10 Greatest-Of-All-Time Holiday Cookie Recipes

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Serve up everything from simply perfect Sugar Cookies and steamy Hot Chocolate Cookies to delectable White Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies and spicy Ginger Cookies, with Bite Me More’s easy and amazing Top 10 Holiday Cookie recipes!

Also: warch and learn how to master the Chocolate Chip Cookie.

White Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

Want to get teachers, bosses and mother-in-laws under your thumb? Forget brute force, blackmail or bitchiness. You need our 2 Bs – baking and butter. These shortbread-like thumbprint cookies are loaded with sweet white chocolate and mounded high with berry jam. Not only are these scrumptious, crunchy cookies simple to make (I had time to twiddle my thumbs), but they’re also excellent festive fare. These mouthwatering weapons will have friend and foe eating out of your hand.

Ingredients

Thumbprint Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp kosher salt
2¼ cups flour
½ cup finely chopped white chocolate

Jam Filling

6 tbsp strawberry jam
6 tbsp raspberry jam
½ cup chopped white chocolate, for drizzling on top

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2) For the thumbprint cookies, using an electric mixer, combine butter and icing sugar on medium speed, until well blended and smooth. On low speed, add vanilla, salt, flour and white chocolate, mixing 1 minute or until dough forms. Using 2 teaspoon of dough, roll into a ball. Place on prepared baking sheet and, using a ½ tsp measuring spoon, make a depression in the center of each ball. Bake 15-16 minutes or until light brown around the edges. Remove to a wire rack and cool completely before filling.

3) For the jam filling, in a small bowl, combine strawberry and raspberry jam. Fill each indentation with approximately 1 tsp of jam mixture.

4) For the white chocolate drizzle, use a double boiler or place a heatproof bowl across the top of a small pan with a small amount of water in it. Bring the water to a simmer over low heat. Place the ½ cup chopped white chocolate in the bowl and stir frequently until melted, making sure no water touches the chocolate. Remove bowl from heat and, using a fork, drizzle melted white chocolate over each cookie.

Yield: 35-40 cookies

Hot Chocolate Cookies

Bring on the sub zero temperatures…we’ve got these super-soft, chocolaty and marshmallow-infused Hot Chocolate Cookies to warm us up.

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups, sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup marshmallow fluff
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

2) Using an electric mixer, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla. On low speed, add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, marshmallow fluff and chocolate chips. Mix just until combined, careful not to over mix. Drop the batter by rounded tablespoon on prepared baking sheet. Bake 9-10 minutes. Cool slightly on baking sheet before moving to cooling rack.

Yield: 32-34 cookies

Chunky White Chocolate & Cranberry Cookies

“Bite Me” began with this recipe after I bought a cranberry and white chocolate cookie from a local bakery three years ago. I ate it, bought a dozen more, drove directly to Lisa’s house and thrust the package at her. “Make these,” I insisted. She sniffed them, did her little rabbit nibbles, closed her eyes, inhaled and said, “No prob.” She made them. And then she created an irresistible cookie that far surpassed any we have ever eaten.

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
11/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
11/2 cups white chocolate, cut into chunks
1 cup dried cranberries or dried cherries

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2) In an electric mixer, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar together on medium speed. Add the egg and vanilla, beating until fluffy.

3) On low speed, add the flour, baking soda, salt, white chocolate and cranberries, mixing just until the flour disappears. Do not overmix.

4) Drop heaping tablespoons of batter on prepared baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes, just until the edges begin to brown. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

Yield: 16 large cookies

Creamy White Chocolate Snickerdoodles

A snickerdoodle is an old-fashioned cookie with a cinnamon-sugar coating and a sweet, buttery flavor. The addition of white chocolate chunks and a white chocolate drizzle to this easy cookie recipe lends it a creamy, dreamy and oh-so-scrumptious modern twist.

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1 ½ cups sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 ¾ cups flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp kosher salt
14-16 white chocolate squares

2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

White chocolate, melted for garnish

Directions

1) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg, egg yolk and vanilla, beating until well mixed. Add flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt, mixing on low speed just until flour disappears. Chill dough for 1 hour before scooping it.

2) Preheat oven to 350ºF. Once the dough has chilled, use ¼ cup dough and wrap 1 white chocolate square in the center. Form dough into a ball. In a small bowl, combine 2 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp ground cinnamon. Roll each dough ball in cinnamon sugar. Place on prepared baking sheet 2 inches apart. Bake 16 minutes, until the cookies are set. Remove from oven and cool a few minutes before transferring cookies to a wire rack. Cool completely before drizzling with melted white chocolate.

Yield: 14-16 large cookies

Easy Sugar Cookies

Calling all Pollock, Rothko and Mondrian wannabes: here’s your chance to unleash your subconscious. You can cut, shape, drizzle, dip, ice and sprinkle to your heart’s content or just be very “less is more” about it and let the buttery cookie shine au natural.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 375°F.

2) In a large bowl, use a wooden spoon to mix together icing sugar and butter. Once incorporated, add vanilla and egg, stirring well to combine. Add flour, baking soda and cream of tartar, stirring until flour disappears.

3) Shape dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to ensure easier handling.

4) After refrigeration, divide dough ball in half, keeping one half covered while working with the other. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to 1/4 to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter.

