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  1. Midwest Living
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  4. Christmas Cookie Recipes to Treasure

Christmas Cookie Recipes to Treasure

By Midwest Living editors Updated November 14, 2022
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Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies with Watercolor Icing

Sugar cookies, chocolate cookies, butter cookies and more will add a little sparkle, a little dazzle and lots of memories to your holiday season.

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Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies with Watercolor Icing

Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies with Watercolor Icing
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These crisp, airy cookies taste like old-fashioned bakery cookies—but they're decorated in a totally modern way that's fun and so kid-friendly. The "canvas" is royal icing, and the "paint" is just food coloring! 

Related: How to Decorate Dazzling Cookies

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Valencia Delights

Valencia Delights
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Orange and chocolate: a holiday cookie match that tempt every Santa to take seconds. This recipe comes from Jill Drury in Milwaukee, who loved to bake cookies with her grandmother. "For the longest time I couldn't decide which cookie I liked best, until one day Grandma had me mix my favorite flavors: chocolate and orange," she says. "We came up with this cookie that I now call my holiday favorite."

Related: Favorite Family Holiday Recipes

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Vanilla Bean Sables

vanilla bean sables in oval boxes
Credit: Carson Downing
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Simple. Elegant. Buttery. These vanilla bean cookies are the perfect slice-and-bake treat, and you can make them four ways. 

Related: 5 Sweet Holiday Gifts

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Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprint Cookies

pbj thumbprint cookies
Credit: Courtesy of Stephanie Simmons
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These easy, nostalgic-tasting cookies are a favorite of Stephanie Simmons, the Wisconsin blogger behind Blue Bowl Recipes and author of the cookbook, The One-Bowl Baker. Use your favorite preserves--Stephanie likes raspberry.

Related: The Midwest's Best Cookie Recipes

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Oaxacan Mexican Chocolate Cookies

Oaxacan Mexican Chocolate Cookies
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The recipe for these ultra-rich, cinnamon-laced cookies comes from the Fairmont Hotel in Chicago, which hosted a cookie swap.

Related: Decadent Chocolate Dessert Recipes

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Sugar Cookies Like You Remember

Sugar Cookies Like You Remember
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Nutmeg lends unmistakable holiday flavor to these puffy, old-fashioned cut-out cookies. They do spread a bit, so don't use this recipe for delicate shapes. It's best-suited for circles, bells and the like.

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Caramel Heavenlies

Caramel Heavenlies
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Graham crackers form the base for this bar cookie with layers of marshmallows, brown sugar, almonds and coconut. "I've made these cookies since 1984," says Georgine Simmonds of Genesee, Michigan. "They're one of my family's favorites."

Related: Best Holiday Desserts

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Mindy Segal's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mindy Segal's Chocolate Chip Cookies
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These to-die-for cookies use special chocolate and two kinds of salt, and they call for an overnight chill—and you can absolutely taste the difference. Because of the expense and time involved, we don't recommend them for any old weekend, but they are incredible for a gift or other special occasion. The recipe comes from Chicago chef Mindy Segal's cookbook Cookie Love.

Related: The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies I've Ever Eaten

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Peanut Butter Temptations

Peanut Butter Temptations
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Calling all peanut butter fans! These cookies offer double-the-PB compared to the classic peanut blossom cookie with a chocolate kiss on top. And they couldn't be easier.

Related: So-Good Peanut Butter Dessert Recipes

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Pepparkakor

Pepparkakor
Credit: Carson Downing
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Kim Van Patten says these Swedish spice cookies are popular at Christmas. Heart shapes are traditional to encourage kindness and sweetness. It certainly is nice that her Iowa State Fair blue-ribbon winners are mixed up in one saucepan!

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Crispy Gingerbread

Crispy Gingerbread
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This festively spiced recipe (with a hint of orange zest) makes thin, crunchy cookies that work well for gingerbread houses, edible place cards and ornaments. 

Related: Gingerbread Recipes for the Holidays

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Sandbakkels

Sandbakkels
Credit: Blaine Moats
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Sandbakkels means "sand tarts" because the cookies (which, flipped over, can double as tiny shells to hold cream and fruit) have such a fine, crisp texture. Find them in Shauna Sever's book Midwest Made: Big, Bold Baking from the Heartland.

