Christmas Cookie Recipes

Grandma’s Christmas Cookie Recipes Make A Delicious Assortment of Festive Cookies

Grandma's Christmas cookie recipes are just what you have been searching for. With these easy cookie recipes you can make a wide assortment of colorful, rich-tasting cookies that will be perfect for serving to your guests at Christmas and throughout the holiday season.

When used as a centerpiece, these fancy holiday cookies will make your dessert table look fantastic. Select several of these vintage Christmas cookie recipes and get a head start on your Christmas baking.

New Orleans Christmas Cookies

1/2 cup butter, 1-1/2 cups brown sugar, 1 egg, 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans and extra whole ones for topping. Beat together butter, sugar, egg until creamy, then add remaining ingredients in order given. Chill. Between palms, shape dough into balls 1 inch diameter, place 3 inches apart on buttered sheet, flatten to 1/8 inch thick with tumbler. Decorate tops with whole pecans. Bake at 375°F for about 12 minutes.

Christmas Honey Cookies

This Christmas cookie recipe is an easy drop cookie recipe that makes delicious cookies suitable for any occasion.

One-half cup shortening and honey, 1 whole egg, and 1 egg yolk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/3 cup sugar, grated rind of 1 lemon, 2 cups pastry flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 cup sliced glazed cherries, 1/2 cup shredded mixed peel, 1/8 teaspoon mixed cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix in the ordinary way, drop from a teaspoon onto a buttered sheet. Flatten out tops and spread with slightly beaten white of eggs, mixed with 1/2 cup chopped, blanched almonds. Bake in a moderate oven.

Holly Macaroons

If you want to make colorful macaroons that also taste scrumptiously delicious, try this easy macaroon recipe.

3 egg whites only, beaten stiff, 1/2 lb shredded coconut, 3/4 cup white sugar, 1 teaspoon red coloring; mix and drop from teaspoon on buttered baking tins. Put 1/2 candied cherries on top and bake in moderate oven till brown. --Mrs. H. Hutchison

Canadian Christmas Ginger Snaps

Who doesn't like ginger snaps? This ginger snap recipe is a perfect holiday cookie recipe. You will love serving these festive-looking, whipped cream-filled ginger snaps with their delicate maple syrup flavor.

One half cup maple or golden syrup. Let this come to a boil, then add 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup flour, sifted with 1 heaping dessertspoonful ginger. Stir well, then spread on a well-buttered sheet. Bake in a slow oven about 12 minutes. Cut at once into squares and roll while warm. When cold, fill with sweetened whipped cream, and serve at once. The whipped cream may be tinted red or green with food coloring or left white.

Spiced Orange Macaroons

Oranges are traditional at Christmas, and this Christmas cookie recipe with its spiced-orange flavor is perfect. Plus, this tasty macaroon recipe is easy to make.

2 eggs, 1/4 cup melted butter, 1-1/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons orange juice, grated rind one orange, 1 cup flour, 1/4 teaspoon allspice, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon salt, 3 teaspoons baking powder, 4-1/2 cups soft bread crumbs.

Method: Beat eggs, stir in butter. Beat in sugar and add orange juice and rind. Sift flour, spices and baking powder. Stir into egg mixture and add the fresh crumbs — they must be fine. Drop by the spoonful onto cookie sheet. Bake in a moderately hot oven (375°F) until brown, about 20 minutes. Makes two dozen.

Christmas Drop Cookies

This easy Christmas cookie recipe is a very versatile drop cookie recipe. You can use this cookie mixture to make a whole variety of cookies you will be proud to serve or use for gift giving.

Drop Cookie Mixture: 2/3 cup shortening, 1 cup brown sugar, 2 eggs well beaten, 2 tablespoons milk, 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1-1/2 to 2 cups nuts or dried fruits. Sift the dry ingredients. Cream the shortening, gradually beat in the sugar, add the beaten eggs, mix well, and add the dry ingredients alternately with the liquid. Fold in fruits and nuts. Drop the dough in small spoonfuls about an inch apart.

• Rich Tasting Christmas Cookies: To the drop cookie mixture, omitting nuts and dried fruits, and vanilla, add 1/2 cup citron peel, 1 cup sultana raisins, 1/2 cup glacé cherries, 1/2 cup sliced blanched almonds and 1 teaspoon almond extract.


• Coconut Drop Cookies: To the drop cookie mixture, omitting nuts and dried fruits, add 1 cup shredded coconut.


• Oatmeal Drop Cookies: Make the drop cookie mixture omitting dried fruits and nuts and using only 1-1/2 cups of flour. Add 1 cup rolled oats, 1 cup chopped dates, 1/2 cup walnut meats if desired, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and increase the soda to 1/2 teaspoon.


• Fruit Patty Cakes: Make the drop cookie mixture having it include 1-1/2 cups of mixed raisins, peel and nuts, and adding 2 extra tablespoons of milk. Drop by spoonfuls in buttered patty tins and bake in a fairly hot oven.


• Hermits: To the drop cookie mixture, omitting the nuts or dried fruits, add 1 cup raisins, 1/2 cup coconut, 1 cup chopped nutmeats, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon cloves, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg.


• Date and Almond Drop Cookies: To the drop cookie mixture, omitting the nuts or dried fruits, add 1/2 cup chopped almonds, 1-1/2 cups chopped dates and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.

Christmas Shortbread Cookies

A collection of Christmas cookie recipes would not be complete without one or two great shortbread cookie recipes. Shortbreads were always my favorite.

1/2 cup brown or fruit sugar or icing sugar, 1 cup butter, 2 cups flour. Cream the butter, add the sugar gradually and cream together thoroughly. Add flour slowly. When a stiff dough is formed, turn out on a floured board. Gradually knead in flour till the dough begins to crack. Roll out 1/4 inch thick, cut in fancy shapes and bake in a slow oven until slightly browned.

More Christmas Shortbread Cookies

For Christmas or on special occasions, shortbread cookies are nice decorated by pressing pieces of blanched almonds, citron, peel or candied cherries in each cookie just before baking.

1 cup icing sugar, 2 cups butter, 4 cups flour. Mix well, knead until the dough begins to crack, shape into a round cake about 1/2 inch thick, crimping the edge like a pie crust, or roll out and cut like cookies, or prepare as you would icebox cookies. Bake on ungreased tins in a slow oven until delicately browned. Allow the shortbread to cool on the tin.

Coconut Orange Cookies

This Christmas cookie recipe combines the delicious flavors of coconut and orange. What could be more festive or better tasting?

2-1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 cup butter, 2/3 cup sugar, 2 tbsp grated orange rind, 1 tbsp grated lemon rind, 2 eggs well beaten, 1 cup shredded coconut. Sift flour and salt; beat butter until it is creamy; add sugar beating all the time; add orange rind and lemon rind, beaten eggs, mix well; add 1/2 the flour, mix; stir in the coconut, add rest of flour, mix; drop on ungreased sheet and bake 375°F 10 minutes. Spread with confectioners’ sugar icing tinted yellow or red on each, then decorate with grated orange and lemon peel and cherries. Makes 4 dozen.