|

20 Easy Christmas Cookies for Cookie Swaps and Gift Boxes

ByLuci McQuitty Hindmarsh Last updated:
Pin

Easy Christmas cookies are the heart of a cookie swap and one of the simplest homemade gifts you can give. A tin of mixed cookies tells someone you thought of them, and baking a few batches is a lovely way to settle into the season. Perfect for cookie swaps, gifts for coworkers or friends and neighbors.

I’ve gathered 20 easy Christmas cookie recipes from food bloggers, from classic gingerbread and shortbread to chocolate mint, candy cane and cranberry cookies. Each one links to the original recipe, so you can check the ingredients and method before you bake.

How to Choose Cookies for a Cookie Swap or Gift Box

The best swap and gift cookies travel well and still look good after a day or two. A mix of flavors, shapes and colors also makes a box feel generous, even with just a few kinds of cookies inside.

  • Pick sturdy cookies. Shortbread, gingersnaps, crinkle cookies and bars hold their shape in a tin far better than delicate or heavily frosted cookies.
  • Mix colors and textures. Pair something chocolatey with something spiced, something fruity and something covered in sprinkles.
  • Choose recipes that scale up. At a cookie swap, each guest brings enough to share with everyone, so cookies and bars that make a big batch are your friend.
  • Bake ahead. Most baked cookies keep well for a few days in an airtight container, so you don’t have to bake everything the night before.

Classic Christmas Cookies

This post may contain affiliate links.Privacy Policy. Follow us on PINTEREST

These are the cookies people hope to find in a Christmas cookie box: spiced gingerbread, buttery shortbread and snowy crinkle cookies. Most of them are sturdy enough to stack and pack without breaking.

Chocolate Dipped Gingersnaps

Photo credit: The Benson Street
Chewy gingersnaps dipped in sweet white chocolate. They look bakery-worthy in a gift box but are simple to make.
Read More

Soft and Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies

Photo credit: Little Black Skillet
Soft, chewy and packed with double the ginger, these are the cozy spiced cookie every Christmas box needs.
Read More

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Photo credit: The Cookin Chicks
A holiday classic with soft, fudgy centers and a crisp outside. The snowy powdered sugar finish makes them stand out on any cookie tray.
Read More

Mini Gingerbread Men

Photo credit: Little Nomads Recipes
Bite-size gingerbread men flavored with ginger, cinnamon and orange, with no molasses needed. They’re easy for kids to cut out and decorate, and you can fit lots of them into a small box.
Read More

Swedish Thumbprint Cookies

Photo credit: Mom Foodie
Buttery shortbread cookies with a jam-filled center. They add a pop of color to any cookie swap.
Read More

Christmas Shortbread Cookies

Photo credit: A Cedar Spoon
Rich, buttery shortbread dressed up for the holidays. Shortbread is sturdy, so it’s one of the best cookies to pack into a box or mail to family.
Read More

Pecan Snowball Cookies

Photo credit: Your Flavor Fixer
Rich, buttery and soft, with a little crunch from the pecans. Dusted in powdered sugar, they look like tiny snowballs in your cookie box.
Read More

Spritz Cookies

Photo credit: Small Town Woman
Melt-in-your-mouth buttery cookies made with seven ingredients and a cookie press. They’re small and pretty, which makes them perfect for filling the gaps in a cookie box.
Read More

Christmas Snickerdoodles

Photo credit: The Toasty Kitchen
Soft, chewy snickerdoodles with warm cinnamon and a subtle tang, rolled in festive sprinkles for the holidays.
Read More

Chocolate, Mint and Candy Cane Cookies

For the chocolate lovers on your list, these cookies bring in peppermint, M&M’s and Hershey’s Kisses. They’re usually the ones kids reach for first.

Peppermint Candy Cane Cookies

Photo credit: On My Kids Plate
Red and white twisted cookies shaped like candy canes. They’re a fun one to make with kids and add instant Christmas cheer to a gift box.
Read More

Andes Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

Photo credit: Baked Abundance
Rich chocolate cookie dough with chopped Andes mints and a touch of peppermint. A must for anyone who loves chocolate and mint together.
Read More

Loaded Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies

Photo credit: The Oregon Dietitian
Soft, chewy cookies loaded with dark and white chocolate chips and M&M’s. Perfect for Santa’s plate, and for everyone else’s.
Read More

Christmas M&M Cookies

Photo credit: Spend With Pennies
Soft, chewy cookies packed with red and green M&M’s. Simple, colorful and always a hit with kids.
Read More

M&M Holiday Cookie Bars

Photo credit: Mommy Christmas
All the fun of M&M cookies, baked in a pan and sliced into bars. Bars are much quicker than scooping dozens of cookies, which makes them a smart choice for a big swap.
Read More

Christmas Kiss Cookie Cups

Photo credit: Rediscovered Families
Bite-sized sugar cookie cups baked in a mini muffin pan, filled with red frosting and sprinkles and topped with a Hershey’s Kiss. Little cups like these sit neatly in mini cupcake liners in a cookie box.
Read More

Fruity, Nutty and Sprinkle-Topped Cookies

Cranberry, pistachio, lemon and a shower of sprinkles give your cookie box color and a change of flavor. You’ll also find a cake mix shortcut here for busy weeks.

White Chocolate Pistachio Cookies with Cranberries

Photo credit: Combine Good Flavors
Soft cookies with white chocolate, pistachios, tart cranberries and chewy oats. The red and green look like they were made for a Christmas box.
Read More

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies

Photo credit: The Lavender Apron
Chewy oatmeal cookies with cranberries and white chocolate, made in one bowl with no mixer. A handy one to bake when you need several batches.
Read More

Soft and Chewy Lemon Sugar Cookies

Photo credit: Style and Grace
Thick, chewy sugar cookies full of fresh lemon flavor, finished with a glittery sugar coating. A bright change from all the chocolate and spice.
Read More

Cake Mix Cookies with Cream Cheese

Photo credit: The Buttery Fairytale
Soft, buttery cookies made with a box of cake mix and cream cheese, using just six ingredients. A great shortcut when you’re baking for a crowd.
Read More

Christmas Sprinkle Cookies

Photo credit: Risa's Family Kitchen
Sweet, buttery cookies covered in festive sprinkles. They make any Christmas cookie tray look instantly more cheerful.
Read More

How to Pack a Christmas Cookie Box

Start with a sturdy box or tin and line it with parchment or tissue paper. Put the heaviest cookies at the bottom and the most delicate on top, and use paper cupcake liners or small dividers to keep each kind separate.

If you can, pack soft cookies and crisp cookies in separate boxes so the crisp ones stay crisp. It’s also worth wrapping strongly flavored cookies like mint or ginger on their own, as their flavor can spread to the others. Finish with a handwritten tag listing what’s inside, especially if any of the cookies contain nuts.

More Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas

If you’re making gifts for a crowd, cookie boxes pair perfectly with these easy Christmas gifts to make in bulk for coworkers. You could also tuck in something from these hot chocolate gift ideas for a cozy gift set. And to keep track of who is getting a box this year, try these Christmas planner ideas.

Happy baking, and enjoy every crumb!

Like this post? Share or Pin it!
MessengerPinterestWhatsApp