44 Winter Cookie Recipes

From the Recipe Creator: These butter sugar cookies are one of my favorite cookies to bake for Christmas. The dough recipe is versatile, so you can use it for other holidays, too. Children like to help with the cookie decorating. —Cynthia Ettel, Glencoe, Minnesota

From the Recipe Creator: Before we five kids headed off to school each day, Mom took our requests for that day's dinner. I usually asked her to make these cookies for dessert, and she would rarely disappoint. I still enjoy them today. —Patricia Ramczyk, Appleton, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: I make these citrusy cookies for parties and special occasions, and we always get to eat the ones that don't come out perfectly. Eventually I had to start making extra "mistakes" to keep my family happy! —Myrrh Wertz, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: I get tremendous satisfaction making and giving time-tested yuletide treats like these dipped gingersnaps. Dipping them in white chocolate makes much-loved gingersnaps even more special. —Laura Kimball, West Jordan, Utah

From the Recipe Creator: Everyone gets a kick out of this fun take on the popular red velvet cake. Take a shortcut and use packaged cream cheese frosting for the filling. —Judi Dexheimer, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: You’ll need just four ingredients to make these delightful lemon snowflake cookies. Confectioners’ sugar highlights the cracked tops to give them their snowflake appearance. —Linda Barry, Dianna, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: With a lemony filling, these spiced cookies go over big because they have old-fashioned, comfort-food appeal. Your party guests will snatch them up! - Carol Walston, Granbury, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: I live in Missouri, but many of our family recipes come from New Zealand, where I lived as a youngster. I proudly claim a Down Under heritage! These special-occasion cookies bring back warm and sweet memories of my childhood, and I'm going to make sure they're passed on to the next generation in my family—no matter where they live. —A. Swenson, Camdenton, Missouri

From the Recipe Creator: Every time I make these wonderful cookies, the spicy aroma takes me back to my childhood. I helped Mom make them and delivered them to neighbors. —Kara Cook, Elk Ridge, Utah

From the Recipe Creator: This recipe makes a lot of terrific cookies! It's great for Christmas when all the kids and grandkids visit. They can help decorate the cookies-not to mention help eat them! —Paula Pelis, Rocky Point, New York

From the Recipe Creator: A juicy maraschino cherry is the secret center tucked inside these special cookies. My mom was inspired to create this by a recipe she clipped out of a newspaper more than 30 years ago. —Evy Adams, West Seneca, New York

From the Recipe Creator: At least two generations of my family have enjoyed the recipe for these light, delicate orange-flavored cookies. —Sheri DeBolt, Huntington, Indiana

From the Recipe Creator: I save my snowdrop cookies for special occasions. The crunchy, buttery sandwich cookie has a puckery lemon filling. —Bernice Martinoni, Petaluma, California

From the Recipe Creator: I started making these treats after tasting a batch my friend whipped up. I immediately requested the drop cookie recipe and have been baking them by the dozens ever since. The icing is an ideal complement to the tart berries in the cookies. —Shirley Kidd, New London, Minnesota

From the Recipe Creator: Add a splash of little sunshine to your cookie jar with this recipe. When I want to spread some cheer, I'll bake up a double batch to share. —Ruth Gladstone, Brunswick, Maryland

From the Recipe Creator: These cute snowmen cookies make fun treats for children's parties. Kids are always willing to chip in and help decorate them. —Sherri Johnson, Burns, Tennessee

From the Recipe Creator: This tender spritz cookie recipe is quite eye-catching on my Christmas cookie tray. The dough is easy to work with, so it's fun to make these spritz cookies into a variety of festive shapes. This is hands-down the best spritz cookie recipe ever. —Beverly Launius, Sandwich, Illinois

From the Recipe Creator: These nicely spiced, big soft ginger cookies are perfect for folks who like the flavor of ginger but don't care for crunchy gingersnaps. —Barbara Gray, Boise, Idaho

From the Recipe Creator: Both the cookie and the frosting are spiked with lemon in these melt-in-your-mouth goodies. Your family won't be able to get enough of this lemon butter meltaway cookie recipe. —Mary Houchin, Lebanon, Illinois

From the Recipe Creator: When my daughter Jennifer was 15 years old, she created this recipe as a way to combine two of her favorite flavors. They're perfect with a glass of milk. —Paula Zsiray, Logan, Utah

