103 Hottest Holiday Cookies

By MyRecipes
Updated October 22, 2018
Credit: Formula Z/S

Our top holiday cookies are gorgeous, delicious, and guaranteed show stoppers at any cookie swap or holiday party. Whip up a batch or two of these holiday cookies for teachers, hostess gifts, coworkers, or for your family to enjoy on a cozy night in. Drop cookies, meringues, traditional holiday cookies, cut outs, bars, balls, and bonbons all make their way into our top rated holiday cookie list, so browse, drool, and pick your favorite to bake this holiday season. Don't forget to pick a special one for Santa!

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Iced Sugar Cookies

Credit: Romulo Yanes; Styling: Sarah Smart

Iced Sugar Cookies Recipe

Decorate with dragée (sometimes called sugar pearls), gold or silver dust, and coarse or sparkling sugar.

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Maple-Walnut Spice Cookies

Credit: Jan Smith

Maple-Walnut Spice Cookies Recipe

Spices like cloves and cinnamon balance with maple syrup to make a cookie that tastes like the holidays. Spread on some maple frosting and top with walnuts for a very special cookie.

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Chai Tea Eggnog Cookies

Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Caroline Murphey

Chai Tea Eggnog Cookies Recipe

Rich eggnog and spicy chai make the perfect pairing for this cookie. Use a little eggnog, powdered sugar, and nutmeg to make a simple glaze.

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Autumn Maple Cutout Cookies

Credit: Howard L. Puckett; Styling: Lydia Degaris-Pursell

Autumn Maple Cutout Cookies Recipe

Maple syrup gives these cookies a subtle sweet flavor. Spice them up with cinnamon and nutmeg, and top with toasted walnuts.

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Chocolate Chip Meringues

Credit: James Carrier

Chocolate Chip Meringues Recipe

Bite-sized frothy meringues studded with chocolate bits are a wonderful treat for this holiday season.

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Raspberry Linzer Cookies

Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross

Raspberry Linzer Cookies Recipe

Crunchy almond cookies make a beautiful frame for sweet raspberry preserves. Dust with powdered sugar for a snowy holiday look.

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Orange-Walnut Tassies

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Orange-Walnut Tassies Recipe

Flaky cream cheese dough makes the perfect nest for a sweet orange and walnut filling.

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Christmas Cookies 4 Ways

Christmas Cookies 4 Ways Recipe

Love having choices? Then this recipe is for you. Stick with classic sugar cookies, or add spices, lemon zest, or cocoa for fun variations. Cut the dough into lovely holiday shapes and decorate with Royal Icing for a truly original cookie.

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Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies

Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Buffy Hargett

Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies Recipe

Rolling red and plain-colored dough gives these cookies their fun look. Sandwich them together with a layer of peppermint-cream cheese frosting.

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Toffee-Chocolate Chip Shortbread

Credit: Ryan Benyi; Styling: Lynn Miller

Toffee-Chocolate Chip Shortbread Recipe

Jazz up traditional shortbread with luscious bits of chocolate and salty toffee.

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Rocky Road Brownies

Credit: James Carrier

Rocky Road Brownies Recipe

Mini marshmallows melt into this walnut-topped brownie during baking, giving it a gooey, fudgy texture.

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Chocolate Peppermint Patty Cookies

Credit: Leigh Beisch; Styling: Dan Becker

Chocolate Peppermint Patty Cookies Recipe

Slather on the peppermint frosting when you make these cookie sandwiches and then roll the edges in crushed peppermint candy.

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Butterscotch Bars

Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Jan Gautro

Butterscotch Bars Recipe

Condensed milk and butterscotch morsels melt together to make a gooey center for these streusel topped bars.

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Cranberry-White Chocolate Cookies

Credit: William Dickey; Styling: Lisa Powell Bailey

Cranberry-White Chocolate Cookies Recipe

Fans of classic cookies will love these simple confections accented with dried cranberries and gooey white chocolate.

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Chocolate Chip Blondies

Chocolate Chip Blondies Recipe

Put a twist on classic blondie bars by adding chocolate morsels and baking them in muffin tins.

