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  5. 25 Classic Christmas Cookies Full of Vintage Charm

25 Classic Christmas Cookies Full of Vintage Charm

Zoe Denenberg
By Zoe Denenberg
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Brown Sugar Cookie Stars
Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

The holiday season is packed full of nostalgia. Most of our holiday activities center around traditions that we've practiced for ages—whether that means going to the Christmas tree farm the day after Thanksgiving, stewing up a big batch of Nana's slow-cooker hot cocoa, or hanging our cherished pass-down ornaments on the tree. If you're in the spirit to channel the Christmases of your childhood, the kitchen is the best place to start. While some vintage Christmas recipes may not be worth reviving—we probably will not be baking a big batch of fruit cake this year—you really can't go wrong with vintage Christmas cookies.We've collected some of our favorite cookie recipes from years past to help you capture the merriment of Grandma's kitchen. From Pinwheel Cookies to Old-Fashioned Divinities, these vintage treats have been around for ages, and they're not going out of style any time soon. Package these cute cookies in vintage cookie tins and deliver them to friends, family, neighbors, or any other loved ones to share the festive spirit.

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Spritz Cookies

Spritz Cookies
Credit: Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Spritz Cookies

Originating in Germany and Scandinavia in the 16th century, these simple cookie-press creations will be your kids' new favorite cookie.

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Buttermilk-Pecan Pralines

Buttermilk-Pecan Pralines
Credit: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Buttermilk-Pecan Pralines

Making homemade Pecan Pralines may take a few tries, but once you get it right, you'll be making these candies every season.

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Pecan-Cranberry Shortbread

Red Velvet Thumbprints
Credit: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Pecan-Cranberry Shortbread

Packed full of pecans and pops of cranberry, then drizzled with a thick sheen of chocolate, these substantial bites of shortbread will be a hit at any cookie swap.

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Chocolate Cutout Cookies

Chocolate Cutout Cookie
Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Chocolate Cutout Cookies

Cutout cookie dough couldn't be easier; that's why it's stood the test of time and is still popular today.

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Laura Bush's Cowboy Cookies

Cowboy Cookies
Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Laura Bush's Cowboy Cookies

Laura Bush's recipe for Cowboy Cookies first rose to prominence in the 2000 presidential bake-off, and they've since been a staple in kitchens around the country.

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Dipped Pistachio Shortbread Cookies

Dipped Pistachio Shortbread Cookies
Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Dipped Pistachio Shortbread Cookies

If Grandpa is always snacking on pistachios, make his Christmas a little bit sweeter with these nutty, chocolate-dipped shortbread triangles.

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Seven-Layer Cookies

Seven-Layer Cookies
Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Seven-Layer Cookies

This 1966 reader recipe features melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, flaked coconut, milk chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, sweetened condensed milk, and chopped pecans. So yes, they are the cookies of our dreams.

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Fudgy Pecan Bourbon Balls

Fudgy Pecan Bourbon Balls Recipe
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Karin Olsen; Food Styling: Kellie Gerber Kelley

Recipe: Fudgy Pecan Bourbon Balls

Rolled in crunchy pecans, these decadent Bourbon Balls complete any Southern dessert spread.

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Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
Credit: Caitlin Bensel

Recipe: Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

You grew up baking these cookies with Grandma, and they're not going out of style any time soon.

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Pinwheel Cookies

Cherry Chocolates Recipe
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn

Recipe: Pinwheel Cookies

Roll two different logs of dough together to create that sought-after pinwheel effect of chocolate and vanilla.

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Barbara Bush's Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies

Barbara Bush Chocolate Chip Cookies
Credit: Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Barbara Bush's Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies

If this chocolate chip cookie recipe is good enough for Barbara Bush, it's certainly good enough for us.

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Copycat Berger Cookies

Berger Cookies
Credit: Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Copycat Berger Cookies

These legendary Baltimore cookies are known for their tea-cake-like dough, but they're famed for their thick chocolate coating.

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Pecan Tassies

Pecan Tassies
Credit: Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Pecan Tassies

These little cups of pecan-pie goodness will have all your guests singing their praises.

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Pecan Snowball Cookies

Pecan Snowball Cookies
Credit: Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Pecan Snowball Cookies

Packed with 2 cups of finely chopped pecans, these cookies are so decadently nutty and utterly Southern.

