On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: a plate full of festive cookies!
It's the perfect time of year to bake big batches of cookies to give out to friends and family, teachers, or coworkers. And sure, you could just go out and buy a roll of chocolate chip cookie dough, but what would be the fun in that? We've chosen the 12 most festive cookie recipes we could find to bring extra cheer to your holiday season. Some are easy to make, while others require some artistry, but the results are always delicious, so treat yourself!
Spicy Gingerbread Men
Not only are these cookies fun to decorate, but they're also packed with seasonally appropriate spices, like nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and cinnamon. See the full recipe at SweetestMenu.
Red Velvet Peanut Butter Blossoms
We love this holiday twist on the classic Hershey Kiss cookie. These have the same peanut butter and chocolate flavors you've been craving but are made with red gel food coloring and red sanding sugar. See the full recipe at I Am Baker.
Santa's Trash Cookies
Give Santa a plate of cookies loaded with trash this year! Okay, not literally. But these cookies have tons of sweet odds and ends to make them look like a trash bag full of holiday wrapping paper. Ingredients include crushed potato chips, pretzels, chocolate chips, and red and green sprinkles. See the full recipe at Delish.
Gluten-Free Stained Glass Cookies
Not only are these cookies gorgeous to look at, but they're also easy to make and free of gluten. You'll use Jolly Ranchers for the stained glass effect. See the full recipe at glutenfreeonashoestring.
Eggnog Meltaways
These cookies won't get you drunk, but they do have flavors of rum and bourbon to get you into the spirit of things. There aren't eggs either, and you can use a butter substitute to make this vegan. See the full recipe at Food Network.
Peppermint Pattie-Stuffed Chocolate Cookies
Surprise! These aren't your grandma's chocolate chip cookies—unless your grandma also stuffed hers with actual candy. These are also topped with red and green sprinkles for a festive look. See the full recipe at Delish.
Neapolitan Holiday Cookies
We love the holiday colors in these cookies, and flavors of raspberry and apricot jam. They're even topped with dark chocolate. See the full recipe at Food Network.
Snowflake Macarons
If you need a break from red and green, try making these winter-themed cookies. They're filled with a homemade white chocolate ganache filling (YUM!), and they're gluten-free. See the full recipe at Duhlicious.
Lemon Thyme Coin Cookies
Made with fresh thyme leaves and lemon zest, these cookies are full of unique flavor. See the full recipe at Good Housekeeping.
Zebra-Striped Shortbread Cookies
This twist on the classic shortbread cookie combines vanilla and chocolate for the best of both worlds. When you're done baking, you can cover the edges in red and green sanding sugar for a festive look. See the full recipe at Bon Appetit.
Eggnog Frosted Snickerdoodle Snowmen
The flavors in this recipe combine to create something extra special. These cookies are loaded with chai spices and topped with a homemade frosting made with actual eggnog. See the full recipe at Half Baked Harvest.
Raspberry Rugelach
These sweet and tart cookies are made using cream cheese, orange zest, jam, and freeze-dried raspberries. They also look like a work of art. See the full recipe at Bon Appetit.
