Fact: Christmas magically makes any cookie calories disappear. And if indulging in them makes us a little thicker around the waist, well, there is always the New Year resolution (ahem)! Jokes aside, there’s nothing that brings a Christmas celebration together like a heartwarming recipe.

What can be more fun than baking Christmas cookies with friends or family members, sneaking bites of cookie dough, and getting snow-like flour all over the face? Even Santa loves his cookies! To get you started on your big Christmas bake-off, we’ve rounded up 35 of the web’s best ideas for Christmas cookies. Some are easy enough for kids to make, some are better appreciated by grown ups, and others don’t even need an oven to prepare.

No matter which Christmas cookie recipe you try, they are all delicious and sure to generate plenty of joy for bakers and guests alike!Join Giant’s Super Savers Club to get the latest promotions in your inbox and get some of the ingredients on the cheap to start your home-baking project today!

1. Traditional Christmas Cookies

Photo By: Clara via Keksbaggern (Wikimedia Commons)

White Chocolate Dipped Peppermint Sugar Cookies. These soft, deliciously sweet cookies disappear faster at parties than melting snow. Working with a traditional sugar cookie base, this recipe adds the ho-ho-ho with a peppermint twist for that chilly surprise. The Christmas look is completed by dipping the cookies in some pure white chocolate, then sprinkling some candy cane bits.

Prep time: 30 mins
Bake time: 15 mins
Servings: 36

Gingerdoodle Cookies. Betty Crocker + cookies = tradition. This holiday recipe combines the best of two worlds – gingersnaps and snickerdoodles – into one swirling Christmas cookie that’s hard to beat. The spicy ginger from the snaps and the comforting cinnamon from the snickerdoodle is a match made in snowy heaven. Add to that the contrasting textures, you’ll have a cookie that tastes different with every bite.

Prep time: 30 mins
Bake time: 30 mins
Servings: 40

That Classic Chocolate Chip. The image of large soft chocolate chip cookies paired with milk makes everyone smile. It reminds us of simple childhood happiness and this holiday cookie recipe is so easy to put together, even a kid can do it! Feel free to adjust the chocolate chips to your preferred sweetness level. Remember to take the cookies out when they start to brown, in order to retain a melt-in-your-mouth texture. We like them as they are but go ahead and add Christmas-coloured sprinkles if you want to add extra festive cheer!

Prep time: 20 mins
Bake time: 10 mins
Servings: 24

Dutch Apple Pie Cookies. Apple pie is as wholesome as it gets. It’s a homely dish made by many American families and this Dutch-inspired version comes in bite-sized pieces that are surprisingly filling! It’ll be perfect for any family-orientated affair and popular with guests of all ages. Although this recipe takes a little more effort shaping the pieces, the smiles these cookies create will be worth it.

Prep time: 45 mins
Bake time: 25 mins
Servings: 30

Hot Cocoa Cookies. Nothing warms the heart like a cup of creamy chocolate topped with marshmallows. This Christmas, spread plenty of warm fuzzies by whipping up a batch of these hot cocoa cookies. The marshmallow sitting in the middle of the cookie, drizzled with icing sugar and coloured sprinkles will have those eating it burst into a Christmas carol.

Prep time: 90 mins
Bake time: 20 mins
Servings: 50

2. Great With Kids

Photo By: jill111 / 1081 images (Pixabay)

Thumbprint Snowman Cookies. These. Are. Adorable. The snowman faces smiling out from these delicious cookies are the perfect co-project for you and your kids. While you whisk and knead away, they can help you press their little thumbs to make that needed hole, and help you decorate the face of the snowman with some coloured icing sugar. Did someone call for Olaf?

Prep time: 30 mins
Bake time: 30 mins
Servings: 24

Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies. We know kids love their peanut butter so here’s a recipe that combines their favourite flavour with a familiar shape – the Reindeer! Even if they don’t know all the names of Santa’s helpers, they can help you add the M&M eyes and nose along with the chocolate pretzel antlers to this Christmas cookie. If the chocolate covered pretzels are not available, swap them for regular twisted pretzels.

