24 Days of Christmas Cookies: A December Holiday Baking Countdown! (2024)

24 days of Christmas Cookies: a holiday baking countdown to celebrate Christmas throughout the month of December! This list of cookies features classic cookie recipes as well as a few traditional Christmas cookies from around the world. The whole family will enjoy making these cookies together almost as much as eating them!

Christmas Cookie Countdown

These 24 Christmas cookie recipes are the perfect way to countdown to Christmas. It's a great way to get the whole family together in the kitchen so everyone can participate (and enjoy the tasty results)!

If you find yourself with an abundance of Christmas cookies, you can always repurpose them. Take a look at my page on what to do with leftover Christmas cookies for recipes and ideas!

Best Christmas Cookie Recipes

Below are 24 of my personal favorite and most well-loved Christmas cookie recipes. Each one would make a fantastic option for a cookie exchange!

They can also be wrapped in colored cellophane or placed in a festive tin and given as gifts (perfect for coworkers, teachers, or neighbors)!

If baking gets you in the Christmas spirit, check out my holiday baking recipes! There are cookies, my fantastic Christmas cake, fruitcake and more cake ideas, pies, fudge, candy, and so much more to try!

1. Christmas M&Ms Cookies

Christmas M&M cookies make the list of the most popular holiday cookies each and every year. There's something comforting about a soft brown sugar and vanilla cookie with chunks of chocolate candy dotted throughout.

There's no frosting or sprinkles on these Christmas cookies. The red and green M&Ms are all the decoration you need!

2. Peanut Butter Blossoms

The classic flavor combination of milk chocolate and creamy peanut butter come together in this incredible Christmas cookie! The key to their signature sweetness is a quick coating in granulated sugar just before you bake them.

Kids will love to help place the Hershey's kisses on top of the cookies once they've all baked! You can't go wrong with these simply delicious chocolate and peanut butter cookies.

3. Vintage Betty Crocker Sugar Cookies

This tried and true sugar cookie recipe is always my go-to at Christmastime. I love these vintage rolled sugar cookies because they turn out delightfully soft and sweet every time.

They are perfect for cutting into shapes and for decorating with frosting, icing, sprinkles, or whatever you like!

4. Italian Ricotta Cookies

The ricotta cheese in these traditional Italian Christmas cookies keeps them soft and moist! It also gives them a slightly tangy flavor that balances their sweetness beautifully.

The bright lemon glaze on top adds a refreshing citrus flavor that makes these cookies hard to resist.

5. Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

These cookies are made with 3 kinds of chocolate! The peppermint comes from a topping of crushed candy canes (which also adds a delightful crunch).

These cookies are truly indulgent and perfect for any chocolate lover.

6. Christmas Cookies (with Sprinkles)

It's all in the name- these cookies are made for Christmas! The base is a soft sugar cookie that is then topped off with smooth vanilla buttercream frosting and, of course, sprinkles!

7. Russian Tea Cakes

This classic Russian recipe is always enjoyed around the holidays. The buttery cookies are so tender with bits of walnut sprinkled throughout.

To finish them off, they are rolled through powdered sugar which makes them literally finger-licking good!

8. Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms

These soft chocolate cookies are topped off with a festive red and white striped peppermint Hershey's kiss! Chocolate and peppermint are a classic Christmas flavor combination and these cookies have a perfect balance of both.

Did I mention they only take 17 minutes from start to finish? There's no chilling or decorating required!

9. Gumdrop Cookies

Gumdrop cookies are soft and tender, with chewy bits of chopped gumdrops scattered throughout. It's an incredibly easy-to-make recipe that always receives loving compliments and beaming smiles.

I love that the gumdrop candies decorate the cookies for you. To make them even more festive, you can always opt for just red and green gumdrops!

10. Polar Bear Paw Print Cookies

Can it get any cuter than these 'furry' polar bear paw cookies? Don't worry, the fur is purely shredded coconut.

Underneath all that fur is a soft cookie full of chocolatey goodness. The paw pad itself is made up of peppermint patties and M&Ms!

11. Kolaczki

Kolaczi are buttery cookies filled with a sweet and sticky fruit filling and dusted with powdered sugar. They only require 5 ingredients: cream cheese, butter, pie or pastry filling, flour, and powdered sugar (oh, and a little water, too).

These cookies are lovely to look at and they taste just as good as they look! They make a stunning addition to any cookie exchange or holiday dessert table.

12. Christmas M&M Bars

If you enjoy M&M Christmas cookies, you will surely enjoy these M&M dessert bars! With a whopping 20 servings per batch, these bars are a great alternative to cookies when you plan on serving a crowd.

Not to mention, there's no shaping or rolling dough required. Just assemble and bake!

