These Holiday-Perfect Christmas Cookies Will Even Impress Santa

One of the best smells in the world is Christmas cookies fresh from the oven. It fills the whole house with warmth. So even if it isn't quite Christmas cookie season yet, you may want to get started taste-testing. There are dozens of must-make recipes offered on this roundup. Don't forget to pair them with some milk, or better yet, a batch of Christmas cocktails.

These sweet easy-to-make treats start with one dough that can then be turned into three different recipes. How great is that?

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What better flavor combo is there during Christmas, besides peppermint and chocolate?

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Three rich layers — buttery shortbread, gooey caramel, and a thick layer of dark chocolate — make up this well-healed dessert.

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These easy gingerbread cookies are festive enough as-is, but they look extra great arranged on a platter in the form of a wreath!

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Think of these as the more elegant cousin to sugar cookies. With a rich, toasted-nut taste and a simple dusting of sugar, they're irresistibly good.

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An assortment of candies and string licorice help turn these cute bulb-shaped cookies into impressive-looking treats. Keep the theme up by serving these with a retro Christmas tree cake.

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This pie-style shortbread bakes up quickly and makes an excellent present.

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Bake up a fruitcake that folks will actually look forward to eating, with these tasty sweet cookies.

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Running low on time? Here's a smart trick for making pre-made sugar cookie dough look extra fancy.

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Berry baskets give these jam-filled treats a touch of springtime as an easy winter gift.

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Triple. Chocolate. What more do we need to say?

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Snowballs are a classic Christmas cookie. These are giftably cute in a little paper egg carton.

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If you love sugar cookies and buttery pie crust, these cookies are for you.

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Crusted with crushed candy canes and a minty white chocolate, these make a delicious Christmas treat.

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One easy recipe yields four very different kinds of Christmas cookies.

Get the recipes: Tea Cookie Dough

Roly Polys

Jam Thumbprints

Red-and-Whites

Raspberry Bars

This year, give your gingerbread men a whole farmyard full of friends!

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These buttery delights are as cute as a, well, you know.

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Dipped in fruity glazes, chopped nuts, and citrus zest, these bite-sized treats pass for tiny works of art.

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This edible tic-tac-toe board makes a fun (and edible) Christmas game!

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These easy sandwiches are a great way to avoid waste when making Christmas tree cookies.

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These simple piped delights contain a secret ingredient: ground cloves! Serve with coffee for an extra treat.

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There are two tasty versions of this classic: square winter-spice wafers (think gingersnaps) with orange cream and bittersweet chocolate rounds stuffed with raspberry preserves.

Recipes: Winter-Spice Sandwich Cookies with Orange Cream

Bittersweet-Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Raspberry Preserves

A maple-spice center holds pumpkin cakes together, while a peppermint cloud does the same for the chocolate option.

Recipes: Chocolate Whoopie Pies with Peppermint Filling

Pumpkin Whoopie Maple-Spiced Filling

For a professional finish, sprinkle on a little fleur de sel before popping these lemon-olive oil and chocolate-pistachio biscotti in the oven.

Recipes: Lemon-Olive Oil Biscotti

Chocolate-Pistachio Biscotti

The addition of cream cheese produces a softer, more cakelike texture than you'll find with typical shortbread.

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Semisweet chocolate chips, light-brown sugar, and Dutch-processed cocoa powder yield a refined richness.

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Fancify traditional sugar-cookie dough by filling in with a mixture of figs, chocolate, and orange marmalade.

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Not only are they delicious, but you can use snowball cookies to make a super festive winter scene in a gift jar!

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Simple sugar cookies can be glamorous, thanks to ornament-shaped cutters and colorful icing.

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These sweet name tags add an extra treat to each Christmas gift.

Simply follow our recipe for sugar cookie dough, then form the cookies with a tag-shaped cutter, and use a straw to punch a hole in the pointed end of each treat before baking.

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All you need are two different-colored doughs, a rolling pin, and a knife. Form one dough ball into a log, then wrap the rolled-out colored dough around it, chill, slice into cookies, and bake.

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To make these, all you need are two different-colored doughs, a rolling pin, and a knife! Form one dough ball into a log, then wrap the rolled-out colored dough around it, chill, slice into cookies, and bake.

Get the recipe for basic cookie dough.

