100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (2024)

Table of Contents
Sparkling Gingerbread Stars Pistachio and White Chocolate Cookie Bark Hazelnut Macaroon Thumbprints Brown Butter Jam Tarts Chai-Flavored Snowball Cookies Mint Chocolate Cookie Bars Chocolate Peppermint Shortbreads Chewy Chocolate Brownies Recipe Chocolate-Peppermint Cookies Gingerbread Men and Women Pumpkin Cream Puffs Pine Nut Drops Nutella Cones With Hazelnut Praline Chocolate Bark With Dried Fruit and Spices The Best Sugar Cookie Strawberry Dust Meringues Chewy Gingersnaps Make-Ahead Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bars Simple Sugar Cookies Chocolate Linzer Cookies Chocolate “Salami” With Hazelnuts and Figs Pumpkin Caramel Pie Bars With Toasted Coconut Salty-Sweet Chunkers Raspberry-Almond Crumb Bars Gingerbread Latte Whoopie Pie Salted Oatmeal Cookies With Dark Chocolate Chocolate Pecan Fudge Balls Chewy Salted Brown Butterscotch Cookies White Chocolate Chunk Ginger Cookies Mini S'mores Cookie Cups Brownie Batter Babka Bites Chocolate-Cherry Biscotti Cardamom Bun Cookies Peppermint Checkerboard Cookies Jam Sandwich Cookies Glazed Lemon Cookies Apple Rugelach Marbled Cookies Break and Bake Kitchen Sink Cookies Buckeyes Cashew Gingersnaps Triple Chocolate Cookies Cranberry Cacao Nib Brownies Peanut Butter Cup Brownies Shortbread Wedges Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Brownies Chocolate-Drizzled Shortbread Chocolate Chip Cookies Chocolate Banana Bites Apricot-Macadamia Chocolate Chip Cookies Sugared Pecan Balls Dark Chocolate Truffles M&M Popcorn Balls Salty Coffee Toffee Bars No-Bake Seed and Nut Bars Banana Pudding Pie Bars With Meringue Almond Biscotti Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti With White Chocolate Chocolate-Cherry Biscotti Chocolate Chocolate-Chunk Cookies Chickpea "Cookie Dough" Bites Cookies and Cream Crispy Treats Marshmallow and Chocolate Shortbread Slices Peanut Butter Cookies Chocolate-Oat-Date Bars No-Bake Almond Butter Thumbprints Gingerbread Truffles Gingerbread and Chocolate Sandwiches Hermit Bars Chocolate Chip Pecan Blondies Dark Chocolate Coconut Tartlets Coconut Macaroons Lemony Almond Macaroons Chocolate Chip Meringue Kisses Old-Fashioned Gingerbread Men Raspberry-Almond Linzer Cookies Raspberry and Honey Marshmallows Chewy Spice Cookies Cinnamon-Sugar Cookies Slice-and-Bake Lemon Shortbread Lemon Bars Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons Shortcut Palmiers Jammy Pastries Angeletti Cookies Chocolate Crinkles Pecan Sandies Chewy Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies Chocolate Ganache Sandwiches Potato Chip Crispy Treats No-Bake Apricot and Oat Nuggets No-Bake Lemon Chia Date Bars Raspberry Pinwheels Churros With Chocolate Sauce Pumpkin Cream Sandwiches Raspberry S'mores Chocolate Rice Crispy Treats Pecan Logs Chocolate Espresso Truffles Tahini S’mores Blondies FAQs References

There's no such thing as too much at Christmas, so we gathered our favorite recipes to stuff you to the gills with tasty holiday treats for gift exchanges, office holiday parties, school celebrations, and family gatherings.

With literally dozens of recipes perfect for the holiday season—from classic cookies to giftable bars to delectable bites—they are sure to satisfy every sweet tooth. They also span a range of skill levels, cooking times, and ingredients, making it a breeze to find just the right treat for you.

The real challenge here is picking just one treat to bake this season, but who says you can only choose one? You're bound to find a handful to enjoy (and share, if you want), so set up some Christmas movies on Netflix, tie up your apron, and get baking. You'll probably find that filling your cookie jar is a whole lot easier than checking off your list of Christmas gifts.