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Peppermint Sugar Cookies

Peppermint Sugar Cookies
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Peppermint extract infuses these crisp, buttery cookies with holiday flavor. Choose between slice-and-bake swirls or candy-cane shape cookies.

Related: Holiday Peppermint Recipes

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Chocolate Peppermint Pinwheels

Chocolate Peppermint Pinwheels
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These cookies are easier than they look. Make one batch of dough, divide it in half, and blend cocoa into one portion and crushed candy canes and peppermint extract into the other. 

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Fanciful Raspberry Ribbons

Fanciful Raspberry Ribbons
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These festive "bake-and-slice" cookies look stunning on a tray of holiday desserts. 

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Pistachio Cranberry Icebox Cookies

Pistachio Cranberry Icebox Cookies
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These cookies from the Inn at Cedar Falls in Logan, Ohio, make a colorful treat anytime of year.

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Butter Dream Cookies

Butter Dream Cookies
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A festive red maraschino cherry tops each cookie in this recipe, contributed by one of our Midwest Living editors.

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Tosca Diamonds

Tosca Diamonds
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These cookies are extremely rich, so cut them into small bars. We love the indulgent flourish of the caramel sauce, but the cookies are delicious without it.

Related: 11 Scandinavian Cookie Recipes

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Fat Molasses Cookies

Fat Molasses Cookies
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Packed with flavor from molasses, ginger, cinnamon and brown sugar, these cookies look especially nice when cut with a scalloped or round cutter and sprinkled with coarse sugar or crystallized ginger.

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Eggnog Sugar Cookies

Eggnog Sugar Cookies
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The eggnog flavor in these buttery cutouts comes from nutmeg and rum extract; it's subtle enough to be a pleasant twist on classic holiday sugar cookies without being overpowering. 

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Triple Peanut Butter Streusel Bars

Triple Peanut Butter Streusel Bars
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Dry-roasted peanuts, peanut butter-flavored pieces and peanut butter bring triple flavor to this make-ahead bar cookie.

Related: Our Best Bar Cookies

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Gadettes

Gadettes
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Dust off your waffle iron to bake these Belgian-style cookies. The recipe comes from Connie Shaw of Bettendorf, Iowa, who learned it from her grandmother. 

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Lebkuchen

Lebkuchen
Credit: Blaine Moats
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The secret to perfect lebkuchen is in the resting phase after glazing. An apple wedge in the storage container provides moisture that softens the cookies. This German classic is from Shauna Sever's book Midwest Made: Big, Bold Baking from the Heartland.

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Orange-Ginger Cookie Sandwiches

Orange-Ginger Cookie Sandwiches
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A round cookie cutter with scalloped edges makes a nice shape for these cookies, but bell, tree or star cutters would also be good choices for the holidays.

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Holiday Seven-Layer Bars

Holiday Seven-Layer Bars
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Chocolate, nuts, coconut and more fill our easy-to-make bar cookies. Mixed dried fruit bits and candy-coated milk chocolate pieces are among the layers that make this bar cookie distinctive.

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Polvorones

Polvorones
Credit: Blaine Moats
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Polvorones are Mexico's crispy, airy answer to shortbread (you may know them as Mexican wedding cookies). Food writer Shauna Sever coats them in cinnamon sugar for a churro-like effect.

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Lingonberry Hearts

Lingonberry Hearts
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A "window" on the top of these cookies shows off the jam inside, but if you're feeling lazy, just sandwich the preserves between two solid cookies. They'll taste just as good.

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Lemon Sugar Cookies

Lemon Sugar Cookies Iowa State Fair
Credit: Carson Downing
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The light lemon flavor gives these sparkling sugar cookies a little special twist. Judy Kiburz Harrison's recipe won best-in-class at the Iowa State Fair.

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Apricot and Orange Blossom Kolacky

Apricot and Orange Blossom Kolacky
Credit: Blaine Moats
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This tender pastry cookie, a cousin to Jewish rugelach, has Polish origins. In her book Midwest Made: Big, Bold Baking from the Heartland, Shauna Sever's apricot filling nods to Hungary.

