A Christmas cookie plate feels more inviting with a little variety: warm spice, bright fruit, chocolate, and a few decorated shapes. These Christmas cookies bring those choices together, from soft ginger snaps to peppermint kiss cookies and jam-filled thumbprints.
There are simple scoop-and-bake options for quieter baking days, plus frosted trees and snowman cookies when you want to spend time decorating. You will also find sugar cookie sweet rolls for a dessert that goes beyond the usual cookie tin. Pick a few favorites, check their chilling times, and leave space on the counter for cooling before you start packing or serving.
1. Soft Ginger Snap Cookies
Molasses and dark brown sugar give these ginger cookies a rich flavor and soft, chewy centers. Ginger, cinnamon, and cloves bring warm holiday spice, while a roll in granulated sugar leaves a lightly crisp finish. Chill the dough before shaping, then bake just until the edges set for a tender middle.
Start your tray with these soft ginger snap cookies.
2. Cake Mix Christmas Cookies
White cake mix keeps the measuring simple for these soft Christmas cookies. Eggs and oil turn the dry mix into dough, with white chocolate chips and red and green sprinkles folded through. A short chill makes scooping easier and helps the cookies stay thick. No frosting is needed for their festive finish.
Bake a batch of cake mix Christmas cookies.
3. Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies
Dried cranberries bring a tart bite to these chewy cookies, balancing the creamy sweetness of white chocolate chips. Butter, brown sugar, and vanilla round out the flavor. Chill the dough before scooping, and pull the cookies when their edges are lightly golden while the middles still look soft.
Add a fruity option with these cranberry white chocolate cookies this Christmas.
4. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Snowball Cookies
These little rounds have a tender, crumbly bite rather than a chewy center. Creamy peanut butter flavors the buttery dough, and mini chocolate chips spread small chocolate bites throughout. Roll the baked cookies in powdered sugar while slightly warm, then again once cool for a snowy finish.
Make room on your platter for these peanut butter chocolate chip snowball cookies.
5. Soft Christmas Cutout Cookies
Sour cream gives these buttery cutout cookies their tender centers. Roll the dough between parchment before chilling, then cut it into trees and stars while firm. Red and green sugar sprinkles add color and a little crunch without frosting. Keep the cookies pale on top so they stay soft.
Bring out your cutters for these soft Christmas cutout cookies today.
6. Candy Cane Kiss Cookies
A striped peppermint kiss gives each soft vanilla cookie its Christmas finish. The dough balls get a light sugar coating before baking, adding a crisp outer texture. Let the baked cookies rest briefly before pressing chilled candies into their centers, then leave them undisturbed until the toppings firm up.
Try these candy cane kiss cookies for your next holiday gathering.
7. Grinch Stole Santa Cookies
Green vanilla dough, powdered sugar cracks, and a tiny red candy heart give these cookies their familiar holiday look. They are made from scratch with butter, eggs, and flour. Chill the dough before rolling, then add the hearts just after baking while the tops are still soft.
Brighten your cookie plate with these Grinch Stole Santa cookies for festive sharing.
8. Stuffed S’mores Cookies
Fine graham cracker crumbs flavor the thick dough, while chopped semisweet chocolate adds rich pockets throughout. Each cookie wraps around a marshmallow half for a soft hidden center. Seal the dough carefully and chill the filled portions before baking. Give them time to settle before breaking one open.
Find the marshmallow middle in these stuffed s’mores cookies after they rest.
9. Christmas Tree Cookies
These buttery vanilla trees have tender centers, lightly crisp edges, and green frosting spread over the branches. Red and white sprinkles finish the tops without detailed piping. Chill the rolled dough before cutting, and cool the baked trees completely before decorating so the frosting holds its shape.
Set aside some decorating time for these Christmas tree cookies with vanilla frosting.
10. Christmas Sugar Cookie Rolls
This recipe takes sugar cookie flavor into fluffy yeast rolls. A thin vanilla cookie filling with red and green sprinkles sits inside each spiral, and vanilla frosting covers the baked tops. Allow time for both rises before serving these slightly warm as a holiday dessert.
For a change from individual cookies, bake these Christmas sugar cookie rolls to share together.
11. Raspberry Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies
Cream cheese goes into the buttery dough itself, giving these thumbprints a gentle tang and tender crumb. There is no separate cheesecake filling. Shape deep wells in the chilled dough, spoon in thick seedless raspberry jam, and bake until the edges are faintly golden.
Add bright berry centers to your holiday selection with these raspberry cheesecake thumbprint cookies this season.
12. Melted Snowman Peanut Butter Cookies
Soft peanut butter cookies become little snowmen with white candy coating, marshmallow heads, and chocolate peanut butter cup hats. Mini chocolate chips make the eyes, while orange sprinkles form the noses. Cool the bases fully before decorating, then let the coating set before arranging or packing them.
Finish your holiday platter with these melted snowman peanut butter cookies for sharing.
Final Thoughts
Choose your Christmas cookies around the flavors and baking time that suit your plans. Ginger snaps add spice, cranberry cookies bring a tart note, and peanut butter snowballs offer a crumbly bite beside the softer options. Decorated trees and snowmen can become the focus of a serving platter.
Read each recipe before starting so you can plan for chilling, cooling, and setting the decorations. Keep the sugar cookie rolls for a separate dessert dish, and let the smaller cookies cool fully before packing. A few different batches give you plenty to share without needing to make every recipe on the list.