Everyone knows that the best cookies are homemade cookies. That’s because they are made with love. Some of these cookies are even made with generations of love from recipes that have been handed down year after year.
That’s why cookie swaps are so fun! It’s a sort of potluck party where everyone brings a big batch of cookies to show off their favorite recipes. Everyone who comes to the cookie swap gets to eat and trade cookies with their fellow bakers.
It’s basically a big giant love fest where everyone goes home with lots of cookies! You can learn how to host your own cookie swap here. Don’t have a favorite cookie recipe? Pick some out from this slideshow and start your own tradition!
Here are 65 of the best Christmas cookie recipes for your holiday cookie swap party:
1) Italian Rainbow Cookies
These are my favorite cookies of all time. My mother and aunts make them every year at Christmas. They are made with almond paste so the cookies are nice and moist. We like using Nutella to coat the cookies mixed with chocolate to make the outer layer. They take a lot of time to make but are so worth it. Learn how to make them just like nonna does
here.
Not big on baking? Then this is the recipe for you. This recipe combines butter, sugar, dates, rice cereal, and some other ingredients to create yummy balls. They are then rolled in coconut. They are so delish! You can find the recipe
here.
3) Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms
This recipe uses sugar cookie dough mixed with melted chocolate. They are topped with candy cane flavored Kisses for a festive look. Learn how to make them
here.
4) Chocolate Lebkuchen Cherry Balls
This is a traditional German cookie. These cookies have a creamy gingersnap taste with a Maraschino cherry in the middle. You can find the recipe
here.
These sugar cookies are topped with a marshmellow frosting to create a Santa hat. They’re decorated with sprinkles and a marshmellow pom pom. Learn how to make them
here.
These festive cookies have a yummy candy coating. Then they are dipped in peppermint candy crumbs. Find the recipe
here.
7) Peanut Butter Chocolate Truffle
Peanut butter and chocolate were made to go together. This recipe uses peanut butter cookie dough that is baked then dipped in chocolate. You can find the recipe
here.
8) Gingerbread Ugly Sweater Cookies
These are a fun take on classic gingerbread cookies. Instead of gingerbread people they are ugly Christmas sweaters. Learn how to make them
here.
These adorable sugar cookies are covered chocolate candy coated. They they are decorated with white chocolate colored pretzels. Learn how to make them
here.
10) Chocolate Mint Dreams
These cookies taste like a dream. I mean, it’s in the name. You can also tint the frosting green if you want to get real festive, maybe add some red sprinkles too. Learn more info
here.
11) Chocolate Hazelnut Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
There’s a lot going on in this cookies. That’s why they are so good. You can find the recipe
here.
The base for this cookie is made from butter, brown sugar, lemon juice and zest. Then they are covered in hazelnut. Learn how to make them
here.
13) Jingle Bell Cookie Pizza
aWho doesn’t love pizza, especially in cookie form. This treat has a chocolate chip cookie base that’s topped with marshmellow, M&Ms, and chocolate syrup. The details can be found
here.
14) Chocolate Strawberry Pretzel Cookies
This is a unique cookie combination that’s sure to have people talking at your cookie swap. The cookie base has pretzels in it. Then it’s coated with chocolate and strawberry jam. You can get the recipe
here.
15) Swirly Christmas Tree Cookies
For this one, just roll out sugar cookie dough into snakes. Shape them like trees, then sprinkle candy covered chocolate candies and sprinkles on them. The recipe can be found
here.
16) Gooey Caramel Topped Gingersnaps
These cookies are super decadent. They are covered in gooey caramel and honey roasted peanuts. Learn how to make them
here.
Chocolate chip cookies just got an upgrade. This adds some walnuts and marshmellos to the mix. Get the recipe
here.
18) Butterscotch Eggnog Stars
Did someone say eggnog? Sign me up! Learn how to make these
here.
19) Peppermint Hot Cocoa Cookies
Here’s another great recipe that combines some of our favorite winter flavors. It’s chocolate and peppermint! You can learn how to make them
here.
The yummy dough stays creamy with some cream cheese. Then it’s stuffed with a delicious pecan filling and dusted with confectioners’ sugar. Learn how to make them
here.
21) Hot Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
Hot chocolate just isn’t the same without marshmallows. These cookies capture this relationship perfectly. You can find the instructions on how to make them
here.
22) Crystallized Gingerbread Cookies
These cookies are nice and thin and chewy. They get a little crunch with their crystalized sugar topping. You can get the recipe
here.
23) Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies
I’ll pretty much eat anything with salted caramel. But this also has chocolate chips. Get this incredible recipe
here.
24) Cherry Almond Snowdrops
The dough for this cookie is made from cherries and almonds. How yummy is that?!?! The answer: so yummy. Learn how to make them
here.
25) Cherry Sugar Coconut Macaroons
This is another great cherry recipe. Macaroons are great on their own but cherries are a great addition. Get the recipe
here.
26) Cinnamon Roll French Macarons
These look French macarons look super fancy and probably taste delicious. Anything cinnabon bun flavored is amazing. Check out the recipe
here.
27) Orange Chocolate Hazelnut Thumbprint
Orange, chocolate, and hazelnut… that sounds fun! And, of course, delicious. Learn more about this recipe
here.
28) Chocolate Linzer Cookies
These cookies can be made two ways. With a jam or chocolate filling. You can find the recipe
here.
29) Three Ingredient Holiday Thumprints
Looking for a super simple cookie recipe? This one uses store bought sugar cookie dough, flour, and colored decorating icing. Get the details
here.
30) Citrus Gingerbread Cookies
Here we have a traditional gingerbread cookie with a twist. The gingerbread has orange and lemon zest. It also has a honey glaze. Learn how to make them
here.
31) Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Crackers
This is another three ingredient recipe. It’s also a no bake recipe. Just put some peanut butter in between two Ritz crackers and dip them in chocolate. Get the details
here.
These cookies are so pretty to look at. Cinnamon is mixed into the dough and compliments the Red Hots used as decorations. You can find the recipe
here.
This reciepe provides an easy way to create a delicious treat. Just bake some sugar cookies and add some turtles on top. Get the recipe
here.
These cookies are packed with lemony goodness. You can even give them an extra sprinkle of sugar coating. Learn how to make them
here.
35) Cherry Chocolate Chunk Cookies
These cookies are super chunky. They’re packed with both chocolate AND cherry chunks. Get the recipe
here.
36) Brownie Batter Cookies
You shouldn’t have to choose between brownies and chocolate chip cookies. This cookie makes it so that you don’t have to. This cookie puts brownie batter inside of a chocolate chip cookie. Learn how to make them
here.
37) Cranberry Pecan Tassies
These cookies are mini tarts with nuts. Their festive flare comes from the cranberries. Get the recipe
here.
Who doesn’t want candy inside of cookies. Each of these cookies have a Rolo inside of it. Get the recipe
here.
39) Chocolate Dipped Meringue Sandwich Cookies
This cookie has double the meringue and double the chocolate. You have two piecew of meringue with a chocolate fillingh. It’s also dipped in chocolate. Learn how to make them
here.
40) Cheesecake Cookie Cups
These are little chocolate chip cookie cups. They are then filled with a cream cheese filling and topped with chocolate chips. Learn how to make them
here.
There’s peppermint candy and peppermint extract inside of this biscotti dough. The baked cookie is then dipped in chocolate and more pepperment candy… yum-o! Learn how to make them
here.
42) Almond Sparkle Cookies
Who doesn’t want to eat something with the name sparkle in it? I sure, do. Learn how to make these almond sugar cookies
here.
43) Folded Hazelnut Cookies
One word… Nutella. That automtically means that these are delicious. Learn how to make them
here.
These look amazing! They have a sugar cookie base and are loaded with chocolate, pecans, and caramel. Delish! Get the recipe
here.
45) Crinkle Top Chocolate Cookies
These cookies are crinkley on the top and fudgy on the inside. Apparently, they are low in fat too. Get the details
here.
46) Double Chocolate Stuffed Pepperment Pattie Cookies
This recipe uses chocolate chip cookie dough and adds even more chocolate. Then the dough is wrapped around a peppermint patty and is topped with crushed peppermint candies. Get the recipe
here.
47) Red Velvet Peppermint Thumbprints
These cookies scream Christmas. They are a red velvet cookie with white chocolate filled thumbprints that are sprinkled with crush peppermint candy. Learn how to make them
here.
There’s no tea in these cookies. Don’t let the name fool you. They are basically sugar cookies that are mixed with walnuts and covered in confectioners’ sugar. Get the recipe
here.
Sometimes you just want something on the plain side. Though these Scottish Shortbread cookies are on the simple side, they are still big on taste. Learn how to make them
here.
50) Brown Butter Snickerdoodles
Snickerdoodles are basically sugar cookies with some cinnamon and cream of tartar. But this recipe amps up the traditional recipe with some browned butter and brown sugar to make them chewy and delicious. Get this recipe
here.
51) Peanut Butter Christmas Mice
These are the only kind of mice you’ll want at your cookie swap. These cuties have a peanut butter base and are decorated with chocolate chips, peanuts and black licorice tails. Learn how to make them
here.
These are another super festive looking cookie. They use a sugar cookie base with red and green sprinkles that is just a bit more moist that your average sugar cookie. Get the recipe
here.
This cookie doesn’t just have three different colors. It has three different flavors. Learn how to make them
here.
54) Italian Christmas Cookies
These cookies are always a staple at my family get togethers during Christmas. They are light and delicious. You can add a touch of lemon to the cookie glaze for extra sweetness. Get the recipe
here.
55) No Bake Christmas Wreaths
These no-bake Christmas wreaths are like rice cereal treats but with corn flakes. Corn flakes are mixed with marshmallow and green food coloring and shaped into wreaths. Then decorated with mini red M&Ms. Learn how to make them
here.
56) Chocolate Pecan Sandies
This recipe makes your traditional pecan sandie better in two ways. It adds chocolate and powdered sugar. Learn how to make them
here.
57) Coconut Cranberry Yummies
There’s so many good things inside this cookies. There’s cranberries, almonds, coconut, and white chips. Get the recipe
here.
These cookies are perfectly moist and chocolately on the inside. It’s also got walnuts, vanilla wafers and, of course, rum. Learn more
here.
59) Mint Chocolate Wafers
The base of these cookies are made from chocolate fudge cake mix. That coating looks so delicious and is where the peppermint comes in. Learn how to make them
here.
60) Crescent Butter Biscuits
These almond biscuits are nice and light. They are a traditional Christmas cookie. But they are great any time of the year with a cup of coffee or even tea.
61) Chocolate Dipped Cranberry Cookies
These cookies are as delicious as they are pretty. And they’re dipped in chocolate. Learn how to make them
here.
62) Fruit-Filled Sprtiz Cookie
Here’s amother cookie with a lot of good stuff going on. It has maraschino cherries, dates, orange juice, coconut, and ground nuts… so good! Get the recipe
here.
63) Chocolate Nut Pinwheel
These cookies are fun to eat and look at. They’re made from almonds and cocoa. Learn how to make them
here.
These are cookies with a kick. But it’s not a hot spice. This recipe just uses a lot of nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon. Check out the recipe
here.
65) Almond Raspberry Stars
This is another really pretty cookie. It’s a sugar cookie with cinnamon and almonds and some raspberry jam. Learn how to make them
here.