5) Place cookies 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Cool completely on a cooling rack.

Yield: 15 large cutout cookies or 30 small cookies

Ginger Cookie Sandwiches with Lemon Filling

Soft and spicy ginger cookies sandwiching a sweet and tart lemon cream filling. With blackstrap molasses bringing deep color and flavor to these classic cookies and zesty lemon that makes us suckers for the pucker, this is one delectable dessert.

Ingredients

Ginger cookies

¾ cup butter, room temperature
½ cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 tbsp blackstrap molasses
2½ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp kosher salt
3 tbsp sugar, for rolling cookie dough

Lemon filling

½ cup butter, room temperature
2½ cups icing sugar
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest

Directions

1) Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, beating until well incorporated. Add molasses and mix on low speed until combined. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt, mixing on low speed just until combined.

2) Take 2 tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball. Place 3 tablespoons of sugar on a flat plate and roll dough ball into the sugar. Place ball on prepared baking sheet and continue with remaining dough. Cover both baking sheets and refrigerate for 1 hour before baking.

3) Preheat Oven to 350°F. Remove baking sheets from refrigerator and using the bottom of a glass, flatten each dough ball slightly. Bake cookies 8–10 minutes, until golden around the edges. Let cookies cool completely before filling.

4) For the filling, using an electric mixer, cream butter, icing sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest on medium speed until a spreadable consistency.

5) To assemble cookie sandwiches, using a small spoon, place filling in the center of a cookie bottom. Gently press another cookie bottom on top until filling spreads.

*Makes 12 cookie sandwiches

Brownie-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

What could be better than a delicious chocolate chip cookie? One stuffed with a moist and fudgy brownie, that’s what. These impressive brownie-stuffed chocolate chip cookies are surprisingly easy to make and serve as further proof that it’s what’s inside that counts!

Ingredients

Brownie Filling

1 cup butter
6 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
3 cups sugar
5 large eggs
1 ½ cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted
½ tsp kosher salt

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 ½ cups flour
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp kosher salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Caramel sauce, to drizzle

Directions

1) For the brownies, preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a 13×9-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Line with parchment paper and lightly spray again.

2) In a microwave safe bowl, combine butter and unsweetened chocolate. Melt on high heat for 1 minute, stir and melt for 30 seconds more or until the chocolate and butter are smooth and melted.

3) In a large bowl, whisk sugar and eggs. Whisk in melted chocolate mixture. Stir in flour, cocoa powder and salt, just until flour disappears. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely. Cut into 1 to 1 ½ inch squares – you will only need half the batch for the cookies, so use the rest for another dessert.

4) For the cookies, preheat oven to 325ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Using an electric mixer, cream together butter, brown sugar and sugar on medium speed, until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla, egg and egg yolk until well combined. On low speed, add flour mixture and chocolate chips, mixing just until flour disappears.

5) Using ¼ cup of cookie dough at a time, place 1 brownie square in the center and enclose the dough around it add more dough if needed to cover completely. Place 2 inches apart on to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15-17 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and cool a few minutes before transferring cookies to a wire rack. Once cool, drizzle with caramel sauce.

Yield: 12 cookies

Soft Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

How does the cookie crumble? It doesn’t when you bake up these chewy, delicious Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 tbsp water
3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 cups old fashioned large flake oats (not quick cooking)
1 1/2 cups raisins or chocolate chips

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2) In an electric mixer, cream butter, brown sugar and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg and water, beating at medium speed until well mixed.

3) Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, oats and raisins, mixing on low speed just until the flour disappears.

4) Drop dough by 1/4 cup at a time on prepared baking sheet. Bake 12-14 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Cool slightly on the baking sheet before transferring the cookies to a wire rack.

Yield: 15 large cookies

Gooey Double Chocolate Cookies

OK. The title of this recipe alone should have you running for the baking supplies. But if I must do a little sell-job, these decadent, oozing chocolate cookies have chocolate chips in them.

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups flour
2 /3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 cups milk chocolate chips

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350°F.

2) In an electric mixer, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat until well mixed.

3) In a small bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Using a wooden spoon, stir flour mixture and chocolate chips into butter mixture until blended.

4) Drop the batter by rounded tablespoon onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes. Cool slightly on the baking sheet before transferring the cookies to a wire rack.

Yield: 35 cookies

Soft Butterscotch Pudding Cookies

Better make a double batch of these prize-winning Butterscotch Pudding Cookies—sweet and creamy (thanks to the butterscotch chips), soft and dreamy (thanks to the butterscotch pudding), these cookies are guaranteed crowd pleasers!

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
¾ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
1 (3oz) pouch instant butterscotch pudding mix
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2¼ cups flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp kosher salt
2 cups butterscotch chips

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2) In an electric mixer, cream butter, brown sugar and sugar on medium speed. Add butterscotch pudding, mixing to combine. Add eggs one at a time, beating until fluffy. Mix in vanilla extract. On low speed, add the flour, baking soda, salt and butterscotch chips, mixing just until the flour disappears. Do not over mix.

3) Drop heaping tablespoons of batter on prepared baking sheet. Flatten cookie batter slightly. Bake 10-12 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Cool cookies on wire rack.

Yield: 33-35 cookies