F&W Editors’ All-Time Favorite Holiday Cookie Recipes

By Food & Wine
Updated December 23, 2016
It’s cookie season, and whether you’re baking for a cookie swap or the office holiday party (or if you simply want to eat cookies), figuring out the best recipes can be a stressful task. Struggle no more! Here, our editors single out some of their all-time favorite recipes for the holiday season. — Kate Heddings
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Chocolate Brownie Cookies

Credit: © Christina Holmes
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I make Belinda Leong’s chocolate brownie cookie all the time and have never had a complaint (they are Food & Wine’s de facto party cookie). They have the BEST texture: crackly-crisp on the outside and super chewy on the inside. It’s the best of both worlds. Plus, it’s so chocolatey and decadent with only four tablespoons of butter! That basically makes it’s healthy, right? —Emily Tylman, Test Kitchen Assistant

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Chocolate Chip Sandwich Bars

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My absolute favorite would have to be the chocolate chip cookie bars. They have the perfect balance of crisp cookie edges and gooey center. The bonus: more chocolate! The silky ganache filling is super-easy to make and can be prepped in minutes. I also like to play around with the mix-ins for the cookie dough. Swap the dried cranberries for chopped pretzels, shredded coconut, dried apricot pieces or toasted walnuts. Don't be afraid to get creative! —Julia Heffelfinger, Assistant Editor

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Buttery Hazelnut Fig Biscotti

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This is the rare biscotti that's soft, chewy and doesn't come with the threat of dental work. I also love that it's jam-packed with nuts and fruit, which helps break up the cookie monotony. —Susan Choung, Books Editor

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Italian Almond Tart

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Don’t be fooled by the name of this recipe. Suzanne Goin's sbrisolona is a cross between shortbread and biscotti. It's a perfect holiday cookie for a crowd, since you bake it in a springform pan and break apart it at the table. —Tina Ujlaki, Executive Food Editor

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Double Chocolate Cookie Crumble

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Ok, this is NOT a cookie. But it’s crunchy and bite-sized and perfect for snacking on (or eating with ice cream as pictured), so let’s call it an honorary cookie. It’s rich, salty, deeply chocolatey and 100% addictive. It’s also perfect for storing in the freezer and eating at will (frozen or not). —Kate Heddings, Food Director

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Temptation Island Cookies

Credit: © Lucy Schaeffer
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With chocolate chips, golden raisins, macadamia nuts and coconut, you might be tempted to call this merely a kitchen-sink cookie, but be assured, it is one good cookie. It’s all things a cookie should be: chewy, crispy, nutty, chocolatey and irresistible. —KH

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Pecan Sandies

Credit: PHOTO © ROBERT RAUSCH
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With only 6 ingredients, these cookies are a cinch to make and have terrific pay-off. They’re the quintessential pecan sandie: light, flaky, crisp and buttery, with a toasty nutty flavor. —KH

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Linzer Cookies

Credit: PHOTO © JOHN KERNICK
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Kevin Sbraga takes a classic—linzer cookies—and does what chefs do: he amps it up with fragrant spices like anise and coriander, turning a good cookie into an extraordinary cookie. —KH

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Easy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Credit: Todd Porter & Diane Cu
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I love a chewy, buttery oatmeal cookie like this one, especially in the morning with coffee. This recipe is also ideal for the times when I want a little extra flavor. It's a great base for adding chocolate or butterscotch chips, orange zest, coconut or ginger. —Christine Quinlan, Deputy Editor

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Lemon Curd Sandwich Cookies

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I love puckery curd—lemon, lime or key lime all work well—with rich, buttery cookies. I use a shot glass, instead of a cookie cutter, to make a bite size version. —CQ

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Matcha Tea Cake Cookies

Credit: © CON POULOS
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I love anything matcha-flavored, and these cookies are light and not too sweet, plus they're perfect with tea. Even though I normally prefer chewy/crispy cookies, these were unique in their soft/cakey texture! —Kay Chun, Test Kitchen Senior Editor

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Chocolate Amaretti Cookies

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Grace Parisi’s cookies are wonderfully chewy, plus there's a double dose of chocolate from cocoa powder and little pockets of mini chocolate chips. —Justin Chapple, Test Kitchen Senior Editor

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