118 christmas baking recipes

Butter cookie press poinsettias for Christmas with red flower shapes and hand-formed green leaves topped with silver dragees. A beautiful, festive holiday cookie with almond and vanilla flavor.

Peppermint candy cookies with a buttery walnut shortbread shell hiding a pink cream cheese filling inside. Rolled in crushed peppermint and powdered sugar after baking.

Checkerboard cookies with alternating chocolate and vanilla dough squares in a striking grid pattern. An impressive slice-and-bake cookie for holiday cookie tins and special occasions.

Lemony springerle, traditional German embossed cookies stamped from a wooden mold and air-dried overnight before baking. Lemon zest brightens the classic anise.

Chocolate nut torte: a four-layer sponge cake filled with silky cooked chocolate-buttercream frosting and topped with chopped nuts. An old-world holiday torte for special occasions.

Christmas crackers are sweet honey-wheat holiday cookies stamped with cookie cutters and sprinkled with sugar. Makes 45 crispy-edged rectangles for gifting or dipping.

Swedish Christmas crescent cookies: tender almond shortbread shaped into half-moons and finished with cinnamon sugar. The classic Scandinavian holiday cookie that melts on the tongue.

Rolled animal cookies made from buttery sugar cookie dough with cream, cut into animal shapes and decorated with colored sugar, chocolate sprinkles, and raisins. Great for Christmas tree ornaments.

Pistachio and white chocolate cookies with brown sugar, butter-flavored shortening, and toasted pistachios. Chewy or crisp by choice, the classic holiday cookie tin upgrade.

Homemade Danish pastry wreath with layers of buttery laminated dough, almond filling, and candied cherries. A holiday baking project that rewards patience with flaky, golden results.

Danish chocolate shortbread cookies shaped into finger-thick ropes, filled with raspberry preserves, and drizzled with melted chocolate. An elegant holiday cookie with a buttery cocoa base.

Maple meltaway shortbread crisps blend butter, cake flour, and chopped pecans with maple flavoring into delicate, snowy cookies. Five ingredients, 7-minute bake, classic Christmas tin staple.

Thin, crispy wafer cookies rolled into delicate tubes while warm, then dipped in melted chocolate and crunchy pecans. A show-stopping holiday cookie that bakes in just 6 minutes.

Make-ahead chocolate chip cookie dough that keeps in the fridge for up to 4 weeks. Sour cream keeps them soft and chewy, pecans add crunch, and you can bake a fresh batch whenever the craving hits.

No-bake coconut candy balls with a melted chocolate center, made from just 5 ingredients. A prize-winning recipe that's freezer-friendly and looks stunning on holiday cookie trays.

Peanut butter cinnamon brownies with crunchy peanut butter, brown sugar, and warm cinnamon in a chewy blondie-style bar. No chocolate, all flavor.