12 Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes Anyone Can Make

Christmas cookies are a beloved holiday tradition, but complicated recipes can turn joy into stress. These 12 easy Christmas cookie recipes deliver beautiful, delicious results without advanced baking skills or endless time in the kitchen.

Perfect for baking with kids, gift-giving, cookie swaps, or simply enjoying with hot cocoa, these recipes prove that simple ingredients and straightforward methods create the best holiday treats.

Why Easy Christmas Cookies Work

Time Savings:

• Most recipes ready in under 1 hour
• Minimal prep and cleanup
• No complicated techniques

Kid-Friendly:

• Simple enough for children to help
• Forgiving recipes (small mistakes don't ruin them)
• Fun decorating opportunities

Budget-Conscious:

• Use pantry staples
• No expensive specialty ingredients
• Make large batches affordably

Gift-Perfect:

• Beautiful presentation
• Travel well
• Everyone loves homemade cookies

Essential Christmas Cookie Tips

Ingredient Temperature:

• Use room temperature butter and eggs
• Cold ingredients don't mix properly
• Set out 30 minutes before baking

Don't Overmix:

• Mix until just combined
• Overmixing creates tough cookies
• Especially important once flour is added

Chill Dough:

• Most cookie dough benefits from chilling
• Prevents excessive spreading
• Makes dough easier to handle

Use Parchment Paper:

• Prevents sticking
• Ensures even baking
• Makes cleanup easier

Don't Overbake:

• Cookies continue cooking on hot pan
• Remove when edges set but centers soft
• They'll firm up as they cool

Classic Easy Christmas Cookies

1. No-Spread Sugar Cookies

Perfect for decorating, these hold their shape beautifully.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ½ tsp salt

Instructions:

1. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy
2. Add egg and vanilla
3. Mix dry ingredients, add to wet
4. Chill dough 1 hour
5. Roll to ¼-inch thickness
6. Cut shapes, place on baking sheet
7. Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes
8. Cool completely before decorating

Yield: 36 cookies Make-ahead: Freeze dough for up to 3 months Decorating: Royal icing or simple glaze

2. Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Dramatic black and white cookies that look impressive.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 1½ cups sugar
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• Powdered sugar for coating

Instructions:

1. Mix cocoa, sugar, and oil
2. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla
3. Mix in flour and baking powder
4. Chill dough 3 hours or overnight
5. Roll into balls, coat in powdered sugar
6. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes

Yield: 48 cookies Pro tip: Double coat in powdered sugar for more dramatic crinkles Storage: Keep in airtight container

3. Classic Gingerbread Cookies

Traditional spiced cookies perfect for decorating.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• ¾ cup molasses
• ¾ cup butter
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp cloves

Instructions:

1. Cream butter and sugar
2. Add molasses and egg
3. Mix spices with flour and baking soda
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients
5. Chill 2 hours
6. Roll, cut shapes, bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes

Yield: 24 large cookies Kid activity: Decorate gingerbread people Storage: Keeps well for 2 weeks

For more holiday baking inspiration, see our quick breakfast ideas for festive morning treats.

No-Roll Easy Cookies

4. Snowball Cookies (Russian Tea Cakes)

Buttery, nutty cookies rolled in powdered sugar.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• ½ cup powdered sugar, plus more for rolling
• 2¼ cups flour
• ¾ cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ¼ tsp salt

Instructions:

1. Cream butter and sugar
2. Mix in flour, nuts, vanilla, salt
3. Roll into 1-inch balls
4. Bake at 350°F for 12-15 minutes
5. Roll in powdered sugar while warm
6. Cool and roll again

Yield: 48 cookies Nut-free option: Omit nuts, add ½ cup mini chocolate chips Make-ahead: Freeze baked cookies for 3 months

5. Peanut Butter Blossoms

Classic peanut butter cookies with chocolate kiss centers.