From the Recipe Creator: This is my version of a recipe I tasted years ago—my family loves it. The flaky cookies are filled with a scrumptious combination of dried cranberries, cinnamon, lemon and a hint of port wine. —Leslie Forte, Oakhill, Virginia

From the Recipe Creator: I send these chocolate orange cookies to family and friends in other areas of the country. The two-tone treats deliver a citrusy taste of the Sunshine State. —Geordyth Sullivan, Cutler Bay, Florida

From the Recipe Creator: These tender cookies are pretty to look at—and the combination of cream cheese, orange, chocolate and almonds makes them almost irresistible. —Linda Call, Falun, Kansas

From the Recipe Creator: With only a few ingredients, these butter shortbread cookies are so simple to prepare. —Pattie Prescott, Manchester, New Hampshire

From the Recipe Creator: My sweet-tart cookies make a terrific addition to a holiday dessert tray. I love the creamy orange filling.—Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho

From the Recipe Creator: For special events, my mother would bring these cookies to the rural school I attended. She decorated each cookie with a student's name written in frosting. —Sally Gores, Almena, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: Biscuit-like Earl Grey cookies are a wonderful addition to holiday cookie swaps because they are truly unique. —Veronica Callaghan, Glastonbury, Connecticut

From the Recipe Creator: I received this recipe for lemon shortbread cookies from my cousin, who tried to duplicate cookies she loved from a restaurant. It was in a cookbook she made for the family for Christmas! —Lorie Miner, Kamas, Utah

From the Recipe Creator: I like spritz cookies because they're easier to make than rolled cutouts but I can still be creative with different shapes and sizes. Feel free to substitute vanilla or rum extract for the maple flavoring. —Dierdre Cox, Kansas City, Missouri

From the Recipe Creator: These peppermint hot chocolate cookies are a variation of the cookies my mother made when I was growing up. Now my 13-year-old daughter and I bake them together. They’re always a huge hit! The taste is like rich hot chocolate baked into a scrumptious cookie. —Larry Piklor, Johnsburg, Illinois

From the Recipe Creator: These lemon slice cookies are a refreshing variation of my grandmother's sugar cookies. Lemon pudding mix and icing add a subtle tartness that tingles your taste buds. —Melissa Turkington, Camano Island, Washington

From the Recipe Creator: Dotted with cranberries, orange zest and vanilla chips, these cookies are so colorful and fun to eat. They look lovely on a dessert tray and would be a great addition to your Christmas cookie lineup. —Pat Habiger, Spearville, Kansas

From the Recipe Creator: The warm flavor of cardamom spices up these classic sugar cookies. They’re the ideal treat for your homemade goody basket. Tint the glaze to fit the season.—Darina Jurasek, Salmon Arm, British Columbia

From the Recipe Creator: This wonderful pistachio cookie recipe is fun to make and everyone will be impressed with how pretty the green coloring is. They're one of my favorite holiday cookies. —Pat Habiger, Spearville, Kansas

From the Recipe Creator: These adorable cookies shaped like coffee cups don't last long with my friends and family. For an even richer flavor, I use a mocha latte coffee mix. —Nancy Sousley, Lafayette, Indiana

From the Recipe Creator: My extended family shares a meal every Sunday. The aunts and uncles take turns bringing everything from main dishes to desserts like this traditional Mexican cinnamon cookie called reganadas. —Adan Franco, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: These tender cutout cookies have a slight lemon flavor that makes them stand out from the rest. They're very easy to roll out compared to other sugar cookies I've worked with. I know you'll enjoy them as much as we do. —Judy McCreight, Springfield, Illinois

From the Recipe Creator: The rum, real butter and toffee bits made these cookies my husband’s new favorite. If you’d like them less sweet, skip the frosting and sprinkle the cookies with confectioners’ sugar while still warm. —Cindy Nerat, Menominee, Michigan

From the Recipe Creator: This recipe is the best of twp worlds—gingerbread and chocolate chip cookies. Since they're combined, you don't have to choose between them. —Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia

From the Recipe Creator: My friend gave me a recipe for orange cookies. I just had to embellish it. Now my friends and family crave these tarts. —Nancy Bruce, Big Timber, Montana

From the Recipe Creator: These macarons are a fall and winter staple for me. Inspired by the classic cinnamon roll, they are a delicious treat for a cold or snowy day. These pair well with a mug of tea, and you can enjoy them as a dessert or just a snack. Other fillings would work well with this too—including custard, mousse, ganache or another buttercream. —Elizabeth Ding, El Cerrito, California