76 christmas sugar cookie recipes

Classic cut-out Christmas cookies with almond and vanilla extract, rolled thin and topped with colored powdered sugar frosting. A holiday cookie-decorating tradition.

Sparkle cookies rolled in red and green sugar for a festive Christmas look. Made with cookie mix, almond extract, and cream of tartar for a soft, tender bite. Makes 4 dozen.

Mocha nut butter balls with instant coffee, cocoa powder, pecans, and butter, rolled in powdered sugar. A melt-in-your-mouth Christmas cookie perfect for holiday tins.

Butter pecan snowball cookies (Mexican wedding cookies, Russian tea cakes) with finely chopped pecans, rolled in powdered sugar while warm. Christmas cookie tin staple, freezes beautifully.

Classic gingerbread people cookies with molasses, brown sugar, and warm spices. Makes 30 crisp-tender cookies, perfect for decorating with kids for Christmas baking.

Lowcountry benne seed cookies (Charleston style) with toasted sesame seeds, brown sugar, and butter. A thin, crispy Southern Christmas cookie with West African roots.

Christmas surprise cookies: brown sugar drop cookies with a hidden jam center and a dusting of sweet coconut on top. A vintage holiday thumbprint for the cookie tin.

Christmas paintbrush cookies are rolled sugar cookies painted with colored egg yolk paint before baking. A kid-friendly holiday project where designs bake right into the cookie surface.

No-bake rum balls made with crushed vanilla wafers, pecans, cocoa, powdered sugar, and real rum. A classic Christmas cookie tin staple rolled in powdered sugar.

Christmas chocolate cookies with unsweetened chocolate, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and chopped nuts. A flourless-light, brownie-textured holiday drop cookie spiced for the season.

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.

Buttery pecan snowball cookies rolled in sugar while warm, made with just six ingredients. A treasured Christmas cookie recipe passed down from Mother's kitchen to yours.

Tiny green sugar cookie balls arranged in rings with candied cherry "berries" to make festive Christmas wreath cookies. A fun, easy holiday baking project for kids.

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.

Vintage gumdrop squares: chewy brown sugar bars studded with chopped gumdrops and walnuts, finished with a tangy orange butter frosting. A retro Christmas cookie tray treat.

Jelly Christmas Eyes are sandwich cookies with a window cutout showing raspberry or strawberry jelly through the center, coated in sugar. A festive holiday cookie plate classic.