‘Tis the season for treating yourself (and your loved ones). Although you might be tempted to go over-the-top on the holiday desserts this year, these Christmas cookie recipes are proof that sometimes simple is best. From tasty gingerbread to melt-in-your-mouth shortbread to chocolate cookie recipes galore, these Christmas cookies are sure to sweeten up your season.
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Double-Decker Chocolate Cherry Cookies
Double the fun (and festive flavour) with these absolutely decadent double-decker Christmas cookies. Boasting a yummy mix of a cinnamon-spiced chocolate snickerdoodle and an almond cherry chip cookie, these cookies are drizzled with melted chocolate and Christmas-coloured sprinkles for a merry finish.
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Ginger Molasses Cookies
Soft, chewy and a touch spicy, these ginger molasses cookies feature pops of candied ginger for a fun, flavourful twist on a Christmas cookie classic.
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Christmas Cherries
So simple and super festive with red-and-green candied cherries as decoration, these delightful Christmas cookies from Ree Drummond feature lemon and orange zest for a punchy pop of citrus flavour.
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These Chewy Gingerbread Eggnog Sandwich Cookies are a New Christmas Classic
Looking to upgrade Santa’s cookie selection? The perfect mix of two of our favourite holiday flavours — spicy ginger and creamy eggnog — this Christmas cookie recipe makes decadently soft, chewy sandwich cookies.
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Easy-as-Pie Thumbprint Cookies
Always a hit at cookie exchanges, thumbprint cookies, with their homey, handmade feel, get an elegant twist with pie-inspired fillings. Go for the classics with lemon curd, pecan pie or peanut butter-chocolate thumbprints — they’re all delicious!
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My Favourite Christmas Cookies
These sweet Christmas cookies are Ree Drummond’s favourites for a reason: they’re perfectly sweet, simple to make and super-fun to shape with Christmas cookie cutters and decorate with iced designs (which means they’re a great easy baking recipe for kids and little holiday helpers).
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Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies
Can you capture the sweetness of the holidays in a single bite? These chocolatey Christmas cookies might just do it with a deliciously festive peppermint-and-white chocolate topping. Can’t get enough of that candy-cane flavour? Try these recipe ideas for using leftover candy canes.
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Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
Vegan baking is at its sweet best with these chewy-yet-crispy gingerbread cookies made extra special with festive Christmas cookie cutters and irresistible maple icing.
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Vegan Shortbread Cookies
Rich, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookies are a Christmas cookie staple. Vegans and those who eschew dairy can still enjoy the butteriest time of year with this indulgent recipe that uses store-bought vegan butter instead. We guarantee it’ll be one of those desserts even non-vegans love.
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Christmas Cake Cookies
The best Christmas cookies look as fun and flavourful as they taste. Enter these vanilla-flavoured Christmas cake cookies — complete with a buttery frosting and cheery cinnamon-candy accents — that are sure to be a bright addition to your show-stopping holiday dessert platter.
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Empire Cookies
We love a great make-ahead dessert, and the beauty of this treat is that the dough can be prepared and frozen for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge before using and enjoy how easily this cookie comes together. Looking to elevate your Christmas cookie game with something a little more complex? Try these glistening watercolour snowflake sugar cookies.
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Christmas Cookie Trees
Enjoy some quality family time and stack as many of these scrumptious gingerbread cookies as you can for a festive edible Christmas tree everyone will love. Their unique 3D shape allows them to stand tall on any dessert table as a show-stopping centrepiece. Bonus: they’re also easier to assemble than an entire gingerbread house, resulting in a genuinely fun, stress-free treat. You can also discover the perfect holiday cookie, according to your zodiac sign.
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The Cutest Ugly Christmas Sweater Cookies
Once the bane of the holiday season, you’ll have just as much fun decorating these charming ugly Christmas sweater cookies as you did wearing them!
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Gluten-Free Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chunk Cookies
These gluten- and dairy-free cookies are easy to make, which is a welcome bonus during the hectic holiday season. And since there is no flour or butter to compete with, the peanut butter flavour is intense! For more inspiration, check out our top holiday cookie and square recipes.
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Italian Pizzelle
“Pizze” means flat in Italian, and these flat, crisp waffle cookies make for great ice cream sandwiches or Christmas cookies. Alternatively, you can dip these treats in a cozy mug of hot chocolate or coffee to satisfy your sweet tooth midday.