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Sparkling Gingerbread Stars

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (1)

Who says gingerbread cookies can only be shaped like people? These stunning gingerbread stars are dipped in a glaze and then sprinkled with sparkling sugar, giving them a truly stellar look. Expect notes of cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves in each delightful cookie.

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Pistachio and White Chocolate Cookie Bark

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (2)

Chocolate bark is a holiday favorite, and this version is no exception. This snow-like treat boasts a pistachio cookie base that’s topped with white chocolate studded with pistachio and freeze-dried raspberry pieces. If those festive toppings don’t sound appealing, experiment with others. Sprinkles, coconut flakes, or chopped dried fruit would also work well here.

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03of 100

Hazelnut Macaroon Thumbprints

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (3)

Part macaroon and part thumbprint cookie, these confections are ideal for Hanukkah, but would also feel quite at home in any cookie spread. Each one sports a Nutella center that’s surrounded by a base that includes finely chopped hazelnuts and coconut. Speaking of coconut, go ahead and use it as a topping to tie the whole dessert together.

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Brown Butter Jam Tarts

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (4)

Tired of holiday cookies? Try these holiday tarts instead. These individual desserts feature a brown butter cookie shell that contrasts beautifully with the juicy and sweet strawberry jam in the center. When baking, use muffin liners. That way, each tart will be easy to remove from the muffin pan when ready.

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Chai-Flavored Snowball Cookies

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (5)

Since these masala chai-inspired cookies are loaded with warm spices, they’re the perfect winter indulgence. Each colorful cookie is spiced with cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper. The vibrant exterior is courtesy of gel food coloring and plenty of powdered sugar for a snowy look.

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Mint Chocolate Cookie Bars

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (6)

If you love the combination of mint and chocolate, these flavorful cookie bars are for you. In this recipe, a chocolatey and fudgy cookie sandwiches peppermint candy-flecked buttercream, and the whole thing is topped with a luscious chocolate ganache. We’re making these ASAP!

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Chocolate Peppermint Shortbreads

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (7)

Double chocolate plus peppermint? That's a recipe for holiday cookie success! This one spikes cocoa-infused shortbread dough with just a hint of peppermint extract. Serve with hot cocoa or eggnog for a festive pairing.

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08of 100

Chewy Chocolate Brownies Recipe

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (8)

Don't get us wrong: There's absolutely nothing wrong with a basic chewy chocolate brownie. But to upgrade this recipe for the perfect holiday treat, dress these cooled brownies with a layer of melted white chocolate and then top with chopped peppermint candies.

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09of 100

Chocolate-Peppermint Cookies

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (9)

Don't feel like baking but still want to serve something homemade? These no-bake cookies are just the thing. Even better, you can make them a day ahead.

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10of 100

Gingerbread Men and Women

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (10)

A holiday cookie platter just isn't the same without a few cheerful gingerbread people. While almost too cute too eat, their ginger, cinnamon, and molasses flavors make it hard to stop nibbling.

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Pumpkin Cream Puffs

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (11)

Pumpkin pie is so last month. These sophisticated puffs—classic choux pastries stuffed with pumpkin-flavored cream—take pumpkin desserts to the next level.

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Pine Nut Drops

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (12)

Not lucky enough to have an Italian grandmother? These classic Italian cookies—which are easy, fun to make, and don't require a lot of ingredients—will make any nonna's holiday table proud.

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13of 100

Nutella Cones With Hazelnut Praline

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (13)

For an entry that stars at the holiday bake sale, look no further. These are a decadent Nutella-lover's dream, but we think even non-chocoholics will swoon for them.

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14of 100

Chocolate Bark With Dried Fruit and Spices

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (14)

If a chocolate bar and a fruitcake had a baby, it would be this no-bake treat: rich chocolate bark studded with dried fruit and dusted with spices.

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15of 100

The Best Sugar Cookie

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (15)

This classic recipe will satisfy all your holiday-cookie-decorating wants and needs. These not-too-sweet treats hold up to decorative icing, but are incredibly satisfying all on their own.

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16of 100

Strawberry Dust Meringues

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (16)

There's a lot to love about a great meringue cookie—a crisp outer shell and gooey soft interior, to start. For this one, we add a dusting of strawberry powder for festive holiday color.

