12 Must-Bake Holiday Cookies That Are Sure To Become Your Family’s New Favorite

Welcome to Day 9 of our 12 days of cookies Christmas Cookie Collection for 2024. Before I get to today’s cookie roundup, I wanted to point you to an article I just wrote that will help you with your cookie baking. It’s all about cooking spray alternatives. Once you try them, you’ll never reach for Pam again.

A festive grid with pictures of various cookies, including cake mix, cowboy, kiss, and sugar cookies, among others.

Red and Green Cake Mix Cookies

Four festive cookies made from cake mix, adorned with red and green sprinkles, rest on a white platter with holiday decorations shimmering in the background. — Red and Green Cake Mix Christmas Cookies. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Red and Green Cake Mix Cookies are my go-to for a quick, festive treat. They’re soft, colorful, and so easy to make, perfect for holiday cookie swaps or last-minute parties.
Get the recipe: Red and Green Cake Mix Cookies

Cowboy Cookies

Three cookies with chocolate chunks and pecans on a sheet of parchment paper. — Cowboy Cookies. Photo credit: Little House Big Alaska.

Cowboy Cookies are packed with everything I love—oats, chocolate chips and pecans. They’re hearty, chewy and perfect when I’m in the mood for a classic cookie with a little extra flair.
Get the recipe: Cowboy Cookies

Secret Kiss Cookies

Cookies dusted with powdered sugar on a plate; one is halved, revealing a chocolate filling. Two foil-wrapped chocolates are nearby. — Secret Kiss Cookies. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Secret Kiss Cookies are full of surprises. Actually, they are full of a single chocolate Hershey kiss inside the buttery dough, that makes every bite a fun and delicious discovery.
Get the recipe: Secret Kiss Cookies

Bourbon Balls with White Chocolate

A black plate with round cookies coated in powdered sugar and shredded coconut on a textured gray surface. — Bourbon Balls with White Chocolate. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

These Bourbon Balls with White Chocolate are no-bake treats that combine the bold flavor of bourbon with creamy white chocolate for a sophisticated holiday treat.
Get the recipe: Bourbon Balls with White Chocolate

Strawberry Lemonade Cookies

Close-up of cookies with a dollop of red jam in the center, resting on a cooling rack. — Strawberry Lemonade Cookies. Photo credit: Urban Farmie.

Strawberry Lemonade Cookies are a refreshing twist on a sweet treat. The bright citrusy flavor pairs perfectly with the sweet strawberry. They remind me of another favorite treat, the Linzer torte cookies.
Get the recipe: Strawberry Lemonade Cookies

No-Bake “Reindeer Poop” Cookies

Three chocolate oat cookies stacked with parchment paper between them on a wooden surface. — No-Bake “Reindeer Poop” Cookies. Photo credit: Honest and Truly.

These No-Bake “Reindeer Poop” Cookies are as fun to make as their name suggests. With their chewy texture and rich chocolate flavor, they’re always a playful hit with kids and grown-ups alike.
Get the recipe: No-Bake “Reindeer Poop” Cookies

Triple Ginger Cookies

Several stacks of sugar-coated cookies sit on a cooling rack, with knitted white and orange pumpkins in the background. — Triple Ginger Cookies. Photo credit: One Hot Oven.

Triple Ginger Cookies are made with fresh ginger, ground ginger and candied ginger — thus the “triple” in the cookie name. They’re bold, flavorful and irresistibly chewy.
Get the recipe: Triple Ginger Cookies

Dark Chocolate Amaretto Fudge Cookies

A plate with a pile of chocolate cookies on a textured, clear glass dish. — Dark Chocolate Amaretto Fudge Cookies. Photo credit: Running to the Kitchen.

These Dark Chocolate Amaretto Fudge Cookies combine the richness of dark chocolate with the subtle almond flavor of amaretto for a sophisticated, melt-in-your-mouth treat.
Get the recipe: Dark Chocolate Amaretto Fudge Cookies

Chocolate Covered Ritz Crackers

Chocolate-covered cookies with colorful sprinkles, including red, green, and yellow stars, are stacked in a pile. — Chocolate Covered Ritz Crackers. Photo credit: Southern Food and Fun.

Sweet and salty meet in these Chocolate Covered Ritz Crackers. The buttery crunch of the cracker paired with smooth chocolate makes them a simple yet addictive snack I love sharing.
Get the recipe: Chocolate Covered Ritz Crackers

Lemon Coconut Macaroons

A stack of coconut macaroons on parchment paper next to a sliced lemon, surrounded by more macaroons. — Lemon Coconut Macaroons. Photo credit: All Ways Delicious.

