A tray of homemade Christmas cookies feels generous before you add a single ribbon. These easy Christmas cookie recipes bring together familiar butter, chocolate, spice, and citrus flavors, with crisp and chewy textures alongside one another.
You don’t need to bake all 15 to make a colorful assortment. Choose a manageable mix, use the shaping and baking cues below, and spread the work over several days. Start with familiar favorites, then add a few decorative cookies if you want a fuller tray.
Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes for a Festive Cookie Tray: classic favorites
These familiar cookies give your tray recognizable shapes, flavors, and simple decorating options.
1. Cut-out sugar cookies
For King Arthur’s classic cut-out cookies, use 1/2 cup shortening, 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1/2 cup each brown and granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 1 egg, 2 1/2 cups flour, and 1/2 cup cornstarch.
- Cream the fats, sugars, salt, baking powder, and vanilla. Beat in the egg, then flour and cornstarch. Chill 30 minutes.
- Roll 1/8 inch thick and cut shapes. Bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes, until edges barely brown. Cool completely before icing.
2. Gingerbread people
Gingerbread people add warm spice and a darker color beside pale butter cookies. Chilled dough is easier to handle and helps small arms and legs keep their shape.
Keep icing details simple: eyes, buttons, and a narrow outline are enough. Wait until the cookies cool fully so the icing stays where you put it.
3. Shortbread fingers
Shortbread fingers bring a crisp, buttery contrast to softer cookies. Their plain shape also gives the tray a little breathing room beside decorated stars and gingerbread people.
Keep decoration restrained so the butter flavor remains clear. If you want another butter-cookie option, Epicurious’s butter cookie variations offer different shapes and finishes.
4. Jam thumbprint cookies
Thumbprints add small pockets of red jam without requiring a full layer of icing. Raspberry or another smooth jam gives the center a clear color and keeps the filling easy to portion.
Jam may go in before or after baking, depending on the dough. Keep the well shallow enough to leave a sturdy cookie underneath.
5. Chocolate crinkles
Chocolate crinkles give you dark cocoa centers beneath a cracked confectioners’ sugar coating. King Arthur Baking’s version chills for 2 to 3 hours or overnight before shaping.
Roll portions in confectioners’ sugar, then bake at 325°F for 10 to 12 minutes, switching pan positions midway. Let the cookies firm before moving them so the soft centers stay intact.
Five more easy Christmas cookies with cozy flavors
Add familiar drop cookies for a tray that balances decoration with everyday favorites.
6. Snickerdoodles
For King Arthur’s snickerdoodle cookies, use 1 cup shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 2 3/4 cups flour, plus cinnamon sugar for coating.
- Beat shortening and sugar together. Add eggs and vanilla, then mix in the dry ingredients. Shape portions into balls and coat with cinnamon sugar.
- Bake at 400°F for 11 to 12 minutes, until set and beginning to turn golden. Cool briefly on the pan.
For a softer pumpkin variation, try our pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies with creamy icing.
7. Peppermint chocolate cookies
Peppermint chocolate cookies bring a distinct seasonal flavor, so a small group adds plenty to the tray. King Arthur Baking’s Chocolate Peppermint Snaps use cocoa, peppermint extract, and semisweet chocolate chips.
That version bakes at 350°F for 12 to 13 minutes. Dark sheets without parchment need a shorter bake, so the pan affects the result.
8. Chocolate chip cookies
Chocolate chip cookies give guests a familiar choice among the spiced and decorated varieties. Smaller portions are convenient when people want to sample several cookies.
A long refrigerated rest belongs to some recipes, not every chocolate chip dough. Keep portion sizes consistent within a batch so the edges and centers finish together.
Read also: Easy Christmas Gingerbread Cookies Without Molasses for Beginners
9. Peanut butter cookies
Peanut butter cookies add a nutty flavor and a recognizable fork-marked surface. Their simple appearance works well beside jam centers and snowy crinkles.
Label peanuts clearly when sharing. Put these cookies on a separate plate for easier identification, and don’t describe the remaining assortment as peanut-free if you’ve used shared equipment.
10. Oatmeal cookies
Oatmeal cookies add a chewy texture that contrasts with shortbread and pressed butter cookies. Choose a version whose raisins or chocolate are already part of the ingredient list, rather than adding extra ingredients without adjusting the recipe.
Give warm cookies time to firm before lifting them. Moving a soft center too soon can break the cookie.
Finish the tray with five cookies that add color and contrast
Use these smaller accents to add visible fillings, delicate shapes, and brighter flavors.