Ingredients:

• 1¾ cups flour
• ½ cup sugar, plus more for rolling
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup peanut butter
• ½ cup butter
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 48 chocolate kisses

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients except kisses
2. Roll into balls, roll in sugar
3. Bake at 375°F for 8-10 minutes
4. Immediately press kiss into center
5. Cool completely

Yield: 48 cookies Kid favorite: Always disappears first Storage: Store with paper between layers

6. Thumbprint Cookies

Buttery cookies with jam centers.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• ⅔ cup sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 cups flour
• Your favorite jam

Instructions:

1. Cream butter and sugar
2. Add egg yolks
3. Mix in flour
4. Roll into balls
5. Press thumb into center
6. Fill with jam
7. Bake at 350°F for 14-16 minutes

Yield: 36 cookies Variations: Use different jam flavors Presentation: Beautiful color variety

Simple Shaped Cookies

7. Candy Cane Cookies

Red and white twisted cookies shaped like candy canes.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ½ tsp peppermint extract
• 2½ cups flour
• Red food coloring

Instructions:

1. Make basic cookie dough
2. Divide in half, color one half red
3. Roll small ropes of each color
4. Twist together, shape into candy cane
5. Bake at 375°F for 9-12 minutes
6. Crush candy canes, sprinkle on while warm (optional)

Yield: 48 cookies Fun activity: Kids love twisting the ropes Festive: Perfect for Christmas theme

8. Shortbread Cookies

Simple, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookies.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 2 cups flour
• ¼ tsp salt

Instructions:

1. Cream butter and sugar
2. Mix in flour and salt
3. Press into 9x13 pan
4. Score into rectangles
5. Poke with fork
6. Bake at 325°F for 25-30 minutes
7. Cut while warm

Yield: 24 cookies Variations: Add lemon zest, chocolate chips, or vanilla Scottish tradition: Classic Christmas cookie

No-Bake Christmas Cookies

9. Chocolate Peppermint Bars

No-bake bars with crushed cookies and candy canes.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
• 1 cup crushed candy canes
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cups chocolate chips (for topping)

Instructions:

1. Mix cookie crumbs, candy canes, condensed milk
2. Press into lined 9x13 pan
3. Melt chocolate chips, spread on top
4. Refrigerate until set
5. Cut into bars

Yield: 24 bars No oven needed: Perfect for hot climates Storage: Refrigerate up to 2 weeks

10. Cornflake Wreaths

Festive no-bake cookies shaped like wreaths.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cornflakes
• ¼ cup butter
• 3 cups mini marshmallows
• Green food coloring
• Red cinnamon candies

Instructions:

1. Melt butter and marshmallows
2. Add green food coloring
3. Stir in cornflakes
4. Drop spoonfuls on parchment
5. Shape into wreaths with greased hands
6. Add red candies as "berries"
7. Let set

Yield: 24 wreaths Kid-friendly: Safe for children to make Quick: Ready in 20 minutes

Special Occasion Cookies

11. Linzer Cookies

Sandwich cookies with jam filling and pretty cutout tops.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• ½ cup ground almonds
• ¾ cup butter
• ⅔ cup sugar
• 1 egg
• Raspberry jam
• Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients into dough
2. Chill 1 hour
3. Roll and cut circles
4. Cut small shapes from center of half the cookies
5. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes
6. Spread jam on solid cookies
7. Top with cutout cookies
8. Dust with powdered sugar

Yield: 24 sandwich cookies Elegant: Perfect for cookie exchanges Make-ahead: Freeze unfilled cookies

12. Snickerdoodles

Cinnamon-sugar coated soft cookies.