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Easiest Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe

Easy Peanut Butter Cookies
Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Easiest Peanut Butter Cookies

These Easiest Peanut Butter Cookies have been there for us through many last-minute bake-sales and cookie swaps.

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Dark Chocolate-Ginger-Molasses Cookies

Dark Chocolate-Ginger-Molasses Cookies
Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Dark Chocolate-Ginger-Molasses Cookies

Rolling these deeply chocolatey, nicely spiced cookies in two coats of granulated sugar helps them develop that succulent, melt-in-your-mouth sugar crust.

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Butterscotch Cookies

Butterscotch Cookies
Credit: Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Butterscotch Cookies

Imagine the flavor of Grandma's butterscotch hard candies, distilled down into a cookie.

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Apricot-Almond Thumbprint Cookies

Apricot-Almond Thumbprints
Credit: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Apricot-Almond Thumbprint Cookies

The flavors of tart apricot with nutty, slightly-sweet almond are a perfect pairing coined by Grandma herself.

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Spiced Molasses Drops

Spiced Molasses Drops
Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Spiced Molasses Drops

Gingery and richly colored with thick molasses, these snappy cookies will transport you back to the holidays of your childhood.

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Peppermint Divinity

Peppermint Divinity
Credit: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Peppermint Divinity

Who said candy-making has to be difficult? We've reimagined the classic divinity candy with peppermint instead of nuts, but it's still got all the nostalgia.

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Pecan Sandies

Pecan Sandies
Credit: Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Pecan Sandies

Although traditional Pecan Sandies may be the size of a half-dollar, you can make them as large as you want to satisfy your cravings.

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Miss Iona's Shortbread Cookies

Miss Iona's Shortbread Cookies
Credit: Zoe Denenberg, Styling: Rachel Mulcahy

Recipe: Miss Iona's Shortbread Cookies

What better place to find a tried-and-true shortbread recipe than at the church bake sale? Mrs. Iona's miniatures can even keep frozen for weeks, easing your holiday prep.

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Cheesecake Cookies

Cheesecake Cookies
Credit: Caitlin Bensel

Recipe: Cheesecake Cookies

Extra-fluffy on the inside and topped with a glossy maraschino cherry, these cookies deliver all the flavor of cheesecake in a bite-sized portion.

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Sugar-and-Spice Rugelach Cookies

Dark Chocolate-Ginger-Molasses Cookies
Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Sugar-and-Spice Rugelach Cookies

Sugar, spice, and everything nice. These sweet little roll-ups are absolutely divine.

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Brown Sugar Cookie Stars

Brown Sugar Cookie Stars
Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Brown Sugar Cookie Stars

Brown sugar lends a deeper, nuttier flavor to this twist on the classic sugar cookie. Plus, the decoration for these shining star cookies couldn't be simpler.

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    Everything in This Slideshow

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    View All

    1 of 25 Spritz Cookies
    2 of 25 Buttermilk-Pecan Pralines
    3 of 25 Pecan-Cranberry Shortbread
    4 of 25 Chocolate Cutout Cookies
    5 of 25 Laura Bush's Cowboy Cookies
    6 of 25 Dipped Pistachio Shortbread Cookies
    7 of 25 Seven-Layer Cookies
    8 of 25 Fudgy Pecan Bourbon Balls
    9 of 25 Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
    10 of 25 Pinwheel Cookies
    11 of 25 Barbara Bush's Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies
    12 of 25 Copycat Berger Cookies
    13 of 25 Pecan Tassies
    14 of 25 Pecan Snowball Cookies
    15 of 25 Easiest Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe
    16 of 25 Dark Chocolate-Ginger-Molasses Cookies
    17 of 25 Butterscotch Cookies
    18 of 25 Apricot-Almond Thumbprint Cookies
    19 of 25 Spiced Molasses Drops
    20 of 25 Peppermint Divinity
    21 of 25 Pecan Sandies
    22 of 25 Miss Iona's Shortbread Cookies
    23 of 25 Cheesecake Cookies
    24 of 25 Sugar-and-Spice Rugelach Cookies
    25 of 25 Brown Sugar Cookie Stars

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    25 Classic Christmas Cookies Full of Vintage Charm
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