31 Elegant Christmas Cookies for a Beautiful Holiday Cookie Spread
Looking for elegant Christmas cookies? These 31 pretty, gift-ready recipes make your holiday baking feel special. Perfect for cookie trays and gifting.
There’s something about December that nudges me back into the kitchen. The tree lights are glowing, the woodstove is humming along, and suddenly I’m pulling out butter like I’m opening a bakery for the season. Over the years, I’ve learned that Christmas cookies don’t have to be complicated to be beautiful. Honestly, even the plainest cookies can look dressed up with a few small changes.
I love impressive-looking cookies, but not the kind that leave bowls stacked to the ceiling. So this year, I put all my favorite pretty, gift-ready Christmas cookie recipes in one place. Some are mine, many are from other talented bakers, and every single one belongs on a holiday cookie tray.
If you’re just getting into baking from scratch, this is an easy place to start. And if you’re in the mood to nerd out on cookie tips, you can hop over to my 8 Tricks for Extraordinary Cookies when you’re done here.
The 10 Most Elegant Christmas Cookies in This Roundup (Jessica’s Picks)
Before we get into the full list, here are the real show-offs. These are the ones that get all the “oh my gosh, did you really make these?” comments.
- Austrian Linzer Cookies
- Stained Glass Sugar Cookies
- Chocolate Mascarpone Sandwich Cookies
- Speculaas Cookies
- Shortbread Pinwheel Cookies
- Sparkle Sanding Sugar Cut-Out Cookies
- Gingerbread Linzer Cookies
- Italian Anise Cookies
- Almond Snowball Cookies
- Pizzelle Cookies
Now let’s dig into all 31…
Elegant Classics
These are the cookies your grandmother might’ve made, just dressed up a little. They look impressive even if you’re not much of a decorator.
Austrian Linzer Cookies
Soft, buttery, and filled with bright jam, Linzers always end up being some of the prettiest cookies on the plate.
Fresh Ginger Cookies
These cookies are deeply flavored with fresh ginger and look far more impressive than the effort required. Stamped dough turns into delicate patterns once baked.
Maple Syrup Cookies (Stamped)
This one hits close to home for me. If you grew up anywhere near maple syrup season, these cookies will feel nostalgic. The dough stamps beautifully, and the subtle maple flavor gives them an old-fashioned charm.
Pizzelle Cookies
Crisp, delicate, and pretty all on their own, pizzelles don’t need any extra decorating. They’re one of my favorite “I need something elegant and fast” options.
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
They’re the kind that make your cookie tray look like you tried, even if you didn’t. Soft inside, powdered outside. Just the right mix of drama and comfort.
Almond Snowball Cookies
Light, melt-in-your-mouth, and dusted in powdered sugar, snowballs are low-effort but still look like you tried. They’re also perfect for gifting because they travel well.
Sandwich & Filled Cookies
There’s something about a filled cookie that makes it feel a little extra.
Caramel Mocha Sandwich Cookies
Think of this as the grown-up version of a sandwich cookie. Crisp chocolate cookies paired with caramel buttercream make these a real treat.
Chocolate Mascarpone Sandwich Cookies
Buttery, crumbly cookies with a silky mascarpone filling. These are the kind you save for special occasions… or hide for yourself.
Double Chocolate Chip Cookies (Regular & Gluten-Free)
These thick, fudge-like cookies are a chocolate lover’s dream. Soft in the middle, crisp at the edges, and loaded with melty chips.
Heavenly Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies
Stay with me here. These cookies straddle the line between sweet and savory in the best possible way. The bacon adds a rich saltiness that elevates the chocolate, so these end up tasting way more grown-up than your average chocolate chip cookie.
Gingerbread Linzer Cookies
All the warm spice of gingerbread with a Linzer-style cut-out. They look like something your great-grandmother might have made.
Espresso Thumbprint Cookies with Dark Chocolate Ganache
Deep espresso flavor and a shiny ganache center. They look a step up from regular thumbprints without being any harder.
Beautiful Cut-Out Cookies
Cut-outs are my personal favorite because they look impressive even with very simple decoration.
Einkorn Christmas Cookies
They roll, cut, and bake like a regular sugar cookie, but they’ve got more depth to them. They’re sturdy enough for frosting without falling apart.
Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies
Thin, crisp, and perfect for decorating. Whether you go all-in with royal icing or keep things simple, these cookies always look lovely.
Simple Sugar Cookies with Rainbow Icing
These are mine and they’re as easy to make as they are bright and cheery. I use all-natural food dyes for the rainbow effect, and the dough freezes beautifully.
Sparkle Sanding Sugar Cut-Out Cookies
A little sparkle goes a long way. These cookies rely on a dusting of fine sanding sugar rather than elaborate icing, making them beautiful even when you’re short on decorating time.
Snowflake Royal Icing Sugar Cookies
If you want something elegant without much fuss, snowflakes are hard to beat. White and light blue icing on pale cookies looks timeless, clean, and classic.
Stained Glass Sugar Cookies
These are the showstoppers. Clear “window panes” made from crushed candies. They’re stunning hung on a tree, arranged on a platter, or packaged as gifts.
Unique & Creative Cookies
These are the fun ones. The cookies people don’t expect but always end up loving.
Kardamon Plätzchen (German Cardamom Cookies)
Warm, gently spiced, chocolate-dipped, and perfect for anyone who loves cardamom.
Mulberry Cookies
The mulberry jam is what makes these thumbprints both pretty and seriously fruity.
Peppermint Chocolate Cookies
Thick, chewy, and dipped in white chocolate with crushed candy cane. These always look festive.
Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti
A classic holiday flavor pairing with red and green bits that make them look extra festive. Great if you’re boxing up cookies for other people.
Speculaas Cookies
The patterned tops on these speculaas cookies make them look a lot more complicated than they really are.
How to Make Any Christmas Cookie Look Elegant
You don’t need pastry school skills to make cookies look put-together. Start with a few easy tweaks:
- Stick to a simple color palette. White, gold, silver, soft blue, deep red, and natural colors tend to look nice together.
- Keep edges clean. Trim rough cut-out edges with a small knife before baking.
- Use sanding sugar, not sprinkles. It catches the light and gives cookies a subtle shimmer.
- Dip instead of drizzle. Dipping half a cookie in chocolate makes it look like it came from a bakery.
- Play with shapes. Snowflakes, stars, wreaths, and trees always look good on a cookie plate.
- Finish with edible glitter or crushed nuts. Just a pinch. Think “whisper,” not “middle-school art project.”
How to Package Elegant Cookies for Gifting
If you’re going to put in the work on cookies, it’s worth taking a minute on the packaging, too. A few ideas:
- Stack biscotti and tie with twine.
- Layer Linzers between parchment circles.
- Use white bakery boxes instead of tins.
- Slip a few stained-glass cookies in a clear bag so the light shines through.
- Add a handwritten tag or recipe card for a homemade touch.
If you’re packing a variety, use parchment so everything keeps its own flavor.
How to Store Christmas Cookies (Without Ruining the Presentation)
Most cookies do just fine at room temperature for a few days, but here’s what helps them look and taste their best:
Let them cool completely. Warm cookies will steam inside a container and smudge icing or sanding sugar.
Store in layers. Use parchment or wax paper between each layer.
Keep strong flavors separate. Peppermint in a shared container becomes peppermint-everything.
General timelines:
- Cut-out cookies: up to 1 week
- Delicate cookies (like pizzelles): 3 days
- Drop cookies: 1 week
- Slice-and-bake: 5 days
- Royal icing cookies: 2–3 days
- Shortbread: 2 weeks
- Biscotti: 2 weeks
Your Cookie Questions, Answered
If a question popped into your head while you were reading, it’s probably one of these.
Pin this now and come back to these recipes when you’re ready to fill the kitchen with cookies.
Every December, I remind myself that baking isn’t about perfection. It’s about slowing down long enough to enjoy the season, making something with your own hands, and sharing it with people you care about. Elegant cookies don’t have to be difficult, and they certainly don’t need to look like they came from a magazine shoot. A simple dough and a little sparkle are usually all you need.
I hope this helps you pick a few keepers, whether you’re baking for neighbors, a cookie swap, or just yourself after everyone goes to bed. If you make any of these, I’d love to hear which ones you ended up loving.