11. Linzer cookies
Linzer cookies pair matching shapes with a small window that shows the filling. Dust the windowed tops with confectioners’ sugar before assembling so the jam stays bright.
King Arthur Baking’s version bakes at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Cool five minutes on the pan, then completely on a rack before filling.
12. Spritz cookies
Spritz cookies add decorative shapes without the repeated rolling and cutting of sugar cookies. Their small size also helps fill narrow spaces around larger cookies.
Dough consistency matters when using a press. Follow the dough’s handling directions rather than adding extra liquid or flour immediately, since either change can affect how the shapes hold.
13. Meringue kisses
Meringue kisses add a light, crisp bite beside richer cookies. Their white finish also gives the tray contrast without another layer of icing.
Keep them dry and separate from soft cookies until serving. Moisture can soften their shells, so an airtight container matters more than decorative packaging while you store them.
14. Coconut macaroons
Coconut macaroons bring a chewy center and a rougher surface to an otherwise smooth assortment. Their natural texture makes them useful when you want another variety without detailed decoration.
Let them cool before packing, and avoid stacking while warm. Storage needs depend on the ingredients and moisture level, so keep each batch with its own storage directions.
Read also: 12 Easy Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes for the Holidays
15. Orange-cardamom cookies
Orange and cardamom give the tray a brighter flavor beside chocolate, peppermint, and gingerbread. Keep their presentation simple so guests can distinguish them from heavily decorated cookies.
Earthly Provisions’ orange-cardamom cookies bake at 350°F for about 12 minutes, until barely golden at the edges. Cool them on the sheet for five minutes before transferring them.
How to make a cookie tray look festive and balanced
Choose cookies with different colors, shapes, and textures rather than trying to give every variety elaborate decoration. A pale butter cookie, dark chocolate cookie, red jam center, and white meringue already create contrast.
Place larger cookies first, then tuck smaller spritz cookies or meringues into the gaps. Arrange each variety in a small group so guests can recognize their choices without searching through a mixed pile.
Keep peppermint cookies together, since their flavor can transfer during storage. Identify peanut-containing cookies clearly, and use a separate serving plate when that makes the assortment easier to understand.
Use food-safe paper liners beneath delicate cookies. A ribbon around the tray or greenery placed outside the food area adds color without covering the cookies.
Bake ahead, store cookies well, and keep the tray fresh
Divide the work into dough preparation, baking, and decorating. Make suitable doughs ahead, bake sturdy cookies before delicate ones, and leave icing until every cookie has cooled.
Keep dough covered while chilling so the surface doesn’t dry out. For rollout dough, freeze cut shapes separately before packing them together when the recipe allows freezing.
Store cooled cookies in airtight containers, grouped by texture and flavor. Crisp shortbread and soft oatmeal cookies shouldn’t share a container because moisture moves between them.
Fillings need their own attention. King Arthur’s Linzer cookie storage guidance distinguishes jam-filled cookies, which keep wrapped at room temperature for several days, from curd-filled cookies, which need refrigeration.
These easy Christmas cookie recipes don’t share one storage or freezer limit. Keep recipe-specific directions with each container, then assemble the tray shortly before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Christmas cookies are easiest for beginner bakers?
Chocolate chip, peanut butter, and oatmeal cookies have approachable portioning methods. Shortbread is another manageable choice when you prefer a dough that doesn’t need detailed decoration.
Can I make Christmas cookie dough ahead of time?
Many drop-cookie and rollout doughs can be chilled or frozen. Keep each dough’s resting and freezing directions with it, since advance preparation can change how easily it shapes and spreads.
How do I keep different cookies fresh on one tray?
Keep varieties in separate airtight containers until shortly before serving. Refill the tray in smaller amounts, and keep cookies with perishable fillings refrigerated rather than leaving the whole batch out.
How many cookies should I make for a holiday tray?
Base the amount on your guest count, cookie size, and other desserts. Offer a few choices per person, then make extra of familiar favorites if guests will also take cookies home.
Bring Your Christmas Cookie Tray Together
Choose a few favorites or make the full assortment, then arrange the cooled cookies shortly before serving. A mix of butter, chocolate, spice, and citrus gives guests variety without making every cookie complicated.
Keep the baking manageable by separating dough preparation, baking, and decorating. Clear stopping points and separate storage containers help each cookie reach the tray with its intended texture.
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I’m the creator of My Everyday Dish, a food blog focused on easy homemade recipes, comforting family meals, simple baking, and seasonal food ideas. I love finding practical ways to make everyday cooking less stressful and more enjoyable. Here, I share recipes with simple ingredients, clear instructions, and plenty of flavor, helping you make delicious meals and treats you’ll feel confident serving at home.
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