65 Christmas Treats for the Holidays

Recipe: Snowy Tree Cookies

Use a set of star-shape cookie cutters (like this affordable one from Amazon) to make these stacked up cookies.

Recipe: Fudgy Pecan Bourbon Balls

This recipe makes about two dozen bourbon balls, so you’ll have plenty to set out at your party and send home with guests as a favor.

Recipe: Red Velvet Fudge

Add a little holiday cheer to your usual fudge recipe.

Recipe: Basic Butter Cookie Dough
Recipe: Easy Santa Cookies
Video: Easy Santa Cookies
Recipe: Pinwheel Cookies
Recipe: Cherry Chocolates
Recipe: Almond Brickle Treats

Ellender Mills of Raleigh, North Carolina, sent in this recipe, which ran in December, 1995. It’s a wonderful classic cookie dough recipe and the basis for the above recipes (pictured).

Recipe: Mexican Hot Chocolate Mug Cake

This adorable mug cake would make a perfect stocking stuffer or holiday hostess gift.

Recipe: Red Velvet Santa Hat Meringues

Red food coloring gel, not liquid food coloring, will give you the brightest red to match Santa’s suit.

Recipe: Almond Stars

These cookies made with almond flour and almond paste are unique among the same ole sugar cookies.

Recipe: Cranberry Dreamsicle Trifle

This trifle might look impressive on the dessert table, but it’s extremely easy to put together.

Recipe: Potato Candy

Get nostalgic this Christmas with one of our favorite vintage recipes.

Recipe: Christmas Morning Cinnamon Rolls

Christmas treats aren’t just for dessert. Start the day on a sweet note with homemade cinnamon rolls.

Recipe: Reindeer Marshmallow Pops

These adorable treats are the perfect afternoon activity for your little ones.

Recipe: Hummingbird Oatmeal Cookies

These cookies are a more portable way to enjoy our most popular recipe of all tlime—the Hummingbird Cake.

Recipe: Red Velvet Thumbprints

Santa will love these little cookies that match his suit perfectly.

Recipe: Christmas Bulb Sugar Cookies

String several of these cookies together for the cutest party favor.

Recipe: Pecan Bourbon Balls

Spiced toasted pecans add a hint of saltiness to these sweet bites.

Recipe: Caramel-Stuffed Ginger Cookies

Serve these cookies straight from the oven so the ooey-gooey caramel centers shine.

Recipe: Chewy Ambrosia Biscotti

Enjoy a little holiday flavor with your morning coffee or afternoon tea.

Recipe: Chocolate Cutout Cookies

These dark chocolate cookies will stand out amongst their vanilla counterparts.

Recipe: White Chocolate-Peppermint Blondies

The creamy mint icing on these Christmas-y blondies is to die for.

Recipe: Spiced Molasses Drops

Our Test Kitchen Professionals said these are the best molasses cookies they’ve ever had, and you should take their word for it.

Recipe: Cranberry Shortbread Bars

Try this new way to eat cranberries this holiday season.

Recipe: Red Velvet Soufflés with Whipped Sour Cream

These elegant souflés are ideal for a dressy Christmas dinner party.

Recipe: Peppermint Pinwheels

These cookies are just minty enough, but not too minty, if you’ve had peppermint overload this season.

Recipe: Eggnog Whoopie Pies

Make the filling for these fluffy pies up to three days in advance to save time.

Recipe: Mrs. Floyd’s Divinity
Video: Mrs. Floyd’s Divinity

This classic holiday dessert lives up to its divine name.

Recipe: Raspberry Jam Thumbprints
Recip: Chocolate Ganache Thumbprints with Crushed Peppermints
Recipe: Coconut Thumbprints with Dulce de Leche
Recipe: Triple Mint Cookies

These thumbprint recipes offer crisp cookies, creamy fillings, and fun toppings. Our brownie-like Triple Mint Cookies fall in line perfectly with the thumbprints. All recipes listed above are pictured.

