Christmas baking is one of those traditions that never gets old. Whether you’re rolling out gingerbread, pressing chocolate kisses into thumbprint cookies, or just licking the bowl, getting into the kitchen together is a lovely way to build festive memories with the kids.
If you’re after some seasonal baking inspiration this year, we’ve rounded up 10 easy Christmas cookie recipes that are perfect for little hands to help with. None of them need fancy equipment or advanced skills — just a bit of time, a warm oven, and maybe a few extra sprinkles than the recipe calls for. Here’s our pick of the best Christmas cookies to make and enjoy this holiday season.
#1. Karyn’s Rolo Christmas Cookies
This delicious Rolo Christmas Cookies recipe was a fantastic entry in one of our Best Christmas Cookies competitions.
We love the chocolatey Rolo surprise hiding in the centre of each cookie, and they’re easy enough to master that even reluctant bakers will enjoy giving them a go. They make a lovely homemade gift, or a fun way to fill a wet and windy afternoon during the school holidays.
#2. Rosie’s Melting Snowman Christmas Cookies
How cute are these little guys? Rosie’s Melting Snowman Christmas Cookies are another great recipe to try with the kids — they’ll love spotting the snowman “melting” into a puddle of icing.
They’re really simple to make with just a handful of ingredients, and decorating them is half the fun. They’ll look brilliant on a festive table, or wrapped up as a gift for a teacher or grandparent.
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#3. Eloise’s Spiced Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Eloise’s Spiced Oatmeal Raisin Cookies were the overall winner of our Christmas Cookie competition, and it’s easy to see why.
They fill the whole house with a warm, spiced Christmas smell as they bake, and with oats and raisins in the mix, they feel just a little bit wholesome too — always welcome during a season of indulgence.
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#4. Jack’s Chocolate Christmas Cookies
Jack’s Chocolate Christmas Cookies are based on a Nigella Lawson chocolate biscuit recipe.
They’re ready in just 15 minutes, which is handy when impatient little cookie fans are hovering by the oven door. Fair warning — they don’t tend to last long once they’ve cooled down!
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#5. Rory’s Sugar Cookies
We love Rory’s Heart Shaped Sugar Cookies, which would make a sweet handmade gift for someone special.
Best of all, you can get creative with the toppings — pink, white, red, blue or green icing, and as many sprinkles as will fit. The kids will love getting stuck into decorating these over the holidays.
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#6. Deirdre’s Cranberry & White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Nothing says Christmas quite like the taste of cranberries, and we love Deirdre’s Cranberry and White Chocolate Cookie recipe, which is ready in around 20 minutes.
Try adding some chopped macadamia nuts for extra crunch and creaminess. These are lovely with a cup of tea on a chilly afternoon.
#7. Emma’s Chocolate Chip Cookies
Emma’s Chocolate Chip Cookies are sticky, gooey, and everything a chocolate chip cookie should be. The recipe makes 12 cookies, so double up the batch if you want them to last more than a day.
The dough also keeps well in the fridge or freezer, so you can have a batch ready to bake at short notice if visitors drop by over the holidays.
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#8. Stork’s Christmas Ginger Cookies
This ginger cookie dough can be shaped into stars, trees, presents, snowmen and more festive designs.
Once baked and cooled, decorate them with icing pens, cake decorations and chocolate for extra festive flair. A touch of orange in the dough gives these cookies a lovely, special Christmas flavour.
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#9. Martha Stewart’s Christmas Sugar Cookies
These traditional Christmas sugar cookies use printable templates to help you get beautifully consistent festive shapes.
They’re great fun to decorate and turn simple sugar cookies into something that almost looks too good to eat — perfect for homemade gifts.
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#10. Laura’s Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
Laura’s Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies taste wonderful and are rolled in walnuts for extra texture and crunch.
Each one is finished with a chocolate kiss pressed into the centre, making these a truly indulgent little treat for the festive season.
More Festive Baking Ideas
Looking for even more Christmas inspiration? Browse our Christmas section for lots more seasonal recipes, activities and ideas to enjoy with the family this year.
Over to you! Do you have a favourite Christmas cookie recipe your family bakes every year? We’d love to hear about it — share your go-to recipe in the comments below.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the easiest Christmas cookies to make with young kids?
Simple sugar cookies, snowman cookies and cookies with a chocolate or Rolo centre tend to work best with younger children, as they involve fun shaping and decorating steps rather than fiddly techniques.
Can Christmas cookie dough be made ahead of time?
Yes, many cookie doughs — including chocolate chip and sugar cookie doughs — can be made in advance and kept in the fridge for a few days or frozen for longer, then baked fresh when you’re ready.
What’s a good way to get kids involved in Christmas baking?
Let them handle the fun, low-risk parts: measuring dry ingredients, mixing, rolling dough into balls, pressing shapes, and decorating once the cookies have cooled. It keeps them busy without the stress of hot ovens or sharp tools.
Do Christmas cookies make good homemade gifts?
Absolutely. Cookies like sugar cookies, Rolo cookies and gingerbread all wrap up nicely in cellophane bags or tins and make a thoughtful, budget-friendly gift from the kids to teachers, grandparents or neighbours.
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