Our 100 All-Time-Best Christmas Cookie Recipes

Whether you’re still learning the basics of cookie making or are all about using those pro baking tips you’ve mastered over the years, there’s no better time to bake from scratch than during the holidays. Whether you whip up an assortment of holiday bars and barks to pack and ship to someone special or are baking a batch of easy-to-make cookies to serve alongside homemade hot chocolate on movie night, you’ll find that cookies always spread cheer. Nut and spice cookies, fruity cookies, sugar cookies and more: we always have a hard time narrowing down our favorites (which is why this collection has 100 recipes!). But, we have to admit that these giant, saucer-sized treats are at the top of our list! They’re packed with add-ins (red and green candies, peppermint chunks, salty pretzels and white chocolate chips), so they really live up to their name. If you leave these mammoth treats for Santa, don't forget a supersized glass of milk for washing them down!

These gingerbread men are people-pleasers — you'll love how they hang around with lots of holiday spirit.

With their beautiful, swirled tops and vibrant filling, these Viennese whirls are sure to look divine on any holiday cookie platter. Despite their name, the delicate, buttery shortbread cookies are a favorite sweet treat in England. They’re sandwiched with a homemade vanilla bean buttercream and a spoonful of raspberry jam, which is traditional, but feel free to substitute with your favorite jam.

Despite the intricate design, these festive pinwheels are simple to create. The cream cheese in the cookie dough adds just the right amount of pliability, so you can cut, fold and shape with ease. We decorated the cookies with white, red and green coarse sanding sugar, sometimes called pearlized sugar, but you can feel free to swap in plain confectioners' sugar. They'll look stunning either way!