Decorating cookies is one of the most joyful Christmas traditions.

From colorful royal icing to festive sprinkles and edible glitter, these recipes make it easy to create beautiful holiday treats.

Whether you’re preparing for a cookie-decorating party, gifting edible art, or baking with kids, these 19 Christmas cookie recipes are perfect for creative and fun decorating.

1. Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

Perfectly soft yet sturdy cookies that hold their shape and provide the ideal canvas for royal icing designs.

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 cup unsalted butter

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 egg

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• ½ tsp almond extract

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp salt

Instructions

1. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.

2. Add egg, vanilla, and almond extract.

3. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt; add to wet ingredients.

4. Roll dough ¼-inch thick.

5. Cut shapes and bake at 350°F for 8–10 minutes.

6. Cool completely before decorating.

2. Gingerbread Cookies for Decorating

Firm, flavorful gingerbread cookies perfect for piping with white icing or adding candy details.

Ingredients

• 3 cups flour

• ¾ cup butter

• ¾ cup brown sugar

• ½ cup molasses

• 2 eggs

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tbsp ground ginger

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• ¼ tsp cloves

Instructions

1. Beat butter and sugar. Add molasses and eggs.

2. Mix dry ingredients separately.

3. Combine and chill 1 hour.

4. Roll and cut shapes.

5. Bake at 350°F for 9–11 minutes.

3. Royal Icing Decorator Cookies

These thin, crisp cookies are perfect for flooding and intricate icing artwork.

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups flour

• ¾ cup butter

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp vanilla

• ½ tsp salt

Instructions

1. Prepare cookie dough and chill 30 minutes.

2. Roll thin and cut shapes.

3. Bake at 350°F for 7–9 minutes.

4. Decorate with royal icing.

4. Soft Vanilla Christmas Cookies

A soft, cake-like cookie ideal for adding thick icing, sprinkles, and colorful sugar.

Ingredients

• 2 ¾ cups flour

• ½ cup butter

• ½ cup shortening

• 1 ½ cups sugar

• 3 eggs

• 2 tsp vanilla

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp salt

Instructions

1. Cream butter, shortening, and sugar.

2. Add eggs and vanilla.

3. Mix dry ingredients; combine.

4. Drop spoonfuls on tray and bake at 375°F for 10 minutes.

5. Frost and decorate.

5. Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Dark chocolaty cut-out cookies that contrast beautifully with bright icing details.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour

• ½ cup cocoa powder

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp salt

• ¾ cup butter

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

1. Mix dry ingredients.

2. Cream butter and sugar; add egg and vanilla.

3. Combine dough and chill.

4. Roll and cut shapes.

5. Bake at 350°F for 8–10 minutes.

6. Red Velvet Cut-Out Cookies

Festive red cookies that pair perfectly with white or green icing.

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups flour

• ⅓ cup cocoa

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ¾ cup butter

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 tbsp red food coloring

• 2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

1. Cream butter and sugar; add egg and color.

2. Add dry ingredients.

3. Roll and cut shapes.

4. Bake at 350°F for 8–10 minutes.

7. Almond Holiday Cut-Out Cookies

Almond-flavored cookies that bake smooth and flat—perfect for intricate designs.

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups flour

• 1 cup butter

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 ½ tsp almond extract

Instructions

1. Mix butter and sugar.

2. Add egg and almond extract.

3. Add flour; chill dough.

4. Cut shapes and bake at 350°F for 8 minutes.

8. Cinnamon Roll Christmas Cookies

Swirled cookies that can be decorated with cream cheese icing drizzles.

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups flour

• 1 cup butter

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 egg

• Cinnamon sugar for filling

Instructions

1. Make dough and roll out into a rectangle.

2. Spread with cinnamon sugar.

3. Roll, slice, bake at 350°F for 10 minutes.

4. Add drizzle icing.

9. Stained Glass Ornament Cookies

Sugar cookies with melted candy centers that look like stained glass ornaments.

Ingredients

• Sugar cookie dough

• Crushed Jolly Ranchers or hard candies

Instructions

1. Cut large shapes with smaller cutouts inside.

2. Fill holes with candy.

3. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes.

4. Let cookies cool to harden the candy.

10. Melted Snowman Cookies

Fun cookies decorated with marshmallows and icing to resemble melting snowmen.

Ingredients

• Sugar cookies

• Marshmallows

• White royal icing

• Colored icing pens

Instructions

1. Bake round cookies.

2. Add marshmallow while warm.

3. Pipe icing to create melting shape.

4. Add face and scarf details.

11. Festive Thumbprint Cookies

Decorated with red and green jam centers, these cookies are both delicious and beautiful.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour

• 1 cup butter

• ½ cup sugar

• 1 egg yolk

• Jam (raspberry or apricot)

Instructions

1. Make small dough balls.

2. Press thumb into center.

3. Fill with jam.

4. Bake at 350°F for 12 minutes.

5. Drizzle icing on top.

12. Christmas Sprinkle Butter Cookies

Loaded with colorful sprinkles and perfect for decorating with extra icing accents.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour

• 1 cup butter

• ¾ cup sugar

• 1 egg

• Christmas sprinkles

Instructions

1. Cream butter and sugar; add egg.

2. Mix in flour and sprinkles.

3. Shape and bake at 350°F for 10 minutes.

4. Decorate if desired.

13. Chocolate-Dipped Holiday Cookies

Simple cookies dipped in chocolate and decorated with festive toppings.

Ingredients

• Sugar cookie dough or shortbread

• Melted chocolate

• Sprinkles, crushed candy canes

Instructions

1. Bake cookies and cool.

2. Dip half of each cookie in chocolate.

3. Add sprinkles and let harden.

14. Snowflake Iced Cookies

Delicate snowflake-shaped cookies decorated with elegant royal icing.

Ingredients

• Sugar cookie dough

• Royal icing

• Edible glitter

Instructions

1. Cut snowflake shapes.

2. Bake at 350°F.

3. Use piping bags for fine details.

15. Christmas Tree Decorating Cookies

Fun tree-shaped cookies decorated with stars, garlands, and edible pearls.

Ingredients

• Sugar cookie dough

• Green icing

• Edible pearls or sprinkles

Instructions

1. Bake tree shapes.

2. Pipe green icing as branches.

3. Add sprinkles as ornaments.

16. Santa Hat Cookies

Triangular cookies decorated with red icing and white coconut or sugar sprinkles.

Ingredients

• Sugar cookie dough

• Red icing

• Shredded coconut or white sprinkles

Instructions

1. Cut triangles.

2. Cover with red icing.

3. Add coconut for fluffy trim.

17. Frosted Peppermint Cookies

Soft cookies topped with pink peppermint frosting and crushed candy canes.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour

• 1 cup butter

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 egg

• Peppermint frosting

• Crushed candy canes

Instructions

1. Bake round cookies.

2. Spread peppermint frosting.

3. Top with crushed candy.

18. Red & Green M&M Christmas Cookies

Studded with colorful holiday M&Ms—fun for kids to decorate with icing outlines.

Ingredients

• Cookie dough

• Red & green M&Ms

• Icing tubes for decorating

Instructions

1. Mix M&Ms into dough.

2. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes.

3. Add icing details after cooling.

19. Holiday Shortbread Cookies

Perfectly crisp cookies shaped into bells, stars, and trees—ideal for chocolate drizzle and icing.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour

• 1 cup butter

• ½ cup sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

1. Mix dough and roll out.

2. Cut festive shapes.

3. Bake at 325°F for 12–15 minutes.

4. Decorate with icing or chocolate.