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Louisiana Pecan Balls

Credit: Quentin Bacon

Louisiana Pecan Balls Recipe

These cookies are simple to make and ready in less than an hour. Dust with a little cinnamon or cocoa powder for a pretty presentation.

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Coconut-Cranberry Chews

Credit: James Carrier

Coconut-Cranberry Chews Recipe

We love the mix of coconut, red cranberries and zesty orange in these chewy delights.

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Hello Dolly Bars

Credit: Oxmoor House

Hello Dolly Bars Recipe

Also called Seven Layer Bars, this treat combines coconut, chocolate morsels, pecans, butterscotch bits and graham crackers into a sticky-sweet delight.

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Luscious Lemon Bars

Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Kacy Carroll

Luscious Lemon Bars Recipe

A crumbly, butter cookie bottom is the perfect partner to smooth lemon filling and powdered sugar.

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Rudolph's Christmas Sugar Cookies

Credit: Ralph Anderson; Mindi Shapiro Levine

Rudolph's Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe

These reindeer come together in a snap when you use refrigerated cookie dough. Carefully break or cut pretzels for antlers and make Rudolph come to life with chocolate candies for eyes and a Red hot for his nose.

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Peppermint Bonbon Cookies

Peppermint Bonbon Cookies Recipe

This decadent holiday combination pairs a soft and chewy chocolate cookie with crunchy peppermint candy on top. These gems are great plain or try them with a double glaze.

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Salted Caramel Brownies

Credit: Francesco Tonelli; Styling: Philippa Brathwaite

Salted Caramel Brownies Recipe

With their rich, indulgent flavors, these layered brownies are a definite crowd-pleaser.

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Pumpkin Cream Sandwiches

Credit: Beatriz Da Costa

Pumpkin Cream Sandwiches Recipe

These moist pumpkin cookies are wonderful plain or sandwiched with cream cheese filling.

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Christmas Sugar Wafers with Vanilla Icing

Christmas Sugar Wafers with Vanilla Icing Recipe

Try a variety of cookie cutters for a beautifully festive presentation.

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White Chocolate-Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies

Credit: Oxmoor House

White Chocolate-Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies Recipe

Put a twist on classic oatmeal raisin cookies by adding white chocolate morsels and a bit of orange extract.

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Banana-Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross

Banana-Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Mashed banana adds rich flavor and moistness to these cookies.

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Cappuccino Blossoms

Credit: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Buffy Hargett

Cappuccino Blossoms Recipe

These coffee and almond cookies topped with chocolate kisses are easy enough to make that your children can help you prepare them.

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Chocolate-Dipped Almond Meringues

Chocolate-Dipped Almond Meringues Recipe

Crispy, light almond meringues get a special touch when you dip them in semisweet chocolate.

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Buttery Lemon Squares

Credit: James Carrier

Buttery Lemon Squares Recipe

Bake up a dreamy lemon custard with a crumbly crust for a treat at your next holiday party.

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Raspberry Shortbread Sandwiches

Credit: James Carrier

Raspberry Shortbread Sandwiches Recipe

Diamond-shaped cutouts add elegance to these beautiful jam-filled cookies.

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Hazelnut-Chocolate Biscotti

Credit: Ralph Anderson; William Dickey; Lisa Powell Bailey, Buffey Hargett; Vanessa McNeil Rocchio

Hazelnut-Chocolate Biscotti Recipe

This crunchy cookie gets its rich flavor from two kinds of chocolate candy bars and hazelnut liqueur.

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Brownie Cookies

Credit: Oxmoor House

Brownie Cookies Recipe

You'll love how these scrumptious double-chocolate cookies are similar in texture to thick and fudgy brownies.

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Maple-Date Bars

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Maple-Date Bars Recipe

Two layers of crumbly oatmeal topping sandwich a layer of sweet dates in these super moist bars.

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Peppermint-topped Brownies

Credit: Leigh Beisch

Peppermint-topped Brownies Recipe

Get ready to indulge! These brownies have three decadent layers: moist brownie, chocolate ganache, and a beautiful layer of peppermint candy. Several reviewers recommended using WalMart’s candies, as they melt the best. If you don’t love peppermint, try topping the ganache with nuts, marshmallows, or coconut.

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