Christmas Cookies Santa Will Love

By Mary Shannon Wells
Southern Living

One of the most beloved Christmas traditions involves leaving out cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve. We’ve got insider information, and hear that Santa prefers homemade Christmas cookies over store-bought varieties. To make sure he’s happy this Christmas, we’ve got the best recipes around. From new recipes like eggnog-glazed and snow flurries to the classics like chocolate chip and red velvet crackle sandwich cookies. You’ll need to keep an eye on everyone in the house to be sure no one eats these cookies for Santa before he arrives. If you leave these Christmas cookies out for Santa, we have a feeling he’ll deliver everything that's on your list. If you really want to flatter the big guy, we’ve even got a Santa Claus cookie that looks just like him. And remember that cold glass of milk as well. 

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Pinwheel Cookies

Laurey W. Glenn

Recipe: Pinwheel Cookies

Put Santa in a cookie trance with these sweet cookies.

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Easy Santa Cookies

Laurey W. Glenn

Recipe: Easy Santa Cookies

Santa might leave some extra presents under the tree if these cookies are left out for him.

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Toasted Oatmeal Cookies

Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Toasted Oatmeal Cookies

The key to oatmeal cookies that are better than your neighbor’s? Toast the oatmeal.

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Fudgy Flourless Chocolate-Pecan Cookies

Victor Protasio

Recipe: Fudgy Flourless Chocolate-Pecan Cookies

Santa will never know that these chocolately cookies don’t have flour.

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Red Velvet Crackle Sandwich Cookies

Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Red Velvet Crackle Sandwich Cookies

Video: Red Velvet Crackle Sandwich Cookies

How could Santa resist these? They match his outfit!

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Raspberry Jam Thumbprints

Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Raspberry Jam Thumbprints

These sweet little cookies will look perfectly festive on your Christmas china.

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Eggnog-Glazed Cookies

Southern Living

Recipe: Eggnog-Glazed Cookies

Video: Eggnog-Glazed Cookies

Making Santa’s favorite drink into a glaze is pure genius.

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Chocolate Pecan Honeycomb Cookies

Southern Living

Recipe: Chocolate Pecan Honeycomb Cookies

Santa will think you’re as sweet as honey for making him these cookies.

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All-Time Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: All-Time Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

Santa appreciates a classic recipe just as much as we do.

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Minted White Chocolate Balls

Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Minted White Chocolate Balls

These festive white chocolate balls will be your go-to hostess gift of the season, and Santa will love them, too.

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Molasses Crinkles

Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Molasses Crinkles

These cookies have all the sweetness of the season.

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Nutty Chocolate Thumbprints

Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Nutty Chocolate Thumbprints

Save some of these bite-sized treats in the kitchen for yourself, because Santa will eat every last one you leave out.

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Peanut Butter-Toffee Turtle Cookies

Southern Living

Recipe: Peanut Butter Toffee Turtle Cookies

These cookies with chocolate, peanut butter, caramel, and toffee have every sweet flavor Santa could want.

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Ginger Shortbread Cookies with Lemon-Cream Cheese Frosting

Alison Miksch

Recipe: Ginger Shortbread Cookies with Lemon-Cream Cheese Frosting

These ginger cookies are the most delicious break from chocolate for Santa.

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Mississippi Mud Medallions

Alison Miksch

Recipe: Mississippi Mud Medallions

These four-ingredient cookies are easy enough to make right before Santa arrives. 

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Peanut Butter-and-Jelly Linzer Cookies

Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Peanut Butter-and-Jelly Linzer Cookies

You’ll have to remind your kids that these deliciously sweet cookies cannot replace the peanut butter-and-jelly sandwiches in their lunchboxes.

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Mocha Balls

Alison Miksch

Recipe: Mocha Balls

Help Santa stay awake with these decadent mocha balls.

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Snow Flurries

Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Snow Flurries

Delicious proof that snow flurries can happen in the deep South.

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Chocolate-Dipped Peppermint Meringue Cookies

Alison Miksch

Recipe: Chocolate-Dipped Peppermint Meringue Cookies

These will be the prettiest cookies Santa sees all night.

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Pecan Tea Cakes

Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Pecan Tea Cakes

The holidays call for at least one pecan dessert, and we think it should be these tea cakes.

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Coconut Snowballs

Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Coconut Snowballs

Santa will like these coconut snowballs much more than the snowballs he sees at home.

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Chocolate Ganache Thumbprints with Crushed Peppermints

Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Chocolate Ganache Thumbprints with Crushed Peppermints

Santa will never know that this rich chocolate filling was made in the microwave.

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Red Velvet Madeleines

Jim Franco

Recipe: Red Velvet Madeleines

Video: Red Velvet Madeleine Display

No worries—the intricate display tree is not required for these delicious cookies. They’ll look just as beautiful stacked on a plate for Santa.

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Chocolate-and-Almond Macaroons

Southern Living

Recipe: Chocolate-and-Almond Macaroons

These 6-ingredient macaroons are beautiful and easy to make.

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