27 Cookie Recipes to Pencil In Now for This Year’s Holiday Baking

Holiday baking plans can fill up before you know which treats belong on the tray. These 27 recipes cover chocolate crinkles, shortbread, sandwich cookies, fruit and spice flavors, plus a few no-bake options. The mix gives you choices for cookie exchanges, gift tins, and days when the oven is busy.

Marry Me Cookies

For a holiday tin that needs something substantial, Marry Me Cookies take 23 minutes and make 12, with oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and both white and semisweet chocolate chips. Their thick, chewy texture brings a bakery-style option to a tray of crisp or decorated cookies. Set them out for a cookie swap or wrap a few for a seasonal gift box.
Get the Recipe: Marry Me Cookies

Lemon and Blueberry Muffin Cookies

Muffin-shop aromas meet the cookie tray in Lemon and Blueberry Muffin Cookies, a 45-minute batch that makes 13. Lemon zest and juice brighten the blueberries, while brown sugar and butter keep each cookie close to a soft breakfast bake. Their berry-and-citrus profile adds color among chocolate-heavy holiday choices. Pack them for a brunch table or include them in a mixed cookie tin.
Get the Recipe: Lemon and Blueberry Muffin Cookies

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Cracked white tops and dark centers make Chocolate Crinkle Cookies easy to spot on a holiday platter. The 24-cookie batch takes 4 hours 27 minutes, mostly because the cocoa, sugar, oil, and egg dough chills for four hours before baking. That rest can fit into an advance baking plan, leaving the final bake for later. Bring them to a cookie exchange or freeze extras for a December dessert tray.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Vegan Amaretti Cookies

Italian bakery style comes through in Vegan Amaretti Cookies, which take 1 hour 10 minutes and use almond flour, aquafaba, amaretto, and lemon zest. The dough chills before it is rolled in powdered sugar, then bakes into a crisp-coated cookie with a chewy middle. Their almond flavor offers a change from chocolate and spice. Serve them with coffee after dinner or add them to a gift tin.
Get the Recipe: Vegan Amaretti Cookies

Soft Pumpkin Cookies With Pecans

Soft centers and toasted pecans give Soft Pumpkin Cookies With Pecans a place in fall holiday baking. The 12-cookie recipe takes 30 minutes and combines pumpkin puree, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and chopped pecans. A simple shape keeps the batch easy to make alongside cutout or frosted cookies. Set them on a Thanksgiving dessert table or tuck a few into a tin with chocolate and shortbread options.
Get the Recipe: Soft Pumpkin Cookies With Pecans

Biscoff Sandwich Cookies

Sandwich cookies bring a filled option to the cookie lineup, and Biscoff Sandwich Cookies make 10 in 30 minutes. The recipe pairs soft cookies with Biscoff cookie butter and a powdered-sugar filling, then adds crushed cookies for extra texture. Their spiced-cookie flavor fits naturally beside holiday coffee or cocoa. Arrange them on a dessert platter when you want a treat that looks distinct without decorating each cookie by hand.
Get the Recipe: Biscoff Sandwich Cookies

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

The familiar pairing at the center of Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies makes a 24-cookie batch ready in 22 minutes. Smooth peanut butter joins butter, brown sugar, eggs, and chocolate chips for a soft, recognizable cookie that rounds out a holiday assortment. The straightforward dough is useful when the baking schedule already has more involved projects. Add them to a cookie exchange box or keep a plate near the coffee pot.
Get the Recipe: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Spiced Apple Cookies

Autumn warmth comes through in Spiced Apple Cookies, a small batch well suited to a cool-weather cookie tray. The recipe takes 1 hour and makes 9, with apple, cinnamon, brown sugar, and a simple stovetop topping in the ingredient list. Their yield gives you room to try a seasonal flavor without filling every tin with the same kind of cookie. Serve them at an afternoon visit or alongside tea after dinner.
Get the Recipe: Spiced Apple Cookies

Tiramisu cookies

Coffeehouse-style dessert notes give Tiramisu cookies a distinctive place among holiday bakes. The 14-cookie recipe takes 37 minutes and combines espresso powder with a mascarpone topping, plus butter, brown sugar, and vanilla in the dough. That creamy finish contrasts with crisp-edged cookies on a platter. Save this batch for dessert after a holiday meal or add it to a grown-up cookie box with shortbread and chocolate treats.
Get the Recipe: Tiramisu cookies