Prep time: 30 mins
Bake time: 30 mins
Servings: 40

Chocolate Gingerbread Men with Candy Canes. This is one of the best Christmas cookie recipes we found that tastes great and looks amazing! The sight of a holiday standard like the gingerbread man hugging a candy cane is just too precious. It’s a little trickier than the rest so get your older kids to help. The younger ones can help draw the happy gingerbread man’s face and clothes.

Prep time: 30 mins
Bake time: 40 mins
Servings: 12

Grinch Cookies. Some of us grew up with the story of the Grinch who stole Christmas. If your kids don’t know this heart-warming story by Dr Seuss, tell it to them as they help you bake these Grinch-inspired cookies. Hopefully, by the end of this baking project, they would rediscover the meaning of Christmas like the Grinch.

Prep time: 20 mins
Bake time: 10 mins
Servings: 36

Sprinkle Sugar Cookie Sticks. This is an art class that you can eat! A straightforward cookie is cut into sticks. It’s up to you to dip, sprinkle, and decorate the sticks any way you please. Rope in your tots to help with decorations and see who comes up with the wackiest design. Delicious and colourful, this cookie is always fun to make.

Prep time: 90 mins
Bake time: 15 mins
Servings: 48

3. Cookies for Grown Ups

Photo By: Personal Creations (Flickr)

Baileys Chocolate Brown Butter Cookies. The ladies love their chocolate so here’s something that will pamper their soul. These cookies are loaded with generous servings of chocolate chips, and then topped with decadent helpings of Baileys icing. . What waistline? We highly recommend the addition of sea salt to bring out the flavours. Pair this indulgent Christmas cookie with a glass of Chocolate Cherry Baileys.

Prep time: 20 mins
Bake time: 15 mins
Servings: 10

Bourbon Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies. The bourbon-bacon-chocolate combination sounds crazy, but it works!. The homely chocolate chip cookie will put some hair on Santa’s chest with its manly boost of smoky bourbon and salty bacon. It’s so easy too – throw it all together, whisk it, put it on a tray, bake – you’re done! The adults at the party will be asking you for this Christmas cookie every year.

Prep time: 25 mins
Bake time: 15 mins
Servings: 30

Sugary Tequila Cookies. Tequila usually goes with salt, but this is one of the best Christmas cookie recipes to get the party started! The ingredients are easy to get and the Tequila gets nicely worked into the dough at the early stages, giving you a satisfying taste that is all about Christmas. Note that while the bake time is very short, the prep time takes a lot longer because of the refrigeration.

Prep time: 170 mins
Bake time: 15 mins
Servings: 12

Hot Shot Whiskey Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. The name’s a mouthful but so is this cookie. This robust Christmas cookie recipe will knock the stockings off any of your above-18 guests. There’s no mistaking the woody spirit trapped in this rich morsel of a treat. Christmas cheers all around the house everyone!

Prep time: 30 mins
Bake time: 20 mins
Servings: 12

Drunken Snickerdoodle Cookies Like Christmas, Rum is full of heart. This holiday cookie recipe is so easy and fast to make, make sure you don’t end up drunk from eating them all! It combines the traditional chewy snickerdoodle with heady Rum for that adult signature to the holidays. If you need to up the festivities, just cut these out into Christmas shapes.

Prep time: 15 mins
Bake time: 15 mins
Servings: 40

4. Going Vegan

Photo By: Circe Denyer

Oat Thumbprint Cookies with Jam. This original healthy Christmas recipe calls for a raspberry chia jam but you can replace this with any fruit and vegan jam you like. We suggest raspberry or strawberries for those holiday reds. For green, try adding some fresh mint jelly for a completely different flavour. These healthy bites look so rustic, they’ll make anyone feel right at home at your Christmas gathering.

