For our third year we made 12 days of Christmas cookies!  I now spread the baking out over 24 days, this makes it a lot more manageable.  Different this year we did 12 Christmas treats, while they were mostly cookies, we also made a brownie, blondie and a chocolate bark.

Ways to Use Your Christmas Cookies

Most recipes make more than a dozen cookies and you may not want to eat them all right away.  I either bake them all and freeze the ones I don’t want to eat or freeze half of the dough and bake them later.   You can even bake them into February if you want (I have done this!).  Dough and baked cookies can stay in the freezer for 2-3 months.

• If you host this is an easy way to have your Christmas dessert done.  I use a variety of the cookies to make Christmas dessert simple with ice-cream.
• Give them as gifts to friends or neighbors.  I like to bring a little box whenever we go to a friends house in the month of December.
• Holiday Gatherings
  • If you are hosting this is a great way to make a fun table of treats
  • If you are attending:
    • Bring a fun platter of a variety of cookies you made
    • Bring a box or tin as a hostess gift
• Make boxes/tins as gifts for teachers and/or coaches.
• Make small boxes or bags and leave them out for delivery workers in the month of December.

How to Freeze Dough or Cookies

Note: I do not think iced cookies or linzer cookies freeze well.  I usually bake those close to when I want to use them.   You can also refrigerate the dough until ready to use.

• Freezing Dough:
  • After scooping/portioning your dough place the cookies you want to freeze on a parchment lined pan and put in the freezer for 1-2 hours.
  • After they are frozen, place them in a zip lock bag or freezer safe container and make sure they are sealed properly.
  • They will stay in freezer for up to 3 months.
  • When you are ready to cook, bake them from frozen and add 1-2 minutes onto cooking time.
• Freezing Baked Cookies:
  • After the cookies have cooled completely place in a ziplock bag or freezer safe container, make sure it is fully sealed otherwise you will have freezer burn.
  • They will stay in the freezer for up to 3 months.
  • To defrost take them out of the freezer 1-2 hours before you want to eat or pop 3-4 in the microwave for 30 seconds.

2022 12 Days of Christmas Cookies Round-Up

Day 1: For the second year we kicked it off with one of our absolute favorites, Lightened Up Ginger Molasses Cookies, (this dough freezes great).

2. Peppermint Pretzel Bark – NEW recipe from me this year.  I always make pretzel bark with leftover melted chocolate and I thought it would be super fun to make a holiday themed one.  This is SUPER easy to make and comes together very fast.

3. Snowballs  – these are a must every year.  They are requested and loved by all of my children.

4. These healthy dairy free biscotti recipe are a must for me!  This recipe is fairly easy and worth the effort because it makes a big batch!  I love making them as holiday gifts and for a variety of occasions that I may be going to or hosting. They last for up to 2 weeks so you can make them ahead of time which makes them a big win.

5. Peanut Butter Sprinkle – another NEW recipe this year as a super simple minimum ingredient option.  If you are a peanut butter lover these are a must make.

For the next 3 I used my shortbread dough to make a variety.  We made the sugar cookies right away and then I refrigerated the dough and made the liner and herbed shortbread later.

#6 = Sugar Cookies #7 = Linzer #8 = Herbed Shortbread

There are directions on how to adapt the dough for the liners in the post above.

For the herbed shortbread I added 1/2 cup parmesan cheese and 1 tbsp of minced rosemary & thyme.

9. M&M Brownies – I adapted this recipe with m&ms instead of peanut butter cups since we had a lot leftover from gingerbread house making.

10. Chocolate Ganache Cookies.- An old favorite and I am not sure why I stopped making them because they were a top seller when I had my bakery.  Linked is the inspiration, but I use semi-sweet and dark chocolate, do not add walnuts and do not use corn syrup or creme fraiche in the ganache.

11. Snickerdoodle Blondie – these were super gooey and everyone liked them but did not love them.

12. Chocolate Dipped Butter Cookies! These are from an index card from my great aunt so I don’t have a recipe for you but we loved them and would make them again.  If you would like it feel free to email me!