Mary's Best Christmas Cookie Recipes: Biscotti, Cuccidati, Linzer, Bourbon Balls, Amaretti, Pizzelle and other Family Favorites

These tart little cookies have a satisfying crunch. You already know I love biscotti—and I make a lot of different kinds—but the festive flavors in this recipe are perfect for celebrations. For a holiday garnish, dip them in white chocolate and sprinkle with colorful sugar. On the other hand, they’re delicious as-is with a hot mug of coffee or cocoa.

Want to impress the crowd at your next cookie exchange? Try pfeffernusse. Here’s how you say that: FEFF-er-noos-ah. These traditional German Christmas cookies are laced with molasses and the expected spices, but they also get a little kick from pepper!

It’s not Christmas at my house without Spritz cookies. I love mine plain or dipped in chocolate, but you can add crushed candy canes or colorful sprinkles to liven them up. You’ll need a cookie press for this otherwise simple spritz cookie recipe. 

Linzer cookies are the holiday sandwich you can’t leave home without! They’re a must-have on cookie platters because they’re absolutely delicious. Use your favorite jam for the filling and imagine a fresh, sparkly snowfall as you sprinkle on the powdered sugar. You’re going to LOVE this festive cookie recipe!

These crumbly butter cookies are sweet, but not too sweet. Like so many foods from Greece, their flavor is perfectly balanced. The best part is that they just melt in your mouth… but I also love to add almonds to mine!

These crispy-crunchy crescent-rolled cookies are designed for special occasions, and they’re filled with endless possibilities. Nuts, fruit, chocolate, cinnamon, marzipan... I’m drooling already. Make a batch with a variety of fillings for an extra-special treat.

These tart little cookies have a satisfying crunch. You already know I love biscotti—and I make a lot of different kinds—but the festive flavors in this recipe are perfect for celebrations. For a holiday garnish, dip them in white chocolate and sprinkle with colorful sugar. On the other hand, they’re delicious as-is with a hot mug of coffee or cocoa.

Checkerboard Cookies are good any time of the year, but I like to mix things up on the holidays. Instead of relying on the traditional chocolate and vanilla, I like to make the checks flavorfully red and green. These whimsical and tender butter cookies are easier than they look.

A Christmas classic, almond-infused amaretti cookies have a crunchy crust and a soft, chewy center. Made with almond flour and egg whites, they could be called a cousin to the French macaron—and they make a fantastic treat for those who can’t eat gluten. 

Who needs a holiday punch when you have bourbon balls on the cookie plate? These blissful no-bake bites are perfect for parties or when you need a nibble with a little bite of its own.

Pecan tassies are an absolute must for anyone who loves pecan pie. They bring the gooey filling and the flaky crust, but in a portable package. You’ll need a mini muffin tin to make these adorable cookies, and you might need two. They disappear fast! 

These delicate, wafer-like cookies are buttery and not too sweet. They make a perfect holiday treat because they look like little snowflakes dusted with sugar. Leave them on the iron a few seconds more for a satisfying snap when you take a bite.

If there’s one non-negotiable Christmas cookie at my house, it’s this one. Filled with a scrumptious mixture of figs, walnuts, raisins, oranges, and honey, these traditional Fig Cookies are a staple in Italian households. I love to top them with a confectioners’ sugar glaze and a sprinkle of colorful nonpareils which makes them a festive addition to my Christmas cookie gift boxes (and holiday dessert table)! 

Shop A Gift of Cookies: Recipes to Share with Friends and FamilyIf you liked these recipes, I’ve got good news for you. There are many more in my cookbook, A Gift of Cookies: Recipes to Share with Family & Friends. The title is fitting given how devoted I am to my extended, Italian-American family, and my belief in baking as a joyful and meaningful connection with friends old and new.