Prep time: 20 mins
Bake time: 15 mins
Servings: 12

Sparkly Apricot Rosemary Jewels. These cookies look unassuming but the rosemary profile delivers a flavourful knock-out at parties. Guests are sure to swoon over this fruity, herby concoction, so you might want to triple the cookie recipe. To up the festive vibe, add star-shaped sprinkles on the jam instead of the recommended sanding sugar.

Prep time: 40 mins
Bake time: 30 mins
Servings: 15

Spiced Sugar Cookies With Maple Icing. For the sweet-toothed vegan, we’ve got the best Christmas cookie recipe for you. This cookie even looks organic with its textured spread of maple icing! It’s simple to assemble and to give it an added Christmas vibe, cut out Christmas shapes with cookie cutters in the shape of trees and candy canes. Just note that cutting fancy shapes might lessen the yield a little.

Prep time: 40 mins
Bake time: 10 mins
Servings: 24

Coconut Thin Mint Cookies. There’s chocolate, mint, and coconut, what can go wrong? These bits of comfort food are topped with some crushed candy cane for that holiday pizazz. You can also tweak the amount of shredded coconut to suit any particular diet but we like it as it is, or maybe with a little bit more. Hopefully you can allow it to refrigerate and set before the cookie thieves come by!

Prep time: 30 mins
Bake time: 20 mins
Servings: 16

Soft Cocoa and Orange Cookies. These crumbly mounds are the best gifts for hungry guests. The soft chocolate cookies are so satisfying when served with tea or milk at Christmas gatherings, your guests will swoon. We also recommend putting some of the extra zest on top of the cookies for some colour and citrus boost, for that healthy dose of Vitamin C.

Prep time: 25 mins
Bake time: 10 mins
Servings: 20

5. Gluten-free Goodness

Photo By: Olenka Kotyk

Vanilla Cut-out Cookies. These cookies are no plain vanilla. We skip the gluten but its simplicity makes this cookie an addictive treat. This recipe was originally done using a snowflake press cookie cutter, but you can opt for any of the many holiday shapes available. Dusting it with snow powder just before the cookie cools completely will give it a nice layer of snowy perfection.

Prep time: 30 mins
Bake time: 20 mins
Servings: 25

Chestnut Cookies. You know that line about chestnuts roasting on an open fire? Christmas comes gluten-free and with chestnuts in this super simple recipe. It’s a delicious earthy cookie that will have you popping them over good banter and some milk. You can dip them in a little chocolate if you wish. In case you cannot find roasted chestnuts, just take the unroasted ones and toast them over a hot pan for a while.

Prep time: 30 mins
Bake time: 10 mins
Servings: 4

Nutella Linzer Cookies. It doesn’t get any better than Nutella. What is it about Nutella that makes every adult we know transform into a gleeful child? This sandwich cookie is great for everyone and looks elegant too. Try alternating the shape a little with a star-cutter to add some shine to your Christmas gatherings. Just remember to adjust the serving size on the site to get the appropriate recipe proportions.

Prep time: 80 mins
Bake time: 15 mins
Servings: 4

Chocolate Pistachio Cookies. This one has Nutella too but with pistachios added for a lively green colour and crunchy bite. What’s more, this Christmas cookie recipe is a no-flour recipe! Your end product is a melty texture of a treat – a cross between a brownie and cookie l. Jazz up the decoration with some gold dragees for a touch of elegance.

Prep time: 20 mins
Bake time: 20 mins
Servings: 12

Peppermint Chocolate Chip Meringue. Get creative with this sweet Christmas cookie idea – swirls of meringue cookies with your choice of decor! These minty pops are perfect for colouring. If you’re adventurous, do a green batch and infuse it with some pandan essence for a local twist! Instead of chocolate chips, you can also play with Christmas-shaped sprinkles from specialty stores or classy gold and silver dragees for a decor to suit any theme.

Prep time: 20 mins
Bake time: 90 mins
Servings: 24

6. No Bake Wonders

Photo By: Jan Vašek

Fudgy Mint Chocolate Cookies. People with no oven DO get Christmas cookies too! We mix up the dynamic duo of chocolate and mint in this delicious Christmas cookie idea. Biting into one of these sends happy shivers as the gooey meets the crunchy and the two flavours have a party in your mouth. Remember to pick neutral soy pudding mix for this! Unsweetened shredded coconut works just as well as the sweetened one in this recipe.