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Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroon Cookies

Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroon Cookies
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You can make these chewy cookies up to three months ahead of the holidays. Just freeze undipped cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container. When you're ready to serve them, thaw and then dip bottoms in melted chocolate.

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Anisette Buttons

Anisette Buttons
Credit: Blaine Moats
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"Anisettes feel so Italian because it's about abundance," says Chicago food writer Shauna Sever, of these deliciously soft, cakey cookies with a licorice flavor. "Small bites, but a huge yield."

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Chocolate-Mint Blossoms

Chocolate-Mint Blossoms
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Candy cane-flavor candies make these thumbprint cookies look festive for the holidays.

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Gramma's Sugar Cookies

Gramma's Sugar Cookies
Credit: Blaine Moats
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Shauna Sever grew up thinking this beloved recipe was special to her family with its unique additions of vegetable oil, confectioners' sugar and cream of tartar. So you can imagine her bewilderment when she found this exact recipe in a vintage Illinois state cookbook. This recipe is in her book Midwest Made: Big, Bold Baking from the Heartland .

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Date Pinwheel Cookies

Date Pinwheel Cookies
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Minneapolis blogger Alyssa Ruesch says it's not Christmas without these slice-and-bake cookies. It's her grandma's recipe.

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Super-Duper Chocolate Kisses

Super-Duper Chocolate Kisses
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Create these rich, chocolatey cookies from refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough—just add cocoa powder, chocolate sprinkles and a candy center. Use colored sprinkles instead of chocolate if you'd like a more festive presentation.

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Chocolate-Mint Thins

Chocolate-Mint Thins
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Half chocolate and half mint, these cookies offer a great flavor combo and a pretty look.

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White-Chocolate Cherry Shortbread

White-Chocolate-Cherry Shortbread
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Dip these cherry-studded cookies in melted white chocolate, then roll in nonpareils and edible glitter for extra color.

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Vienna Almond Cutouts

Vienna Almond Cutouts
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These cookies taste great on their own, but if you like, decorate them with royal icing.

Related: How to Create Marble Icing on Cookies

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Cranberry Date Puffs

Cranberry Date Puffs
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These addictive, puff pastry-wrapped cookies have a sweet, nutty filling and are delicious when they're still slightly warm. If you have a food processor, they're a cinch to make.

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    1 of 39 Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies with Watercolor Icing
    2 of 39 Valencia Delights
    3 of 39 Vanilla Bean Sables
    4 of 39 Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprint Cookies
    5 of 39 Oaxacan Mexican Chocolate Cookies
    6 of 39 Sugar Cookies Like You Remember
    7 of 39 Caramel Heavenlies
    8 of 39 Mindy Segal's Chocolate Chip Cookies
    9 of 39 Peanut Butter Temptations
    10 of 39 Pepparkakor
    11 of 39 Crispy Gingerbread
    12 of 39 Sandbakkels
    13 of 39 Peppermint Sugar Cookies
    14 of 39 Chocolate Peppermint Pinwheels
    15 of 39 Fanciful Raspberry Ribbons
    16 of 39 Pistachio Cranberry Icebox Cookies
    17 of 39 Butter Dream Cookies
    18 of 39 Tosca Diamonds
    19 of 39 Fat Molasses Cookies
    20 of 39 Eggnog Sugar Cookies
    21 of 39 Triple Peanut Butter Streusel Bars
    22 of 39 Gadettes
    23 of 39 Lebkuchen
    24 of 39 Orange-Ginger Cookie Sandwiches
    25 of 39 Holiday Seven-Layer Bars
    26 of 39 Polvorones
    27 of 39 Lingonberry Hearts
    28 of 39 Lemon Sugar Cookies
    29 of 39 Apricot and Orange Blossom Kolacky
    30 of 39 Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroon Cookies
    31 of 39 Anisette Buttons
    32 of 39 Chocolate-Mint Blossoms
    33 of 39 Gramma's Sugar Cookies
    34 of 39 Date Pinwheel Cookies
    35 of 39 Super-Duper Chocolate Kisses
    36 of 39 Chocolate-Mint Thins
    37 of 39 White-Chocolate Cherry Shortbread
    38 of 39 Vienna Almond Cutouts
    39 of 39 Cranberry Date Puffs

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