13. Melting Moments

Melting moments are soft shortbread cookies that practically melt in your mouth (hence the name). Oh, and you only need 4 simple ingredients to make them!

The cornstarch in these cookies binds them just enough so that they don't fall apart until you take a bite. That means you don't even need eggs!

14. Kringla

Kringla are simple, soft cookies that are unbelievably enticing. You can't help but come back for another cookie...or two!

There are no fancy frills or frosting to be found on these cookies. But trust me, they don't need it.

15. Peanut Butter Pecan Cookies

Peanut butter pecan cookies are a classic. The tender, buttery cookie is balanced perfectly by the soft crunch of walnuts that are mixed into the dough and placed on top.

Sometimes simple is a good thing and these cookies prove it.

16. Nussecken

These German Christmas cookies have an irresistible combination of flavors. They start out with a buttery shortbread base. Then, they are topped off with apricot jam, boozy hazelnuts, and a sweet chocolate glaze!

These delicious cookies are a labor of love, but I promise all the time and effort are more than worth it.

17. Sprinkle Crinkle Cookies

The name of these cookies is just as fun and festive as the cookies themselves! The mixed-in Christmas sprinkles peek through powdered sugar like snowy Christmas lights or confetti.

Sprinkle crinkle cookies are also incredibly easy to make. After all, they decorate themselves!

18. Chocolate Blossom Cookies

If you aren't a fan of peanut butter, try these double chocolate blossom cookies instead.

Older kids can help mix and bake the cookies. Little ones will love helping out by placing a Hershey's kiss on top of each one at the end!

19. Peanut Butter Bear Paw Cookies

These soft peanut butter cookies are topped off with chocolate chips and chocolate wafers to make them look like a bear's paw. It's a great opportunity to let the kids help decorate cookies after they've baked!

Of course, you can always make them a puppy or kitty paw, too. Just add an extra chocolate chip toe!

20. Vanilla Crinkle Cookies

Who doesn't love soft, warm, vanilla cookies? This simple recipe can be whipped up in about 30 minutes.

They make a great last-minute addition to any cookie exchange or holiday get-together.

21. Hello Dolly Bars

Ok, so these are cookie bars and not cookies but they totally earned their spot on this list. These 7-layer dessert bars are chewy, crunchy, and full of heavenly cookie flavor!

The layers include butter, graham crackers, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, coconut, pecans, and sweetened condensed milk. Altogether they make one seriously tasty treat!

22. Fruitcake Shortbread Cookies

Fruitcake is a Christmas staple that tastes even better in cookie form! These tender buttery cookies are filled with bits of fruity mixed peel.

You can make your own fruitcake mix or use store-bought mixed peel to save some prep time!

23. Empire Biscuits

Empire biscuits are made with two shortbread cookies sandwiched around some fruity jam. That's not all, it also has sweet icing on top with a cute cherry for a fun added touch.

These cookies also go by the names Imperial biscuits, double biscuits, German biscuits, Belgian biscuits, double shortbread, or biscuit buns. No matter what you call them, they sure are tasty!

24. Eggnog Sugar Cookies

The only thing more Christmas-y than sugar cookies is sugar cookies that taste like eggnog! Freshly grated nutmeg gives these cookies an extra punch of flavor.

Not only is the nutmeg mixed into the cookie, but the frosting is nutmeg flavored as well! If you love spiced cookies, these will surely be a new favorite.

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🎄 Bonus: Christmas Candy Recipes

• Crock Pot Christmas Crack Candy- Homemade chocolate peanut clusters are so easy to make with your slow cooker or crockpot!
• Christmas Crack- Try making this DIY toffee candy with saltine crackers for Christmas this year!
• Christmas Nougat - This 4-ingredient nougat is totally tasty with chewy bits of red and green gumdrops all throughout!
• Candied Orange Slices - These sweet and chewy candied orange slices are a tasty treat any time of year. Dip them in chocolate or enjoy them with a coating of sugar!

Be sure to take a look at myChristmas fudge recipesfor more indulgent holiday treats!

🎅 Christmas Recipes & Guides

• How To Make Cut Out Cookies - Make cut-out sugar cookies like a pro with this all-inclusive guide!
• Edible Christma Cookie Gift Box - Show off your baking skills this Christmas with this sugar cookie gift box!
• Christmas Appetizer Recipes - These recipes are the perfect way to get your next Christmas party started!
• Italian Christmas Dinner Menu Ideas - Everything you need to make an Italian-inspired Christmas feast!
• Christmas Casserole Recipes - These Christmas casserole recipes are an easy and delicious way to feed the whole family!
• How To Freeze Sugar Cookies - Get the most out of your sugar cookies by learning how to freeze them properly.

Did you try my 24 days of Christmas cookies challenge this year? Let me know which cookies were your favorite in the comment section below!

📖 Recipe Card