
Holiday Baking Tips for Success
Now that you’ve got your cookie list, let me share some tips to ensure your baking success:
Room temperature is your friend. Most cookie recipes call for room temperature butter and eggs. This matters more than people think. Cold ingredients don’t cream together properly and cold eggs won’t incorporate evenly. Take ingredients out about an hour before baking.
Don’t overbake. Remove cookies from the oven when they still look slightly underbaked. They continue cooking on the hot pan even after you remove them from the oven. Overbaked cookies get hard; slightly underbaked cookies stay soft and chewy.
Invest in good baking sheets. Dark or non-stick pans can cause cookies to brown too quickly on the bottom. Light-colored aluminum baking sheets give you the most control over browning.
Measure flour correctly. Scoop and level flour rather than packing it down. If your cookies are turning out too dry, you’re probably using too much flour. Weighing flour with a kitchen scale is the most accurate method.
Chill dough when specified. Some doughs need chilling to prevent spreading. Don’t skip this step—it’s there for a reason. You can chill dough for longer than specified if that fits your schedule better.
Make cookie scoops your best friend. Cookie scoops ensure uniform sizes, which means all your cookies bake at the same rate. They’re inexpensive and save so much time and frustration.
Store cookies properly. Most cookies keep for three to five days in an airtight container at room temperature. Some, like shortbread and gingerbread, actually taste better a day or two after baking as the flavors develop.
Planning Your Holiday Baking Schedule
With fifteen cookies on your radar, you might be wondering how to tackle everything. Here’s a strategy:
Start with cookies that freeze well—most cookies do. Bake them two to three weeks before Christmas and freeze them in airtight containers. This spreads out the work and reduces stress closer to the holiday.
Make your no-bake cookies a few days before you want to serve them. They actually taste better with a day or two to set up.
Save delicate cookies like macarons or anything that needs decoration for closer to Christmas when you want them looking their most beautiful.
Creating the Ultimate Cookie Platter
If you’re planning to gift or display multiple cookies, create visual interest by including a variety. Mix colors—red and white cookies alongside dark chocolate ones create beautiful contrast. Vary shapes and sizes too. Round cookies next to shaped ones next to dipped ones look more appealing than all one style.
Include a mix of flavors as well. People appreciate options, and different flavors mean everyone finds something they love.
Final Thoughts
Holiday cookie baking doesn’t have to be complicated or stressful. With these fifteen easy recipes, you have the building blocks for a spectacular holiday baking season. Whether you make all fifteen or pick a few favorites to perfect, you’re going to create beautiful, delicious memories.
The holidays are about more than just food—they’re about the love you put into everything you make. When you bake cookies from scratch, you’re giving people something made with care and attention. That’s what makes homemade cookies special.
So grab your mixing bowl, preheat that oven, and let’s make some magic. Your family and friends are going to love every single bite. Happy baking!
