The Homemade Gift Everyone Loves
Every December, my kitchen turns into a full-blown Christmas cookie factory. For over a decade, I’ve tested close to 100 Christmas cookie recipes. Some have gone viral (like my Christmas crack cookies and brown sugar pop tart cookies), while some have flopped, and a few have even earned a permanent spot in my annual cookie box.
There’s just something about gifting a box filled with homemade treats (especially when they look as cute and festive as mine!). Each one baked, decorated, and wrapped with love. It feels personal and nostalgic.
This post breaks down exactly how I build my Christmas cookie box: from choosing the right mix of cookies to packaging them so they look like something straight from a bakery.
The Formula I use Every Year for a Perfect Cookie Box
After years of testing (and eating), I’ve landed on a formula that guarantees a balanced, gift-worthy box every time. I recommend 6-8 different cookies in every box (so 2-3 in each category below).
- 1/3 Classic Favorites: Think crowd-pleasers like soft chocolate chip pudding cookies or soft gingerbread cookies.
- 1/3 Show-Stoppers: Eye-catching or trendy cookies that make people stop and ask for the recipe (hello, Taylor Swift Chai Cookies).
- 1/3 Flavored or Textural Twists: Cookies with a little crunch, a surprise filling, or an unexpected flavor (espresso martini, orange shortbread, pistachio linzers).
Within each group, I mix up flavors, colors, shapes, and sizes so the final box looks beautiful and varied.
My Top Cookies to Include This Year
All of these cookies have been tested multiple times in my kitchen — most have gone viral on social media or been remade by thousands of readers. Choose 6–10 cookies to fill one large cookie box, or mix and match for smaller gifts.
Classics that Never Fail
Chewy Molasses Ginger Cookies
Soft and chewy ginger cookies are easy to make, without any chilling required! Enjoy this big batch and share it with your family and friends.
Peppermint Bark Cookies
These peppermint bark cookies have a double chocolate cookie base, dipped in white chocolate, and sprinkled with peppermint candies. Think of it as a combination of gooey double chocolate cookies and the traditional peppermint bark squares. Be sure to read the blog post above for step-by-step photos and expert tips.
Gingerbread Snowflake Cookies
Gingerbread snowflake cookies are a cozy and fun cookie to make for the holidays. The cookie dough comes together quickly and the baked cookies are dressed up with easy royal icing.
Easy Italian Sprinkle Cookies
The next time you have a hankering for a cookie, try these simple Italian sprinkle cookies. Decorate them with sprinkles to go with whatever holiday you’re celebrating.
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
What's better than chewy cookies with crispy edges and melted, gooey chocolate chunks? These brown butter chocolate chip cookies have all that plus a rich, nutty flavor thanks to the addition of toasty, caramelized brown butter.
Peanut Butter Blossoms
Warm, chewy, peanut butter cookies topped with a chocolate Hershey's Kiss. These peanut butter blossom cookies are a classic, timeless recipe and one I always look forward to eating each holiday season.
Shortbread Cutout Cookies
Buttery and tender, these shortbread cutout cookies are perfect for the holidays! They’re a no spread shortbread that’s perfect for rolling and cutting. Decorate with icing or white chocolate for a festive treat everyone will love.
Iced Oatmeal Cookies
These iced oatmeal cookies have a slightly crispy golden brown edge, a soft center, and just the right amount of chew. And the warm vanilla icing on top adds just the right amount of extra sweetness.
Soft Gingerbread Cookies
Here are my favorite soft gingerbread cookies thanks to their tender, chewy texture, cozy and warm spices, and delicate glaze. They’re perfectly spiced and sweetened just right with brown sugar and molasses. It’s a Christmas cookie recipe you’ll come back to every year!
Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
Soft, chewy chocolate chip cookies made with pudding to keep them soft! Perfect for dunking in a cold glass of milk, sandwiching around ice cream, or warm and gooey straight out of the oven.
Chocolate Lovers’ Picks
Espresso Martini Cookies
Rich and bold Espresso Martini Cookies with espresso, cocoa, and rum extract. Dipped in white chocolate and garnished with coffee beans for a cocktail-inspired treat!
Andes Mint Cookies
Soft and chewy Andes Mint Chocolate Cookies packed with rich cocoa and topped with a beautiful Andes mint swirl. Perfect for holidays or anytime you’re craving mint and chocolate!
Chocolate and Marshmallow Cookie
This chocolate and marshmallow cookie has a rich double dose of chocolate and pools of gooey marshmallows. These soft-baked, chewy cookies are as thick as they look, with slightly crispy edges and oodles of melted chocolate chips. Note: They require 3 hours of chilling that gives them a softer center.
Hot Cocoa Cookie Recipe
These hot cocoa cookies bring all the flavors of your favorite winter drink into a bite-sized treat! Made with a soft chocolate cookie base, gooey marshmallow center, and rich chocolate ganache, they’re perfect for holiday baking. Easy to customize with sprinkles and gluten-free or dairy-free options, they’re a festive favorite everyone will love!
Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
These chocolate shortbread cookies deliver a big flavor from surprisingly simple ingredients. A classic shortbread cookie gets a lot of chocolate flavor. Dip the cookies in chocolate and decorate them with sprinkles and crushed candy for even more chocolate flavor and a delicious crunch.
Chocolate Pudding Cookies
Soft, gooey cookies with four types of chocolate make the most delicious chocolate pudding cookies. Chocolate lovers won't be able to get enough of the fudgy chocolate cookie and pools of melted chocolate on top.
Show Stoppers & Seasonal Flavors
White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
These white chocolate cranberry oatmeal cookies have the perfect texture, with chewy edges and a soft center. This oatmeal cookie dough is simple to mix together and results in a perfect oatmeal cookie every time.
