5 FAVORITE CHRISTMAS COOKIE RECIPES

boy Landon and girl Presley smiling baking cutout christmas cookies with rolling pin and cookie cutters in the shapes of stars christmas trees and gingerbread men with flour all over. Brianna k's kids Landon and Presley baking cookies for christmas 2018.

Baking Christmas cookies was one of my favorite childhood memories, and it’s been so fun sharing that holiday tradition with Landon and Presley this year. One year, my mom made a binder with all our family recipes, and now I’m excited to share with you my 5 favorite Christmas cookie recipes, including my favorite family recipe for our cutout cookies, which we always called butter cookies. 

Butter Cookies [Cutout cookies]

Funny thing is, we don’t actually use butter to make them, but that’s what the recipe always said, and they are delicious!

  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 lbs (2 sticks) margarine
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/2 tsp real almond extract 
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract 

Cream everything together but the flour. Mix in flour last. Roll out on lightly floured surface. Dip your cookie cutters in flour before cutting the dough. Tip from my mom: Roll dough to medium thickness so they are chewy- too thin they will break easily. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Let cool. Frost with vanilla frosting (we always used store bought as a kid!), and add sprinkles! 

Kolache Cookies

I think these are my second favorite Christmas cookie after the butter cookies- so many good memories of my Aunt Del bringing these every Christmas, so they just make me think of childhood Christmases. 

  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1/2 pint sour cream
  • 1/2 lbs. (2 sticks) margarine
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • Solo fruit filling (we always used cherry, apricot, raspberry, nut and poppyseed)

Blend flour, butter, baking powder, and salt. Mix yolks with sour cream and add to flour mixture. Add vanilla. Roll semi-thin and cut into squares (these puff up, so you don’t want them too thick). Fold all corners to meet in the center. Brush the tops with egg whites. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350 for 10 minutes until brown. After they’ve cooled, sprinkle with powdered sugar. Store in airtight container. 

Maple Thumbprint Cookies

  • 2/3 cup Mrs. Butterworth’s maple syrup
  • 1 stick margarine, softened
  • 3 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 1 egg
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 1/3 cups chopped walnuts (optional)
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • Solo fruit filling (we like cherry, apricot, and raspberry)

Beat margarine, cream cheese, and egg until smooth. Then add in syrup and blend until smooth. Add dry ingredients, and mix well. Chill 10 minutes. Roll into 1 inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Press center with thumb or knuckle. Fill with solo filling. Bake 10 minutes at 350 until edges are golden brown. Cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Store in airtight container. Note from my mom: I always double this recipe, as it makes about 2 dozen cookies and they go fast! 

Landon and Presley boy and girl Brianna k's kids baking cookies cut out butter cookie recipe with rolling pin and flour, with cookie cutters in the shapes of stars, christmas trees, and gingerbread men baking christmas cookies

Italian White Cookies

This recipe makes a large batch- you can make half if you need less cookies. So good with a morning cup of coffee! 

  • 8 cups flour
  • 8 tsp. baking powder
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 lb (4 sticks) margarine
  • 6 eggs
  • 1/2 pt. sour cream
  • 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix flour, baking powder, sugar, margarine (like pie dough) and put aside. Beat eggs until fluffy. Add sour cream and vanilla. Make a well in flour mix and pour liquid in. Mix in well. Knead until dough becomes smooth. Break off little pieces at a time, and roll into shapes of S, 1, or 8. Put on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Let cool and frost with a thin mixture of powdered sugar and milk. Make sure you add your sprinkles before the icing dries. 

Peanutbutter Blossoms

This makes 3 dozen- my mom usually doubles the recipe!

  • 1/2 lb (2 sticks) margarine softened
  • 1/2 cup  peanut butter 
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp. milk
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 3/4 cup flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 package Hershey kisses

Sift flour, baking soda and salt together. Set aside. Cream butter and peanut butter. Add egg, milk, vanilla, sugar, and brown sugar. Cream well. Blend in dry ingredients gradually. Shape into balls and roll in sugar. Bake at 350 degrees on uncreased cookie sheet for 8 minutes. Remove from oven, and placed an unwrapped chocolate kiss in center. Bake for 5 more minutes. 

Sorry I don’t have pictures of the specific cookies. I will add them as we bake them this year!

Happy baking!

-Brianna K xoxo 

Landon and Presley boy and girl Brianna k's kids baking cookies cut out butter cookie recipe with rolling pin and flour, with cookie cutters in the shapes of stars, christmas trees, and gingerbread men baking christmas cookies
8 comments so far.

8 responses to “5 FAVORITE CHRISTMAS COOKIE RECIPES”

  1. Lindsey says:

    When do you add the fruit topping on the kolaches? Before or after cooking?

  2. Jessica Madalina says:

    Just finished making the dough and it looks perfect so far! I’ll be making the maple thumbprint cookies, and the kolache cookies. I’m planning on putting them in treat boxes to give for Christmas to a few of our friends. Thanks for these recipes! I’m so excited to see how they turn out!

  3. kim uysal says:

    Bri, thankyou for these recipes so useful.
    Have a lovely christmas with your family. I dont celebrate christmas anymore but appreciate it still.

    kim

  4. Peggy says:

    They are just the sweetest. Make your heart melt! Thank you so much. You rock!!!

  5. Crissy says:

    Thank you Mrs Bri!!

  6. Sabrina manna says:

    Love these can you use butter instead of margarine?

  7. Jennifer Alvarez says:

    I can’t wait to make these for the following year. Thank you so much for sharing Bri!!! Ur kids are adorable! Totally enjoying vlogmas on ur channel!!!

  8. Elizabeth A Morrison says:

    Bri, I cannot figure out, where in the recipe for the Kolache cookies, the pie filling is used. I have read the recipe several times, but other than in the ingredient list, I don’t see a mention of pie filling. Thanks, Elizabeth

Hi, Loves! I'm Brianna!

enjoying bits of life as a mama + homemaker 🏡💕
easy + extra recipes, decor + cleaning motivation! 💁🏼‍♀️✨

INSTAGRAM

Connect

Brianna K YouTube Channel

Newsletter