Are you sick and tired of making the same old Christmas cookies every single year? We get it. Grandma's shortbread recipe may be a time-tested classic, but it can grow stale if you make it year after year. We've got some great alternatives here to help spice up this holiday season.
Of course, make sure to include your kids in this process. There's nothing better than seeing the smiles on your kids' faces when they get to enjoy the end product of their hard work in the kitchen. Plus, they'll want to be sure Santa gets his cookies on Christmas Eve!
Look through all of these recipes carefully, and pick out the ones that you like best. There are a ton of options here, so you'll be able to pick out what you want. If, for some reason, you don't find a recipe you like, no worries. We have tons of other recipes available on our website. Check them all out!
Christmas Cookies
G
Easy Decorated Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients:
1 package gingerbread cake and cookie mix
1/4 cup hot water
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter or margarine — melted
Sugar
1 tub Rich & Creamy vanilla ready-to-spread frosting
Miniature chocolate chips, raisins, cut-up gumdrops, colored sugar, miniature marshmallows, red cinnamon candies,
shredded coconut, chocolate shot or shoestring licorice — if desired
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375º. Mix gingerbread mix, hot water, flour and butter in medium bowl with spoon until dough forms.
2. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Press bottom of glass into dough to grease, then dip into sugar; press on shaped dough to flatten to 2 1/2 inches
in diameter.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are firm (do not overbake). Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.
4. Frost with frosting. (Cover and refrigerate any remaining frosting.) Decorate as desired with chocolate chips and candies.
German Chocolate Bars
Ingredients:
2/3 cup butter or margarine — softened
1 package German chocolate
cake mix
1 (6 ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
1 tub Rich & Creamy coconut pecan
ready-to-spread frosting
1/4 cup milk
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350º. Lightly grease rectangular pan, 13 × 9 × 2 inches.
2. Cut butter into cake mix (dry) in medium bowl, using pastry blender or crisscrossing 2 knives, until crumbly. Press half of the mixture (2 1/2 cups) in bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes.
3. Sprinkle chocolate chips over baked layer; drop frosting by tablespoonfuls over chocolate chips. Stir milk into remaining cake mixture. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto frosting layer.
4. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until cake portion is slightly dry to touch.
5. Cool completely. Cover and refrigerate until firm. Cut into 8 rows by 6 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.
German Chocolate Brownies
Ingredients:
2 (4 ounce) packages sweet baking chocolate
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
Coconut-Pecan Frosting — (recipe follows)
COCONUT-PECAN FROSTING
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 egg yolks
1 cup flaked coconut
2/3 cup chopped pecans
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350º. Grease rectangular pan, 13 × 9 × 2 inches. Melt chocolate and butter in 3-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently, until smooth; remove from heat.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients except Coconut-Pecan Frosting.
3. Spread batter in pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.
4. Frost with Coconut-Pecan Frosting. Cut into 8 rows by 4 rows.
COCONUT-PECAN FROSTING:
Directions:
1. Cook sugar, butter, milk, vanilla and egg yolks in 1 1/2-quart saucepan over medium heat about 12 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.
2. Stir in coconut and pecans. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until spreadable.
Giant Colorful Candy Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup butter or margarine — softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups candy-coated chocolate candies
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375º. Beat sugars, butter, vanilla and eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour, salt and baking soda. Stir in candies.
2. Drop dough by level 1/4 cupfuls or #16 cookie/ice-cream scoop about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten dough slightly with fork.
3. Bake 11 to 14 minutes or until edges are light brown. Cool 3 to 4 minutes; carefully remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
Giant Honey and Oat Cookies
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter or margarine — softened
2/3 cup honey
3 egg whites
4 cups quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350º. Grease cookie sheet. Beat sugar, butter, honey and egg whites in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in remaining ingredients.
2. Drop dough by level 1/4 cupfuls or #16 cookie/ice-cream scoop about 3 inches apart onto cookie sheet.
3. Bake 11 to 14 minutes or until edges are light brown (centers will be soft). Cool 3 to 4 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
Giant Toffee-Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine — softened
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup honey
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (12 ounce) package miniature semisweet chocolate chips (2
cups)
1 (7 1/2 ounce) package almond brickle chips (1 cup)
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350º. Beat brown sugar, butter, shortening, honey and egg in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon.
2. Stir in flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir in chocolate chips and brickle chips.
3. Drop dough by level 1/4 cupfuls or #16 cookie/ice-cream scoop about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until edges are golden brown (centers will be soft). Cool 3 to 4 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
Ginger Cookie Clock
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine — softened
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Sugar
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375º. Grease 12-inch pizza pan or large cookie sheet.
