18 Traditional Christmas Cookie Recipes to Make All Season Long Bake and share a galore of festive cookies—from gingerbread to thumbprint, and beyond. Close Credit: Mike Krautter In this collection of traditional Christmas cookie recipes, we're sticking with beloved favorites and even classics with a twist we guarantee all your guests and family will truly enjoy. Pick any of these time-honored cookies to make and give over the holiday season—they're perfect for sharing, and a wonderful way to bring cheer to the ones we love. Happy baking! 8 of Martha's All-Time Favorite Christmas Cookies 01 of 18 Sugar Cookie Cutouts Nothing says "Christmas" quite like a versatile basic sugar cookie dough. This tried-and-true recipe can be rolled and cut out into any shape and decorated with colorful frosting. View Recipe 02 of 18 Noel Nut Balls Credit: Joseph De Leo For our Noel Nut Balls, we use Martha's family recipe which calls for pecans and contains a touch of bourbon or fresh orange juice. Whatever you use, we guarantee these diminutive treats will look like sweet snowballs every time. View Recipe 03 of 18 Honey-Spice Gingerbread Cookies Credit: Sang An Cutout gingerbread cookies made with honey-spice dough are spectacular when dusted with sanding sugar on top of freshly piped icing. It gives the impression of new-fallen snow. We added some dark chocolate cutout cookies here too for their contrasting shade—and because chocolate works so well with ginger. View Recipe 04 of 18 Peppermint Spritz Cookies Credit: Louise Hagger For some, it's just not Christmas without spritz cookies. If you're in that camp, we've got you covered with these peppermint-glazed cookies made using your trusty cookie press. View Recipe 05 of 18 Anise Pizzelle Credit: Mike Krautter These thin, waffle-like cookies hail from the Italian region of Abruzzo. They get their intricate shape from a special pizzelle iron. Originally the plates of these irons had family crests embossed on them, but nowadays you'll find them with geometric, floral, or even snowflake patterns. View Recipe 06 of 18 Chocolate-Espresso Snowcaps Chewy mocha cookies that look like little snow-covered mountains are a Christmas classic. View Recipe 07 of 18 Fruitcake Shortbread Simple embellishments—in this case, boozy dried fruit—send a classic cookie over the top. Stick with a classic shortbread recipe and mix in dried figs, pineapple, strawberries, and kiwi to create a visually enticing treat. View Recipe 08 of 18 Meyer-Lemon Shortbread Wreath Cookies Credit: Mikkel Vang They tick all the necessary traditional boxes but the flavors have of these pretty wreath cookies been updated. Meyer lemons add their sweet, citrus perfume and rosemary brings a woodsy note. View Recipe 09 of 18 Finnish Star Cookies Credit: Mike Krautter These favorite Finnish cookies, joulutorttu, are made with a rich, pliable dough that uses cream cheese. It's folded to make a simple star shape. Use your favorite jam in the center, bright colors are best. View Recipe 10 of 18 Thumbprint Cookies Credit: Joseph De Leo A dollop of apricot, red currant, or red raspberry jam fills the center of these traditional almond-flavored Christmas cookies. View Recipe 11 of 18 Chewy Molasses-Spice Cookies The holidays wouldn't be the same without a comforting, chewy molasses cookie with just the right amount of spice and warmth. View Recipe 12 of 18 Cinnamon Sugar Cookies While these aren't the same as the German cookies Zimsterne (which are light and almond-dough-based), ours pay homage to that distinctive cinnamon flavor. This version also works for cut-out and decorated cookies. View Recipe 13 of 18 Pfeffernussen Credit: Mike Krautter The snowy sugar surface of these pfeffernussen contrasts with the peppery flavor that defines this traditional German cookie. View Recipe 14 of 18 Martha's Speculaas Cookies Credit: Mike Krautter You'll need specially designed springerle molds to shape the fragrant spiced dough for these traditional Dutch cookies. View Recipe 15 of 18 Rum Balls Break a batch of brownies into bits, mix with dark rum, and roll into balls, then coat them with sparkling sugar to make this delicious holiday treat. View Recipe 16 of 18 Cranberry-Pistachio Cornmeal Biscotti Italian delicatessen Biscotti makes an excellent gift—along with a pound of your favorite coffee for dunking. But this specific combo—cranberry and pistachio—is as colorful and festive as it is delicious. View Recipe 17 of 18 Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies Credit: Brie Goldman A combination of fresh and ground ginger, molasses, and chunks of semisweet chocolate makes these egg-free cookies just irresistible. They're sophisticated enough for adults yet still chocolaty enough for children. View Recipe 18 of 18 Linzer Flower Cookies Credit: Mike Krautter Based on the famous Linzer torte, these classic cookies combine the classic nutty and fruity elements but in a smaller package. View Recipe Explore more: Food & Cooking Recipes Dessert & Treats Recipes Cookie Recipes