Recipe: No-Bake Fudge Toffee Bars

If you’re in a pinch this holiday season, no-bake is the way to go.

Recipe: Peanut Butter-and-Jelly Linzer Cookies

These whimsical cookies are packed with PB&J nostalgia.

Recipe: Chocolate-Dipped Praline Pretzels

These treats have the ideal amount of salty and sweet.

Recipe: Walnut Crescents

Leave a bowl of these snowy cookies out whenever guests drop in.

Recipe: Crunchy Pecan Pie Bites

With just seven ingredients and 15 minutes of hands-on time, you can serve these delightful bits of pecan pie.

Recipe: Dark Chocolate Sablés

These French butter cookies are elegant for dinner parties.

Recipe: Spicy Molasses Gingerbread People

Traditional gingerbread cookies get kicked up with warm spices and orange and lemon zests.

Recipe: Orange Palmiers

Enjoy these four-ingredient cookies from brunch to dessert.

Recipe: Pecan Tea Cakes

If you’re a fan of pecan Sandies, you’ll love these pretty tea cakes.

Recipe: Red Velvet Crackle Sandwich Cookies
Video: Red Velvet Crackle Sandwich Cookies

Why eat cookies alone when you could sandwich cream cheese frosting between two of them?

Recipe: Chocolate-Bourbon-Fudge Balls

You’ll love this rich twist on a classic bourbon ball.

Recipe: Soft Sugar Cookie Trees

The dough for these cookies can be made up to two days in advance, so plan a decorating party ahead.

Recipe: Cracker Toffee

This five-ingredient toffee recipe starts with a sleeve of Saltines.

Recipe: Molasses Crinkles

These cookies were sent in by Ms. Alice Rhodes from Harrisonburg, Virginia, and published in our November 1992 issue. They’re bursting with every flavor you love about the holidays.

Recipe: Cranberry Pull-Apart Bread with Orange-Cream Cheese Icing

Give this gorgeous bread as a homemade gift to neighbors, but make one to enjoy at your own Christmas brunch, too.

Recipe: Beet Red Velvet Cupcakes

No artificial coloring here! These sweet treats get their red hue from beets.

Recipe: Brown Butter-Maple-Pecan Blondies

Only high-quality, 100 percent pure maple syrup will do for this amazing blondie recipe that you might trade for brownies from now on.

Recipe: Cake Ball Ornaments

Although we used these ornaments to top the Snowy Vanilla Cake from our December 2017 cover, they can be enjoyed on their own and make a beautiful addition to any dessert spread.

Recipe: Sparkling Snowflake Sugar Cookies

Serve these bright cookies, made with a touch of brandy, at an adults-only cocktail party.

Recipe: Snow Flurries

This recipe was sent to us by Edith Askins of Greenville, Texas, and published in our November 1992 issue. Raspberry jam is a tasty and fruity filling for these snowy cookies.

Recipe: Molten Red Velvet Cakes

These mini cakes are absolutely decadent for the holidays.

Recipe: Ambrosia Meringue Trifles

Ambrosia is a classic holiday dish in the South, and these 10-minute trifles are the prettiest and easiest way to serve it.

Recipe: Lemon Thumbprint Cookies

Brighten up your holiday dessert table with sunny lemon.

Recipe: Spiced Stars with Cookie Butter

Instead of eating your cookie butter out of the jar with a spoon (although we love to do that, too), try it between two spice cookies this season.

Recipe: Rum Balls

Reader Lela H. Coggins from Brevard, North Carolina, sent us this recipe, which was published in our December 1993 issue. This six-ingredient stunner still holds up today.

Recipe: Key Lime Tassies

This recipe has everything you love about key lime pie in one bite.

Recipe: Frozen Pecan Pie Hot Chocolate

The name isn’t meant to confuse you. This concoction is part milkshake, part hot chocolate, and part pecan pie. Fully yum.