20 Best Holiday Treats: Classic Cookies to Modern Delights!

Did you know that Americans bake an average of 7 different types of cookies during the holiday season? There’s something magical about the aroma of freshly baked treats filling your home during the festive season!

Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just starting your holiday baking journey, this comprehensive guide will help you create unforgettable treats that will become cherished traditions. From time-tested family recipes to creative modern twists, let’s explore the very best holiday treats that will make your celebrations extra special!

4 Classic Holiday Cookie Recipes Worth Mastering

Here’s my journey with holiday cookie baking with detailed insights into these classic recipes.

1. perfect sugar cookies with royal icing

A plate of holiday sugar cookies with royal icing. The cookies are shaped like Christmas trees, stars, and hearts. The royal icing is in shades of green, red, and white. There's a sprinkle of edible glitter on the cookies. The plate is on a wooden surface.

After countless batches and some amazing tips from my grandmother, I finally cracked the code to getting that perfect texture and professional-looking finish!

Here’s the foolproof sugar cookie recipe that has never let me down (and trust me, I’ve made these for everything from school bake sales to wedding favors):

For perfect sugar cookies (that actually hold their shape):

3 cups all-purpose flour (measured correctly by spooning into cups and leveling)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature, not melted!)
1.5 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lemon or orange (for a citrus twist)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional, for a warm flavor)

The secret that took me forever to figure out? Chill that dough for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight. I used to skip this step because, let’s be real, who has the patience? But this makes ALL the difference in preventing spread during baking!

For the royal icing, here’s what I’ve learned works best:

4 cups powdered sugar (sifted to avoid lumps)
3 tablespoons meringue powder
9-10 tablespoons room temperature water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Gel food coloring (for vibrant colors)

Pro tip: You want two consistencies: a thicker one for outlining (think toothpaste consistency) and a thinner one for flooding (like warm honey). Getting these right took me ages to master, but it’s worth the effort!

A plate of traditional gingerbread cookies. The cookies are shaped into men and buildings. The plate is on a wooden surface. The background is blurred and contains a few more cookies and a cup of coffee.

The key to perfect gingerbread texture is using fresh spices. Seriously, throw out that ground ginger that’s been sitting in your cabinet since last winter!

Here’s my tried-and-true recipe:

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (or substitute 1 1/2 cups with whole wheat flour for a nuttier flavor)
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup molasses
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Zest of 1 orange or lemon (for a citrus twist)

The game-changer with gingerbread? Let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes after chilling. This makes it so much easier to roll out without cracking!

A plate of warm chocolate crinkle cookies. The cookies have a dark brown, almost black, exterior and a moist, chocolatey interior. They are served on a white plate and are slightly cracked. There's a dusting of powdered sugar on top. The plate is on a wooden surface. The background is blurred and consists of a few kitchen items.

For chocolate crinkle cookies (which literally disappear within hours at any holiday gathering), the secret is double-rolling in powdered sugar.

Roll them once, let them sit for a minute, then roll again. This creates that gorgeous crackled effect that makes them look like they came from a fancy bakery!

4. Timeless shortbread

A plate of holiday shortbread cookies. There are various shapes of cookies, including trees, stars, and hearts. The cookies are dusted with powdered sugar and have a light brown color. The plate is placed on a wooden surface. There are also red and green berries on the plate, adding a festive touch.

When it comes to shortbread, temperature is everything! Your butter needs to be cool room temperature. That’s not too soft, not too hard.

Scottish shortbread traditionally uses a 3-2-1 ratio: 3 parts flour, 2 parts butter, 1 part sugar. Simple, but absolutely divine when done right!

Expert decorating techniques

A person's hand holding a piping bag filled with icing. The person is practicing piping icing on parchment paper in simple patterns like dots and lines. There are various sizes of dots and lines, and some of the lines have swirls at the end. The parchment paper is placed on a wooden board. The background is blurred and consists of cooking utensils.

For decorating, invest in some quality piping tips and practice on parchment paper before tackling your cookies.

I still practice my piping techniques while watching TV. It’s oddly relaxing! Start with simple patterns like dots and lines before moving on to more complex designs.

And here’s a useful tip: outline your cookies first with thicker icing, let it dry for 15-20 minutes, then flood with thinner icing. This prevents the dreaded overflow that used to drive me nuts!

Ultimately, perfect holiday cookies aren’t about having the steadiest hand or the fanciest equipment. It’s about patience, practice, and understanding the little details that make each recipe work.

