Holidays and Events Recipes Christmas Desserts Christmas Cookie Recipes 25 Christmas Cookies Just Like Grandma Used to Make By Mary Claire Lagroue Mary Claire Lagroue Mary Claire Lagroue is the Commerce Editor at Food & Wine. A former associate editor at Allrecipes, she joined Dotdash Meredith in 2019. She has written about food since 2017, covering everything from product reviews to recipes to restaurants. Her work can be found in Cooking Light, Southern Living, and more. Allrecipes' editorial guidelines Updated on November 17, 2023 Close Photo: REDPONYGIRL No one (we mean no one) bakes cookies like a grandmother. Perhaps Grandma gleaned enough baking experience over time to just know what works. Perhaps it's her no-fuss, old-fashioned approach to baking. Or it could be thanks to some secret ingredient like ~love~ or cream of tartar. Just guessing. Whatever the reason, these recipes from actual grandmothers are just the taste of Christmas nostalgia everyone craves. 01 of 26 Melissa's Grandma's Ginger Lace Cookies View Recipe Vista Verde Ranch Molasses, cinnamon, and ground ginger flavor these soft lace cookies. Sprinkle sugar on top for a little holiday shimmer. Also try: Gingerbread Cookies 02 of 26 Gramma's Date Squares View Recipe Danielle Gwilliam "This is my grandmother's recipe which my whole family loves. You can use almond extract instead of lemon, if you wish," Mai Forrester says of these date-filled bars with chewy oatmeal crusts. 03 of 26 My Grandma's Fruitcake Cookies View Recipe Rachel Ruther Reviewers report that these fruitcake cookies — filled with chopped mixed nuts, raisins, dates, candied pineapple, and candied cherries — taste just like their own grandmothers' recipes. 04 of 26 Oma Kiener's Hazelnut Christmas Cookies View Recipe GreenGoddess "These were one of the two Christmas cookie recipes my German grandmother made every year until her death at age 92. While they may not be fancy like other Christmas cookie recipes, they are easy to make and taste very nutty," KitchenGeisha says of these icebox cookies. 05 of 26 Grandma's Drop Sugar Cookies View Recipe NCHIANCONE "My family's favorite Christmas cookie. Buttery and crispy. The slight coconut flavor makes this cookie the best," writes recipe creator NCHIANCONE. This simple recipe takes just 20 minutes. 15 Best Drop Cookies for Easy Baking 06 of 26 Grandma Minecci's Snowball Cookies View Recipe Abbey Dusted with confectioners' sugar and shaped like snowballs, these cookies would be perfect for a cold Christmas. 07 of 26 Old German Honey Cookies View Recipe Nichole "I got this recipe from my grandmother, who got it from her grandmother. She had to translate it and then figure out measurements. The original recipe called for 'enough flour to make a dough.' Thankfully Grandma knew what kind of dough." — Darlene 18 Honey Desserts That Couldn't Bee More Delicious 08 of 26 Grandma's Gingersnap Cookies View Recipe Kristina Florez "This melt-in-your-mouth ginger cookie recipe that I received from my grandmother has been enjoyed in my family since 1899." — Marie Ayers 09 of 26 Grandma Ruth's Snickerdoodle Cookies View Recipe tjump2014 With almost 200 reviews averaging five stars, this crowd-pleasing snickerdoodle recipe would be great for large gatherings. 10 of 26 Russian Tea Cakes I View Recipe Philly Ry "Bubba brought it with her when she came from Lithuania. I pass it on in the true spirit of this season," says recipe creator THEAUNT708, who adds that five generations have now made these cookies during the Christmas season. 15 Make-Ahead Christmas Desserts to Sweeten Your Holidays 11 of 26 Grandma's Old Fashioned Tea Cakes View Recipe dotdash meredith food studios Make these tea cakes a day or two before Christmas to enjoy with your Christmas morning coffee. 12 of 26 Granny's Filled Cookies View Recipe Pam Ziegler Lutz "My granny always made these around Christmas. They are the easiest, best-tasting cookies around. Be warned, they are addictive," Kim Borris says. Fill them the fruit-flavored jam of your choice. 13 of 26 Granny's Strawberry Preserves-Filled Cookies View Recipe Autumneyes Strawberry preserves make an ideal cookie filling, especially when the berries are not in season. Recipe creator Julie Holden calls these soft, spiced cookies a favorite for Christmas. 14 of 26 Granny Mabel's Best Bar Cookies View Recipe Kari Oatmeal, chocolate chips, and caramel ice cream topping create a gooey, buttery bar. 15 of 26 Snowballs II View Recipe TummyYummy This recipe from home cook Lori Dehn's grandmother includes finely crushed peppermint candy canes for a holiday twist on Russian tea cakes. 16 of 26 Grandma's Lace Cookies View Recipe Dustin Poh These thin, crispy cookies would pair well with a glass of milk and a Christmas movie. Crispy Cookie Recipes to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth 17 of 26 Grandma's Oatmeal Cookies View Recipe Joey Joan Spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, these oatmeal cookies would taste extra comforting during the holidays. 18 of 26 My Nana's Lace Cookies View Recipe Bluetiger "These are delicate lace cookies with an amazing taste! A tradition in our family for Christmas since I was a little girl. These cookies spread to make a very thin wafer, almost transparent. Super easy to make, but be careful, as they can be quick to burn or cool too much on your cookie sheet — and then you'll be chipping the cookies off of your cookie sheet!" — Bluetiger 19 of 26 Grama's Corn Flake Peanut Butter Cookies View Recipe Sarah-May These five-ingredient cookies taste like peanut butter fudge with a nice crunch from cornflakes. 15 Best Ways to Get Your Peanut Butter Cookie Fix 20 of 26 Gram Opal's Sugar Cookies View Recipe mona reese "My grandma Opal June Carlson, "Gram C," made these cookies whenever my dad and I came to her cottage on Lake Okoboji for a visit. Although at the time I picked off the pecan halves that my seven-year-old self didn't yet appreciate, these simply delicious cookies were amazing and will live forever in my heart along with my Gram C!" — Cucina di papa 21 of 26 Granny's Shortbread Cookies View Recipe Abbey "Light, buttery shortbread cookies! Cut them into Christmas shapes and decorate with colored sugar and maraschino cherries." — Lori G 22 of 26 Grandma M's Raisin Cookies View Recipe Cookin'Bug These tart raisin cookies contain a few drops of lemon extract, setting them apart from the chocolaty offerings at the dessert table. 23 of 26 Grandma Minnie's Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies View Recipe Cathleen Padier If you're looking for the perfect cut-out cookie dough, here it is. Just be sure to stir the egg, cream, and vanilla in by hand as the recipe instructs. Using an electric mixer for this step will leave you with impossibly soft, sticky dough due to over-working. 24 of 26 Grandma's Classic No-Bake Cookies View Recipe This delightful no-bake treat relies on pantry staples like cocoa powder, peanut butter, and oats — meaning, there's a good chance you already have everything you need to make them on hand. When storing, be sure to place wax paper in between layers of the cookies to prevent sticking. 25 of 26 Nana's Spicy Pumpkin Chocolate Cookies View Recipe In addition to two types of chocolate, these warming pumpkin cookies have a spicy secret ingredient: cayenne pepper. If you're not completely sold on the heat, try just a dash of cayenne in the cinnamon-sugar coating for your first batch. 26 of 26 More Inspiration Valerie aka DollyDomestic Our Top 20 Most Cherished Holiday Cookies 28 Most Popular Types of Cookies Explore our entire collection of Christmas cookie recipes. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit