39 Freezer-Friendly Christmas Cookie Recipes You Can Start Today
Make these cookies up to three months before Christmas!
Baking cookies that freeze well is one of our favorite ways to get a head start on the holiday season. Freezing baked cookies now gives you a leg up on holiday prep and ensures Santa has something to snack on. Each of these lasts in the freezer up to three months.
Pumpkin Cookies with White Chocolate Chips
This big-batch holiday baking recipe makes a whopping 60 cookies. Whip them up when pumpkins are in season and enjoy them all winter long. You'll love the combination of classic pumpkin pie flavors and creamy white chocolate chips.
Shortbread Sticks
Shortbread cookies are rich, buttery, and delicious. Thanks to this make-ahead cookie recipe, it's easy to have them on hand too. Add holiday sparkle to the freezer shortbread cookies with a sprinkle of red sanding sugar before baking.
Peanut Butter Blossoms
Peanut butter and chocolate work together like Santa and his elves, helping one another to make the best possible result. The recipe for these classic Christmas cookies makes 54, which might be enough to last as long as they can be frozen (up to three months). With a batch of these in the freezer, all you need to do is thaw them in time for your cookie exchange.
Pumpkin Pie Pillows
Bored with the endless round cookies? Add some pizzazz to your cookie plate with this take on classic pumpkin pie. Pipe the spicy dough out into their pillowy shape. With a drizzle of brown butter glaze, these make-ahead cookies are sure to wow.
Hazelnut Kisses
Who says you have to make cookies from scratch? Dress up purchased sugar cookie dough with chopped hazelnuts and chocolate-hazelnut spread. These chocolate freezer cookies taste so good and look so pretty that no one will guess they aren't from scratch.
Chocolaty Melting Snowmen
Our hearts broke a little when we watched Frosty melt. But we can take solace in these adorable melty snowmen cookies. Peanut butter cup hats and sprinkle noses charm anyone eating one of these Christmas cookies. Best yet, these freezer-friendly cookies will live on for three months when frozen.
Mississippi Mud Cookies
A fluffy marshmallow frosting is what takes these chocolate Christmas cookies totally over the top. Finish them with toasted pecans and a drizzle of chocolate and they'll be ready to freeze up to three months before the holidays.
Red Velvet Cheesecake Bars
Red Velvet Cake? Cheesecake? Chocolate? Check, check, check. These bars have all the best of those three flavors in every bite. And they'll stay creamy and smooth for up to three months in the freezer. For extra decadence, drizzle on milk chocolate before serving.
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Macadamia Nut Cranberry Shortbread
Instead of making individual shortbread cookies, try making this slice-and-bake freezer cookie recipe. Candied cranberries, white chocolate, and macadamia nuts fill each bar, and coarse white sugar gives them sparkle. Freeze for as long as you can resist diving in (or for up to three months).
Meyer Lemon Ricotta Cookies
Adding whole milk ricotta cheese to the batter ensures these lemony cookies stay extra moist. A glaze made with powdered sugar and Meyer lemon zest adds sweet citrus flavor to every bite.
Rosemary-Almond Cookies
The subtle woodsy flavor of fresh rosemary is a natural choice for these tree-shape cutout Christmas cookies. A three-ingredient almond glaze amps up the flavor of the almonds inside each make-ahead cookie. Finish each tasty tree with a small sprinkle of rosemary for a pine needle look.
Easy Sugar Cookies
These are no ordinary sugar cookies (although there's certainly nothing wrong with those). This recipe, one of our best cookies to freeze, can be customized seven different delicious ways, so there's sure to be a flavor for everyone. Every variation can be frozen for up to three months. White chocolate and pistachio, anyone?
Red-Plaid Cookies
These adorable checkered cookies will add a pop of color to your cookie plate. Whether they're fresh out of the oven or have been tucked away in the freezer for months, these Christmas cookies will disappear in a hurry.
Chocolate-Peppermint Waffle Cookies
Instead of making batch after batch of these chocolate cookies the day you need them, waffle them ahead. Before serving, finish the thawed chocolate freezer cookies with a rich chocolate glaze and crushed peppermint candies.
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Coconut, Cherry, and Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
It doesn't get easier than drop cookies. (And when they're cookies you can make ahead and freeze, they're even easier.) Stir in dried cherries and chocolate for a new take on traditional Christmas cookies.
Cherry-Walnut Balls
Powdered sugar and sparkly edible glitter make these festive cookies a pretty holiday treat. (If you'd prefer the Christmas cookies to look more like snowballs sparkling in the sun, trade gold or yellow glitter for the red.) Maraschino cherries and toasted walnuts recall ice cream sundae flavors.
7-Layer Bars
In addition to all the sugary sweets, the holidays need a few healthy-ish treats. Enter, this seven-layer dessert inspired by trail mix. Guests will still feel like they're indulging after tasting the orange, coconut, and cranberry flavors in these freezer-friendly cookie bars.
Almond Icebox Rounds
The cream cheese gives this cookie batter richness and tang. A triple dose of almond ensures each treat is big on flavor. Perfect for Christmas, this big-batch cookie recipe makes 60 cookies that will last up to three months in the freezer.
Rum-Praline Shortbread Bites
These boozy bites will put everyone in good spirits! The dark rum, vanilla, and pecans take freezer shortbread cookies to the next level. Finish the cookies with a sprinkle of raw sugar ($4, Walmart).
