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Recipes

31 Holiday Cookie Recipes That Will Make You a Family Baking Legend

This article is written by a student writer from the Spoon University at Bucknell chapter.

The holiday season is fast approaching, which may sound daunting with so much to do before the holidays and so little time. But do you know what the best way to reduce stress is? Baking. And there’s no need to stress over finding that perfect recipe, I’ve got you covered with 31 of the best holiday cookie recipes.

So preheat that oven and let that holiday stress go away.

#SpoonTip: Pop open a bottle of wine, and pair it with your favorite holiday cookies. Happy Holidays, Spooniverse.

1. Peppermint Chocolate Chip Shortbread

Shortbread is arguably one of the most underrated cookies, in my opinion. It’s extremely versatile. These peppermint chocolate chip shortbread cookies do not only have that buttery, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread taste but they also have tastes of chocolate chip and candy canes. Thats a double win.

2.  Gluten-Free and Vegan Christmas Cookies

Holiday Cookie Recipes cake candy
Kristine Mahan

Preparing for the holidays is extremely tough, especially when you have dietary restrictions. But your dietary restraints don’t have to stop you from enjoying cookies.  

3. No-Bake Pistachio Cranberry Avalanche Cookies

Holiday Cookie Recipes rice coconut
Claire Tromblee

Don’t you hate when you make a delicious cookie, but then you have to wait 10-15 minutes for it to bake? Me too. Well, you can enjoy these no-bake pistachio cranberry avalanche cookies right away.

4. Candy Cane Kiss Cookies

These cookies are super easy to make, and even easier to finish a plate of (trust me). Plus, look how festive they are. You’ll regret not making these.

5. Chicken and Waffle Cookies

This cookie is for someone who is an innovator. This chicken and waffle cookie isn’t like your ordinary cookie, it’s a little bit sweet, a little bit savory, and a lot of delicious.

6. Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie

Holiday Cookie Recipes dough cake
Rachel Harbut

Chocolate chip cookies are an indisputable classic. This ultra-sized cookie is perfect for your large holiday parties—but also perfectly acceptable to just eat on your own, no judgement here.

7.  4-Ingredient Christmas Cookies

Christmas Cookies garlic
Kelli Haugh

What if I told you it was possible to make delicious cookies using only four ingredients? Don’t believe me? Well, try these cookies out for yourself.

8. Edible Red Velvet Cookie Dough

Holiday Cookie Recipes cream sweet
Lindsay DeMunno

The red and white in this cookie makes it festive for the holiday season. And I suppose this technically, isn’t a cookie. But not only is this cookie dough is 100 percent safe to eat, it’s also delicious.  

9. 3-Ingredient Gingerbread Cookie Truffles

Treats cream dairy product
Elizabeth Philip

Gingerbread is a quintessential part of the holiday season. Re-vamp the traditional holiday cookie with these truffles.They’re not only melt-in-your-mouth good, but easy to eat.

10. Epic Funfetti Sugar Cookie Nachos

Holiday Cookie Recipes butter mousse
Elena Besser

These sugar cookie nachos are perfect larger holiday gatherings.  

#SpoonTrip: Use red and green, instead of rainbow sprinkles if you really want to get into the holiday spirit.

11. Snowman Oreos

Holiday Cookie Recipes sweet cake
Meg Browder

Turn your traditional Oreo cookies into snowmen. You can eat these cookies all winter long.

11. White Chocolate-Dipped Molasses Cookies

Holiday Cookie Recipes pastry milk
Abigail Wilkins

Soft and chewy, sweet and spicy. These white chocolate molasses cookies are the perfect addition to your night sitting by the fire.

12. Eggnog Cookies

Holiday Cookie Recipes honey cinnamon
Meg Browder

Nothing screams “holiday spirit” like a tall glass of eggnog. Transform the popular holiday drink into a cookie and embrace the holiday spirit.

13. Rugelach Cookies

Christmas Cookies cinnamon pastry
Amanda Shulman

Rugelach cookies have a buttery, flakey outside with a sweet fruity filling on the inside. These are perfect for any holiday gathering.

14. Avocado Chocolate Chip Cookies

Holiday Cookie Recipes muffin candy
Sydney Eakin

Avocado in a cookie may seem a little odd at first, but trust me, it’s worth it. These cookies come out a little bit more dense than your traditional chocolate chip cookie, but just as (or arguably more) delicious. 