These Lemon Coconut Macaroons are light, chewy, and full of bright citrus flavor. They’re a perfect balance of tangy and sweet, making them one of my favorite treats for Chanukah.
Get the recipe: Lemon Coconut Macaroons

Crumbl Chocolate Cake Cookies

Close-up of a chocolate cookie with swirled chocolate frosting on top, placed on a white surface. — Crumbl Chocolate Cake Cookies. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

Crumbl Chocolate Cake Cookies are like biting into a rich, fudgy slice of chocolate cake. As a self-proclaimed chocolate lover, these are one of my favorite cookies ever.
Get the recipe: Crumbl Chocolate Cake Cookies

Soft Sugar Cookies

Christmas-themed cookies with green icing and sprinkled decorations, shaped like trees and stars, placed on a plate. — Soft Sugar Cookies. PHoto credit: Real Life of Lulu.

Soft Sugar Cookies are a timeless classic. Their tender texture and sweet, buttery flavor make them perfect for decorating or enjoying just as they are.
Get the recipe: Soft Sugar Cookies

Colorful pinwheel cookies with red, green, and white swirls, edged with multicolored sprinkles, stacked on a white surface. — Christmas Pinwheel Cookies. Photo credit: One Hot Oven.

This is a recap of Day 1 of our 12 days of cookies Christmas Cookie Collection for 2024. On each of the next 12 days, we will be highlighting a dozen different cookies you may want to make this year for your annual cookie exchange or another holiday celebration.
Get the recipe: 12 Holiday Cookies That Will Make You the Undisputed Champion of Cookie Swaps

Frosted cookies topped with crushed peppermint candies on parchment paper. — Peppermint Sugar Cookies. Photo credit: Little House Big Alaska.

Today’s roundup is actually a baker’s dozen — or 13 — holiday treats for Day 2 of the 12 days of Christmas cookies. Of course, I’m sharing a dozen unique cookie recipes. Plus, I’ve added in an extra holiday treat.
Get the recipe: 13 Holiday Treats That Will Steal the Show

Gingerbread cookies decorated with white icing are placed on festive paper. — Gingerbread Cookies Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

Here is a recap of Day 3 of the 12 days of Christmas cookies. In today’s roundup, you’ll find everything from classic gingerbreads cookies to gluten-free options, if that’s something you need.
Get the recipe: 12 Holiday Cookie Recipes So Good

12 Holiday Cookies That Will Make You Forget the Store-Bought Stuff Forever

Three decorated cookies with blue icing, topped with small frosting Christmas trees and white snow-like dots, on a white plate. — Air Fryer Gingerbread Cookies. Photo credit: Little House Big Alaska.

Welcome to Day 4 of the 12 days of Christmas cookies. In this roundup, we’ve included a recipe on how to make cookies in the air fryer, yes, the air fryer. I’m confident these dozen recipes will get you off of store-bought cookies forever.
Get the recipe: 12 Holiday Cookies That Will Make You Forget the Store-Bought Stuff Forever

A round chocolate treat decorated like an owl, with candy eyes, a red candy nose, and white candy details, sits on a plaid tablecloth in front of more similar treats on a plate. — No Bake Penguin Cookies Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

This is the cookie roundup from Day 5 of the 12 days of Christmas cookies. We featured some really fun shapes of cookies on this day, including reindeer cookies as well as no-bake penguin cookies.
Get the recipe: From Penguins to Reindeer 12 Holiday Cookie Shapes You’re Sure to Love

12 Delicious Holiday Cookies From Pink to Green and Everything In Between

A variety of decorated Christmas cookies, featuring frosting, sprinkles, chocolate candies, and jam, arranged in a festive box. — Air Fryer Christmas Cookies. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Welcome to Day 6 of our 12 days of cookies Christmas Cookie Collection for 2024. Today’s roundup includes holiday cookies in shades of pink and green and everything in between. They’re so festive.
Get the recipe: 12 Delicious Holiday Cookies From Pink to Green and Everything In Between

One Dozen Delicious Holiday Cookies You Need to Bake This Season

Four reindeer-shaped treats made from cookies with pretzel antlers, black eyes, and red candy noses. — Reindeer Cookie Pops. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

Welcome to Day 7 of our 12 days of cookies Christmas Cookie Collection for 2024. I’m confident that this collection of a dozen delicious holiday cookies will leave you drooling. Also, if you ever run out of sugar while baking, this article provides info on 9 sugar substitutes.
Get the recipe: One Dozen Delicious Holiday Cookies You Need to Bake This Season

Close-up of a chocolate cookie on a cooling rack, topped with a swirl of melted chocolate. — Andes Mint Cookies. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Welcome to Day 8 of our 12 days of cookies Christmas Cookie Collection for 2024. Some of today’s cookies include store-bought ingredients that you might not think about when making cookies. This includes boxed cake mix, Nutella, Andes mints and corn flakes.
Get the recipe: 12 Holiday Cookies Guaranteed to Satisfy Your Inner Cookie Monster