Cookie Monster Cookies

Bright blue color and plenty of mix-ins make Cookie Monster Cookies stand out on a crowded dessert table. They take 32 minutes and make 12, with chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, chopped sandwich cookies, and chocolate chunks in the dough. Their playful look brings variety to a tray of traditional holiday shapes and spices. Put them out for a family cookie swap or include them in a treat box for anyone who likes a big, loaded cookie.
Get the Recipe: Cookie Monster Cookies

Earl Grey Lemon Cookies

Delicate fragrance and a soft citrus finish set Earl Grey Lemon Cookies apart in holiday baking. The 20-cookie batch takes 30 minutes, using Earl Grey tea, lemon juice, zest, butter, and a light powdered-sugar finish. Their fragrant dough gives a cookie tray a break from heavier chocolate and spice. Set them beside a pot of tea during a visit or box them with shortbread for a simple homemade gift.
Get the Recipe: Earl Grey Lemon Cookies

No Bake Maple Pecan Cookies

No oven time is needed for No Bake Maple Pecan Cookies, though the 24-cookie batch needs 2 hours 20 minutes to set. Old-fashioned oats, pecans, maple syrup, and butter make a short ingredient list with a familiar fall profile. Because chilling does the work, this recipe can fit into a day when oven racks are already full. Add it to a holiday tin or serve it at a casual dessert table.
Get the Recipe: No Bake Maple Pecan Cookies

Strawberry Cookies

Pink color and a fruit-forward note brighten the spread in Strawberry Cookies, which make 24 in 32 minutes. The dough uses freeze-dried strawberry powder and pieces along with butter, sugar, vanilla, and flour, giving each cookie a clear berry flavor. Their color adds contrast among brown, cream, and spice-colored bakes. Arrange them on a holiday platter or pack them with shortbread and chocolate cookies for a varied gift box.
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Cookies

Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Bakery-style spice and a creamy center give Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting their place in a holiday cookie tin. The 50-minute recipe yields about 20 cookies, or 10 sandwich cookies. Shredded carrots, cinnamon, maple syrup, almond flour, and oats shape the dough, while vegan cream cheese frosting fills the centers. These sandwiches add a frosted option to seasonal baking. Chill them before packing for a dessert table or holiday treat box.
Get the Recipe: Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Copycat Crumbl Red Velvet White Chip Cookies

Bakery-sized cookies bring bold color to the tray with Copycat Crumbl Red Velvet White Chip Cookies. The 35-minute recipe portions into 12 large cookies, combining cocoa, red food coloring, and white chocolate chips with butter and brown sugar. Soft centers and pale chips make them a striking change from familiar cutouts. Bake a batch for a cookie exchange or add them to a dessert spread when a red-and-white accent suits the occasion.
Get the Recipe: Copycat Crumbl Red Velvet White Chip Cookies

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie

Chewy texture and chocolate make Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie a hearty choice beside frosted holiday shapes and fruit-forward flavors. This 25-cookie batch takes 20 minutes and uses rolled oats, oat flour, butter, brown sugar, and chocolate chips. The familiar style fits a cookie tray without adding another decorated bake to the schedule. Set them out with coffee for an afternoon visit or add them to a tin that needs an easy-to-pack option.
Get the Recipe: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie

Sugar Cookies Without Butter

Rolled and cut shapes keep Sugar Cookies Without Butter useful for holiday decorating. The 12-cookie recipe takes 50 minutes and uses oil, flour, sugar, vanilla, and an egg, with coconut or vegetable oil as the listed option. The dough gives you a simple base for cutters and icing without relying on butter. Bake them before a decorating afternoon or keep them plain for a lighter-looking cookie plate.
Get the Recipe: Sugar Cookies Without Butter

Banana Pudding Cookies

Dessert-shop nostalgia comes through in Banana Pudding Cookies, an 18-cookie batch that takes 27 minutes. Banana pudding mix, ripe banana, brown sugar, and white chocolate chips shape a soft cookie with a familiar pudding-inspired profile. Their pale color adds a different choice beside chocolate and spice cookies. Serve them at a holiday open house or pack them for anyone who likes classic pudding desserts in a hand-held form.
Get the Recipe: Banana Pudding Cookies