#SpoonTip: Avocado is a great substitute for butter in many other recipes too.

15. Hot Chocolate Cookie

Nothing beats drinking a warm cup of hot chocolate on a chilly day. Nothing beats these hot chocolate cookies either.

16. Peppermint and Candy Cane-Dipped Oreos

Holiday Cookie Recipes chocolate strawberry
Maddy Nelson

Dipped Oreos are a great addition to your holiday cookie platter because they require minimal effort, but they look like you spent hours in the kitchen.  

17. Cookie Brittle

Holiday Cookie Recipes cake sweet
Hailey Maher

If you like your cookies crunchy, this is the recipe for you. It only requires one bowl, and a few ingredients. Aka you’ll have crunchy chocolate chip cookie brittle in no time.

18. Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Holiday Cookie Recipes cranberry pastry
Mackenzie Barth

Oatmeal cookies are a crowd-favorite. Spice up your traditional oatmeal cookie this holiday season with dried cranberries.  

19. Austrian Linzer Tart 

Holiday Cookie Recipes cream butter
Amanda Shulman

Linzer tarts are a traditional Austrian holiday cookie. They’re extremely versatile. When you make these use a cookie cutter to make them into different shapes such as a Christmas tree, snowflake, or a reindeer if you’re feeling #fancy.

20. Champagne and Strawberry Cookies

Holiday Cookie Recipes cake candy
Max Bartick

Celebrate the end of the year with a little bit of bubbly. Yes, these cookies have real champagne in them. And they have real strawberries in them too because #health.

21. Kitchen Sink Cookie

Holiday Cookie Recipes sweet
Sara Rukeyser

If you haven’t heard of a kitchen sink cookie, you’re missing out. Essentially, kitchen sink cookies are a mix of everything in the kitchen (aside from the sink). They’re a great way to clear out a cluttered pantry.  Substitute the traditional M&M’s for the for holiday red and green kind and you’ve got a salty and sweet holiday cookie that can’t be beat.

22. Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

vegetarian meal prep chocolate
Santina Renzi

These cookies will surely satisfy your chocolate cravings. Plus, they’re vegan aka you can eat all the dough you want without fearing for salmonella poisoning. Sounds like a win to me.

23. Double Chocolate Avocado Cookies

Holiday Cookie Recipes cake coffee
Katherine Baker

Yes, another cookie which uses avocado. But thanks to the avocado these cookies are filled with tons of healthy fats, protein, and iron. That means you can eat as many as you’d like, right?

24. Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies (With a Twist)

Holiday Cookie Recipes pastry candy
Analiese Trimber

Who says that gluten-free goods have to taste bad? These peanut butter cookies are the salty and sweet, gluten-free goody that you never knew you needed.

25. Magic Carpet Cookie

Holiday Cookie Recipes chocolate
Dara Ades

This oat-based cookie is a healthier alternative to your traditional cookies. But even though they’re healthy, they still taste pretty damn good.

26. Ooey Gooey Marshmallow Cookies

Holiday Cookie Recipes bread goody
Brooke Hamroff

Though its unlikely you’ll be sitting around the campfire in the wintertime, these marshmallow cookies bring back nostalgic feels of sitting around the campfire right to your home fireplace.

27. White Chocolate Matcha Cookies

Holiday Cookie Recipes dairy product sweet
Vernell Dunams

Whether you’re a matcha person, a cookie person or both, you’re going to love these cookies. They’re light and fluffy cookies, and everything you could ever imagine from a green tea-based cookie.

28. Nutella-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Traditional chocolate chip cookies just aren’t enough. Stuff them with Nutella. Sprinkle with sea salt. Bam, now that’s a cookie worth talking about.

29. 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

From the outside, these cookies look awfully plain. But once you take a bite you’ll discover the rich peanut butter flavor (and you’ll eat the entire batch).

30. Chocolate Brownie Cookies

Imagine this: the delicious structure of a cookie meets the rich chocolatey goodness of a brownie. Sound good? Now, make these and make the #Brookie happen.

31. Oreo Cheesecake Cookies

Holiday Cookie Recipes cake sweet
Steven Shaltiel

These cookies encompass the sheer brilliance shared between cheesecake and Oreos. Enough said. 

Casey Twomey

Bucknell '19

Wishes every day was Taco Tuesday