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  5. Christmas Cookies Santa Will Love

Christmas Cookies Santa Will Love

Mary Shannon Hodes, Associate Digital Editor at Southern Living
By Mary Shannon Wells
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Peanut Butter-and-Jelly Linzer Cookies
Credit: Iain Bagwell

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

Cherry Chocolates Recipe
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn

Recipe: Pinwheel Cookies

Put Santa in a cookie trance with these sweet cookies.

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Easy Santa Cookies

Easy Santa Cookies Recipe
Credit: 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

Toasted Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
Credit: 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

Fudgy Flourless Chocolate-Pecan Cookies Recipe
Credit: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

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

Red Velvet Crackle Sandwich Cookies
Credit: 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

Coconut Thumbprints
Credit: 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

Eggnog-Glazed Cookies
Credit: 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

Chocolate Pecan Honeycomb Cookies
Credit: 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

All-Time Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies
Credit: 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

Minted White Chocolate Balls
Credit: 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

Molasses Crinkles
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Molasses Crinkles

These cookies have all the sweetness of the season.

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Nutty Chocolate Thumbprints

Nutty Chocolate Thumbprints
Credit: 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

Peanut Butter-Toffee Turtle
Credit: 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

Ginger Shortbread Cookies with Lemon-Cream Cheese Frosting
Credit: 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

Mississippi Mud Medallions
Credit: 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

Peanut Butter-and-Jelly Linzer Cookies
Credit: 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

Mocha Balls
Credit: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Mocha Balls

Help Santa stay awake with these decadent mocha balls.

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Snow Flurries

Snow Flurries
Credit: 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

Chocolate-Dipped Peppermint Meringue Cookies
Credit: 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

Pecan Tea Cakes
Credit: 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

Coconut Snowballs
Credit: 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

Coconut Thumbprints
Credit: 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

Red Velvet Madeleines
Credit: 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

Chocolate-and-Almond Macaroons
Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Chocolate-and-Almond Macaroons

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

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By Mary Shannon Wells

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    Everything in This Slideshow

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    1 of 24 Pinwheel Cookies
    2 of 24 Easy Santa Cookies
    3 of 24 Toasted Oatmeal Cookies
    4 of 24 Fudgy Flourless Chocolate-Pecan Cookies
    5 of 24 Red Velvet Crackle Sandwich Cookies
    6 of 24 Raspberry Jam Thumbprints
    7 of 24 Eggnog-Glazed Cookies
    8 of 24 Chocolate Pecan Honeycomb Cookies
    9 of 24 All-Time Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies
    10 of 24 Minted White Chocolate Balls
    11 of 24 Molasses Crinkles
    12 of 24 Nutty Chocolate Thumbprints
    13 of 24 Peanut Butter-Toffee Turtle Cookies
    14 of 24 Ginger Shortbread Cookies with Lemon-Cream Cheese Frosting
    15 of 24 Mississippi Mud Medallions
    16 of 24 Peanut Butter-and-Jelly Linzer Cookies
    17 of 24 Mocha Balls
    18 of 24 Snow Flurries
    19 of 24 Chocolate-Dipped Peppermint Meringue Cookies
    20 of 24 Pecan Tea Cakes
    21 of 24 Coconut Snowballs
    22 of 24 Chocolate Ganache Thumbprints with Crushed Peppermints
    23 of 24 Red Velvet Madeleines
    24 of 24 Chocolate-and-Almond Macaroons

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