Deck the halls — and Santa’s plate — with our best Christmas cookie decorating ideas. We have plenty of easy ways to zhush up your favorite sweets (both homemade and store-bought!) as well as recipes for gorgeous Christmas cookies and Christmas desserts that’ll get you all the heart-eye emojis. Our list offers decorating ideas for every skill level, including some that require no more equipment than a bowl and spoon. Easy-breezy cleanup, anyone?
Decorating a cookie can be as simple as dipping it in melted chocolate or pressing a candy into the dough. If you want to level up this holiday season, try your hand at piping and flooding: Start with your favorite holiday cookie dough as your blank canvas then get your Jackson Pollock on. Don’t have a recipe for the dough? We’ve got you covered with our best-ever recipes for classic sugar cookie dough, spice-infused gingerbread cookies and buttery chocolate truffle dough. We also have yuletide sweets colored a very Christmassy duo of red and green and classic Italian Christmas cookies, if that’s more your jam. And speaking of jam, no box of Christmas treats is complete without cute little thumbprint cookies and linzers with ruby-red preserves peeking through. Yes, your guests will be ready for this jelly.
Can't eat all the Christmas cookies yourself? These beauties happen to make the best homemade food gifts, so feel free to bake several dozen and spread the holiday cheer. As a bonus, cookie dough happens to freeze well, saving you even more precious time during the holiday rush. That’s what we call a Christmas miracle!
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1
Neapolitan Cookies
The decoration for these adorable slice-and-bake cookies starts with one master dough that's flavored separately: one-third with melted dark chocolate, another with freeze-dried strawberries and the remaining left plain. Stack the doughs into a block, chill and slice to give the cookies their ‘gram-worthy, three-toned look.
Get the Neapolitan Cookies recipe.
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2
Matcha Snowball Cookies
Simply mix matcha with powdered sugar then let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! Seek out the freshest, high-quality matcha powder for the best flavor and bright green color that won't turn muddy.
Get the Matcha Snowball Cookies recipe.
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3
Cranberry-Pistachio Cornmeal Biscotti
It's fun having an oblong shape among the sea of round cookies. Dip the biscotti in dark chocolate then drizzle with white chocolate for an elegant touch.
Get the Cranberry-Pistachio Cornmeal Biscotti recipe.
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4
Black Forest Cookies
For this retro-fabulous riff on Black Forest cake, dollop chocolate cookies with whipped cream then crown with a brandied cherry topping.
Get the Black Forest Cookies recipe.
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5
Chocolate Spritz Sandwiches
If you're not a pro at decorating, spritz cookies are a savior. Every squeeze of the press creates a picture-perfect design. Enjoy these crisp, chocolate cookies on their own or double down on the cacao by sandwiching them with a rich, peppermint-spiked ganache.
Get the Chocolate Spritz Sandwiches recipe.
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6
Linzer Stars
Create the eye-catching design of these traditional Austrian cookies with just a couple of star-shaped cookie cutters. The cut-out window allows the ruby-red seedless jam to peek through.
Get the Linzer Stars recipe.
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7
Sprinkle "Donuts"
Cut Sugar Cookie Dough into rounds. With a smaller cutter, cut centers out of the rounds. When cool, spread the "donuts" with frosting and decorate with red and green sprinkles.
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8
Traditional Cutouts
Everyone needs a good cut-out cookie recipe, and this one's super simple. Once they're cool, frost, glaze and decorate to your heart's content with Ornamental Frosting.
Get the Traditional Cutouts recipe.
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9
How to Flood Icing for Christmas Cookies
- Mix up a batch of royal icing. Thin out half with a few drops of water until it looks like honey, then pop thick and thin icings into two separate piping bags.
- Pipe the thick icing to outline your cookies with a line and let set.
- Flood with the thin icing, then use a toothpick to quickly drag it to the edges.
- Let icing set slightly, then sprinkle with sanding sugar or nonpareils. Let set.
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10
White Chocolate-Dipped Madeleines
Decorating in a hurry? Dip store-bought madeleines in melted white chocolate and sprinkle with chopped cranberries and pistachios so they look (and taste!) homemade.
Get the White Chocolate-Dipped Madeleines recipe.
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11
Sugar Cookie Trees
"Glue" a stack of sugar cookies together with royal icing to create the perfect edible pine.
Get the Sugar Cookie Trees recipe.
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12
Gingerbread Cookies
Gingerbread isn't just for houses! It also makes a sweet, spiced base for rich milk chocolate frosting used to fill these sandwich cookies. Decorate the tops with royal icing for these minimalist snowflake shapes.
Get the Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies recipe.
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13
Choco-Dipped Trees
Cut Sugar Cookie Dough into trees. When cool, dip half of each tree in melted dark chocolate and sprinkle with multi-colored sanding sugar.
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14
Sugar Cookie Ornaments
Decorate these sugar cookies like ornaments and you'll be able to hang them on your tree — if you're able to resist eating them first.
Get the Sugar Cookie Ornaments recipe.
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15
Peppermint Drops
Scoop and roll Sugar Cookie Dough into 1-inch balls; place on cookie sheet and pat to flatten. After removing cookies from oven, immediately press a candy kiss into the center of each cookie.
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16
Cookie-Pressed Spritz
Cookie decorating isn't just about adding icing! With the help of a cookie press, you can add Christmas shapes of these picture-perfect cookies.
Get the Christmas Spritz Cookies recipe.
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17
Holiday Snickerdoodles
Scoop and roll Sugar Cookie Dough into 1-inch balls in a small bowl of cinnamon sugar; place on cookie sheet. Pat to flatten slightly and bake.
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18
White Chocolate Trees
Cut Sugar Cookie Dough into trees. When cool, drizzle with melted white chocolate and green candy melts.
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19
Jam Sandwich Cookies in Envelopes
The decorative stars on these jam filled cookies are just as adorable as the paper envelopes they come in.
Get the Jam Sandwich Cookies recipe.
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20
Thumbprint Jammers
Scoop and roll Sugar Cookie Dough into 1-inch balls in a bowl of small nonpareils; place on cookie sheet. Make indentations in the center of each cookie and bake. When cool, fill centers with jam.
