31 Best Winter Cookies

Bring more joy to the world with these scrumptious winter cookies! With these recipes, winter has never been this cozier and more enjoyable.

As a cookie addict, there’s no such thing as a bad cookie in my book. Seriously, without cookies, I’d crumble.

However, while I love cookies in all shapes, flavors, and sizes, these, in particular, are especially perfect for winter. 

In this collection, you’ll find gingersnaps, biscotti, and Mexican hot chocolate cookies to warm your body on a snowy day.

I also have something festive such as polar bear cookies, Santa Oreos, and candy cane cookies to make your holiday celebration more memorable.

Or, if you’re just in the mood for some feel-good cookies to snack on, coconut macaroons and chocolate chip cookies will surely give you an extra dose of holiday cheer. 

Let the cookie baking begin!

1. Polar Bear Cookies

How a-dough-rable, are these polar bear cookies? They’ll definitely set the tone for your Christmas party!

They may look complicated, but they’re actually just Oreo cookies dipped in melted white chocolate. So as long as you know how to microwave, this recipe will be a breeze.

You’ll only need edible eyes and M&M’s to form the eyes and noses. It’s so easy, you can get the kids to decorate them. 

2. Snowflake Sugar Cookies

Let’s take a moment to appreciate how pretty these snowflakes are. They look like something you’d put on your Christmas tree!

They’re almost too cute to eat, but you definitely should. They’re as tasty as they are gorgeous.

Unlike other sugar cookies that are too tough, these are wonderfully light and soft. But they’re still firm enough to hold their shape.

3. Peanut Butter Penguins  

Seriously, how cute are these penguins? The best part is they’re not even hard to make, at all!

They’re simply Nut Butter cookies covered in chocolate, and dressed with candy eyes and M&M’s to form the face and feet.

They’re adorable, yes, but more importantly, they’re delicious. Nothing beats a chocolate and peanut butter crossover!

4. Candy Cane Cookies

These candy cane cookies are soft, moist, crispy, and chewy, all at the same time.

Specked with candy cane bits, you’ll get a lovely crunch and some sweet and spicy goodness in every bite. They’re the kind of cookies I just can’t stop eating. 

Aside from the flavor and crunch, you’ll also love the holiday vibe from the red and green candy bits. Merry Christmas, indeed.

5. Shortbread Cookies

You can always count on shortbread cookies to spread holiday cheer. These sweet and buttery cookies are a classic.

Just imagine yourself munching on these treats with a hot cup of cocoa! The thought of it makes me drool.

And did you know that these Scottish goodies only call for 3 ingredients? Yep – flour, butter, and sugar are all you’ll need.

6. Gingersnaps

These gingersnaps are a batch made in heaven. These thin cookies are crunchy on the outside and soft and ooey-gooey in the center. 

They’re sweet with a hint of caramel flavor from the molasses, and the cinnamon gives them the perfect amount of spice.

What a wonderful balance of flavors!

They look so intricate, but they actually come together in just 30 minutes. It couldn’t get any better than that.

7. Linzer Cookies

How about adding an Austrian twist to your American Christmas?

If you’ve never had or heard of Linzer cookies, you’re in for a treat.

These sandwiches are made of buttery flaky shortbread cookies, a sweet jam filling, and a dusting of powdered sugar on top. 

You can use whatever type of jam and jelly for these cookies. They’ll taste good no matter what.

8. Dutch Speculoos Cookies

Speculoos cookies are crispy spiced cookies from the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany.

The cookies traditionally have an image of a windmill or St. Nick on them, but since such stamps or molds are hard to find here, you don’t have to worry about the design.

The important thing is to nail the texture and flavor of the cookies. You have this recipe to count on for that.

9. Gumdrop Cookies

The festive colors on these cookies alone already make me happy. 

These gumdrop cookies contain coconut and oatmeal, so expect them to be full of flavor and have a wonderful chewy texture.

That’s not all. Setting them apart are these colorful chunks of jelly gumdrops that give you maximum chewy and gooey goodness in every bite.

10. Easy No-Bake Grinch Cookies

These Grinch cookies are so incredibly yummy, they’ll make your heart grow one size bigger.

These cookies can be a fun activity with you and the kids. You be in charge of coating Oreos with melted chocolate, and they can take care of the decorations.

Tip: The recipe calls for adding green food coloring to white chocolate.

But for a flavor variation, use matcha powder to make the chocolate green. It’ll be a huge hit with matcha lovers!

11. Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies

It’s hot chocolate in cookie form: how amazing does that sound? The thought of it alone makes me wish Christmas would come faster.

These chocolate cookies are spiced with cinnamon and chili powder, so they have that lovely warming touch to them. 

They’re topped with toasted mini-marshmallows, giving you that cozy hot chocolate experience. 

12. Coconut Macaroons

While French macarons are definitely more popular, I think these Filipino macaroons also deserve the spotlight just as much.

These macaroons are wonderfully soft and ridiculously chewy! Loaded with desiccated coconut, they have such a lovely tropical flavor and a unique texture.

They’re also a hundred times easier to make than French macarons. They come together in under 30 minutes.

13. Gingerbread Christmas Trees

I salute whoever came up with the idea of turning gingerbread cookies into Christmas trees. Cute is an understatement for these treats.

Gingerbread cookies are slice into triangles and decorated with M&M’s and pretzel sticks to complete the Christmas tree look.

They’re breath-taking, but also incredibly delicious.

Unlike usual gingerbread cookies that are too crispy, these guys are wonderfully thick, soft, and chewy like brownies. Yum!

14. White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

White chocolate cranberry cookies make the world a better place. One bite of these goodies is enough to make a frown upside down.

Their festive look makes them perfect for the holidays, but I’d gladly serve and devour them any day of the year.

They’re soft, chewy, and every bite is loaded with morsels of white chocolate and chewy dried cranberries.

15. Mexican Wedding Cookies

While referred to as wedding cookies, these treats also make for an excellent Christmas dessert. Actually, they’re perfect for every occasion.

These are shortbread cookies studded with almonds and rolled in powdered sugar for added sweetness and charm. 

The cookies themselves are so soft, buttery, and crumbly that they melt in your mouth.

The almonds provide a nutty flavor and a wonderful crunchy contrast to the tender crumb.

16. Reindeer Oreos

These reindeer Oreos are way too adorable! How can anyone resist their charm?

Here’s another fun, no-bake cookie recipe that’ll be a sure-fire Christmas hit.

With the help of melted chocolate, M&M’s, candy eyes, and pretzels, anyone can transform Oreo cookies into these magical reindeer.

Not only do they look fabulous, but they also taste amazing. You really can’t go wrong with chocolate-covered Oreos!

17. Turtle Cookies

These turtle cookies may not have a Christmas-y look, but they’re definitely festive in flavor.

Chocolate cookies are studded with chocolate chips, caramel bits, and pecans. I’ll give you a minute to let all that goodness sink in.

The combination of chocolate and caramel alone will knock your socks off. The pecans add a lovely crunch and nutty flavor, to boot.

18. Refrigerator Cookies

Sugar and spice and everything nice – that’s what these cookies are all about.

These snickerdoodle-like cookies will give you warmth and comfort on a cold winter day.

They’re crispy around the edges and chewy in the middle. The blend of sugar and cinnamon just hits the spot. They’re like a giant hug!

19. Amish Sugar Cookies

These Amish sugar cookies may look basic, but there’s nothing boring about them at all.

The combination of crispy edges and chewy centers creates such a delightful mouthfeel.

The flavors are very simple – sweet and buttery – but that’s what makes them insanely addictive.

No wonder this recipe has been passed on from generation to generation. These cookies go way back into the 1700s!

20. Kourambiethes (Greek Christmas Cookies)

Take a culinary trip to Greece with these fabulous Kourambiethes!

These Greek Christmas cookies are soft and crumbly shortbread cookies spiked with brandy.

They’re covered in powdered sugar for that lovely, snowy look.

Besides the pretty presentation, the sugar also creates a nice, melt-in-your-mouth coating that complements the texture of the cookies nicely.

21. Death By Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

If you’re in the mood for some chocolate overload, this recipe is calling out your name.

Chocolate cookies are studded with chocolate chips, dipped in melted dark chocolate, and drizzled with white chocolate.

Quadruple the chocolate, quadruple the fun.

The cookies are also spiked with peppermint extract and sprinkled with crushed peppermint candies to add a lovely spiced flavor that tastes so well with chocolate.

22. Peanut Butter Cookies

While not as popular as chocolate chip cookies, I say these peanut butter cookies are just as worthy of attention.

They’re wonderfully soft and chewy and bursting with peanut butter in every bite. 

They’re not cloyingly sweet, which makes them extremely addictive. Believe me, where these cookies are involved, it’s impossible to stop at one.

23. Ginger Cookie Sandwiches

Ginger cookies, even on their own, are already fantastic. They’re perfectly crispy and sweet with a touch of spice from cloves, nutmeg, and cardamom.

What makes these cookies even more special is the filling.

A combination of lemon curd and mascarpone, it’s a sweet, creamy, and zesty icing that counterbalances the spice from the cookies well.

24. Pecan Pie Cookies

These cookies are as good as a slice of pecan pie. The fact that they’re bite-sized makes them even more adorable.

The cookies are sweetened with brown sugar, making them exceptionally tender, chewy, and moist.

The pecan pie filling in the middle gives them a nutty and crunchy twist that’s impossible to resist.

25. Ghirardelli Chocolate Chip Cookie 

Nothing beats the classics! Chocolate chip cookies are always welcome at every feast – no matter the holiday or special occasion.

These cookies are wonderfully thick and chunky. They’re also soft, buttery, chewy, and peppered with decadent, melty chocolate chips. 

They’re everything you can ask for in a chocolate chip cookie, and then some. I’m sure dear Santa’s gonna want seconds!

26. Almond Spritz Cookies

I can’t take my eyes off of these pretty spritz cookies! From the unique shape to the decorative sprinkles, these cookies are definitely holiday-worthy.

Their flavor is simple yet spectacular. They’re wonderfully sweet and buttery. While they don’t contain almonds, the splash of almond flour gives them that nice hint of nuttiness.

27. Lemon Drop Cookies

Calling all lemon lovers: these cookies are a must-try.

Also called Anginetti and lemon sugar cookies, these Italian goodies are soft and buttery with a lemon twist.

What’s not to love? They’re so tender they almost melt in your mouth. They’re perfectly sweet with a zesty lemon twist. 

28. Chocolate Blizzard Cookies

If you love Dairy Queen’s chocolate blizzard ice cream, you’ll definitely fall for these cookies.

Filled with white and milk chocolate chips, these cookies are chocolate-y, to say the least.

Melted chocolate is also mixed into the cookie dough, giving the cookies those lovely brown swirls. 

Serve them warm and topped with ice cream for the ultimate cookie experience.

29. Peanut Butter Blossoms

These peanut butter blossoms are soft and chewy with a whole piece of chocolate kiss in the middle.

From the photo alone, you can already tell how delicious these blossoms are. 

The cookies themselves are brimming with peanut butter flavor. The chocolate in the center gives them that awesome melt-in-your-mouth factor.

30. Santa Oreos

Is there anything more Christmas-y than these Santa Oreo cookies?

It’s so amazing how with some simple ingredients and a lot of imagination, you can create such a stunning work of art.

Take some golden Oreo candies, candy melts, M&M’s, mini marshmallows, and decorating gel, and create these charming and delectable Santa cookies! 

31. Gingerbread Biscotti

Gingerbread biscotti are the perfect start to a wintery day. Pair these warming cookies with coffee or hot cocoa for a delectable morning treat.

How I love dipping these biscuits in hot coffee!

They’ll become nice and moist as they absorb the liquid, creating that wonderful textural balance between crunchy and tender.