To create marbled cookies, shape vanilla and chocolate dough into ropes. Twist together for a swirled effect. Chill, slice, and bake.

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Bavarian cookies called springerle are known for their distinctive flavor. The dough is rolled onto a floured surface, imprinted with clean, floured rubber stamps, dried overnight, and then baked.

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Bavarian cookies called springerle are known for their distinctive flavor. The dough is rolled onto a floured surface, imprinted with clean, floured rubber stamps, dried overnight, and then baked.

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Keep it simple with these candy cane cookies that melt in your mouth.

Get the recipe at Cookies and Cups.

Switch up your cookie offerings with these cute meringue cookies that are so easy to make with just five ingredients!

Get the recipe at Taste and Tell Blog.

Elevate your favorite snowball cookie with this recipe that uses tasty raspberry jam as a surprise in the middle.

Get the recipe at Cooking Classy.

Crinkle cookies always satisfy, but these red velvet ones really take the cake (erm, cookie).

Get the recipe at Broma Bakery.

These cookies are reminiscent of the stained glass windows at church on Christmas morning—and they're so much easier to make than you think.

Get the recipe at Cooking Classy.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! These sugar cookies are adorable without the cover, but can easily be added with plastic ornament halves and white nonpareils.

Get the recipe at Sweets to Impress.

Include seasonal cranberries with these cookies. Easily make your cookies soft, thick, and chewy by adding a touch of cornstarch to your dough.

Get the recipe at Sally's Baking Addiction.

Now you don't have to wear an ugly sweater to the holiday party—you can bring an edible version. Another idea is to turn this into a family game. Whoever creates the ugliest sweater on a plain cut-out is the winner!

Get the recipe at Mom Loves Baking.

Not only are these delicate cookies beautiful, but they're also very easy to decorate. Just follow this blogger's tips and tricks and your batch will look just as stunning as hers.

Get the recipe at The Café Sucre Farine.

Add this idea to the top of your eggnog recipes to make this year. It features the holiday beverage in both the cookie and the icing.

Get the recipe at Love From the Oven.

Chocoholics won't be able to get enough of these rich bites. Each cocoa-infused cookie is loaded with white chocolate chips and dipped in a white chocolate coating.

Get the recipe at Broma Bakery.

When a cookie is loaded with M&M's, you know the kids are going to go crazy for it. However, adults will love these candy-loaded treats too!

Get the recipe at Cooking With Karli.

Candy cane Hershey's Kisses make for the sweetest adornment in these thumbprint cookies. You could personalize this recipe by adding in any candy flavor you'd like.

Get the recipe at Inside BruCrew Life.

If you're involved in a holiday cookie exchange, you must bake these candy canes. They're sure to stand out from all the other cookies—and will be gone in no time.

Get the recipe at Home Cooking Memories.

Frosty has never looked (or tasted!) this good. Enlist your little ones to help decorate the smiling faces.

Get the recipe at Cookies and Cups.

These hilariously named salty-sweet cookies are loaded with chocolate chips, sprinkles, pretzels, and potato chips.

Get the recipe at Delish.

This blogger notes to use white chocolate baking bars and not white chocolate chips for the coating in her recipe. Although the two products sound similar, there's actually a big difference.

Get the recipe at Sally's Baking Addiction.

A melty Andes Mint makes for a crowd-pleasing topping on each one of these chocolatey confections. You'll be reaching for a second before you've even finished the first.

Get the recipe at Cooking Classy.

To make these spiced sweets even more mouthwatering, this blogger recommends dipping each one in milk chocolate and coating with sprinkles. If you prefer to leave them plain, they're still delicious.

Get the recipe at The Recipe Critic.

Made with a dark chocolate cookie base and filled with a whipped peppermint cheesecake, these cups are bites of pure decadence. They'll definitely be one of the most impressive treats you bake this December.

Get the recipe at Liv for Cake.

Homemade sugar cookies + buttercream frosting = an instant classic.

Get the recipe at Jenny Cookies.

Jenny has made her signature buttercream frosted sugar cookie a lot of different ways over the years, but for some reason we still love this old red truck with a Christmas tree.

Get the recipe at Jenny Cookies.

This blogger's chewy chocolate cookie pairs perfectly with the sweet peppermint frosting.

