12 Delicious Days of Holiday Cookies

It wouldn't be the holidays without the scent of sugar and butter wafting from your oven — and cookie tins bursting with treats for sharing. So, we dreamed up a whole new lineup of holiday cookies that are perfect for spreading some holiday cheer. With new takes on classics, easy-to-make sweets and our best ideas for filling your cookie plate, you're guaranteed to find recipes you'll want to make this holiday season — and add to your annual rotation for years to come!

These happy holiday cookies are guaranteed to put a smile on your face. We’re giving this best sprinkle cookie recipe a makeover by adding bittersweet baking chips and unsweetened cocoa powder as the base to help the colorful sprinkles really pop and add a rich chocolate flavor throughout. Things just got a whole lot more chocolatey!

A festive twist on the classic holiday treat, these cookies get an irresistible holiday upgrade from broken peppermint bark folded right into the dough. Each bite is a mix of creamy chocolate, crunchy peppermint and melt-in-your-mouth cookies — perfect for holiday parties, cookie exchanges or just a cozy night in. And for an even simpler version, skip the homemade peppermint bark and sub in your favorite storebought chocolate bark.

If you’re looking to impress with presentation and taste this holiday season, these swirly chocolate chip shortbread cookie bars are the answer. Featuring a buttery shortbread base studded with semi-sweet chocolate chips, layered with sticky caramel and finished with a swirl of bittersweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips and melted white candy, this millionaire bar-inspired recipe is topped with beautiful swirls that look almost too good to eat — but we’ll definitely be eating them anyway!

The enchanting flavors of a princess cake, perfectly miniaturized. Inspired by the beloved Swedish confection, these sweet treats are a harmonious blend of a tender cookie base, luscious pastry cream filling and fresh raspberries, all covered in almondy marzipan. The cookies are light, sweet and delicately flavored, making them perfect for tea parties, special occasions or simply a treat that feels a bit royal.

Tropical flavors are the unexpected appeal of these easy filled cookies. A luscious blend of guava paste and cream cheese — an iconic pairing throughout Latin America and the Caribbean — meets tender, buttery dough to create a contrast of rich and tangy flavors. A coating of shredded coconut adds more island flavor and a touch of elegance. They’re perfect for festive gatherings, gifting or cookie swaps, but even this generous batch of 2 dozen might not last long.

Inspired by the cozy comfort of a steaming mug of cocoa, these chocolate cookie cups are baked soft and fudgy with crisp edges, creating the perfect vessels for a gooey milk chocolate filling that captures the essence of sipping hot cocoa on a cold day. Topped with a sprinkle of mini marshmallows, each bite delivers that nostalgic melt-in-your-mouth sweetness with a gooey center, all in an irresistible handheld treat.

A quick and easy date “caramel” spiced with cinnamon and cardamom is the base for these golden rugelach. We use almond milk to highlight the flavor of the ground almonds in the filling, but you can use any milk you like — dairy-free or otherwise. Both the dough and filling can be made ahead — you can even form the logs and freeze them, letting the dough defrost in the refrigerator before slicing and baking. Once baked, the rugelach will keep in an airtight container for 3 or 4 days, making them a great choice for holiday baking.

These cheerful snowmen are dressed in wintry shades of blue and white, each one crowned with a delicious semi-sweet chocolate-dipped top hat. The classic sugar cookie dough is rich and buttery, with white chocolate chips and sprinkles mixed right in for a festive confetti look. Refrigerating the rolled dough makes it a cinch to work with — you can prepare it well ahead of time and cut and bake these jolly guys up fresh for parties, gift tins or cookie swaps.

Pumpkin and gingerbread, two favorite holiday flavors, come together in these soft and fluffy swirled cookies with a delectable crisp edge. Inspired by snickerdoodles, these slice-and-bake treats are rolled in pumpkin spice sugar just before baking, resulting in a sweetly spiced finish.

Deep toffee flavor, crisp edges and amazingly chewy centers make these brown butter cookies irresistible. Add big pools of melty chocolate and you’ve got a cookie that can’t be beat. Our recipe gives you the perfect balance of ingredients and all the easy secrets for consistent cookies every time.

A playful twist on the beloved Italian bakery classic, these stuffed rainbow cookies channel all the nostalgic charm of the original cakey layered version — but with a surprise inside. Almond-scented tricolor dough surrounds a sweet pocket of jam, then gets dressed up with a double dose of chocolate and a dunk in sprinkles. Get ready for a chewy, jam-filled cookie with lots of personality. They’re festive enough for the holidays but fun enough to make anytime you want to delight your crowd.

These rich butter cookies with a creamy citrus glaze are inspired by the beloved morir soñando, the Dominican drink sometimes compared to a Creamsicle. The drink’s name translates to “to die dreaming,” and each blissful bite of these cookies offers a tropical burst of orange balanced by creamy sweetness, a refreshing combination any time of year. We chose a star shape for the cookies to highlight the Latin American holiday Día de Los Reyes, or Three Kings Day, but you can use any shape you’d like, holiday-themed or not.