What would the holiday season be without Christmas cookie recipes? While we love easy Christmas desserts like fruitcakes, fudge and bread pudding, there’s just something magical about filling our homes with the scent of freshly baked cookie dough. So, we put together this collection of easy Christmas cookie desserts that will keep your oven busy all season long.

Here you’ll find classic Christmas cookie ideas like decorated gingerbread, ultra-rich spritz and snickerdoodles that are perfect for getting into the holiday spirit. Plus, fun and inventive takes like mint morsels, hot chocolate cookies and fruitcake cookies! You’ll even find international Christmas cookie must-haves like Italian sprinkle and rainbow cookies, Russian tea cakes, Czech kolache and German lebkuchen. The recipes in this collection were chosen to represent a wide range of flavors, cuisines and difficulty levels, so everyone can find something to bake.

Most of the cookies can be made well ahead of your Christmas party to cut down on your day-of to-do list. Knowing how to store cookies will keep your baked goods as fresh as possible. Grandma’s vintage Santa cookie jar might just come in handy! And if you’re gifting any easy Christmas cookie desserts, pair them with these Secret Santa gift ideas for the holiday season.

Whether you’re looking for the best holiday cookie recipes to bake and decorate with the kids, to take to a cookie exchange or to leave out for Santa, these classic Christmas cookie ideas are sure to fit the bill.

Taste of Home