Ingredients:

• 2¾ cups flour
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup butter
• 1½ cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• Cinnamon-sugar for rolling (¼ cup sugar + 2 tbsp cinnamon)

Instructions:

1. Cream butter and sugar
2. Add eggs
3. Mix dry ingredients, add to wet
4. Roll balls in cinnamon-sugar
5. Bake at 375°F for 8-10 minutes

Yield: 48 cookies Soft and chewy: Best texture Classic: Always a favorite

Cookie Baking Schedule

3 Weeks Before Christmas:

• Make and freeze cookie dough (sugar cookies, gingerbread)
• Bake and freeze cookies that don't need decoration

2 Weeks Before:

• Bake and freeze remaining cookies
• Make cookies for cookie swap (if attending)

1 Week Before:

• Decorate frozen cookies (they'll stay fresh)
• Package cookies for gifts
• Make no-bake cookies

2-3 Days Before:

• Bake any cookies you want super fresh
• Make thumbprints and filled cookies
• Final decorating touches

For more holiday meal prep strategies, see our holiday meal prep tips.

Decorating Made Easy

Simple Royal Icing:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp milk
• 2 tbsp light corn syrup
• ¼ tsp almond or vanilla extract

Mix until smooth, add food coloring, pipe onto cookies.

No-Fuss Decorations:

• Sprinkles (before baking)
• Colored sugar
• Chocolate drizzle
• Powdered sugar dusting
• Candy pieces pressed into dough

Kid-Friendly Decorating Station:

• Pre-made frosting in squeeze bottles
• Various sprinkles
• Candy pieces
• Edible markers
• Cover table with parchment for easy cleanup

Packaging for Gifts

Cookie Gift Ideas:

• Mason jars layered with different cookies
• Decorative tins
• Clear cellophane bags tied with ribbon
• Cookie boxes from craft stores
• Cake boxes lined with tissue paper

Keep Fresh:

• Don't package until completely cool
• Layer with parchment paper
• Include silica gel packet for longer storage
• Store in cool, dry place

Gift Tags:

• Include cookie name
• List allergens if giving to others
• Add "best by" date
• Include recipe card (optional)

Cookie Swap Strategy

What to Bring:

• 4-6 dozen of one cookie type
• Recipe cards to share
• Serving platter
• Take-home containers

Best Cookies for Swaps:

• Travel well (avoid delicate decorations)
• Stay fresh for days
• Don't require refrigeration
• Look impressive

Recommended from This List:

• Chocolate crinkles
• Snowballs
• Snickerdoodles
• Gingerbread
• Candy cane cookies

Storage and Freezing

Room Temperature Storage:

• Airtight container
• Layer with parchment paper
• Most cookies: 1-2 weeks

Freezing Cookies:

• Baked cookies: 2-3 months
• Cookie dough: 3-4 months
• Thaw at room temperature

Best Freezing Practices:

• Flash freeze on baking sheet first
• Transfer to freezer bags
• Label with type and date
• Freeze before decorating

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Cookies Spread Too Much:

• Chill dough longer
• Use colder butter
• Don't overmix
• Check oven temperature

Cookies Too Hard:

• Reduce baking time
• Don't overbake
• Store with bread slice to soften

Cookies Too Soft:

• Bake longer
• Use less butter
• Chill dough before baking

Uneven Baking:

• Rotate pan halfway through
• Use light-colored pans
• Check oven temperature with thermometer

Budget-Friendly Baking

Save Money:

• Buy ingredients in bulk
• Use store brands
• Make one or two types in large batches
• Skip expensive decorations
• Use natural food coloring (beet juice, turmeric)

Cost Per Batch:

• Most recipes: £3-5 for 24-48 cookies
• About £0.10-0.20 per cookie
• Much cheaper than bakery cookies (£0.50-1.00 each)

For more budget cooking tips, check our budget grocery shopping guide.

The Bottom Line

Easy Christmas cookies prove that simple recipes create the most delicious results. With basic ingredients, straightforward techniques, and a little time, you can bake beautiful holiday treats that rival any bakery.

Choose 3-4 recipes from this list, involve your family in the baking process, and create memories along with cookies. The joy of Christmas baking comes from spending time together, not from complicated techniques.

Start with one tried-and-true favorite, add one new recipe to try, and enjoy the process. Your kitchen will smell amazing, your family will be happy, and you'll have delicious cookies to share.

For more holiday cooking inspiration, explore our quick breakfast ideas and easy dinner ideas.

Merry Christmas and happy baking!