35 Christmas Cookies We Can’t Wait to Pass Down

French Macarons

Even decorated simply—a sprinkle of sugar, a drizzle of icing—these stylish beauties are part of our creative Christmas cookies collection. They will be the showstoppers on any cookie tray. —Josh Rink, Photo Stylist Taste of Home

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No-Bake Cookie Butter Blossoms

Chewy and sweet, these easy treats mix Rice Krispies, cookie spread and chocolate kisses in an unforgettable spin on an old favorite. —Jessie Sarrazin, Livingston, Montana

Store your cookies in these adorable Christmas cookie tins!

Jeweled Coconut Drops

Red raspberry preserves add a festive flair to these tender coconut cookies. Perfect for holiday potlucks and cookie exchanges, these shaped cookies never last long when I make them for my husband and two sons. -Ellen Marie Byler Munfordville, Kentucky

Find even more thumbprint coookie recipes.

Reindeer Tracks

This is the first cookie recipe I’ve ever created! It captures the essence of the holidays because there’s a trace of eggnog flavor in these adorable reindeer hoof prints. You can add red and green frosting to make them even more Christmasy or use brown sprinkles for a more natural reindeer look. —Pam Sano, Voorhees, New Jersey

Chocolate Mint Sandwich Cookies

I got this recipe from my daughter years ago. I've taken these chewy filled cookies and the treasured recipe to many cookie exchanges.

Chocolate Peppermint Snaps

This is one of my family's favorite cookies. My brother baked them for a Boy Scout fundraiser, and they were a top seller! They look like gingersnaps, but they're flavored with peppermint candies and are quite crispy. It's no wonder they're always such a hit.

Gingerbread Cookies with Lemon Frosting

When I spread these spicy gingerbread rounds with my lemony cream cheese frosting, I knew I had a hit. Cardamom and allspice add a hint of chai tea flavor. —Aysha Schurman, Ammon, Idaho

Peppermint Puff Pastry Sticks

I wanted to impress my husband’s family with something you’d expect to find in a European bakery, and these chocolaty treats are what I came up with. The flaky pastry melts in your mouth. —Darlene Brenden, Salem, Oregon

Chocolate Toffee Peppermint Cookies

Chocolate and peppermint are a natural match, so I put them together in this easy cookie recipe. It’s one of our favorite holiday cookies because it tastes delicious and there’s no fussy decorating. —Carole Resnick, Cleveland, Ohio

No-Bake Christmas Wreath Cookies

Cornflakes take the place of traditional rice cereal in these sweet, no-bake Christmas wreath cookies. Dressed up with green food coloring and red candies, they’re a pretty addition to cookie platters and dessert buffets. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Chocolate Mint Creams

This recipe came from an old family friend and is always high on everyone’s cookie request list. I make at least six batches for Noel nibbling and give some away as holiday food gifts. —Beverly Fehner, Gladstone, Missouri

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

When I baked this moist, fudgy chocolate crinkle cookie recipe for the first time, my three preschool children went wild over them! But I like them because they're lower in fat and easy to mix and bake. —Maria Groff, Ephrata, Pennsylvania

Peppermint Kisses

These are fun, refreshing and low in fat! —Lynn Bernstetter, Lake Elmo, Minnesota.

Lemon Snowflakes

You’ll need just four ingredients to make these delightful lemon snowflake cookies. Confectioners’ sugar highlights the cracked tops to give them their snowflake appearance. —Linda Barry, Dianna, Texas

Festive Thumbprints

I never cared for jam-filled thumbprints, so I decided to fill them with frosting instead. This makes them easy to ship, which you can’t do with the sticky jam filling. I sent these to my daughter while she was serving in Iraq, and they made the long haul in perfect condition. —Wendy Schlueter, Babbitt, Minnesota

Chocolate Caramel Kiss Cookies

I make this cookie every Christmas with my family. It’s a fun twist on a classic peanut butter blossom because of the cinnamon in the batter and the caramel kiss on top. We love the cinnamon-caramel combination, but you could switch out the kiss with a different festive flavor. —Kristen Heigl, Staten Island, New York

