Lifestyle Food The Best Cookie Recipes to Sweeten Up Your Holiday Season From chocolate chip cookies to rainbow meringues, there's a batch everyone in the family will love By People Staff Updated on December 12, 2022 05:24 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos 01 of 40 Chocolate Chip & Walnut Brittle Cookies Jennifer Causey Food blogger Deb Perelman says "this is the most perfect chocolate chip cookie I could dream up: extra crunchy, caramel, crispy edges and slightly gooey centers." The recipe, from her new Smitten Kitchen Keepers cookbook, can be baked right away. "There's no two-day rest in the fridge as if chocolate chip cookie cravings could be scheduled ahead of time," says Perelman. "And even the chef-y part — brittled walnuts — are so simple to make, you'll feel triumphant to have this new cooking trick up your sleeve when you're done." Get the recipe HERE. 02 of 40 Rainbow Meringues Jennifer Causey "These are super easy to make, and the rainbow effect is magical," says Duff Goldman of the colorful dessert from his new Super Good Cookies for Kids cookbook. "They are really sturdy, so you can package them up in bags as holiday gifts—just make sure they are wrapped tightly because they'll get soft if they're exposed." Get the recipe HERE. 03 of 40 Vanilla Linzer Cookies Jennifer Causey "I love any opportunity to bring creative interpretation to a classic recipe," says Anna Gordon, the chef-owner of the Good Batch bakery in New York City. "The finished painted design is pretty and does not have to look perfect!" Gordon brushes a simple glaze (powdered sugar, water and whatever food coloring you like) over her linzer cookies using a small paint brush. Get the recipe HERE. 04 of 40 Sparkling Almond Sugar Cookies "This is the kind of recipe that everyone should have in their back pockets," says Carla Hall. "They're buttery, slightly crumbly and so easy to make!" The chef and judge on Holiday Baking Championship on discovery+ says that the cookies are inspired by her new picture book, Carla and the Christmas Cornbread. Get the recipe HERE. 05 of 40 Maraschino-Cream Sandwich Cookies Jennifer Causey "This is a family recipe from my husband's side of the family," explains Carla Lalli Music. "His maternal grandmother was an incredible home baker and she was especially renowned for her holiday cookie recipes." "It's like a shortbread, but instead of being crumbly, it's firm and melts in your mouth," adds the author of the That Sounds So Good cookbook. "They're amazing at room temperature, cold or straight out of the freezer." Get the recipe HERE. 06 of 40 Tie-Dye Sugar Cookies with Fruity Glaze Jennifer Causey "These cookies are every bit an excuse to channel your inner artist," says pastry chef Christina Tosi. "They also happen to be a delicious treat!" The author of the Milk Bar: Kids Only cookbook flavors her glaze with fruit juices like grape, cranberry and orange, but you can use whatever you have in the fridge. Get the recipe HERE. 07 of 40 Triple Chocolate Cranberry Cookies Jennifer Causey "Every delicious bite tastes like the holidays," says Bobbie Lloyd, Chief Baking Officer of Magnolia Bakery and author of The Magnolia Bakery Handbook. Get the recipe HERE. 08 of 40 Nutty Chocolate Chip Cookies Jennifer Causey Benjamin Sormonte and Elisa Marshall, partners and co-owners of Maman bakeries, share a homemade version of their popular "gooey on the inside, crispy on the outside" treat—which is featured in their new baking guide Maman: The Cookbook. "With so many great cookies in N.Y.C., we sought out to give a twist to a classic chocolate chip cookie, while still keeping that homemade taste," they say. "We wanted to have fun combining textures and flavors and elevating a classic recipe." Get the recipe HERE. 09 of 40 Candy Cane Meringues Jennifer Causey Vallery Lomas, the Foodie in New York blogger and former Great American Baking Show winner, gives her treats a "holiday twist by adding peppermint flavor and a spiral of holly red!" Her trick for making the festive design is to paint 2 or 3 red stripes equally spaced inside a piping bag