Biscoff Cookies
These Biscoff White Chocolate Cookies are soft, chewy, and loaded with Biscoff spread and creamy white chocolate chunks for a flavor-packed treat you’ll love!
Gooey Butter Cake Cookies
These Gooey Butter Cookies are tender and chewy with a creamy, sweet filling. Rolled in powdered sugar and baked to perfection, they’re an indulgent treat for any occasion!
Brown Butter Pistachio Cookies
Nutty, creamy, and indulgent, these brown butter pistachio cream chocolate chip cookies are stuffed with pistachio cream and topped with flaky sea salt for the ultimate cookie experience.
Eggnog Cookies
Eggnog is a creamy, wintery nog made from eggs, sugar, cream, and warm spices. Learn how to make eggnog cookies with these step by step photos.
Taylor Swift Chai Cookies
A soft and chewy sugar cookie speckled with cozy chai spices and dipped in an eggnog glaze. This internet-famous Taylor Swift chai cookie deserves a spot in your cookies box because it’s simple to make and the flavors give off the coziest holiday vibes.
Unique Twists & Fan Favorites
Coffee Cake Cookies
Sour Cream Coffee Cake Cookies are soft, buttery, and topped with a cinnamon crumb and sweet icing. Easy to make and perfect for any occasion!
Peppermint Bark Cookie Bars
These peppermint bark cookie bars have a thick base of soft and chewy cookies coated with a thin layer of white and milk chocolate swirls and broken pieces of candy canes on top.
Toasted Reindeer Tracks Pudding Cookies
These toasted reindeer tracks cookies have a thick and rich peanut butter pudding cookie base that have been stuffed with marshmallow fluff. Top them with extra chocolate chips and mini marshmallows, then toast them until golden brown.
Millionaire Cookies
Luxurious Millionaire Cookies with a tender shortbread base, creamy caramel, and milk chocolate topping. Beautifully decorated with gold leaf and flaky sea salt!
Christmas Crack Cookies
Chewy brown butter cookies with homemade saltine cracker toffee will become your new favorite cookie. The saltine toffee (aka Christmas crack) gives the cookies a salty, caramel flavor and a crunchy texture. The extra step of making your own toffee takes 15 minutes and is 100% worth it for these toffee cookies!
Brown Sugar Pop Tart Cookies
These soft Brown Sugar Pop Tart Cookies are packed with a gooey cinnamon filling and topped with a cinnamon glaze. They taste just like the classic pop tart and are easy to make and store.
Fillers & No-Bake Treats
Homemade Ritz Thin Mints
You're going to love this easy, no-bake Ritz Thin Min cookie recipe! It's a salty Ritz cracker dipped in melted chocolate and peppermint, then placed in the fridge to set. Every bite is sweet, salty, and crunchy, with a touch of peppermint. They taste like the real thing, with minimal time and effort!
Oreo Polar Bear Paws
Whimsical and delicious, these Oreo Polar Bear Paw Cookies are dipped in white chocolate and decorated with candies for a fun, no-bake winter treat.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Ritz Cookies
Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Ritz Cookies are a sweet, salty, and chocolate-covered no-bake treat that comes together in minutes. With just three ingredients, you get a perfectly crunchy, creamy, and chocolatey cookie that’s great for holidays, parties, or a quick dessert fix!
My 2025 Cookie Box
Here are all the cookies I used in my cookie box this year!
Tips for Perfect Cookies (and Boxes)
Over the years, these small details have made a huge difference in the final product in both flavor and presentation!
- Mind your ingredient temps. Butter should be room temp, which should still feel cool to the touch (67°F). I leave mine out for about 45 min. The eggs and other ingredients should always be room temp if the butter is.
- Top the cookies after baking. Press extra chocolate chips, sprinkles, or chopped nuts into the baked cookies right out of the oven for that bakery-style look.
- Perfect circles = pro look. Use a round cookie cutter or large-rimmed glass to swirl warm cookies into uniform shapes right out of the oven.
- Layer smartly. Start with heavier cookies on the bottom and delicate ones on top, using parchment or cupcake liners between layers.
- Add variety. Mix colors, shapes, and flavors so every box looks festive and intentional.
- Make it personal. Include a printed menu card or a “baked by” label for a professional touch.
How to Package, Store & Ship Your Cookies
- Choose the right box: A 12×12 box with a clear top (like a pie box) works beautifully. I also love to use a really sturdy cardboard box with cardboard ornament dividers. I also found these classic cookie tins, gift boxes, cardboard cookie boxes with clear windows, or a cardboard hat box.
- Layer like a pro: Line the box with parchment or food-safe paper. Add muffin liners or mini cupcake papers to separate flavors. For extra protection, wrap soft or frosted cookies individually and use cardboard ornament dividers to separate cookies.
- Make-ahead plan:
- 3–4 weeks before: Bake and freeze any dough balls you can.
- 0-2 days before gifting: Bake and assemble boxes.
Shipping tip: Stick to sturdy cookies like shortbread, chocolate chip, or bar cookies. Avoid frosted or delicate varieties if mailing.
FAQ: Everything You’re Wondering Before You Bake
For gifting, 6–8 varieties (2–3 of each type of cookie) fills a medium box nicely.
Shortbreads, biscotti, drop cookies, and bar cookies travel best. Avoid anything with frosting or gooey centers when you’re shipping them. If you’re hand delivering the cookies, anything goes!
Most stay fresh 4–5 days at room temp or up to 3 months frozen. Becuase of this, try to ship them or deliver them right when you package them.
Yes freeze the dough or freeze baked cookies to reduce some prep time. Decorate and assemble up to 1 day before gifting.
Alternate colors and textures, fill gaps with wrapped candies or small no bake treats, and tie with ribbon or twine.
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