With the holiday season upon us, there is no better way to spread some festive cheer than with Christmas cookies. Sweet, indulgent, and delicious, nothing can beat a freshly-baked cookie while cuddled by the fireplace.

Here are 3 Christmas cookie recipes that are sure to entice even the Grinch himself. Whether you’re a chocolate fanatic or a lover of the classics, there’s a Christmas cookie for everyone.

1. Hot Chocolate Cookies: Made with hot cocoa mix and marshmallow bits, these cookies taste exactly like a warm mug of hot chocolate. These are perfect for holiday cookie platters, bringing a fun chocolatey flavor to your cookie rotation.

Ingredients:
1 cup butter softened
1 cup sugar
⅔ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 ¼ cups flour
4 packaged or ¾ cups hot cocoa mix
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup Mallow Bits or Freeze Dried Marshmallows

Directions:
Beat butter and sugars in a large bowl with a standing mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well.
In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients. Gradually mix dry ingredients into butter mixture until well blended, but do not over mix. Stir in chocolate chips and Mallow Bits*. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Drop 2 tablespoons dough, 2 inches apart, onto baking sheets lined with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 5 minutes; remove to wire racks and cool.

Read Love From the Oven’s original recipe at https://www.lovefromtheoven.com/hot-chocolate-cookies/.

2. Soft and Chewy Ginger Snaps: These chewy ginger snaps are perfect for anybody who loves a little bit of sugar and spice. They incorporate the classic flavors of gingerbread, making them perfect for any holiday occasion.

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
¾ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
¼ cup molasses
1 large egg
2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
Sugar for rolling

Directions:
In a large bowl, add the sugar, butter, molasses, and egg and beat on medium until light and fluffy.
Add in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt, Stir well with a spatula until fully combined.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
Pour approximately 1/2 cup of sugar into a small bowl (for rolling).
Use a medium cookie scoop to shape the dough into approx. 1″ balls. Roll in sugar and place 12 per baking sheet onto your prepared sheets.
Bake for 9-10 minutes or until just set (they will puff up then flatten while baking).
Remove from the oven and let stand on the cookie sheet for 1 minute before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Read Persnickety Plates’ original recipe at https://www.persnicketyplates.com/soft-chewy-ginger-snaps/.

3. Chocolate Dipped Oreos: These chocolate dipped oreos can be decorated with any seasonal designs, from snowflakes to Christmas trees. They’re super easy to make, so this would be a great recipe for families with small children.

Ingredients:
24 Oreo Cookies
12 ounces milk/white chocolate candy melting wafers
Various colors of chocolate candy melting wafers (green, red, etc.)
Optional: crushed candy cane, sprinkles, oreo crumbs

Directions:
Line a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment. Set aside.
Pour the chocolate melting wafers into a medium microwave-safe bowl. Heat one bowl at a time for one minute at 50% power, then stir. Continue to heat at 30 second intervals at 50% power until melted, stirring well in between. You may also use a double broiler if preferred. Make sure there are no lumps in the chocolate and that it is smooth and easy to stir.
Place the Oreo cookies on a fork and dip one by one into the melted chocolate. Turn with a fork to coat completely in chocolate. When the entire cookie is covered with chocolate, lift it out using the fork. Tap the fork on the side of the bowl several times to let the excess chocolate drip off. Slide the Oreo cookie onto the prepared baking sheet with a toothpick and allow to cool completely. Repeat with remaining Oreos. Allow to set.
To make snowflakes, place the white chocolate melting wafers in a zipper bag or a disposable decorating bag. Heat for 30 seconds at 50% power, then knead the melting wafers to stir. Continue to heat at 30 second intervals at 50% power, until melted. Snip a small corner off the bag and pipe the white chocolate in snowflake shapes on top of the Oreos. Allow to cool completely.
To make the Christmas trees, follow the same process, but using white chocolate melting wafers. When the white chocolate Oreos have cooled, melt the green melting wafers and pipe a Christmas tree shape. Decorate with dots of red melting wafers for ornaments and milk chocolate melting wafers for the stem.

Read I Heart Naptime’s original recipe at https://www.iheartnaptime.net/oreo-snowflakes/.