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17of 100

Chewy Gingersnaps

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (17)

These spicy cookies, which sit right at the intersection of chewy and crispy, epitomize holiday flavor with a mix of ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon. What's more, baking a batch or two provides the most festive aromatherapy session you could possibly imagine.

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Make-Ahead Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bars

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (18)

Healthful ingredients is not something you expect from a Christmas treat recipe, so this one exceeds expectations. These no-bake bars are so hearty and satisfying, you won't feel guilty eating one (or several!) for breakfast.

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Simple Sugar Cookies

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (19)

Yes, it's another sugar cookie recipe, but can you ever have too many sugar cookies? Cut out and decorate these basic-but-tasty cookies any way you please.

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Chocolate Linzer Cookies

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (20)

These sandwich cookies not only look bakery-worthy, they're totally delicious. Make them your go-to gifting cookie for the holiday season and you're sure to win rave reviews.

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21of 100

Chocolate “Salami” With Hazelnuts and Figs

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (21)

These rich, eye-catching charcuterie imposters couldn't be simpler to make. To further the illusion, wrap the "links" in festive paper for a surprising, no-bake gift.

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22of 100

Pumpkin Caramel Pie Bars With Toasted Coconut

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (22)

Is it a bar cookie or pie? Who cares? They offer the taste of the holidays without the hassle of a finicky pie crust.

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23of 100

Salty-Sweet Chunkers

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (23)

We loaded these aboslutely delicious sweet-and-salty cookies with mini marshmallows, white chocolate chips, chopped chocolate mints, and pretzels.

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Raspberry-Almond Crumb Bars

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (24)

This not-yet-classic bar cookie layers raspberry preserves atop an almond crumb crust, and then is topped with more almonds. Just seven ingredients and 10 minutes of prep yields loads of happy holidaymakers.

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25of 100

Gingerbread Latte Whoopie Pie

For this holiday confection, we sandwich an espresso-flavored cream cheese filling between soft gingerbread-flavored cookies. If you pair this with an actual gingerbread latte, would that be too much of a good thing? We didn't think so either.

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Salted Oatmeal Cookies With Dark Chocolate

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (26)

We stuff these pillowy oatmeal cookies with coarsely chopped dark chocolate chunks, and then sprinkle with flaky sea salt, making each bite the perfect mouthful of salty and sweet.

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27of 100

Chocolate Pecan Fudge Balls

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (27)

This technically isn't a cookie or bar, but it certainly qualifies as a bite! Preparation of these delectable no-bake treats is easy and kid-friendly.

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28of 100

Chewy Salted Brown Butterscotch Cookies

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (28)

This is just like a chocolate chip cookie recipe, except it uses butterscotch feves instead of chips, has a little whole wheat flour for heartiness, and is topped with a dash of flakey salt. Come to think, it's way better than a chocolate chip cookie recipe.

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29of 100

White Chocolate Chunk Ginger Cookies

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (29)

The star of this recipe—ginger, in both ground and candied form—shines among chocolatey-molasses goodness. Bake two batches: one to share and one to keep for yourself.

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Mini S'mores Cookie Cups

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (30)

A campfire favorite meets Christmas in these these tiny treats. We stacked a Hershey’s kiss atop a warm, gooey marshmallow set on a graham cracker cookie crust to create this ultimate one-bite s’more.

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Brownie Batter Babka Bites

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (31)

This fusion of chocolate babka—that classic yeasty Eastern European loaf—with a brownie results in a not-to-sweet bite that will delight holiday revelers. Serve warm, straight from the oven, for maximum decadence.

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32of 100

Chocolate-Cherry Biscotti

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (32)

Studded with antioxidant-rich dried cherries, chopped chocolate, and toasted hazelnuts, this version is chock-full of tasty goodness. Feeling decadent? Dip one side of each cookie in melted chocolate.

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33of 100

Cardamom Bun Cookies

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (33)

Descendants of Swedish cardamom buns, these pinwheel cookies are reminiscent of a cinnamon roll but have a cardamom kick. A sweet cream-cheese glaze takes these bites over the top in appearance and flavor.