Copycat Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
This Christmas cookie recipe is a play on your favorite Girl Scout cookie! Each bite of these shortbread cookies is filled with creamy peanut butter and milk chocolate. Thaw and serve them with a cold glass of milk!
Triple-Peanut and Chocolate Chip Cookies
Two classic cookies (chocolate chip and peanut butter) combine in these crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside Christmas cookies. A combo of milk and dark chocolate chips up the richness of these cookies that freeze well. Honey-roasted peanuts and mini peanut butter cups take them to the next level of temptation.
Candy Cane Sandwich Cookies
Purists think that traditional Christmas cookies should showcase the flavors of the season. These freezable cookies do that in sandwich form. Sandwich DIY peppermint filling between two red-swirled sugar cookies.
:Cookie Sandwiches When One Cookie Isn't Enough
Soft Maple Sugar Cookies
We can't get enough maple, especially during fall and winter. Look for pure maple syrup to use in these sugar cookies. An irresistible maple glaze finishes the thawed cookies.
The Best Sugar Cookies
Take a note from Santa and eat these sugary cookies with big glasses of milk. These treats are soft, moist, and chewy—not crispy—even after up to three months in the freezer.
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Chocolate-Espresso Coins
We can't stop buzzing about these java-infused freezer-friendly cookies. Despite their small size (about 1 inch), these adorable chocolate Christmas cookies pack big espresso flavor even after their freezer time of up to three months. Before serving, drizzle them with melted chocolate for a pretty topper.
Mint-Chocolate Cookies
These make-ahead, freezer cookies are cute as a button. Go ahead and reap the praises for these ridiculously easy and adorable-looking treats. Nab the green candy disks in your grocer's baking aisle or at a crafts store.
Pumpkin-Praline Cookies
If you're looking for a soft cookie that's loaded with spice, these pumpkin Christmas cookies are for you! Toss in toffee bits and toasted pecans for even more richness and top the baked cookies with a homemade brown butter frosting.
Test Kitchen Tip: You'll want to freeze these Christmas cookies before frosting and add the icing just before serving.
Macarons
These colorful macarons will be the star of the Christmas cookie exchange. Once you've mastered the baking technique, decorate the homemade holiday cookies with sprinkles, metallic icing, and cocoa powder. Freeze the macarons for up to two months before serving.
Chocomint Blossoms
Cookies should look as good as they taste. Festive red-and-white-stripe candies are the finishing touch for these chocolate freezer cookies. Consider them the Christmas update to peanut butter blossoms.
Twixy Shortbread Bars
These three layers play together nicely: dulche de leche and semisweet chocolate on a crunchy sugar cookie base. Like the classic candy bar, these freezer shortbread cookies are winners.
No-Bake Lemon Drops
These lemony, no-bake Christmas cookies couldn't be simpler. Seven ingredients, three steps, and 30 minutes yields 36 cookies. And, yep, they freeze like a dream. Don't forget the crushed lemon drops on top to hint at the mouth-puckering flavor inside.
Honey Coins
Here's some sweet news: These cookies freeze well and are a cinch to prep. Make the dough, roll it into a log, wrap, and freeze. As many as three months later, the honey-infused cookies are ready to bake and add to the cookie tray.
Cherry-Almond Ornament Cookies
Perk up your platter with these cherry-topped cuties. It's worth nabbing a new cookie cutter for the scalloped edges. But the hardest work is handled by your favorite fruit. There are chopped cherries in the batter, cherry liqueur in the frosting, and glistening cherries dotting the tops of the freezer-friendly cookies.
Buy It: Stainless Fluted Biscuit Cutters, Set of 5 ( $17, Sur la Table)
Mint Meringue Kisses
Kissed by mint and charmed by chocolate, these gorgeous green sandwiches hit all the right flavor notes. Even though they're light as air and made primarily with egg whites, they freeze well. After baking, freeze them unfilled. Then thaw, pipe with chocolate, and sandwich two little stars together.
Pistachio-Vanilla Bean Cookies
Salty-sweet treats are having a moment. Celebrate the combo with salted dry-roasted pistachios on ubersweet white chocolate. Vanilla flavors the dough of this slice-and-bake freezer cookie recipe. (Chill in a log, slice, bake, decorate, then freeze up to three months.)
Meyer Lemon-Rosemary Slices
Fresh rosemary (which might make you think of Christmas trees) makes the transition from savory to sweet in this dessert. Opt for a Meyer lemon (a lemon-orange hybrid) when you make these sweet-savory cookies for a barely tart slice-and-bake freezer cookie.
Caramel Coconut Cookie Bars
These chewy holiday bar cookies couldn't be easier! Bake them up in one pan, cut into bars, and freeze. Simply thaw and indulge in the classic combination of caramel, coconut, and chocolate.
White Chocolate-Raspberry Cookies
These Christmas thumbprint cookies are filled with luscious raspberry jam. Finish the baked cookies with a drizzle of white chocolate and freeze for up to one month before enjoying.
Test Kitchen Tip: Not a fan of raspberry? Substitute peach, cherry, or strawberry jam instead.
Buckeye Cookies
Does it get any better than chocolate and peanut butter? These rich cookies take it one step further with a creamy peanut butter frosting and dark chocolate drizzle. They freeze beautifully for up to three months before Christmas.
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