Trust me, your family and friends won’t care if every snowflake isn’t identical. They’ll just be impressed you made them from scratch!

4 No-Bake Holiday Treats for Busy Bakers

My absolute favorite holiday hack? No-bake treats!

After trying to do it all during the holiday season, I finally discovered these time-saving gems that still bring all the festive cheer.

1. Quick & easy peppermint bark

A plate of peppermint bark with crushed candy canes sprinkled on top. The peppermint bark has a glossy finish and is divided into squares. The crushed candy canes add a festive touch. The background is a wooden surface.

Peppermint bark changed my whole holiday game.

I used to stress about complicated cookie recipes until I realized I could make something just as impressive in half the time. But here’s the thing nobody tells you about making perfect peppermint bark: temperature is everything.

Here’s my foolproof method for perfect peppermint bark:

12 oz high-quality white chocolate (please, for the love of all things holy, don’t use candy melts!)
12 oz dark chocolate (60-70% cacao)
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract (divided)
8-10 candy canes, crushed

The secret? Temper that chocolate properly.

I know, I know, tempering sounds scary. But here’s my cheater method that works every time:

Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each, until 90% melted.
Stir until completely smooth.

The residual heat does the rest of the work without risking overheating!

A plate of festive chocolate-dipped pretzels. The pretzels are completely coated in thick, smooth chocolate and are adorned with red, white, and green sprinkles. The plate is placed on a wooden surface. There is a sprinkle of extra red, white, and green sprinkles around the plate. The background is a beige wall.

Chocolate-dipped pretzels are my go-to when I need to make treats for a crowd! Pro tip: Let the excess chocolate drip off by tapping your wrist, not the pretzel. Game changer!

For maximum efficiency, I set up a proper dipping station:

Large pretzel rods
Melted chocolate in a tall glass
Various toppings in shallow dishes
Parchment-lined baking sheets

3. Holiday Rice Krispy Treats

A plate of Holiday Rice Krispy Treats. The treats are rectangular and green, with crushed candy canes mixed into them. There are sprinkles of red and white on top. The plate is on a wooden surface. There are holiday decorations in the background.

Speaking of crowd-pleasers, let’s talk about holiday rice krispy treats!

Y’all, these are not your basic lunchbox treats. I’ve discovered that adding crushed Oreos and a drizzle of white chocolate makes them downright fancy.

My favorite holiday variation uses crushed candy canes and green food coloring to create a mint chocolate masterpiece that disappears faster than my New Year’s resolutions.

4. Make-ahead treat balls & truffles

A plate of holiday truffles. There are various types of truffles, including chocolate-coated strawberries, orange and almond truffles, and peppermint truffles. The truffles are arranged in a festive pattern, with a few decorative candy canes and sugar cookies surrounding the plate. The background is a rustic wooden board.

For make-ahead treat balls (or truffles if you’re feeling fancy), here’s what I’ve learned works best:

Start with a food processor for consistent texture
Chill the mixture for at least 2 hours before rolling
Use a small cookie scoop for uniform sizing
Keep your hands cold while rolling (run them under cold water every few minutes)

My never-fail base recipe:

1 package Oreos, crushed fine
8 oz cream cheese, softened
12 oz chocolate for coating

No-bake treats aren’t just a shortcut. They’re legitimate holiday offerings that can look just as impressive as anything that came out of an oven!

And honestly? Sometimes they taste even better because you’re not too exhausted to enjoy them!

7 International Holiday Treats to Try

Here are my adventures exploring international holiday baking.

1. German stollen

A plate of delicious German stollen. The stollen is a type of fruit bread that is coated with a thick layer of icing. The bread has a dense, moist texture and is filled with raisins and almonds. The icing is thick and sweet, with a creamy consistency. The stollen is garnished with powdered sugar.

My first attempt at German stollen was interesting, to say the least. I totally underestimated the importance of that fruit-soaking step.

Dry fruit in stollen is like serving turkey without gravy. Technically possible, but why would you do that to yourself?

For the fruit mixture that needs to soak for 24-48 hours:

1 cup golden raisins
1 cup dark raisins
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup candied citrus peel
1/2 cup rum (or orange juice for non-alcoholic version)
2 tablespoons vanilla extract

The marzipan center is non-negotiable in traditional stollen. I tried skipping it once because I wasn’t a huge marzipan fan. Big mistake! It adds this incredible moisture and almond flavor that makes stollen, well, stollen.