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34of 100

Peppermint Checkerboard Cookies

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (34)

What starts with a simple sugar-cookie dough ends up as a treat for your eyes and sweet tooth. Easier to make than you think, they'll wow everyone at the cookie swap and at home.

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Jam Sandwich Cookies

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (35)

A dusting of powdered sugar atop these buttery, jam-filled cookies creates a beautiful wintry effect.

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36of 100

Glazed Lemon Cookies

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (36)

If lemonade was a cookie, it would be this one. And while lemonade evokes images of swimming pools and picnics, no one at your holiday party will consider these tart-and-sweet bites out of season.

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37of 100

Apple Rugelach

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (37)

These make-ahead rugelach, which originated among Jewish communities in Poland, are equally festive at a Hanukkah spread or Christmas buffet. For variety, swap the apple filling with other jams like apricot, peach, or raspberry.

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Marbled Cookies

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (38)

These ethereal confections are perfect for Hanukkah, but you'll want to make them more than once a year. Top these slice-and-bake cookies with sanding sugar for a sparkly, snow-globe vibe.

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39of 100

Break and Bake Kitchen Sink Cookies

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (39)

This is essentially an oatmeal cookie on steroids, but what we love about it is you can mix up the mix-ins to suit the occasion (or your pantry). Since it's the holidays, we suggest dried cranberries, chopped peppermint candies, or pecans (with chocolate, of course!).

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40of 100

Buckeyes

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (40)

They may look like the seed from a tree native to Ohio, but these creamy-peanut-butter bites dipped in bittersweet chocolate are an irresistible indulgence.

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41of 100

Cashew Gingersnaps

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (41)

This recipe calls for adding cashews and candied ginger to a gingersnap cookie batter, which brings these tasty morsels a nutty crunch and extra-spicy kick.

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42of 100

Triple Chocolate Cookies

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (42)

Bittersweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, and semi-sweet chocolate chunks coalesce to give you this decadent, rich, decidedly chocolatey cookie.

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43of 100

Cranberry Cacao Nib Brownies

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (43)

Plump cranberries and cocoa nibs add tartness and eye-popping, holiday-appropriate color to these fabulously fudgy brownies.Sprinkle a few more nibs on top for extra crunch.

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44of 100

Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (44)

For a childhood take on standard brownies, this recipe calls for folding chopped mini peanut butter cups into the batter. Too delicious? Almost...

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45of 100

Shortbread Wedges

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (45)

Buttery shortbread makes a great gift because its firm texture transports well, but that doesn't mean you can't keep these for yourself.

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46of 100

Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Brownies

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (46)

Caution: This sweet trifecta of favorites is not for the faint of heart! Only the most dedicated dessert fans dare bite into its rich layers of fudgey brownie, creamy cheesecake, and whole Oreos.

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47of 100

Chocolate-Drizzled Shortbread

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (47)

Dress up a classic shortbread cookie with drizzled chocolate melted in the microwave.

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48of 100

Chocolate Chip Cookies

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (48)

There's always room for this crowd-pleasing classic on any holiday table. Wait, who are we kidding?... on any table, any time.

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49of 100

Chocolate Banana Bites

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (49)

This four-ingredient, no-bake, no-guilt treat features just chocolate, banana, almond butter, and a little salt. The hardest part about making them is waiting for them to harden in the freezer.

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50of 100

Apricot-Macadamia Chocolate Chip Cookies

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (50)

The unexpected combination of dried apricots, chopped macadamia nuts, and chocolate chips adds a fun twist to this cookie classic.

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51of 100

Sugared Pecan Balls

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (51)

Dusted with powdered sugar, these dainty snowball-like cookies pack a lot of flavor into every bite.

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52of 100

Dark Chocolate Truffles

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (52)

Use our recipe for dark chocolate truffles as a canvas for a myriad of variations. We provide instructions for Peanut Butter and Jelly, Earl Gray, Maple Pecan, and Cardamom Coconut, but feel free to create your own holiday-inspired concoctions.

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53of 100

M&M Popcorn Balls

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (53)

This sweet no-bake treat harnesses the perks of popcorn (hello, fiber!) and the crispy chocolatey goodness of M&Ms. This twist on the classic Rice Krispies treats is a great motivator to get little hands to help with Christmas baking.