Get the recipe at Crazy Little Projects.

Children will love decorating this dessert. The more sprinkles, the better!

Get the recipe at Averie Cooks.

Turn everyone into an eggnog lover with this sugared and spiced recipe.

Get the recipe at Lil' Luna.

Chocoholics will love this treat filled with a molten chocolate center.

Get the recipe at Inside BruCrew Life.

White chocolate adds just the right amount of sweetness to this no-chill dough.

Get the recipe at Liv for Cake.

This blogger offers different variations to her original recipe, including options for red velvet and German chocolate cookies.

Get the recipe at Dinner at the Zoo.

Use a cookie press to mold this classic recipe into any shape you'd like.

Get the recipe at If You Give a Blonde a Kitchen.

A chocolatey, sprinkle-rolled cookie—finished with a Hershey’s Kiss—will definitely be one of your kid's favorites.

Get the recipe at Two Peas and Their Pod.

Get inspired by these adorably decorated cookies to DIY your own Christmas wreath.

Get the recipe at Your Cup of Cake.

These white-chocolate dipped treats have just a hint of espresso powder.

Get the recipe at Baker by Nature.

Your little one will have a blast decorating these snowmen. How cute are those Reese's Peanut Butter Cup hats?

Get the recipe at Half Baked Harvest.

This burst of holiday flavors is made of a brownie base, peppermint cream cheese frosting, and crushed candy cane topping.

Get the recipe at Cooking Classy.

This spiced recipe gets a festive touch—and extra crunch—from Christmas colored M&Ms.

Get the recipe at Crazy for Crust.

Anything loaded with sprinkles and topped with vanilla frosting is definitely kid-approved.

Get the recipe at Sally's Baking Addiction.

With one pound of chocolate in each batch of these cookies, they're definitely a holiday decadence.

Get the recipe at Dinner at the Zoo.

This blogger recommends to slightly under-bake her recipe for a "super chewy and soft interior."

Get the recipe at Chelsea's Messy Apron.

Bake a batch of this perfectly named dessert right before you see the Grinch movie!

Get the recipe at The Recipe Critic.

These chocolate ganache-topped treats will melt in your mouth.

Get the recipe at Creme de la Crumb.

Cranberry + orange = a match made in Christmas heaven.

Get the recipe at The Cookie Rookie.

It's not Christmas without a powdered sugar-covered crinkle cookie (or five).

Get the recipe at Gimme Some Oven.

These chewy snacks get a hint of peppermint flavor in both the dough and the frosting.

Get the recipe at Cooking Classy.

A hidden piece of melted dark chocolate underneath each marshmallow makes these treats absolutely mouthwatering.

Get the recipe at Averie Cooks.

Upgrade your usual gingerbread recipe with a melt-in-your-mouth spiced white chocolate filling.

Get the recipe at Swanky Recipes.

Kids will have a ton of fun decorating these cookies with Christmas sprinkles.

Get the recipe at Just So Tasty.

Be sure to layer in plenty of M&Ms into this brown sugar-pudding mix—the more, the merrier!

Get the recipe at Crazy for Crust.

Add a dash of peppermint extract into the dough for an extra burst of minty flavor.

Get the recipe at Hot Beauty Health.

Calling all chocolate lovers: This supremely rich recipe will be your new winter go-to.

Get the recipe at Two Peas and Their Pod.

Have a holiday cookie exchange coming up? These colorful pinwheels will impress the lucky recipient with both taste and presentation.

Get the recipe at Baked by Rachel.

These absolutely adorable gingerbread men are super-simple — you don't even have to chill the dough.

Get the recipe at Creme de la Crumb.

Even if you're not a fan of the drink, you won't be able to resist these eggnog-spiced snickerdoodles.

Get the recipe at Amy's Healthy Baking.

The best part of these cookies is the creamy white chocolate center.

Get the recipe at Creme de la Crumb.

Grab the kiddos to help you decorate these adorable Christmas lights cookies.

Get the recipe at Firesflies + Mudpies.

Switch up the classic gingerbread cookie recipe by adding a touch of white chocolate.

Get the recipe at Cooking Classy.

Shortbread is always a good option for Christmas, and this cube-shaped version is both easy to prepare and decorative.

Get the recipe at Cooking Classy.