The holiday season kicks off when baking Christmas cookies begins… baking lots of cookies. I love Christmas cookies. Festively decorated, they always put me in a good mood. I love to give them to neighbors and friends. Of course, Santa gets his share too. These Christmas cookie recipes are adorable, delicious, and will guarantee Santa leaves another gift under the tree.
“My grandmother used to make these every Christmas and, since then, I have made them every holiday season,” explains Sea Sun (Urbandale, IA). “They used to be my very favorite Christmas cookie when I was a child which is saying a lot since she used to make dozens of different types. I like to think I am passing along the tradition.”
Sea’s Snowballs (Russian Tea Cakes) are light, buttery, and crunchy. The cookie itself isn’t overly sweet but the powdered sugar coating is just the right touch. Inhaling powdered sugar while devouring this yummy treat is fun (and a little messy). Adding chopped pecans gives the cookie an extra crunch. They are so light and airy, they almost melt in your mouth.
Susan Din’s (Houston, TX) Christmas All Butter Sugar Cookies are not only festive, but they’re also quite tasty. Adding almond flavoring is an excellent choice and gives this a slightly different taste than customary sugar cookies. The frosting on top is a great addition and with a hint of almond plays off the flavor of the cookie.
“[They’re] easy to make and they bake up flat without warping in shape,” says Susan. Holding their shape makes these sugar cookies easy to decorate. These are the perfect Christmas sugar cookie but by swapping out the cutter you could make these for any occasion.
“These are super cute and festive,” is how Elizabeth Lancaster’s (Naples, TX) describes her Festive Ginger Molasses Cookies. “These are so classy looking and taste as good as they look!”
We think they taste like gingerbread, but the spices are not overwhelmingly strong. They’re rolled in sugar so the outside has a sweet, crunchy crust. Dipping them in white chocolate complements the holiday spices. Yum!
While Elizabeth’s molasses cookies are a traditional cookie, Norene Dowell’s (Dundee, MI) Nutmeg Christmas Cookies are a delicious alternative.
“They are soft and a complement for the milk that goes with them,” shares Norene. Eggnog is added to the cookie batter and that’s the predominant flavor in the cookie. There are hints of nutmeg in each bite too. We rolled these out a bit thicker and the cookie was moist and chewy. The decorating possibilities are endless!
Sandra McGrath’s (Harrisville, RI) Holiday Gifting Ricotta Egg Biscuits are very similar to a tea cake but a whole lot easier to make.
“My mother always made these on holidays and would wrap them in festive cellophane paper and tie them with ribbons adding Hershey Kisses between spaces on the plate,” reveals Sandra. “My husband Anthony, who has now passed away, loved to give these delicious cookies to all our friends and neighbors and I have kept the tradition going.”
This recipe makes a lot of cookies – you could package them for fun gifts. The icing on these fluffy and cake-like cookies is not overly sweet. They are a great addition to your holiday cookie tray.
Christmas cookies make the holidays sweeter and I encourage you to give one of these a try. They’ll make a cookie exchange or dessert tray, or a treat for Santa a little sweeter. If you want even more Christmas cookie ideas, check out this recipe collection. Happy Pinching!