2. Mix 1 cup sugar, the butter, molasses and egg in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in remaining ingredients except sugar.
3. Reserve 1/3 cup dough. Press remaining dough in pan or into 12-inch circle on cookie sheet.
4. Shape reserved dough into numbers and arrows; place on dough in pan to resemble the face of a clock. Sprinkle with sugar.
5. Bake about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely. Cut or break into pieces.
Ginger Shortbread Wedges
Ingredients:
2/3 cup butter or margarine — softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350º. Mix butter, powdered sugar and ginger in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour.
2. Pat dough into a 9-inch circle on an ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.
3. Bake about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 10 minutes. Cut into wedges.
Ginger-Almond Cookies
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups shortening
3/4 cup molasses
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups finely chopped almonds
Directions:
1. Beat sugar, shortening and molasses in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in remaining ingredients except almonds. Stir in almonds.
2. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into roll, about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours.
3. Heat oven to 350º. Cut dough into 1/4-inch slices. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake about 9 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when touched lightly in center. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
Ginger Oatmeal Crisps
Ingredients:
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 tsp. baking powder
1 3/4 cup quick cooking oats
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F then cover a large cookie sheet with ungreased foil. In a large bowl, beat eggs until frothy. Add sugar, ginger, vanilla and salt. Mix until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes.
2. Blend in butter and baking powder, then fold in the oats. Drop the batter onto cookie sheet in rounded teaspoonfuls spaced 2″ apart.
3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Gently lift from the cookie sheet while hot and cool on a rack.
Ginger-Pecan Chews
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine — softened
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
1 (2 ounce) jar crystallized ginger — chopped (about 1/3 cup)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Pecan halves, if desired
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375º. Beat sugar, butter, molasses, egg and crystallized ginger in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon.
2. Stir in flour, ground ginger, baking soda and salt. Stir in chopped pecans.
3. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Press pecan half onto each cookie.
4. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when touched near center. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups dark molasses
2/3 cup cold water
7 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Creamy White Frosting — (recipe follows)
CREAMY WHITE FROSTING
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 tablespoons half-and-half
Food color, if desired
Directions:
1. Beat brown sugar, shortening, molasses and water in very large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in remaining ingredients except Creamy White Frosting. Cover and
refrigerate about 2 hours or until firm.
2. Heat oven to 350º. Lightly grease cookie sheet. Roll one-fourth of dough at a time 1/4 inch thick on lightly floured surface.
3. Cut with floured gingerbread cookie cutter or other favorite shaped cutter. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.
4. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when touched in center. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.
5. Frost with Creamy White Frosting.
CREAMY WHITE FROSTING:
Mix all ingredients until smooth and spreadable.
Gingerbread Men
Ingredients:
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 small box butterscotch instant pudding mix
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Directions:
1. Cream the shortening and sugar, add eggs and mix well. Add dry pudding mix and flour and spices.
2. Mix well. Roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thick and cut with a gingerbread man cookie cutter.
3. Bake on greased cookie sheet for 10 to 12 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Gingerbread Spritz
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 F. In a large mixing bowl beat together butter, molasses and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla until well blended. Set aside.
2. In another bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and ginger. Stir into creamed mixture until well blended.
3. Divide dough into fourths. Place 1/4 of dough in a cookie press and press out cookies onto ungreased baking sheet (for best results, use a shiny silver baking sheet and not the kind with a non-stick coating).
4. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until set, but not brown.
5. Allow to cool for 2 minutes on baking sheet, then remove to wire racks to cool. If desired, decorate with Royal Icing.
Gingerbread Village
Ingredients:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup dark molasses
1/3 cup cold water
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Gingerbread Frosting — (recipe follows)
Assorted candies and nuts
GINGERBREAD FROSTING
2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup shortening
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
5 teaspoons milk (5 to 6 teaspoons)
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350º. Grease square pan, 9 × 9 × 2 inches, and jelly roll pan, 15 1/2 × 10 1/2 × 1 inch. Beat brown sugar, shortening and molasses in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix
with spoon. Stir in water. Stir in remaining ingredients except Frosting and assorted candies.
2. Press one third of dough into square pan. Press remaining dough into jelly roll pan. Bake 1 pan at a time about 15 minutes or until no indentation remains when touched in center. Cool 5 minutes.
3. Invert onto large cutting surface. Immediately cut jelly roll into fourths and then into buildings. Cut square into braces. Cool completely.
4. Cover piece of cardboard, about 28 × 10 inches, with aluminum foil. Decorate front of buildings as desired with Frosting and assorted candies and nuts. Use frosting to attach supports to backs of buildings,
buildings to cardboard and sidewalk to cardboard. Complete by decorating as desired.
