Holidays & Occasions Christmas Christmas Recipes 24 Pretty Christmas Cookies with No Pipping Required By Marissa Wu Marissa Wu Marissa Wu is a writer with a love for home, food, travel, and art stories. She holds a journalism degree from Boston University. When not editing and producing articles or updating the homepage, she's trying new recipes, jolting along in her manual transmission car, Fitz; hammering out a manuscript on her 1930s Royal Aristocrat typewriter, Georgie; and making film photographs with her Rolleiflex, Cecil. She's currently an Associate SEO Editor for PureWow. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on November 3, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Joy Howard What's Christmas without Christmas cookies? These holiday treats work overtime to deliver merriment and cheer all season long. Boxes of Christmas sugar cookies end up on our friends' and neighbors' front porches as gestures of goodwill. We pull out family-favorite recipes to make with our children—even if that means the kitchen is definitely covered in flour and sugar afterwards. It's worth it, if that means Santa has a plate of cookies waiting for him next to Rudolph's obligatory carrots. And while Christmas cookie decorating is always done in good fun, some designs get complicated, fast. If you find you aren't so artistically inclined or that you prefer spending more time eating than decorating, you're in luck. Here are 24 of our best Christmas cookies—no piping required. 01 of 22 Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies Caitlin Bensel Recipe: Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies The distinct shape of the chocolate kiss is all the decoration this cookie needs. 02 of 22 Candy Cane Cookies Joy Howard Recipe: Candy Cane Cookies Santa will love these without a doubt. 03 of 22 Sprinkle Sandwich Cookies Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Sprinkle Sandwich Cookies Pull out your favorite holiday sprinkles from the top shelf of the pantry and get baking. Press sprinkles around the frosting edges for a little extra pizazz. 04 of 22 Red Velvet Cake Crinkle Cookies Iain Bagwell Recipe: Red Velvet Cake Crinkle Cookies What's better than a red velvet cookie? A sandwich cookie. These are dusted with powdered sugar and filled with cream cheese icing. 05 of 22 Cheesecake Cookies Caitlin Bensel Recipe: Cheesecake Cookies The bright red maraschino cherries add a jolt of color and festive fun to these powdery Cheesecake Cookies. 06 of 22 Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies Micah A. Leal Recipe: Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies Deep red, crinkly, and dotted with white chocolate chips, these cookies are merry and bright. 07 of 22 Peppermint Meltaway Cookies Micah A. Leal Recipe: Peppermint Meltaway Cookies These cute cookies benefit from a dollop of icing and a sprinkling of crushed peppermint candies that add just the right amount of color. 08 of 22 Snow Flurries Hector Manuel Sanchez Star-shaped cookies are sandwiched between sweet raspberry jam before receiving a dusting of powdered sugar—a flurry of snow indeed. 09 of 22 Wreath Cookie Southern Living Recipe: Wreath Cookie Deck the halls with these cornflake wreaths, which are held together by melted marshmallows. 10 of 22 Pecan Snowball Cookies Micah A. Leal Recipe: Pecan Snowball Cookies Plenty of powdered sugar will tempt you to start a snowball fight right in the kitchen. 11 of 22 Christmas Pinwheel Cookies Joy Howard Recipe: Christmas Pinwheel Cookies Up the Christmas ante with these green-and-red swirled pinwheel cookies. They'll definitely impress Saint Nick and your guests will appreciate them, too. 12 of 22 Spritz Cookies Micah A. Leal Recipe: Spritz Cookies Add sprinkles if you fancy, but the beauty of the Spritz Cookie is that it needs no decoration. 13 of 22 Molasses Crinkles Iain Bagwell Recipe: Molasses Crinkles Not only is the name magical, but the cookies look like shimmery ornaments, too, thanks to a sprinkle of sanding sugar before baking. 14 of 22 Cranberry Orange Butter Cookies Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Cranberry Orange Butter Cookies Dried cranberries and orange zest elevate the simple (but sophisticated) butter cookie, adding a little jewel-toned fun. 15 of 22 Lemon Sandwich Cookies Iain Bagwell Between all the chocolate and other desserts, it's always nice to have a fresh burst of citrus somewhere in the mix. 16 of 22 Peppermint Pinwheels Iain Bagwell No piping required here—just a little patience and the help of some food coloring in the dough. 17 of 22 Peanut Butter and Jelly Linzer Cookies Iain Bagwell For an extra-festive touch, swap the star cookie cutter for another holiday shape, such as a snowflake. 18 of 22 Reindeer Cookies Southern Living Recipe: Reindeer Cookies With minimal effort, you'll have the cutest cookies at the potluck. All you need are some peanut butter sandwich cookies, chocolate candies, and pretzels. 19 of 22 Ambrosia Macaroons Hector Sanchez Recipe: Ambrosia Macaroons Fluffy piles of citrus-doused coconut wear a jubilant cherry crown. 20 of 22 Miss Iona's Shortbread Cookies Zoe Denenberg, Styling: Rachel Mulcahy Miss Iona was on to something. With four ingredients, you'll have beautiful holiday cookies in the shape of your choice. 21 of 22 Cream Cheese Christmas Cookie Southern Living Recipe: Cream Cheese Christmas Cookie Cream cheese renders these cookies exceptionally soft. Roll the edges in sprinkles and top with a pecan for a decadent treat. 22 of 22 Dark Chocolate Sablés Iain Bagwell Recipe: Dark Chocolate Sablés Give the traditional sablé a dramatic makeover with the addition of some cocoa powder. Dip in chocolate and sprinkle with sea salt or toasted pecans. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit