Christmas Cookie Recipes: 10 Classics Plus Cookie Swap and Shipping Tips

Makes about 36 · 30 minutes plus 1 hour chilling · Classic

You need: 1 cup softened unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 large egg, 2 tsp vanilla extract, ½ tsp almond extract (optional), 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt.

Simple icing: 2 cups powdered sugar, 2–3 tbsp milk, ½ tsp vanilla, 1 tbsp light corn syrup (for shine), food coloring.

1. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg and extracts.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt, then mix into the butter on low until just combined.
3. Divide dough in half, flatten into disks, wrap and chill at least 1 hour.
4. Heat oven to 350°F. Roll dough ¼ inch thick on a floured surface and cut shapes.
5. Bake 8–10 minutes, until edges are just turning golden. Cool completely.
6. Whisk icing ingredients until smooth and thick but spreadable. Tint, then spread or pipe onto cookies. Let set several hours before stacking.

Makes about 24 · 40 minutes plus 2 hours chilling · Family project

You need: ¾ cup softened butter, ¾ cup packed brown sugar, ½ cup molasses (not blackstrap), 1 large egg, 1 tsp vanilla, 3¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp ground ginger, 1½ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground cloves, ¾ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt.

1. Beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in molasses, egg and vanilla.
2. Whisk flour, spices, baking soda and salt; mix in on low until a soft dough forms.
3. Divide in two, flatten into disks, wrap and chill 2 hours or overnight.
4. Heat oven to 350°F. Roll ¼ inch thick and cut with a gingerbread person cutter.
5. Bake 8–10 minutes — shorter for soft cookies, longer for crisp ones (and for hanging as ornaments).
6. Cool, then decorate with royal icing, raisins or candies.

Makes about 30 · 35 minutes · No chilling needed

You need: 1 cup softened butter, 1½ cups sugar, 2 large eggs, 2¾ cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp cream of tartar, 1 tsp baking soda, ¼ tsp salt. Coating: 3 tbsp sugar mixed with 1 tbsp cinnamon.

1. Heat oven to 375°F and line baking sheets.
2. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy, then beat in the eggs.
3. Whisk flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt; mix into the butter.
4. Roll dough into 1½-inch balls and roll each in cinnamon sugar.
5. Place 2 inches apart and bake 8–10 minutes, until edges are set and centers look slightly underdone. They crinkle as they cool.

Makes about 30 · 45 minutes · Colorful

You need: 1 cup softened butter, ⅔ cup sugar, 2 egg yolks, 1 tsp vanilla, 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, ¼ tsp salt, about ½ cup raspberry or apricot jam. Optional: finely chopped nuts for rolling.

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Beat butter and sugar, then add yolks and vanilla.
2. Mix in flour and salt until a soft dough forms.
3. Roll into 1-inch balls (roll in chopped nuts if you like) and place on lined sheets.
4. Press a thumb or the back of a measuring teaspoon into each ball to make a well.
5. Fill each well with about ½ tsp jam.
6. Bake 12–15 minutes until the bottoms are lightly golden. Cool on the sheet for a few minutes before moving.

Makes about 36 · 40 minutes · Kid favorite

You need: ½ cup softened butter, ½ cup creamy peanut butter, ½ cup sugar plus extra for rolling, ½ cup packed brown sugar, 1 large egg, 2 tbsp milk, 1 tsp vanilla, 1¾ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt, about 36 unwrapped chocolate kisses-style candies.

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Beat butter, peanut butter and both sugars until fluffy.
2. Beat in egg, milk and vanilla, then mix in flour, baking soda and salt.
3. Roll into 1-inch balls, then roll in sugar.
4. Bake 8–10 minutes until lightly golden.
5. Immediately press a chocolate candy into the center of each cookie; the edges will crack. Let cool fully so the chocolate sets.

Makes 16 wedges or about 24 cookies · 15 minutes plus baking · Only 4 ingredients

You need: 1 cup softened salted butter, ½ cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 cups all-purpose flour.

1. Heat oven to 325°F.
2. Beat butter, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Mix in flour until the dough just comes together.
3. Press into an ungreased 9-inch round or square pan, or roll ½ inch thick and cut shapes.
4. Prick all over with a fork. If using a pan, score into wedges or bars.
5. Bake 25–35 minutes in a pan (15–20 for cut cookies) until pale golden at the edges.
6. Cut along the score lines while still warm, then cool completely in the pan.

Makes about 36 · 45 minutes · Melt-in-your-mouth

You need: 1 cup softened butter, ½ cup powdered sugar plus about 1 cup more for rolling, 1 tsp vanilla, 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, ¼ tsp salt, ¾ cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts.

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Beat butter, ½ cup powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.
2. Mix in flour and salt, then stir in the nuts.
3. Roll into 1-inch balls and place on ungreased or lined sheets.
4. Bake 10–12 minutes, until set but not browned on top.
5. While still warm, roll in powdered sugar. Cool completely, then roll again for a snowy coat.

Makes about 36 · 30 minutes plus 4 hours chilling · Fudgy

You need: 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 cups sugar, ½ cup vegetable oil, 4 large eggs, 2 tsp vanilla, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt, about 1 cup powdered sugar for rolling.

1. Mix cocoa, sugar and oil. Beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla.
2. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. The dough will be very soft.
3. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight.
4. Heat oven to 350°F. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and coat thickly in powdered sugar.
5. Bake 10–12 minutes. The tops will crack to show dark chocolate under the white sugar. Cool on the sheet a few minutes.

Makes about 60 · 30 minutes · Needs a cookie press

You need: 1 cup softened butter, ⅔ cup sugar, 1 large egg, 1 tsp vanilla, ½ tsp almond extract, 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, ½ tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp salt, food coloring and sprinkles (optional).

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Use ungreased, unlined metal baking sheets — the dough needs to stick to release from the press.
2. Beat butter and sugar, then add egg and extracts. Tint the dough if you like.
3. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt. Don’t chill the dough; it should be soft enough to press.
4. Fill the cookie press and press shapes 1 inch apart. Decorate with sprinkles.
5. Bake 6–8 minutes until set and barely golden at the edges.