2. German Lebkuchen

A plate of delicious Lebkuchen. The cookies are shaped into hearts and stars and are glazed with a sugar icing, giving them a glossy, festive finish. The background is a wooden surface.

Speaking of German treats, lebkuchen taught me the importance of proper spice blending. That pre-mixed “pumpkin pie spice” won’t cut it here, folks.

Traditional lebkuchen spice mix (Lebkuchengewürz):

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground mace
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

3. Italian Panettone

A plate of Italian Panettone. The panettone is a type of sweet bread loaf. The panettone is golden brown with a shiny glaze. It is filled with raisins and candied orange peel. The panettone is sliced, revealing its soft, airy interior. The plate is placed on a wooden board. There is a sprig of rosemary beside the panettone. The background is rustic, with wooden beams and a checkered cloth.

Italian panettone humbled me real quick!

The first time I tried making it, I didn’t realize how important the proving time was. Three hours? Try THREE DAYS for properly developed flavor! The texture should be light as air, not dense like a brick.

The secret lies in building a strong starter:

1 cup bread flour
1/4 cup warm water
1/8 teaspoon active dry yeast
Let this develop for 12-24 hours before making your final dough.

4. Italian Biscotti

A plate of delicious biscotti. The biscotti are long, thin, and golden brown, with a cracked surface. They are arranged on a white plate and dusted with powdered sugar. The plate is placed on a wooden surface. There are two biscotti near the edge of the plate, one standing upright and the other lying down. The background is blurred and contains a few more biscotti, a coffee cup, and a spoon.

For biscotti, the first bake is crucial. If you underbake at this stage, you’ll end up with cookies that are either too hard or crumble when you try to slice them!

The dough should feel firm but still slightly soft when you touch it, about 25 minutes at 325°F.

5. Scandinavian holiday breads & cookies

A plate of delicious Swedish pepparkakor, or ginger snaps. The cookies are thin, dark brown, and have a prominent ginger flavor. They are piled high on a white plate. There is a sprinkle of white sugar on top of the cookies, which glistens in the light. The background is a wooden table with visible knots and a few cookies are scattered on the table. The lighting is soft.

Scandinavian holiday baking introduced me to cardamom in a whole new way! Swedish pepparkakor (ginger snaps) and Norwegian krumkaker taught me that freshly ground cardamom makes store-bought stuff taste like sawdust.

Seriously, buy those green pods and grind them yourself. The difference is mind-blowing!

6. Mexican wedding cookies

A plate of Mexican wedding cookies. The cookies are small, round, and covered in powdered sugar. They are arranged in a circular pattern on the plate. There is a sprig of rosemary in the center of the cookies. The background is a rustic wooden surface.

Mexican wedding cookies (also known as polvorones) look simple but they’re all about technique.

The butter needs to be just right: room temperature but still slightly cool to the touch.

And that double roll in powdered sugar? Not just for looks!

The first coating needs to happen while the cookies are still warm so it melts slightly and creates a base for the second coating.

7. Mexican Bunuelos

A plate of delicious Mexican Bunuelos. The Bunuelos are thin, crispy pastries made from simple dough that is rolled flat, fried until golden, and coated with a generous layer of cinnamon sugar. They are stacked on top of each other with a drizzle of syrup on top of them. The background is simple, allowing the Bunuelos to stand out.

For buñuelos, the dough needs to rest properly for at least an hour, preferably two. I used to rush this step and wondered why my buñuelos weren’t getting that signature bubble texture!

The resting time lets the gluten relax, which is crucial for that perfect crispy-chewy texture.

These traditional recipes have been perfected over generations. There’s usually a good reason for each seemingly fussy step!

Take your time, respect the process, and you’ll end up with treats that taste like they came straight from a European Christmas market!

5 Modern Holiday Treat Innovations

Here’s my journey into modernizing holiday treats, including some surprising wins and hilarious failures along the way!

1. Viral TikTok hot chocolate bombs

You know those viral TikTok hot chocolate bombs that took over social media? Well, my first attempt looked less like a bomb and more like a chocolate massacre!

But after some trial and error (and many, many paper towels), I finally cracked the code.

The secret? Working with tempered chocolate at exactly 88-90°F. Any warmer and your spheres will be too soft; any cooler and you’ll get that dreaded streaky finish!

