Forget about presents — the best part of Christmas has to be all of the cookies. There are tons of delicious desserts that are offered during holiday parties and after-dinner celebrations, but easy Christmas cookie recipes always win out over everything. There are so many options, whether you want a super-sweet sugar cookie or something more seasonly appropriate, like spicy gingerbread or molasses cookies. They're fun to decorate, and they couldn't be easier to eat... all the time.
We know that eating Christmas cookies is one of the best parts of December, but what about making them? Sure, the first batch you make, while sipping hot chocolate and singing along to holiday songs, feels festive and happy. The second batch is OK too. But once you start really making a lot of them, trying to keep track of complicated instructions and attempting to wash all of your baking supplies, things get a little more stressful. Who wants to spend hours in the kitchen making tiny Santa faces on cookies when they could be doing something more fun (like re-watching Elf for the 20th time)?
Luckily, there are many Christmas cookies out there that don't require hours of time and attention. In fact, there are lots of easy recipes that take a surprisingly short amount of time, and taste just as delicious as the complicated ones. Here are a few examples — these 18 easy Christmas cookies need to go straight to your Pinterest dessert board.
1. Holiday Sprinkles Cookies
These cookies are a holiday classic — they're soft, chewy, buttery, and sweet. There's no rolling or cutting or refrigerating involved, and you can even choose to make them without frosting if you really want to (but you shouldn't, because frosting is awesome).
Soft Frosted Holiday Sprinkles Cookies, Averie Cooks
2. Chocolate Crinkles
Chocolate crinkles are the BEST. No arguments. My mom has been making these every year since before I could remember, and they're always a big winner. The second best thing about them, besides the taste, is how incredibly simple and fast they are.
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, Averie Cooks
3. Snickerdoodles
These cinnamon sugar cookies are an easy and delicious classic that you should never go without, especially during the holidays. And with a recipe this simple and fast, you definitely don't have to! Make a bunch, because these will go fast.
Snickerdoodles, Cookies and Cups
4. No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies
Cookies you don't have to put in the oven? Sure, count me in. Peanut butter cookies you don't have to put in the oven? YASSSS. These have only seven ingredients, and it's hard to find something easier.
No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies, How Sweet It Is
5. Easy Slice And Bake Vanilla Sugar Cookies
Slice and bake cookies, especially ones made from scratch, are one of those things that are supposed to be easy, but never end up being that easy. These actually do look like they live up to their name, though. Roll the dough into a log, and the rest is simple! Then attempt to make them as gorgeous as these.
Easy Slice 'N Bake Vanilla Bean Christmas Sugar Cookies w/ Buttercream Frosting, Half-Baked Harvest
6. Candy Cane Blossom Sugar Cookies
It's hard to improve upon sugar cookies, but adding some peppermint candies is one way to do it. These are pretty simple — making the dough is easy, and then they get refrigerated for a while. They look impressive, and won't stress you out.
Candy Cane Blossom Sugar Cookies, Averie Cooks
7. Gingersnap Oatmeal Cookies
Ginger is a classic Christmas flavor, so add it to any cookie and it instantly becomes a holiday dessert. These are simple, delicious, and don't take long to make.
Gingersnap Oatmeal Cookies, Dessert Now Dinner Later
8. Holiday Mint Cookies
These are super easy to put together, they'll bake in less than 15 minutes, and they're so good. These are ideal for baking newbies.
Holiday Mint Cookies, Deliciously Yum
9. Thumbprint Cookies
These cookies with jam in the middle are a Christmas staple, and luckily, they couldn't be easier. If you're not into jam, you can add whatever you want in the middle — melted chocolate, peanut butter, a Hershey's kiss... the options are endless!
Jam Thumbprint Cookies, The Comfort Of Cooking
10. Three-Ingredient Shortbread Cookies
If you plan on baking a lot this year, having an easy shortbread recipe on hand will make your life a little bit less hectic. Shortbread cookies are delicious with frosting, with sprinkles, with candy... or just on their own. Put 'em together, and then decorate however you want.
Three Ingredient Shortbread Cookies, The Comfort Of Cooking
11. Hot Cocoa Cookies
The only thing better than drinking a cup of hot cocoa is... eating it? Yup. These hot cocoa cookies, complete with mini marshmallows, are super easy to make, and definitely worth it.
Hot Cocoa Cookies, Taste and Tell
12. Caramel Pecan Gingerbread Thumbprints
If jam thumbprint cookies aren't your thing, go for these super sweet thumbprints, made with pecans, caramel, chocolate, and gingerbread. They look elaborate, but they're easier than they seem, and will impress everyone.
Caramel Pecan Gingerbread Thumbprints, Good Life Eats
13. Eggnog Cookie Bark
If you're not into making things from scratch, then you'll love this recipe because it's from a cookie mix. Hey, sometimes we need to take the easy way out! Make it a little more special by making it into "cookie bark." Perfection!
Eggnog Cookie Bark, Taste and Tell
14. Cranberry And White Chocolate Chip Cookies
It's not Christmas if you don't make a dessert that includes cranberries! Honestly, Averie Cooks is one of my favorite food blogs for dessert — the recipes are so simple and everything is unbelievably delicious. These are not excluded from that statement.
Cranberry and White Chocolate Chip Cookies, Averie Cooks
15. Five-Ingredient Puppy Chow Ritz Cracker Cookies
These have a lot going on, but they're still surprisingly simple. And really, who doesn't love combining salty Ritz crackers with sweet ingredients like chocolate? These are unique and wonderful.
Idiot Proof Five Ingredient Puppy Chow Ritz Cracker Cookies, Half-Baked Harvest
16. Peppermint Chocolate Chunk Cookies
A classic Christmas flavor combo is obviously peppermint and chocolate. Put these two together for some irresistible cookies that are easy to make but impossible to stop eating.
Peppermint Chocolate Chunk Cookies, The Comfort Of Cooking
17. Dark Chocolate Chunk Eggnog Cookies
For some reason, eating eggnog in a dessert seems much more appealing than drinking straight eggnog. Maybe it's the magic power of chocolate and sugar! These are easy to put together, and will become your new favorite holiday classic.
Dark Chocolate Chunk Eggnog Cookies, Brown Eyed Baker
18. Nutter Butter Snowmen
If you want to do something fun and decorative without doing tons of work, this recipe is for you. You don't even need to make the cookies! Simply melt some white chocolate, dip your Nutter Butters in there, and decorate with candy. So simple!
Nutter Butter Snowmen, Brown Eyed Baker
Looking for more holiday cheer? Check out Bustle on YouTube.