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Late-fall baking comes through in Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies, a 12-cookie batch that takes 51 minutes. Pumpkin puree, rolled oats, maple syrup, cinnamon, and dried cranberries give each cookie a tender bite with a chewy fruit accent. Their spiced profile brings a seasonal choice to a tray without adding another frosting project. Bring them to a Thanksgiving dessert table or save them for an afternoon with tea.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Thumb Print Cookie

The familiar thumbprint shape gives Thumb Print Cookie a bright detail without icing or elaborate cutters. This 12-cookie recipe takes 24 minutes and uses butter, egg yolks, vanilla, flour, and strawberry or apricot jam. The small centers make each one easy to recognize on a crowded holiday platter, while the fruit filling contrasts with richer chocolate bakes. Include them in a gift tin or serve them with coffee after a family meal.
Get the Recipe: Thumb Print Cookie

Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Candy-shop color and a fudgy bite make Chocolate Cherry Cookies a festive addition to a holiday tray. The 16-cookie batch takes 20 minutes and includes cocoa powder, maraschino cherries, semisweet chocolate chips, and sweetened condensed milk. Their compact size makes them simple to portion for trays or tins, while the cherry centers add a bright detail. Set these beside plain chocolate cookies at an exchange or pack them with crisp shortbread.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Lemon Cookies

Bright, tart notes keep Lemon Cookies fresh on a winter cookie platter. The recipe takes 27 minutes and makes 36 cookies, with lemon zest and juice in the dough and confectioners’ sugar for a glaze. That yield gives you enough to share across several tins or bring to a larger gathering. Their pale finish breaks up darker flavors on a holiday dessert table. Pair them with tea or coffee.
Get the Recipe: Lemon Cookies

Soft Thin Mint Chocolate Cookies

Cool, candy-like notes make Soft Thin Mint Chocolate Cookies a contrast to cinnamon and pumpkin flavors in holiday baking. The 16-cookie recipe takes 55 minutes and layers chocolate dough with peppermint frosting and a semisweet chocolate coating. Each one brings a minty finish without relying on a separate packaged cookie. Set them out after dinner or pack them in a tin with parchment between the coated tops.
Get the Recipe: Soft Thin Mint Chocolate Cookies

Copycat Crumbl Cinnamon Swirl Cookies

Swirled tops give Copycat Crumbl Cinnamon Swirl Cookies a bakery-style look without intricate icing. The recipe takes 37 minutes and makes 12, with butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon in the dough and filling. Their warm spice profile fits a holiday tray alongside chocolate and fruit choices. Bring them to a cookie swap or serve them with warm drinks after a seasonal meal.
Get the Recipe: Copycat Crumbl Cinnamon Swirl Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Familiar bakery texture keeps Chocolate Chip Cookies welcome amid more seasonal holiday bakes. The recipe takes 18 minutes and makes 36 servings, using butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and chocolate chips for a soft, chewy result. A generous yield is handy when you need enough for several tins or a larger dessert spread. Bake them for a cookie exchange or keep a batch ready for visitors during the holidays.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Chip Cookies

Shortbread Cookies

Crisp edges and a tender bite make Shortbread Cookies a simple anchor for a holiday assortment. The recipe takes 42 minutes and makes 16, using butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, flour, and cornstarch. The short ingredient list and plain shape leave room for a chocolate dip or a place beside jam-filled cookies, bringing variety across the tray. Serve them with tea or stack them in a tin as a sturdy option for sharing.
Get the Recipe: Shortbread Cookies

Spiced Pumpkin Roll Cookies

Pinwheel shapes give Spiced Pumpkin Roll Cookies a seasonal look for the holiday platter. The 12-cookie recipe takes 2 hours 40 minutes and uses pumpkin puree, butter, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and clove for its fall spice profile. The longer chill and shaping time make it a good choice to prepare ahead of the busiest baking day. Add the swirls to a cookie exchange tray or set them out with coffee after dinner.
Get the Recipe: Spiced Pumpkin Roll Cookies