Christmas sugar cookies are a timeless holiday classic—soft, buttery, and perfectly sweet.
Whether you love traditional cut-outs, colorful frosted cookies, or fun twists like stuffed or flavored sugar cookies, this festive roundup gives you 17 incredibly delicious sugar cookie recipes to bake all season long.
Each recipe includes extra details, helpful techniques, and flavor suggestions to make your cookies turn out perfect every time.
1. Soft Christmas Sugar Cookies
These soft and buttery sugar cookies are the foundation of every holiday baking list.
Creaming softened butter and sugar for at least 3 minutes ensures a fluffy texture, while adding a touch of sour cream or cream cheese helps the cookies stay thick and tender.
Chill the dough for an hour to prevent spreading, then roll it out and cut into festive shapes.
These are ideal for decorating with royal icing or buttercream, letting you personalize them with holiday colors.
2. No-Spread Rolled Sugar Cookies
If you want crisp edges and perfectly defined shapes, these no-spread cookies are your go-to.
The recipe uses a slightly higher flour-to-fat ratio, plus a chill time after cutting the dough.
Unlike softer sugar cookies, these bake up firm enough for intricate designs such as snowflakes or ornaments.
Add a hint of almond extract to elevate the flavor without overpowering the vanilla.
3. Brown Sugar Christmas Cookies
A cozy twist with deep caramel notes! Swapping part of the white sugar for brown sugar creates a chewier texture and richer flavor.
These cookies pair beautifully with cinnamon, nutmeg, or even a bit of orange zest.
The darker dough looks stunning when dusted with powdered sugar or dipped halfway in white chocolate.
4. Frosted Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
Perfect for decorating parties, these cookies bake soft and puffy, then get topped with a thick layer of creamy vanilla or cream cheese frosting.
The frosting sets lightly, making the cookies stackable without fully hardening.
Use food coloring to tint the frosting green for wreaths, red for Santa hats, and blue or silver for winter snowflakes.
5. Christmas Sprinkle Sugar Cookies
Kids adore these festive cookies packed with red, green, and white sprinkles.
The dough is rolled into balls, then coated in nonpareils so they bake with a crunchy, colorful exterior.
Add a teaspoon of vanilla bean paste for a more pronounced flavor.
These cookies freeze exceptionally well, making them perfect for holiday gifting.
6. Chewy Eggnog Sugar Cookies
These cookies capture the iconic holiday beverage in dessert form.
The addition of nutmeg, cinnamon, and a splash of eggnog creates a soft, flavorful cookie that tastes like Christmas in every bite.
Drizzle them with an eggnog glaze for an extra festive touch.
They pair perfectly with hot cocoa or coffee.
7. Peppermint Sugar Cookies
Crushed candy canes are folded into a classic sugar cookie dough, giving each bite a cool, refreshing crunch.
For a smoother finish, press extra crushed candy on top right after baking.
Dip the edges in melted chocolate and add a sprinkle of peppermint dust for the ultimate winter cookie.
8. Lemon Sugar Cookies with Citrus Glaze
Bright and zesty, these cookies cut through the richness of holiday desserts.
Lemon zest gets rubbed into the sugar to release natural oils, producing a stronger citrus flavor.
After baking, drizzle with a sweet lemon glaze for a beautiful glossy finish.
These cookies bring a refreshing balance to a Christmas cookie assortment.
9. White Chocolate Sugar Cookie Bars
Perfect for busy bakers, this recipe turns classic sugar cookie dough into bars rather than cut-outs.
Stir in white chocolate chips for extra sweetness.
Bake in a square pan, then slice into festive shapes or squares.
Top with red and green sprinkles to make them instantly holiday-ready.
These bars stay soft for days—great for baking ahead.
10. Snickerdoodle-Style Sugar Cookies
This hybrid recipe blends sugar cookie dough with the warm flavor of cinnamon sugar.
Rolling each dough ball in a cinnamon-sugar mixture adds a fragrant, festive crust.
Adding cream of tartar helps create the classic snickerdoodle tang.
These are crowd-pleasers and work beautifully on Christmas cookie platters.
11. Melt-in-Your-Mouth Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies
Cream cheese brings an irresistible tenderness to these cookies, enhancing both texture and flavor.
The dough is so soft that it requires chilling, but the payoff is a tender cookie that holds its shape.
These taste amazing with just a simple powdered sugar dusting but are also sturdy enough for decorating.
12. Chocolate-Dipped Sugar Cookies
Elegant and easy, these sugar cookies are dipped halfway into melted milk, white, or dark chocolate.
Add crushed nuts, sprinkles, or mini chocolate chips while the coating is still wet.
Because the cookies themselves are mild, the chocolate adds richness and visual flair.
13. Ginger-Spiced Sugar Cookies
A hint of ginger, cloves, and cinnamon blends beautifully with the sweet base of a sugar cookie.
These cookies deliver warmth without becoming full gingerbread.
They’re softer and sweeter than traditional gingerbread cookies, making them great for kids or anyone who prefers mild spice.
14. Holiday Stained-Glass Sugar Cookies
A stunning cookie for gifting or decorating your tree!
Cut small shapes inside larger cookie cutouts and fill the openings with crushed hard candies before baking.
The candies melt into translucent “glass,” creating a stained-glass effect. Use parchment paper so the cookies release easily once cooled.
15. Hot Cocoa Sugar Cookies
These fun cookies mix sugar cookie dough with a touch of cocoa powder, then get topped with mini marshmallows right before baking.
For even more flavor, drizzle them with melted chocolate or add a dusting of hot cocoa mix.
They pair wonderfully with warm drinks during holiday gatherings.
16. Jam-Thumbprint Sugar Cookies
A classic with a holiday twist! Roll dough balls in granulated sugar, press a thumb or spoon in the center, and fill with raspberry, apricot, or strawberry jam.
As the cookies bake, the jam thickens into a sweet, chewy center.
These cookies look beautiful on Christmas platters and taste even better the next day.
17. Sugar Cookie Sandwiches
Two soft sugar cookies get sandwiched with buttercream, chocolate ganache, or marshmallow filling.
Tint the frosting red or green to make the centers festive.
You can also add crushed peppermint, cocoa powder, or lemon cream to customize the filling.
These are rich, indulgent, and perfect for special holiday celebrations.
Sugar cookies are incredibly versatile, and with the 17 variations above, you can bake something new and festive every week of December.
From frosted classics to citrusy twists and stained-glass masterpieces, there’s a sugar cookie recipe here for every Christmas craving and celebration.
Whether you’re baking for family, hosting a party, or preparing gift boxes, these recipes add sweetness and sparkle to the holiday season.