before filling with the meringue mixture. Get the recipe HERE. 10 of 40 Shortbread Wreaths with Candied Flowers Victor Protasio Martha Stewart's pretty confections are decorated with crystallized ginger, chopped pistachios, and small edible flowers. They will "make an elegant statement" on your holiday dessert table, says the lifestyle expert. Get the recipe HERE. 11 of 40 Peanut Butter & Sesame Crinkle Cookies Victor Protasio "If you can manage not to eat them all, I have it on good authority Santa would like one of these cookies left out with a glass of milk," says David Atherton, winner of The Great British Baking Show season 10. Get the recipe HERE. 12 of 40 Coconut, Oatmeal & Chocolate Chunk Cookies Victor Protasio These nutty, crunchy treats from Donatella Arpaia have a gooey center that's to die for. Plus, they're drop cookies, so there's little decorating skill required. Get the recipe HERE. 13 of 40 Candy Cane & Cocoa Cookie Pie Victor Protasio "It'll make all your giant dessert dreams come true," says Christina Tosi of this festive spin on the Build-A-Cookie feature at her Milk Bar flagship store in New York City's Ace Hotel. It's baked in an 8-inch cake pan so all you have to do is press the dough into the pan, bake, slice and serve. Get the recipe HERE. 14 of 40 Ginger Shortbread with White Chocolate Cookies Victor Protasio If you've tried Alison Roman's Salted Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookies from her book Dining In, you're going to love her seasonal twist on the Instagram-famous cookies. Get the recipe HERE. 15 of 40 Frosted Two-Tone Cookies Victor Protasio "They're perfectly soft and delicious," Anne Byrn, the author of American Cookie, says about her festive spin on classic black and white cookies. Get the recipe HERE. 16 of 40 Cream & Jam Cookie Sandwiches Victor Protasio These treats may look complicated to make, but Donna Hay, the author of Modern Baking, uses store-bought pie dough for a no-stress process. Get the recipe HERE. 17 of 40 Chocolate Dipped Orange Madeleines Victor Protasio Meet your new go-to easy dessert for all of your holiday events, thanks to Vallery Lomas, the reigning champion of The Great American Baking Show. Get the recipe HERE. 18 of 40 Salted Caramel Bars Victor Protasio Sweet, buttery shortbread is perfectly complimented by salted caramel and crunchy macadamia nuts for a "melt in your mouth" dessert from Paul Hollywood. Get the recipe HERE. 19 of 40 Rainbow Kiss Cookies Victor Protasio "There's so much joy in one tiny chocolate cookie!" says blogger Sally McKenney of her simple yet colorful creations. Get the recipe HERE. 20 of 40 Lemon-Ricotta Sandwich Cookies Victor Protasio Two cookies are always better than one, especially when they are these sweet and tart treats from MasterChef Junior's Kaitlyn Tomeny. Get the recipe HERE. 21 of 40 Coconut Meltaways Victor Protasio Smitten Kitchen's Deb Perelman uses coconut oil and flaked coconut for double the flavor in her twist on a classic. Get the recipe HERE. 22 of 40 Almond Cherry Biscotti Victor Protasio Bill Yosses combines almonds, pistachios and dried cherries for his crispy cookie ideal for dunking, but you could easily swap in your favorite fruits and nuts to make it your own. Get the recipe HERE. 23 of 40 Stained Glass Ginger Spice Cookies Victor Protasio Lorraine Pascale makes these colorful treats by placing chopped fruit-flavored hard candies (such as Jolly Ranchers) in the middle of each cookie before baking. The candies melt in the oven to create a beautiful center you'll want to admire—then eat! Get the recipe HERE. 24 of 40 Hot Cocoa Cookies Victor Protasio "Every chilly day needs a batch of these treats," Sally McKenney says of her confections made with hot chocolate mix in the batter and topped with toasted marshmallows. Get the recipe HERE. 25 of 40 Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies Victor Protasio Maneet Chauhan adds ground cinnamon and allspice to her cookies to create a warming treat perfect for the season. "To me this recipe is what the holiday is all about," she says. Get the recipe HERE. 26 of 40 