12 Tasty Hanukkah Cookies to Serve at Your Holiday Celebration
Hanukkah—the eight day Jewish holiday known as the Festival of Lights—begins on December 18 this year, which means it’s almost time to dust off the menorah and start planning your menu. Whether you’re hosting a Hanukkah celebration or simply hoping not to show up empty-handed to someone else’s, it’s a good idea to acquaint yourself with some of the holiday’s tastiest treats.
According to Gadi Paleg, owner of Breads Bakery, Hanukkah is all about the miracle of oil, which means fried foods take center stage—and this is true of the dessert menu, too. Indeed, Paleg tells us that “the sweet most associated with the holiday is the Sufganiya, a fried donut, but really a Berliner,” adding that the most beloved sufganiyot is one that’s filled with strawberry jelly and dusted with powdered sugar.
That said, the task of frying donuts in a huge vat of oil can be a tad intimidating for the average home baker. Fortunately, our list of the most festive Hanukkah cookies is a clever workaround that will allow you to bake a treat that suits the occasion without straying too far from your comfort zone in the kitchen. And sure, it may not be the most traditional Hanukkah dessert (“the cookie is likely an American tradition which was borrowed from Christmas,” Paleg tells us) but it’s sure to go down a treat at your holiday celebration, plus be a project that the whole family (toddlers, too!) can get involved in. Hanukkah Sameach!
The Best Cookie Recipes in the Whole Entire Universe
1. Tie-Dye Sugar Cookies
Katherine Gillen
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients
Combine this neat tie-dye technique with a festive white and blue palette, and then pat yourself on the back for baking up a seriously groovy batch of Hanukkah cookies.
2. Pumpkin Butter Rugelach Cookies
Half-Baked Harvest
Time Commitment: 50 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
Here, cinnamon-spiked pumpkin butter and crunchy pecans combine to create a rugelach filling that will have you hooked from Halloween until Hanukkah.
3. Hamantaschen Pie
Cupcake Project
Time Commitment: 1 hour, 5 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
Although hamantaschen are typically enjoyed during Purim, Coterie member Stefani Pollack proves these tasty cookies make a fine crust for a Hanukkah pie.
4. Rugelach Cookies
Sally’s Baking Addiction
Time Commitment: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make-ahead
The filling of these flaky, buttery and festive cookies is highly adaptable, but this classic recipe is an excellent place to start if you’re new to making rugelach.
5. Chocolate Matzo Crack
Lexi’s Clean Kitchen
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: gluten-free, <30 minutes
Why wait for Passover to bust out the matzo recipes when you can use the stuff to make a crunchy, chocolate Hanukkah treat that will put your neighbor’s peppermint bark to shame.
6. S’mores Hamantaschen
Nosh with Micah
Time Commitment: 1 hour, 45 minutes (including cooling time)
Why We Love It: make-ahead, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
The tried-and-true marshmallow and chocolate combo in this hamantaschen recipe is just right for the winter holidays—just double check that your marshmallows are kosher before you proceed.
7. Butter Cookie Wreaths
Saving Room for Dessert
Time Commitment: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, make-ahead, crowd-pleaser
These buttery, sugar-crusted shortbread cookies feature a six-point star in the center, which means they’ll fit right in with the Hanukkah spread.
8. Butter Cookie Wreaths
The Cupcake Project
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: <1 hour, make-ahead, crowd-pleaser
This recipe calls for cream cheese in both the dough and the filling to create an exceptionally rich and sinfully delicious pastry that no one will mind eating for eight days straight.
9. Egg Kichel
The Cupcake Project
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
A cross between a croissant and a sugar cookie—this traditional treat is incredibly light and airy. Make an extra big batch for Hanukkah (they’ll disappear quickly) and don’t forget to spruce them up with sprinkles for a more festive presentation.
10. Pecan Pie Hamantaschen
Nosh with Micah
Time Commitment: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
Everyone’s favorite holiday pie just befriended a classic Jewish cookie, and let’s just say it’s a perfect union.
11. Old World Linzer Cookies
Saving Room for Dessert
Time Commitment: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
These Austrian cookies, which are composed of almond-scented dough and a lightly sweetened jam filling, have been satisfying sweet tooths since the 17th century. The small star cut-out in the center is a subtle, festive touch, but if you want to go all-in on the Hanukkah theme, feel free to use a cookie cutter to shape the dough into Star of David sandwiches instead.
12. Simple Honey Cookies
The Cupcake Project
Time Commitment: 50 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, one bowl, make-ahead
In the Torah, manna is described as being like “honey wafers” and these crispy, buttery honey cookies are, indeed, heaven-sent. (They’re also a perfect canvas for festive decorations, so don’t hesitate to jazz ‘em up however you see fit.)
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