The holiday season is the perfect time to fill your home with the sweet aroma of freshly baked cookies. With these 14 gorgeous Christmas cookie recipes, your Instagram feed will be as festive as your kitchen! From classic gingerbread to whimsical snowflakes, these creations are sure to impress both your taste buds and your followers. Let’s get baking!
1. Classic Gingerbread Cookies
These spiced cookies are a holiday staple.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1 egg
Process:
- In a bowl, mix flour, baking soda, spices, and salt.
- In another bowl, cream butter and sugar, then add molasses and egg.
- Gradually mix dry ingredients; chill for 2 hours, roll, cut shapes, and bake.
Make it Unique:
Add orange zest for a citrus twist or dip in chocolate after baking.
2. Peppermint Bark Cookies
Get ready for a cool and minty treat!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies
Process:
- Mix flour, cocoa, and baking powder; cream sugar and butter separately.
- Combine both mixtures and form cookies; bake and cool.
- Melt chocolate, spread on cookies, and top with crushed candies.
Make it Unique:
Use white chocolate or swap peppermint for crushed nuts for a different flavor.
3. Snowflake Sugar Cookies
These cookies are a winter wonderland delight!
Ingredients:
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Process:
- In a bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and baking powder.
- In another bowl, cream butter and sugar; add egg and vanilla.
- Combine, chill, roll out, cut snowflake shapes, and bake.
Make it Unique:
Tint icing with food coloring for a fun pop or add edible glitter on top.
4. Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Cookies
These cookies burst with holiday flavors!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 egg
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- Zest of 1 orange
Process:
- Cream sugars and butter; add egg and orange zest.
- Mix oats, flour, and cranberries into the wet mixture.
- Drop spoonfuls on a baking sheet and bake.
Make it Unique:
Use chocolate chips instead of cranberries or substitute in walnuts for crunch.
5. Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies
Decadence at its finest!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup hazelnut spread
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 egg
Process:
- Mix flour, cocoa, and baking powder; cream sugar and butter with hazelnut spread.
- Add egg and dry ingredients, mix well.
- Form cookies and bake until set.
Make it Unique:
Chop and add extra hazelnuts or drizzle with white chocolate.
6. Eggnog Cookies
A delightful nod to the classic holiday drink!
Ingredients:
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup salted butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp eggnog
- 1 tsp nutmeg
Process:
- Cream butter and sugar; add eggs and eggnog.
- Mix dry ingredients, then combine, and chill the dough.
- Scoop and bake until lightly golden.
Make it Unique:
Replace eggnog with other flavors or add white chocolate chips.
7. Raspberry Almond Linzer Cookies
These cookies are as delightful to eat as they are to look at!
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup raspberry jam
Process:
- Cream butter and sugar; mix in egg and both flours.
- Roll out dough, cut shapes, and bake.
- When cool, spread jam on one cookie and top with another.
Make it Unique:
Use different jams or add lemon zest to the dough.
8. Peanut Butter Blossoms
Classic and irresistible, these cookies are a favorite!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp baking soda
- Hershey’s Kisses (for topping)
Process:
- Mix all ingredients until well combined.
- Roll into balls, bake, and immediately top with a Kiss after removing from the oven.
Make it Unique:
Substituting crunchy peanut butter for smooth or adding cocoa.
9. Almond Joy Cookies
These cookies combine all your favorite candy bar flavors!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup chopped almonds
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
Process:
- Mix butter and sugar; add flour, cocoa, coconut, and almonds.
- Form cookies and bake until edges are set.
Make it Unique:
For a minty twist, incorporate mint extract or chocolate chips.
10. White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
Sweet and tart meet in these delightful treats!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 egg
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 cup dried cranberries
Process:
- Cream butter with both sugars; add egg and mix well.
- Combine dry ingredients, then stir in cranberries and chocolate.
- Drop onto baking sheet and bake until golden.
Make it Unique:
Swap cranberries for cherries or mix in nuts for crunch.
11. Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread Cookies
These cookies melt in your mouth!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup chocolate (for dipping)
Process:
- Beat butter and sugar together; add flour and vanilla.
- Roll the dough, cut shapes, and bake until firm.
- Dip cooled cookies in melted chocolate and allow to harden.
Make it Unique:
Add spices like cinnamon or different chocolates for dipping.
12. Spiced Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adding spices to this classic makes them even better!
Ingredients:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups chocolate chips
Process:
- Mix butter and sugars; add eggs.
- Combine dry ingredients into the wet mixture and fold in chocolate chips.
- Scoop onto a tray and bake until edges are golden.
Make it Unique:
Use butterscotch chips or add a pinch of nutmeg for warmth.
13. Coconut Macaroons
Chocolaty and chewy, these are perfect for coconut lovers!
Ingredients:
- 3 3/4 cups shredded coconut
- 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 egg whites
- Pinch of salt
Process:
- Preheat the oven; mix coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla.
- Beat egg whites with salt until stiff peaks; fold into coconut mixture.
- Drop spoonfuls onto a baking sheet and bake until golden.
Make it Unique:
Dip half in chocolate or mix with almond extract for a fun flavor twist.
14. Christmas Fruitcake Cookies
A fun take on traditional fruitcake!
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups mixed dried fruits and nuts
Process:
- Cream butter and sugar; add eggs.
- Mix flour and baking powder, then fold into the wet mixture along with fruits.
- Spoon onto a baking sheet and bake until firm.
Make it Unique:
Substitute fruits with chocolate or use different nuts.
As you gear up for the holidays, make these Christmas cookie recipes part of your baking tradition. They’re not only delicious, but they’ll also create wonderful memories and pretty pictures for your Instagram. Happy baking!