Chocolate Peppermint Cookies Victor Protasio Great British Baking Show champ Nadiya Hussain covers her malty, chocolate biscuits with more melted milk chocolate and crushed peppermint candies to make the "the perfect bedtime snack with a glass of milk for children and grown-ups alike." Get the recipe HERE. 27 of 40 Chocolate Mint Truffles Dana Gallagher You'll never guess that these cocoa-covered truffles from Worth Cooking are actually a little healthy! They are made with dates, so you don't have to feel bad about sneaking an extra one or two. Too bad the cocoa powder on your fingers will give you away. Get the recipe HERE. 28 of 40 Smoky Cardamom Ginger-Molasses Cookies Dana Gallagher Think of these cookies from Reclaiming Provincial like chewy gingersnaps, but with the added warm flavor of black cardamom. We recommend making extra to dunk into your morning coffee. Get the recipe HERE. 29 of 40 Chocolate Toffee Saltines Dana Gallagher Advance warning: Double this recipe from With Style & Grace, because once you crack apart this crunchy, sweet, salty treat you won't be able to stop nibbling. Get the recipe HERE. 30 of 40 Rugelach with Cranberries, Pecans & Apple Butter Dana Gallagher Traditional rugelach is made with raisins and apricot jam, so this variation from Apt. 2B Baking Co. makes for a slightly more tart – and dare we say more festive – cookie. Get the recipe HERE. 31 of 40 Chocolate-Dipped Pecan Bars Dana Gallagher Hey, pecan pie lovers: This treat from The Candid Appetite is for you. It's just like dipping a slice of gooey pecan pie in melted chocolate which, quite honestly, can't be beat. Get the recipe HERE. 32 of 40 Almond Matzoh Toasts Dana Gallagher These toasts from Big Girls, Small Kitchen will remind you of flaky almond croissants. They're ideal for Passover and Hanukkah – or any time of year. Get the recipe HERE. 33 of 40 Peanut Butter & Strawberry Thumbprint Cookies Dana Gallagher OMG PB&J. These jam-filled cookies from Joy the Baker have everything you want in a snack: honey roasted peanut butter and sweet-tart jam, all housed in a perfect bite. Get the recipe HERE. 34 of 40 Cowboy Cookies DUSTIN COHEN There's nothing that says home for the holidays more than Melissa Gilbert's chocolate chunk cookies from her cookbook inspired by Little House on the Prairie. They are the perfect blend of oatmeal, peanut butter and chocolate chips. Get the recipe HERE. 35 of 40 Matcha Shortbread Cookies Dana Gallagher They might be a bit unconventional for Christmas Day, but these matcha green tea cookies from Kirbie's Cravings are the ideal afternoon treat after a day full of rich foods. Plus, you won't need to use food coloring – the matcha powder makes them green naturally. Get the recipe HERE. 36 of 40 Chocolate Fudge Cookies with Candy Cane Buttercream Dana Gallagher Did you know that the day after Christmas is National Candy Cane Day? We can think of no better way to celebrate than with these chocolate cookies with peppermint buttercream frosting from Sally's Baking Addiction. Get the recipe HERE. 37 of 40 Gingerbread Truffles Dana Gallagher These truffles from A Couple Cooks have all the best flavors of the season: molasses, ginger, cinnamon and cloves. Leave a big plate out for Santa tonight and you may be rewarded tomorrow morning! Get the recipe HERE. 38 of 40 Orange Cranberry Icebox Cookies Dana Gallagher Squeeze in as much holiday baking as possible this month! These fruit-packed cookies from The Faux Martha and author of The Minimalist Kitchen are sweet, tart and oh-so easy to make. Get the recipe HERE. 39 of 40 Linzer Cookies Dana Gallagher There's something so special about Ina Garten's jam-filled cookies. Pick your favorite jellies or go with some can't miss flavors: Raspberry preserves, apricot jam and blueberry jam. Get the recipe HERE. 40 of 40 Flourless Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies Dana Gallagher What makes peanut butter cookies even better? Chocolate, obviously. These decadent (read flourless) cookies from Edible Perspective are the perfect thing to bring to your New Year's Eve party. Get the recipe HERE.