12 Amazing Cookie Recipes For the Holidays

Here are 10 amazing (and tested) cookie recipes to sweeten your holiday table


Over seven years of the BiteClub Holiday Cookie Contest, this time of year finds me anchored to my stand mixer, whipping up dozens of recipes submitted by local bakers. I have tested hundreds of recipes, softened hundreds of pounds of butter, bought bag after bag of flour and wound up with a kitchen floor that’s sticky with powdered sugar until mid-May.

I thought maybe I had exhausted every possible version of chocolate chip, ginger, biscotti, thumbprint and caramel-coated cookies, but I was wrong.

This year, I tested about a dozen recipes and carefully considered the taste, the ease of construction and the story behind each one. A panel of friends, family and co-workers helped me select the winner.

The lemon snowflake cookies were standouts because of their unique refreshing quality and the heartfelt story behind Tonia Seidita’s favorite holiday cookie.

Here are some of this year, and previous years’ favorites.

>>See Even More Cookie Recipes HERE >>

1. Chocolate Crinkles

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Kinda like a brownie, kinda like a cookie. Favorite of testers.

2. Jo’s Lemon Snowflake Cookies (Biteclub Holiday Cookie Contest Winner 2015)

hi1215_cookiecontest_lemon_horiz

A zesty, delicious cookie
Get Recipe (BiteClub Holiday Cookie Contest 2015)

3. World’s Best Sugar Cookie Recipe

hi1215_cookiecontest_sugar_large
So simple, so wonderful.
Get Recipe (BiteClub Holiday Cookie Contest 2015)

4. Yes We P’Can Tarts

Pecan Cookie Recipe
Shortbread and pecans. What could go wrong?
Get Recipe (BiteClub Holiday Cookie Contest 2011)

5. Salted Caramel Apple Cookies

hi1215_cookiecontest_caramelapple
First you taste the caramel. Then the apple. Oh man…
Get Recipe (BiteClub Holiday Cookie Contest 2011)

6. Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies

Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies
Nutella is my weakness
Get Recipe (BiteClub Holiday Cookie Contest 2011) 

7. Twilight Vampire Cookies

Twilight Vampire Cookies ©heather irwin
Sexy. Vampiry. Yummy.
Get Recipe (BiteClub Holiday Cookie Contest 2012)

8. Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies

Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies ©heather irwin
You’ll never look at chocolate chip cookies the same way again
Get Recipe (BiteClub Holiday Cookie Contest 2012)

9. Frank’s Red Hot Potato Chip Cookies

Frank's Red Hot Potato Chip Cookies ©heather irwin
Spicy good.
Get Recipe (BiteClub Holiday Cookie Contest 2012)

10. Bacon Fat Snickerdoodles

Bacon Fat Snickerdoodles


Yes, really.

Get Recipe (BiteClub Holiday Cookie Contest 2012)

11.Vegan Butternut Squash Spice Cookie

Butternut Squash Spice Cookie
Nobody puts Butternut in the corner.
Get Recipe (BiteClub Holiday Cookie Contest 2011)

12.Cranberry Orange Gluten Free Cookies

Cranberry Orange Gluten Free Cookies ©heather irwin
Gluten-free doesn’t have to be dull.
Get Recipe (BiteClub Holiday Cookie Contest 2011)

>>See Even More Cookie Recipes HERE >>