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54of 100

Salty Coffee Toffee Bars

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (54)

Gift these gorgeous toffee bars in glass jars, clear candy bags, or include them in a cookie box. They're sure to bring joy.

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No-Bake Seed and Nut Bars

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (55)

No-bake and no-guilt—no joke! Almond butter, sesame seeds, pistachios, and dried apricots make these bars both sweet and substantial. And did we mention this recipe is versatile? Swap in any nut butter, nuts, or dried fruit you'd like. (Dare we add chocolate?)

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56of 100

Banana Pudding Pie Bars With Meringue

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (56)

This recipe layers a buttery Nilla Wafer crust with sliced bananas, homemade vanilla pudding, and more cookies, crowned with a mile-high meringue. It's a lot of steps, but so worth it.

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57of 100

Almond Biscotti

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (57)

Whole almonds and almond extract infuse these cookies with a double dose of almond goodness. Serve with our homemade caramel latte.

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58of 100

Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti With White Chocolate

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (58)

For a homemade gift on the fly, package these biscotti in a clear bag with all the chocolate-dipped tips aligned. And make sure to include a printout of the recipe, as giftees will be sure to ask.

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59of 100

Chocolate-Cherry Biscotti

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (59)

Studded with antioxidant-rich dried cherries, chopped chocolate, and toasted hazelnuts, this version is chock-full of tasty goodness.

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60of 100

Chocolate Chocolate-Chunk Cookies

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (60)

There's melted chocolate in the batter with chocolate chunks folded in—a chocoholic's delight.

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Chickpea "Cookie Dough" Bites

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (61)

Rolled oats and canned chickpeas form the basis of these spicy no-bake bites. Mix in pecans, cinnamon, and molasses for a whole-grain treat you can feel good about.

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62of 100

Cookies and Cream Crispy Treats

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (62)

We merged Oreo cookies with Rice Krispies treats for this sweet-and-salty, no-bake confection. With just 20 minutes of prep, it's fun and easy to make with kids.

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63of 100

Marshmallow and Chocolate Shortbread Slices

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (63)

A cross between a cookie and a candy bar, these fancy-looking sweets are surprisingly easy to make. Their secret ingredient: apricot preserves.

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Peanut Butter Cookies

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (64)

These flourless peanut butter cookies take just 30 minutes from start to finish.

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Chocolate-Oat-Date Bars

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (65)

There are so many reasons to gift these sweet treats. To start: They stand up to being shipped in the mail without breaking, and their date-and chocolate-chip center doesn't make them soggy.

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No-Bake Almond Butter Thumbprints

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (66)

The "no-bake" makes these easy, the strawberry jam makes them Christmas-y, and their secret ingredient (crushed pretzels!) makes them irresistible.

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67of 100

Gingerbread Truffles

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (67)

Spicy and rich, these truffles make the perfect homemade gift for the holidays. Place them in mini muffin cup liners to keep your gift box tidy.

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68of 100

Gingerbread and Chocolate Sandwiches

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (68)

Hot chocolate doesn't always have to be sipped. Here we sandwich hot chocolate frosting between two store-bought gingerbread cookies. Overachievers, feel free to bake the gingerbread cookies from scratch.

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69of 100

Hermit Bars

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (69)

These bars have a strange name, but a rich molasses flavor and plenty of spice, namely ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Not too sweet, they're studded with raisins and walnuts for extra texture and complexity.

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Chocolate Chip Pecan Blondies

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (70)

These blonde beauties have just the right combination of sugar, chocolate chips, and vanilla for an extra-sweet flavor, as well as pecans (or walnuts) for texture. They're destined to please a crowd, unless you prefer to keep them for yourself.

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71of 100

Dark Chocolate Coconut Tartlets

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (71)

Pull out the mini-muffin pan to make these delightful treats. They're shredded-coconut crusts filled with a nut-butter-and-chocolate mixture topped with flakey salt. Delish!

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72of 100

Coconut Macaroons

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (72)

With just five ingredients, you can whip up these chewy flourless cookies in 35 minutes. Perfect for gift-giving!

