Christmas Cookies for Kids

Updated October 30, 2009

From yummy cookie flavors to fun decorating ideas, here are the best kid-friendly cookies.

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Wreath Cookies

Credit: Oxmoor House

Wreath Cookies Recipe

Take a snack your kids love, like shredded wheat cereal, and transform it into a cookie dream come true. Melted vanilla candy holds the crispy wheat together. Let the little helpers in the kitchen adorn the wreaths with any on-hand candies that you have.

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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, and tint the frosting with food color paste.

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Peanut Butter Crunch Cookies

Credit: Sang An

Peanut Butter Crunch Cookies Recipe

Add extra crunch to your peanut butter cookies by including chopped peanuts and a secret ingredient: crispy rice cereal. They're salty, sweet, crunchy, soft, and oh-so delicious.

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Gingerbread People Cookies

Credit: BECKY LUIGART-STAYNER

Gingerbread People Cookies Recipe

Get creative in the kitchen with the help of a little homemade icing. Let the kids make a cookie version of themselves or a favorite family member. Make extras so you can save a few for decoration and still enjoy a tummy full of cookie.

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Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Credit: William Dickey; Styling: Rose Nguyen

Chocolate Sugar Cookies Recipe

Spend a fun afternoon decorating cookies. Start at a craft or kitchen supply store and let kids select a favorite cookie cutter. Think outside the holiday box. You may just invent the first holiday butterfly angel.

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Silver Bells Cookies

Credit: Formula Z/S

Silver Bells Cookies Recipe

Want to know a secret? Once decorated, store-bought cookie dough can look completely homemade. If you're short on time, bake the cookies according to package directions, then top with glistening silver candies.

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Gingerbread Sailors and Mermaids

Credit: Jim Franco; Styling: Rebecca Donnelly

Gingerbread Sailors and Mermaids Recipe

Decorate with icing, sprinkles, and dragées for a sweet and spicy coastal treat!

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Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies

Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Buffy Hargett

Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies Recipe

Don't let your eyes fool you – these "candies" are anything but. Roll red and white dough into a colorful spiral then top with delicious peppermint frosting. Package the treats and send with the kids to school for a holiday gift for friends or favorite teachers.

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Christmas Cookie Puzzles

Credit: Alison Miksch; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Christmas Cookie Puzzles Recipe

Choose cutters with simple shapes; they're easier to handle and less likely to break. If you want to make small puzzles, cut dough into 4-inch squares, and use a single cookie cutter to punch out the center of each square while still hot from the oven.

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Snowflake Shortbread

Credit: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Buffy Hargett

Snowflake Shortbread Recipe

Top with sparkling sugar so these shortbread cookies glisten like snowflakes.

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Cookie Press Sandwiches

Credit: Alison Miksch; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Cookie Press Sandwiches Recipe

Pick your favorite filling for this classic sandwich cookie: We tested with peppermint, orange, and lemon extracts and used food coloring to match each flavor.

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Sugar Cookies

Sugar Cookies Recipe

Sugar cookies are the perfect backdrop for delicious flavors. Try any of the varieties that come with this recipe: Chocolate Kiss, Peanut Butter Cup, Lemon, or Lemon Thumbprint. Whichever you choose, you're guaranteed rave reviews.

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