GINGERBREAD FROSTING:
Mix all ingredients until smooth and spreadable.
Gingerpop Cookies
Ingredients:
1 (14 1/2 ounce) package gingerbread cake and cookie
mix
1/3 cup lukewarm water
About 18 wooden sticks with rounded ends
Sugar
Easy Pink Frosting — (recipe follows)
Candy-coated chocolate candies, candy
corn, licorice or gumdrops, if desired
EASY PINK FROSTING
1 cup vanilla ready-to-spread frosting
2 drops red food color
Directions:
1. Mix gingerbread mix (dry) and water in large bowl with spoon. Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate about 15 minutes or until slightly firm.
2. Heat oven to 375º. Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Insert wooden stick into side of each ball until tip of stick is in center of ball. Place balls about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Press bottom of glass into dough to grease, then dip into sugar; press on balls to flatten slightly. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet with spatula to wire rack. Cool completely.
4. Spread Easy Pink Frosting over each cookie with knife, then immediately top with candies to make a face design or decorate as desired.
EASY PINK FROSTING:
Mix ingredients until pink and smooth.
Glazed Chocolate Pockets
Ingredients:
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese — softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup flaked coconut
3/4 cup butter or margarine — softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
Two-Way Glaze — (recipe follows)
TWO-WAY GLAZE
1 cup powdered sugar
4 teaspoons milk (4 to 6 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon baking cocoa
1 teaspoon milk (1 to 2 teaspoons)
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375º. Mix powdered sugar and cream cheese with spoon until thoroughly blended. Stir in vanilla and coconut; reserve.
2. Beat butter, granulated sugar and egg in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour, cocoa and salt.
3. Roll dough into rectangle, 16 × 12 inches, on lightly floured cloth-covered surface. Cut into 4-inch squares.
4. Cut squares diagonally in half to form triangles. Place 1 level teaspoon coconut mixture in center of each triangle; flatten slightly. Fold points of triangle to corner, and press edges to seal. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
5. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.
6. Drizzle with Two-Way Glaze.
TWO-WAY GLAZE:
Directions:
1. Mix powdered sugar and 4 to 6 teaspoons milk in 2-cup liquid measuring cup until thin enough to drizzle.
2. Drizzle about half of the glaze over cookies by pouring from measuring cup. (About 3 tablespoons will remain.)
3. Stir cocoa and 1 to 2 teaspoons milk into remaining glaze in cup. Drizzle chocolate glaze over vanilla glaze on cookies.
Golden Cereal-Nut Clusters
Ingredients:
1/2 pound vanilla-flavored candy coating
3 cups Golden Grahams® cereal
1/2 cup salted peanuts
1/2 cup miniature marshmallows
Directions:
1. Chop candy coating into small pieces; place in heavy 10-inch skillet.
2. Cover and heat over low heat about 5 minutes or until coating is soft; remove from heat. Stir until smooth and creamy.
3. Stir in cereal until well coated. Stir in peanuts and marshmallows. Drop mixture by rounded tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper, or spread mixture evenly on waxed paper or aluminum foil. Let stand 1 to 2
hours or until completely set.
Goldfish Drops
Ingredients:
1 cup butterscotch-flavored chips
1 tablespoon shortening
1 (6 ounce) package original flavor tiny fish-shaped crackers (about 3 1/2 cups)
1 cup broken pretzel sticks
Directions:
1. Grease cookie sheet. Melt butterscotch chips and shortening in 3-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth; remove from heat.
2. Stir in crackers and pretzels until well coated.
3. Drop mixture by rounded tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Let stand about 1 hour or until firm. Carefully remove from cookie sheet.
Gooey Butter Cookies
Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese (1 package)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 18.5-ounce package yellow cake mix
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F (175 degrees C). In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter. Stir in the egg and vanilla. Add cake mix, and stir until well blended.
2. Roll into 1″ balls and then roll the balls in the powdered sugar. Place 1 inch apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes.
3. Remove from baking sheets to cool on wire racks.
Granola Cookies
Ingredients:
1 package yellow cake mix
3/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups Nature Valley® low-fat fruit granola
1/2 cup chopped nuts, if desired
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375º. Beat half of the cake mix (dry), the shortening, brown sugar and eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, or mix with spoon.
2. Stir in remaining cake mix, the granola and nuts.
3. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
Gumdrop Drop Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 cups chopped gum drops, spiced
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup milk
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
Directions:
1. Cream together shortening with sugars.
2. Add eggs then blend.
3. Add dry ingredients with milk.
4. Add the cut spiced gum drops and vanilla.
5. Drop onto greased cookie sheet approximately 2 inches apart.
6. Bake in a 350 degree oven until golden brown.
Christmas Cookie Recipes Index