Every time the holiday season rolls around, I give myself a pass on tracking macros for a single afternoon, and that afternoon is cookie day. My kitchen ends up covered in flour and sprinkles, and I’ve stopped fighting it. These are the cookies that make the cut every year, plus a few with a protein swap if you want one. Bake a lot and give most of them away.
1) Gingerbread Men
Molasses, ginger, and cinnamon make the whole house smell like the holidays. I roll these a little thicker so they stay soft in the middle instead of snapping. A few dots of icing for eyes and buttons is all the decorating they need. Kids love cutting them out, so plan on some 3-legged ones.
2) Decorated Christmas Sugar Cookies
This is the cookie that turns baking into an event. Roll the dough, cut out trees and stars, and let everyone go wild with royal icing once they cool. Chill the dough for at least 1 hour so the shapes hold their edges in the oven. They keep for a week in a tin, which makes them the best one to bake early.
3) Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Fudgy chocolate cookies rolled in powdered sugar before baking, so they crack into that snowy pattern in the oven. The dough is sticky, so chill it overnight before you roll the balls. Roll them through granulated sugar first and then powdered sugar, and the white coating stays bright instead of melting in. They look like way more work than they are.
4) Butter S Cookies
These piped butter cookies are simple, crisp, and perfect with coffee. The dough is soft enough to pipe into S shapes with a star tip. A dusting of sugar before baking gives them a little crunch. They’re the cookie I reach for when I want just a small something.
5) Snowball Cookies
Butter pecan rounds that get rolled twice in powdered sugar, once warm and once cool. That first roll melts in and the second one gives them the snowy finish. Toasting the pecans first makes a big difference in flavor. The pecans also add a little protein and healthy fat, if you’re counting.
6) Peanut Butter Blossoms
Peanut butter cookies pressed with a chocolate kiss right out of the oven. Unwrap the kisses before the first tray comes out, because you only have about 1 minute to press them in while the cookie is soft. Roll the dough in sugar first for a little sparkle. Peanut butter makes these one of the more filling cookies on the tray.
7) Chocolate Chip Shortbread Bites
Tiny, buttery, and dangerously easy to eat by the handful. Mini chocolate chips spread through the shortbread so every bite gets some. Press the dough into a slab, chill it, then cut it into little squares before baking. Fill a jar with these and hand it off as a gift.
8) Red and Green M&M Cookies
Soft cookies with holiday M&Ms pressed into the tops. Here’s the trick: save a handful of candies and press them onto the dough balls right before baking so the colors show. Pull them when the edges are set and the centers still look a little underdone. They finish baking on the tray and stay soft for days.
9) Snickerdoodles
Cinnamon sugar on the outside, soft and tangy inside. Cream of tartar is what gives snickerdoodles that classic chew, so don’t skip it. I roll the dough balls big and pull them early for thick, pillowy cookies. They’re easy enough to make with kids start to finish.
10) Millionaire Shortbread Bars
A shortbread base, a layer of caramel, and a chocolate top. These are rich, so I cut them small and they still disappear first. Let each layer set fully before adding the next and you’ll get clean slices. A sprinkle of flaky salt on the chocolate makes them even better.
11) Spritz Cookies
If you own a cookie press, this is its moment. The buttery dough comes out in wreaths, trees, and flowers, and a few drops of almond extract make them taste like the holidays. Don’t chill the dough or it won’t push through the press. Colored sugar on top is all they need.
12) Soft Molasses Cookies
Chewy, spiced, and crackly on top. These have all the warmth of gingerbread without any rolling or cutting. Roll the dough balls in coarse sugar before baking for a sparkly finish. They stay soft for nearly a week in an airtight container.
13) Brown Sugar Cookies
Brown sugar gives these a deep caramel flavor and a chewy middle. Brown the butter first if you want them to taste even richer. They don’t need any frosting or decoration, which makes them a good one to bake on a busy weeknight. Stack them in a tin with parchment between the layers.
14) Linzer Cookies
Almond shortbread sandwiched around raspberry jam with a little window cut in the top. They’re the prettiest cookie on any holiday tray. The almond flour adds a bit of protein and a lot of flavor. Dust the tops with powdered sugar before you assemble them so the jam window stays bright red.
15) Pizzelles
These thin Italian waffle cookies come off a pizzelle iron in about 30 seconds each. Anise is traditional, but vanilla or lemon work just as well. They’re crisp and light, so they’re a nice break from all the butter on the tray. Roll them warm around a spoon handle if you want to make little cannoli shells.
16) Rugelach
A cream cheese dough rolled around jam, nuts, and cinnamon sugar. They look fancy, but the dough is forgiving and easy to work with. Roll it into a circle, spread the filling, and cut it like a pizza before rolling each wedge. Brush with egg wash for a golden finish.
17) Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies
Every tray needs one cookie everybody already loves. Rest the dough in the fridge for 24 hours and the flavor gets deeper and the edges crisp up better. I use a mix of chips and chopped chocolate for those melty pockets. Bake a batch, freeze the rest of the dough balls, and you’re covered all month.
18) Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies
Tart cranberries and sweet white chocolate make these look and taste like Christmas. The oats give them a hearty chew and a bit more staying power than a plain sugar cookie. Soak the cranberries in warm water for 10 minutes so they stay plump. These are my go-to for cookie swaps.
19) Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Rich chocolate cookies loaded with chopped peppermint candy. The candy melts a little at the edges and turns chewy. Add a few drops of peppermint extract if you want the flavor even stronger. Press extra crushed candy on top right out of the oven.
20) Peanut Butter Chip Cookies
For the peanut butter people in your life, this is the one. Peanut butter in the dough and peanut butter chips folded in means double the flavor. They’re chewy and a little more filling than most cookies, thanks to the peanut butter. A glass of cold milk on the side is non-negotiable.
21) Almond Biscotti
Twice-baked and crunchy, these are made for dunking. Whole almonds bring a little protein and a lot of crunch. Bake the log, slice it, and bake the slices again until they’re dry and crisp. They keep for weeks, so they’re perfect for shipping to family.
22) Eggnog Cookies
Soft sugar cookies made with real eggnog and a pinch of nutmeg. Top them with a simple eggnog glaze and they taste like the holidays in a single bite. Bake them on the softer side so the middles stay tender. They’re a fun one to bring to a party because nobody else will have them.
23) Jam Thumbprint Cookies
Buttery cookies with a little well of jam in the center. Press your thumb into each dough ball, fill it, and bake. I like a mix of raspberry and apricot so the tray looks festive. They pair perfectly with tea or coffee in the afternoon.
24) White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
Buttery macadamias and creamy white chocolate in a chewy brown sugar dough. Toast the nuts lightly before folding them in for more flavor. The nuts add healthy fats and make these more satisfying than most. Pull them when the edges just turn golden.
25) Lemon Ricotta Cookies
Soft, cakey, and bright with lemon. Ricotta keeps them tender and adds a little protein to the dough. A simple lemon glaze on top makes them look festive. These are the lightest-tasting cookie on the tray and a nice break from all the chocolate.
26) Chocolate Protein Cookies
This is the one I bake for myself. A scoop of chocolate protein powder, almond flour, and Greek yogurt make a soft cookie with real protein in it. Don’t overbake them or protein cookies turn dry fast. Pull them while the centers still look a little soft and they’ll set up perfectly.