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73of 100

Lemony Almond Macaroons

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (73)

We dressed up our chewy coconut macaroons for the holidays with grated lemon zest, and then added sliced almonds for a nice crunch.

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74of 100

Chocolate Chip Meringue Kisses

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (74)

These light-and-airy bites have just four ingredients, the star of which are semisweet chocolate chips that we scattered throughout to add flavor and texture.

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Old-Fashioned Gingerbread Men

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (75)

Get your cookie cutters and piping bags out, because it's time to bake these Christmas classics. Don't forget to make some gingerbread women, too!

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Raspberry-Almond Linzer Cookies

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (76)

These little jam-filled sandwich cookies originated in Austria in the 1600s, and are still a popular Christmas treat around the world. They provide a wonderful excuse to use those cute holiday-themed cookie cutters.

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Raspberry and Honey Marshmallows

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (77)

Never made marshmallows before? Why not? Freeze-dried raspberries are what give these treats their festive color. Add a plateful to your holiday dessert buffet or serve with hot chocolate.

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Chewy Spice Cookies

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (78)

Ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and black pepper ensure there’s plenty of warm, complex flavors in these classic chewy cookies.

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Cinnamon-Sugar Cookies

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (79)

Buttery puff pastry forms the base of these simple cookies, which feature a cinnamon-sugar and pecan swirl in each bite. And don't be intimidated by that picture-perfect spiral—all you need is a well-rolled dough and a quick trip to the freezer.

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Slice-and-Bake Lemon Shortbread

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (80)

This buttery cookie gets a lift from lemon zest and a final sprinkle of coarse sugar gives them extra shine and texture.

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Lemon Bars

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (81)

Start with a cookie crust, top with a layer of lemon-curd-like filling, and then dust with powered sugar. That's a recipe for the perfect balance of sweet and tart.

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Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (82)

We dipped super-moist, chewy macaroons in rich, dark chocolate to create the ultimate decadent dessert.

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83of 100

Shortcut Palmiers

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (83)

Make these crispy, fancy-looking pastries with just three simple ingredients: egg, sugar, and store-bought puff pastry.

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Jammy Pastries

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (84)

Baking your own version of these nostalgic treats is easier than you think: Just top rectangles of ready-made pie crust with a layer of cream cheese and your favorite jam. Make them Christmas-y with raspberry jam and a sprinkle of red or green decorative sugar.

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Angeletti Cookies

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (85)

These adorable Italian classics have been around a long time, but don't expect them to last long at your house. They're part shortbread, part sugar cookie, and totally amazing.

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Chocolate Crinkles

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (86)

Chocolate crinkle cookies are a decadently fudge-centric holiday tradition. Sprinkle with powdered sugar to evoke a dusting of Christmas snow.

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Pecan Sandies

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (87)

Packed with a comforting butter-pecan flavor, no wonder these blonde bombshells are considered a classic.

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Chewy Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (88)

Old-fashioned oats (not the quick-cook type) give these cookies robust flavor and hearty texture. Pro tip: Go ahead and put on your fat pants now!

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Chocolate Ganache Sandwiches

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (89)

All you need are three ingredients—chocolate chips, heavy cream, and store-bought chocolate wafers—and 15 minutes prep to make these sandwich-style delights. To mix things up, swap the chocolate wafers with vanilla wafers, graham crackers, or (dare we suggest?) thin mint cookies.

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Potato Chip Crispy Treats

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (90)

Ever wonder what would happen if you replace Rice Krispies with potato chips in those treats? This recipe answers that query with a sweet-and-salty version that'll remind you of a white-chocolate macadamia cookie.

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No-Bake Apricot and Oat Nuggets

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (91)

These no-bake flavor bombs are also no-egg and no-flour treats. For the holiday, swap the dried apricots with cranberries or cherries, and dust with snow-like powdered sugar.

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No-Bake Lemon Chia Date Bars

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (92)

Cashews, dates, chia seeds, and freshly squeezed lemon juice make these chewy no-bake bars a healthy alternative to traditional Christmas treats, but no one else has to know that.

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Raspberry Pinwheels

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (93)

These delightful little bites only look hard to make. Just spread raspberry jam onto a slab of dough, roll, and slice—but don't let on. Accept compliments on your baking chops graciously.

