A collection of 15 easy Christmas cookie recipes for Santa. These classic holiday favorites are simple to bake! Plus tips for how to bake and decorate with kids!
Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, filled with laughter, joy, and—of course—delicious cookies! Baking cookies for Santa is a cherished tradition in many households, and it’s even more magical when kids get involved. Whether you’re looking for classic recipes or fun new ideas, these 15 easy cookie recipes will bring smiles to your family and delight Santa when he visits.
15 Christmas Cookie Recipes Santa Will Love!
Classic Cut-out Sugar Cookies
These buttery cookies are perfect cookies for Santa! Cut them into festive shapes and decorate with royal icing and sprinkles. Let the kids go wild with designs!
Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies
Super soft sugar cookies with a delicate vanilla flavor and chewy texture. Here’s a recipe for brown sugar cookies for a cozy twist on these classics. They’re so good that you’ll want to eat them all as soon as they’re out of the oven – but please leave some for Santa!
Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies
A year-round favorite with a holiday twist— here’s my brown butter chocolate chip cookie recipe. Add red and green M&M’s for extra Christmas cheer. Alternate choices include soft vanilla pudding chocolate chip cookies and giant chocolate chip cookies (Santa only needs one)!
Festive Chocolate Chip Cookies
Choose from these more festive takes: red velvet chocolate chip cookies, chocolate cookies with white chocolate chips, and orange milk chocolate cookies.
Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
Amazing chewy peanut butter cookies are truly are the best! They’re thick, soft and chewy and full of creamy peanut butter and Reese’s peanut butter chips.
Gingerbread Men Cookies
Decorate gingerbread men, trees, or stars with white, red, and green royal icing for a classic Christmas treat.
Vanilla Chai Spiced Snickerdoodles
Rolled in cinnamon sugar, these soft and pillowy cookies are a cozy addition to Santa’s plate.
Thumbprint Cookies
Fill these buttery cookies with raspberry, strawberry, or apricot jam for a festive pop of color and flavor.
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Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
These fudgy, powdered sugar-coated cookies look like a winter wonderland on a plate. The sugar coating might get on Santa’s beard, but it’ll blend in so he won’t mind!
Fudgy Chocolate Cookies
Brownie-like chocolate cookies with shiny crunchy tops and chewy fudgy centers. A must have recipe if your Santa is a chocolate lover!
Linzer Cookies
Stunning cut-out cookie treats made with a simple dough and filled with jam. You’ll need large and small versions of the same cookie cutters.
Chewy Chocolate Ginger Cookies
These eggless double chocolate cookies are chewy, gooey, and spiced with fresh ginger for an absolutely amazing holiday flavor.
Shortbread Cookies
These rich and buttery shortbread cookies can be decorated with chocolate drizzle or sprinkles. I also have a delicious chocolate chip shortbread cookie recipe for the best of both cookie worlds.
Molasses Cookies
Spiced, soft and slightly chewy, these cookies are full of old-fashioned Christmas flavor. Rave reviews on Pinterest!
Snowball Cookies
These melt-in-your-mouth bite-sized cookies coated in powdered sugar look like little snowballs.
Christmas Sprinkle Cookies
Soft sugar cookies filled with red and green holiday sprinkles are festive and fun to make with kids. I mix my sprinkles right into the batter and add a few extra on top of the dough balls too.
Tips for Baking Christmas Cookies with Kids
- Choose Simple Recipes
Stick to recipes like these with minimal ingredients and straightforward steps to keep things manageable. - Set Up a Decorating Station
Prepare bowls of frosting, sprinkles, and candies for kids to decorate their cookies. - Teach Them the Basics
Let kids measure ingredients, crack eggs, or mix dough for a hands-on baking experience. - Keep Cleanup Easy
Lay out parchment paper while decorating and have wet wipes or a towel handy for spills and sticky fingers. - Have Fun with Shapes
Use cookie cutters in fun Christmas shapes like trees, stars, and stockings. Kids love pressing them into the dough.
Learn how to involve your kids with setting out cookies for Santa with helpful tips and tricks!
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