11 Christmas Cookie Recipes for Tasty Holiday Treats

Cream cheese, crushed chocolate sandwich cookies, white candy melts and finely crushed candy canes come together when you make these no-bake peppermint cookie truffles. The richness of the cream cheese and chocolate sandwich cookies is brightened by the refreshing flavor of peppermint extract, and the crushed candy canes on top add a satisfying crunchy texture.

Deep red and speckled with white chocolate chips, red velvet cookies are a festive treat to make around the holidays. They’re rich, chewy and slightly creamy thanks to the smooth white chocolate. Make these cookies and add a pop of color to any holiday dessert table.

No Christmas cookie tray is complete without these iconic treats. Simple sugar cookies are a blank canvas ready to be decorated in your favorite festive designs. You can cut the dough into holiday shapes like a Santa hat, star, tree, snowflake or bell, and top them with colorful icing and sprinkles once they’ve been baked and cooled.

Gingerbread is a sweet and subtly spicy holiday staple that comes in many shapes, sizes and textures, like gingerbread men, gingerbread houses or loaves of fresh gingerbread. Dark brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and molasses combine to create a complex flavor profile and chewy texture that keeps you coming back for one more bite every time. Discover an unexpected way to enjoy the flavors of gingerbread cookies below.

Salted caramel ginger cookies are a delicious treat that combine the classic sweet-salty balance of salted caramel with the spicy warmth of fresh ginger. This rich, buttery cookie is filled with a caramel candy center and topped with crunchy sea salt that perfectly balances the sweetness of the cookie. Enjoy these treats alone or pair them with a foamy homemade cappuccino.

These rich and chocolatey cookies are dusted with delicious powdered sugar, evoking the look and feel of fresh snowfall around the holidays. Unsweetened dark chocolate and bold espresso flavor create an unexpected depth of flavor in a cookie that might otherwise be overly sweet.

Cranberries and the holidays go hand in hand. These brown butter white chocolate cranberry cookies are a delightful blend of sweet and tangy flavors. The brown butter is rich and nutty and balances the sweetness of the white chocolate and the tart flavor of dried cranberries. 

Mexican hot chocolate is the perfect treat to enjoy on a chilly winter night, and these cookies are a tasty way to enjoy the flavors of this sweet and spicy hot cocoa. The rich, deep notes of cocoa provide a luscious base flavor, while the cinnamon and cayenne pepper add a kick that cuts through the sweetness to delight your taste buds.

These decadent cookies transform rich and creamy horchata into a chewy holiday treat that is sure to delight guests at your next holiday party. Cardamom, cinnamon and vanilla extract provide a warm, decadent flavor that invokes the comfort of a fresh cup of the classic rice-based drink.

Maple pecan butter cookies are a perfect blend of rich, nutty pecans and the warm, comforting sweetness of maple syrup. The pecan butter infuses each bite with a deep, earthy warmth while the maple syrup adds a layer of sweetness and seasonal flavor.  You can use your KitchenAid^® 13-Cup Food Processor to make homemade pecan cashew butter that infuses this recipe with an artisanal touch.

Double chocolate chip cookies with toffee crunch are an indulgent holiday treat that beautifully highlights the rich, comforting seasonal flavors of chocolate and toffee. The velvety taste of cocoa powder and dark chocolate and the caramel crunch from the bits of toffee make the perfect treat to add to a holiday cookie tin.

Before you get started, preheat your oven to 350°F and line your baking tray with parchment paper. Place your stand mixer on a clean, flat surface and attach the flat beater accessory, then plug it into a nearby outlet.

Place the salted butter, granulated sugar and light brown sugar inside the mixing bowl, then cream the sugars and fat together in your stand mixer for 3–4 minutes on medium speed, or until it creates a light and fluffy mixture.

Once you’ve creamed the butter and sugar, turn speed to low and add eggs and vanilla extract and mix until fully combined.

In a separate mixing bowl, add your all-purpose flour, baking soda and cornstarch and mix until combined. Then slowly add the dry ingredients to your mixing bowl and continue to mix on low speed until a thick dough is achieved.

There are a few ways you can divide the dough to make your cookies. For standard round cookies, use a cookie scoop to make evenly portioned cookies. If you want to create shaped cookies, roll the lightly floured dough with a rolling pin and cut the dough into stars, gingerbread men, trees or other festive shapes with your cookie cutters.

Place the cookies on your baking tray at least two inches apart and bake for 8–10 minutes. Remove the baking tray from the oven and let them cool completely before topping with icing and sprinkles.