Double Whammy Eggnog Cookies

These cookies are an amazing way to use extra eggnog. They’ve become a new family classic. — Teresa Morris, Laurel, Delaware

Santa's Coming Cookie Puzzle

This clever confection is easy to make with store-bought cookie dough and is entirely edible to boot! Blanched almonds make it simple for little hands to grasp the puzzle Pieces, which are completely removable.—Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Holiday Almond Tassies

I make so many of these fancy tassies, I use up a 7-pound container of almond paste every year! They’re one of my family’s holiday favorites. —Donna Westhouse, Dorr, Michigan

Spearmint Thins

No time to bake Christmas cookies from scratch? Create a tasty treat in little more than half an hour by doctoring butter-flavored crackers with vanilla chips and mint candies.—Kathleen Felton, Fairfax, Iowa

Frosted Anise Sugar Cookies

These soft, cake-like cookies have a pleasant anise flavor that's distinct but not overpowering. I add red and green sprinkles for Christmas, but you could decorate them to suit any occasion.—Janice Eanni, Willowick, Ohio

Triple-Ginger Gingersnaps

Ginger cookies are holiday hits. To package these Christmas cookies, tuck them into clean, recycled coffee cans wrapped in decorative paper. With a glue gun, add ribbon or trim. —Jessica Follen, Waunakee, Wisconsin

Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies

This is a variation of the cookies my mother made when I was growing up. Now my 13-year-old daughter and I bake them together. They’re always a huge hit! The taste is like rich holiday hot chocolate baked into a scrumptious cookie. —Larry Piklor, Johnsburg, Illinois

Fruitcake Christmas Cookies

As holiday gifts, these rich fruit-and nut-filled cookies are pretty and practical. These are great make ahead Christmas cookies —the taste actually gets better over time! —Julia Funkhouser, Carson, Iowa

Holly Wreaths

I've never come across another spritz cookie like this - one calling for cream cheese as an ingredient. That helps to keep these wreaths moist a long time, while also adding a delicious flavor. —Dee Lein, Longmont, Colorado

Chocolate Snowballs

This is my favorite Christmas cookie recipe. The cookies remind me of the snowballs I packed as a child during many cold Wisconsin winters. —Dee Derezinski, Waukesha, Wisconsin

Cream Cheese Spritz

A hint of orange and cinnamon highlights these Christmastime classics. I like to add colorful sprinkles before baking them. The recipe is from a booklet that came with a cookie press in the 1950s…and I still have the press! —Sarah Bedia, Lake Jackson, Texas

Chocolate Gingersnaps

When my daughter Jennifer was 15 years old, she created this recipe as a way to combine two of her favorite flavors. They're perfect with a glass of milk. —Paula Zsiray, Logan, Utah

Triple-Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Santa is sure to stop by your house if you leave these minty chocolate cookies waiting for him. They’re quick and easy for the whole family to make together. —Teresa Ralston, New Albany, Ohio

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

Guests will stand in line to kiss the cook when these treats are served! For a change of pace, try them with chunky peanut butter, too. —Canada60, Tasteofhome.com Community

Drizzled Gingerbread Biscotti

After stumbling across a community recipe for gingerbread biscotti, I made several batches and tweaked it to our tastes. These became an instant obsession at our house.—Susan Board, Palmer, Alaska

Raspberry Pistachio Thumbprints

Thumbprint cookies are a Christmas classic, and I especially like my updated version with pistachios. The rich, buttery bites are not only delicious, but they are also pretty enough to give for gifts—if you manage to share them! —Laura Murphy, Columbus, Mississippi

Silver Bells

My mom and grandma are known for their signature Christmas cookies. I decided to create my own, inspired by one of my favorite Christmas songs. Edible shimmer dust gives them their iconic shine. Look for the dust in the cake decorating section of craft or grocery stores. —Crystal Schlueter, Northglenn, Colorado

Holiday Rum Balls

I make these rum balls for special occasions with my wonderful family and friends. The treats are so easy to make and pack a festive punch. — Diane Duschanek, Council Bluffs, Iowa

Cinnamon Sugar Crackle Cookies

I get lots of compliments on these crunchy cookies. They're always part of my Christmas cookie platter. —Sarah Miller, Wauconda, Washington