Prep time: 30 mins
Servings: 24

Coconut Snow Cookies. This holiday recipe, with its flaky coconut and snowy appearance, fits right into the Christmas season. Even though the recipe calls for the dough to be rolled into balls, we made them into discs and they worked out just fine. This is the best Christmas cookie recipe for coconut fiends, and is given nice depth with a dash of cinnamon. Mmm.

Prep time: 90 mins
Servings: 10

Strawberry Chiffon Squares. This easy Christmas cookie is really pretty to look at. You can serve these dessert squares chilled and top them with extra cream and maybe some metallic sprinkles for added sparkle to the party. They are light and fluffy, so prepare to make more as they disappear fast!

Prep time: 30 mins
Servings: 26

PB+J Cookies. All you need is your stovetop and a large tray for this. Peanut butter and jelly is a nostalgic combo made even better when it’s this fast and simple. Gather all your friends and relatives for this as no baking skill is required though the added pairs of hands will help shape the cookies before they quickly set. Fill them up with the jam of your choice and for that festive sparkle, add your coloured sprinkles.

Prep time: 45 mins
Servings: 60

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies. This Christmas cookie has an interesting texture – it’s soft yet dense so you can work that holiday design, like a star or tree, into the top with a press and it’ll stay there! The texture is almost gooey but this rich mouthful is guaranteed to keep sweet-toothed folks happy.

Prep time: 45 mins
Servings: 24

7. Shape Up For Christmas

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Sugar Plum Shortbread Christmas Cookies. No more fighting over who gets the star. This is the best Christmas cookie idea for those who need a visit from a certain famous fairy. The biscuit is buttery and filling, and the jam gives an earthy tang. You can swop out the jam for another red berry or cherry as a substitute but remember to leave in the sugar granules for that once-a-year indulgent crunch.

Prep time: 35 mins
Bake time: 25 mins
Servings: 16

Pecan Shortbread Christmas Tree Cookies. Sometimes it’s not practical to get a Christmas tree in Singapore. Luckily, you can bake as many as you like with this gorgeous recipe. They look great and totally melt-in-your-mouth. You can add one star as recommended at the top, or go all out with your Christmas sprinkles and match them to the theme of your party this season!

Prep time: 30 mins
Bake time: 45 mins
Servings: 30

Christmas Swirl Cookies. We have log cakes and now we have log cookies! This Christmas cookie recipe is eye-catching, with vibrant greens, reds, and whites dancing around one another. This cookie recipe calls for any standard cookie dough, so find one that you are familiar with (or try this one) and give it a colourful mash-up with this creative twist.

Prep time: 75 mins
Bake time: 15 mins
Servings: 36

Christmas Candy Cane Cookies. This is such a simple short recipe with a lovely payout in the form of the traditional candy cane. It’s so straightforward, you’ll start feeling guilty that it’s so easy! The soft cookie takes on colouring really well for a vibrant presentation. These swirled up canes will liven up any Christmas get-together, along with mugs of milk or cups of tea.

Prep time: 30 mins
Bake time: 10 mins
Servings: 48

Sugar Cookie Christmas Wreath. Wreaths are hung on doors and are symbols of eternity and blessings, so why not have some on your party plates? This needs a more specific set of piping tips but once you get them, making these cookies will be a cinch. They look incredible and people will think you’re a professional!

Prep time: 40 mins
Bake time: 30 mins
Servings: 24

So, there you have it

All you need this Christmas holiday season, really, is love and cookies. And nothing warms the heart more than homemade cookies baked specially for your loved ones. Most of the featured 35 Christmas cookie ideas take about an hour to make and are cheaper than you think. We hope we’ve got you inspired! Happy baking!

For more festive ideas, check out our Christmas page.