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Churros With Chocolate Sauce

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (94)

Think there's nothing better than a cinnamon-sugar churro? How about a homemade churro dipped in a three-ingredient chocolate ganache? I think we're done here.

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Pumpkin Cream Sandwiches

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (95)

If you're not over pumpkin flavor by Christmastime, whip up a batch of these to go with your pumpkin spice latte.

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Raspberry S'mores

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (96)

This layered treat takes the campfire favorite to a whole new level with fresh raspberries. Just swap the campfire for your oven's broiler setting or toaster oven.

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Chocolate Rice Crispy Treats

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (97)

This version of the cereal treat swaps marshmallows with coconut oil, resulting in less sugar and a more-crispy-than-chewy texture. True chocoholics can swap Rice Krispies with Cocoa Krispies.

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Pecan Logs

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (98)

Baking these gems is easier than it looks, especially if you take a shortcut with store-bought sugar cookie dough. And when it comes to holiday baking, who doesn't need a shortcut?

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Chocolate Espresso Truffles

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (99)

Espresso powder, two types of chocolatepluscocoa powder, and an optional splash of coffee liqueur give these treats an intense, sophisticated, not-too-sweet taste you're sure to love.Don't worry, a batch yields 48 of these unforgettable gems.

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Tahini S’mores Blondies

100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (100)

Tahini is the secret ingredient in these bars, which marry two decadent desserts: blondies and s'mores. We love the combination of crisp edges and a soft center, which is studded with graham cracker crumbs, chunks of bittersweet chocolate, and gooey marshmallow

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100 Christmas Baking Recipes: Our Best Holiday Cookies, Bars, and Bites (2024)

FAQs

What is the least popular Christmas cookie? ›

On the naughty list of cookies, Americans gave the lowest win records to anise cookies, which only won 29% of its matchups.

Which cookie has been deemed most popular during Christmas? ›

Peanut Butter Blossoms are most popular in Michigan. Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are beloved in Rhode Island and Wyoming. Sugar Cookie is the preferred choice by 36% of people during Christmas in the United States. Almost 25% of children leave cookies out for Santa during Christmas.

What is the number one holiday cookie? ›

Peanut Butter Blossoms are America's favorite Christmas cookie, based both on total number of pageviews from the U.S. population as a whole, and number of states that ranked it as their top cookie (which is six, by the way).

What is Santa Claus's favorite cookie? ›

Chocolate Chip cookies

You can never go wrong with these classic, delicious cookies. Santa himself lists these as his favorites, and he prefers them soft and gooey with lots of chocolate chips. If you decide to leave these out for him, make sure there's a glass of cold milk nearby!

What is the most eaten cookie in the world? ›

Oreo is the best-selling cookie in the world. It is now sold in over 100 countries. Oreo was first produced in 1912 by the National Biscuit Company, now known as Na-Bis-Co.

What is the 1 cookie in the US? ›

America's favorite cookie and the one dubbed “the American cookie” is the Chocolate chip cookie.

What is the most loved cookie? ›

Chocolate chip cookies

What is the most popular type of cookie? It might just be this one.

What is the best selling cookie in North America? ›

First introduced in the U.S. in 1912, Oreo has become the world's top selling cookie and is enjoyed in more than 100 countries.

What was the first Christmas cookie? ›

History. Modern Christmas cookies can trace their history to recipes from Medieval Europe biscuits, when many modern ingredients such as cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, almonds and dried fruit were introduced into the west.

What is the tradition of cookies at Christmas? ›

The practice of putting out cookies for Santa began in the 1930s during the Great Depression, when parents were trying to instill a sense of thankfulness in their children. Leaving goodies, perhaps in a sweet cookie jar, continues to be a way of sharing the holiday bounty.

What's the most popular cookie? ›

Chocolate chip cookies

What is the most popular type of cookie? It might just be this one. Ever the crowd-pleaser, the chocolate chip cookie is renowned for its balance of richness and sweetness.

Why are cookies popular on Christmas? ›

"Christmas in many cultures was a time of visiting. It was cold, so you weren't out farming, and you had time to visit. Cookies were made in large amounts and with great care as something to share. And giving gifts didn't mean going out and buying something.

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