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Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate chip cookies make the perfect Christmas cookie to leave out for Santa (and to snack on all season). This chocolate chip cookie dough has two secrets to success. The first is Anna Olson’s addition of cornstarch, which holds in moisture. The second tip is to chill the cookies before baking – ensuring they all bake to the same size. For more from the queen of baking, try some of her all-time best Christmas desserts.
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Basic Gingerbread Cut-Out Cookies
Nothing gets the holiday magic started more than the comforting smell of gingerbread. This Christmas cookie recipe has the perfect balance of cinnamon, ginger and allspice, combined with the deep, rich taste of molasses. Keep this one handy, because the soft cookies will be your go-to year after year. Find more of Anna Olson’s best gingerbread recipes.
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Chocolate Snowflake Cookies
Here’s a tasty holiday cookie hack: freeze this dough in advance and whip it out for small family get-togethers, cookie exchanges or the night before Christmas, so Santa can enjoy warm and chewy chocolate cookies.
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Windowpane Tea Cookies
Elegant and tasty, these sugar cut-out cookies are decorated with brightly coloured candy windowpanes. Serve them with tea for holiday festivities and watch how quickly they’re devoured.
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Cinnamon Sugar Scrap Cookies
These classic cinnamon sugar scrap cookies will satisfy the sweet tooth in your family this holiday season. The Christmas cookie recipe perfectly marries several seasonal flavours into one satisfying cookie. For more festive fare, check out the best holiday desserts from The Pioneer Woman.
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The Pioneer Woman’s Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
This red velvet crinkle cookie sandwich is a crowd pleaser for the holidays. It satisfies the chocolate lover and someone looking for more than your average cookie.
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Buttercream Filled Maple Sandwich Cookies
Nothing says Canada quite like maple syrup — and nothing says it’s the holidays quite like Christmas cookies! These maple cookies are delicious baked up just as they are, but a sweet maple buttercream filling takes them to the next level. Just pipe some frosting on one cookie, top it with another and you’ve got a perfect dessert or homemade gift. Here are a few more great Canadian cookie ideas!
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Vanilla Bean Spritz Shortbread
These lovely cookies are sure to be a holiday favourite. The star shape can be achieved with the tip on a piping bag or with a cookie press.
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Icebox Cookies
We love a recipe that provides us with options, and this Anna Olson classic offers up three types of icebox cookies that your holiday guests will love. Bonus: these vibrant gems will keep for up to four days in an airtight container or can be frozen in advance. We’ve got plenty more show-stopping holiday desserts that will wow your loved ones.
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Almond Linzer Cookies
These teardrop-shaped almond cookies are eye-catching, beautiful and delicious — perfect for the holidays!
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Chocolate White Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Ina Garten makes these chewy cookies with chunks of decadent white chocolate. They’re a great choice if you’re short on time, going from mixing bowl to oven to cooling rack in about 30 minutes.
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Chocolate Vanilla Sandwich Cookies
This classic sandwich cookie recipe is highly adaptable. Add holiday flair by adding peppermint to the vanilla filling, then drizzle the assembled cookies with white chocolate and scatter over crushed candy canes.
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Scottish Pan Shortbread
Mouth-watering shortbread is a classic Christmas cookie flavour, and this authentic Scottish recipe makes it even easier to create that tempting shortbread-cookie taste — baked all in one pan! Using brown rice flour in addition to all-purpose adds a bit of colour and lightness to the finished product, which improves over the course of a few days (if you can let it sit that long).
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No-Bake Chocolate Peppermint Patties
A cool, creamy mint filling is sandwiched between two no-bake chocolate cookies, which are then drizzled with white chocolate. If you want to make these Christmas cookies even more decadent, dunk the sandwiches in melted dark chocolate.
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Chocolate Pistachio Cantucci
A lighter version of biscotti, these cookies are twice baked for extra crunch and studded with dark chocolate and pistachios. Serve with after-dinner cappuccinos or any time for a sweet treat.
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Vanilla Icebox Cookies
Consider these cookies your saving grace for last-minute Christmas-cookie emergencies. Make the dough in advance and stash it in the freezer.
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Warm Caramel-Centred Lava Cookies
An ooey-gooey surprise is discovered upon biting into this caramel-centred cookie complemented by a spicy cinnamon dough exterior. A cup of coffee or tea, or a glass of milk is recommended to accompany these sweet treats.
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