For perfect hot chocolate bombs:

High-quality chocolate (at least 54% cacao)
Silicon sphere molds (the cheap ones will betray you, trust me!)
Instant hot chocolate mix
Mini marshmallows
A food thermometer (seriously, don’t skip this)

2. date-sweetened thumbprint cookie

A plate of date-sweetened thumbprint cookies. The cookies are small and round, with a deep indentation in the center. The indentation is filled with a dollop of jam. The cookies have a golden brown color and a slightly crumbly texture. The plate is placed on a wooden surface. There are a few cookies scattered around the plate. The background is blurred and consists of a few kitchen tools and ingredients.

Here’s a healthier alternatives that actually taste good!

I spent months perfecting a date-sweetened thumbprint cookie that doesn’t taste like a compromise:

2 cups almond flour
1 cup pitted Medjool dates
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of sea salt
Sugar-free jam for filling

The game-changer was processing those dates until they’re completely smooth. Nobody wants to bite into a date chunk when they’re expecting cookie!

3. Gluten-free Treats

For gluten-free baking, I’ve learned that a single flour substitute just doesn’t cut it.

After countless batches of cookies that crumbled faster than my resolution to avoid holiday stress, I developed this reliable blend:

1 cup brown rice flour
1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1/4 cup potato starch
1 teaspoon xanthan gum

4. vegan holiday treats

A plate of aquafaba meringue cookies. The plate is on a wooden surface. There are various shades of blue, purple, and green meringues. Some of the meringues have been piped into intricate shapes, such as stars and flowers. There are also a few broken meringues on the plate. The background is a beige wall.

My favorite vegan holiday treat discovery has been aquafaba meringue cookies. That’s right: the liquid from a can of chickpeas can make incredible meringues!

The trick is reducing the liquid by about 1/3 before whipping. Add a touch of cream of tartar and you’ll get peaks that would make a French pastry chef proud!

5. Fusion desserts combining different cultural traditions

Matcha-gingerbread cookies with a traditional gingerbread base, matcha white chocolate ganache filling, black sesame seed garnish, and candied ginger pieces. The cookies are arranged on a white plate. There's a small bowl of candied ginger pieces beside the plate. The background is a rustic wooden board.

Fusion desserts are where things get really fun!

I stumbled upon a matcha-gingerbread combination that absolutely blew my mind:

Traditional gingerbread base
Matcha white chocolate ganache filling
Black sesame seed garnish
Candied ginger pieces

Creative presentation & packaging ideas

A kraft paper box lined with parchment paper and filled with Christmas cookies. The cookies are of various shapes and sizes, including stars, trees, and gingerbread men. There is a red ribbon tied around the box. The background is a wooden surface with a few other Christmas decorations.

For creative presentation, I’ve found that simple kraft paper boxes lined with parchment paper look way more professional than those typical holiday tins.

Pro tip: sprinkle some artificial snow (the biodegradable kind!) in the bottom of clear gift bags for instant winter wonderland vibes!

While these modern twists are fun, they should still taste like proper holiday treats. The key is finding that sweet spot between innovation and satisfaction because nobody wants to feel like they’re eating “health food” during the holidays!

Which of These Holiday Treats Will You Be Making?

Creating holiday treats is about more than just baking. It’s about creating memories that last a lifetime!

Whether you stick to beloved classics or experiment with new recipes, the joy of sharing homemade treats with loved ones is what makes the season truly special.

Start with these tried-and-true recipes, then let your creativity guide you to develop your own signature holiday treats. Remember, the best treats are made with love and shared with others.

Happy baking!

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s a popular Christmas dessert?

A popular Christmas dessert is gingerbread cookies, known for their warm spices and festive shapes, often decorated with icing and candies. Another favorite is yule log cake (bûche de Noël), a chocolate sponge cake rolled with cream filling and adorned to resemble a log, symbolizing the winter solstice.

What is a typical sweet eaten during the Christmas season?

A typical sweet eaten during the Christmas season is gingerbread, often shaped into cookies or houses and flavored with warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Another popular treat is peppermint bark, which combines layers of chocolate and crushed peppermint candies, making it a festive favorite for holiday gatherings.

What are Icelandic holiday treats?

Icelandic holiday treats include Meringue Cornflake Christmas Cookies, known as Marens-Kornflexkökur, which are crispy on the outside and chewy inside, made with meringue, cornflakes, and dark chocolate. Another popular treat is Piparkokur, or pepper cookies, which are similar to gingersnaps and are commonly enjoyed during the festive season.

20 Best Holiday Treats: Classic Cookies to Modern Delights!

4 Classic Holiday Cookie Recipes Worth Mastering

1. perfect sugar cookies with royal icing

2. Traditional gingerbread cookies