Every holiday season is filled with love, joy, and most importantly, cookies. Whether you are trading cookies with friends or family, baking them for a cookie contest, or simply just wanting to smell the scent of homemade cookies in your house, cookies play an important factor in every holiday. There are the classics, such as sugar, gingerbread, and regular chocolate chip cookies, but to spice things up a bit, here are the top 10 unique holiday cookie recipes that include the ingredients and directions on how to make them. Enjoy!

Pillsbury Funfetti Cake Mix Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 Box of Supreme Moist Funfetti Cake Mix
• 2 eggs
• ⅓ cup oil

Directions:

• Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, combine cake mix, oil and eggs; stir with spoon until thoroughly moistened. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake at 375°F for 6 to 8 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets.

Recipe by: https://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/funfetti-cookies/3bd6c62e-7f45-46e9-8067-e72cf500c45c

Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

FOR THE TOPPING

• 24 dark chocolate wafers
• 1/4 cup crushed candy canes

Directions:

• In a medium sized saucepan, melt butter and chocolate chips together until smooth. Set aside to cool.
• In a large bowl, cream together the brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract.
• Gently pour in the cooled chocolate mixture and beat on low speed.
• Stir in flour, cocoa powder, and salt until just combined.
• Cover bowl and refrigerate for about 2 hours, or until dough is firm. This step is mandatory, as you do not want to end up with thin, spread out cookies.
• When dough is chilled, preheat oven to 350F. Line a large baking pan with parchment paper or lightly grease with non-stick cooking spray.
• Drop dough onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges start to crack and the middle is slightly firm.
• Remove from the oven and place one chocolate wafer on top of each cookie. Let set for 2-3 minutes, and then gently swirl with a knife to frost.
• Then top each cookie with crushed candy canes.
• Let set for about 15-20 minutes.

Recipe by: https://www.pumpkinnspice.com/peppermint-hot-chocolate-cookies/

Chocolate Cherry Meltaway Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1⅓ C. All-purpose Flour
• ⅓ C. Cocoa Powder
• ⅓ C. Cornstarch
• ⅔ C. Powdered Sugar
• ½ t. Salt
• 2 Sticks(1 C.) Salted Butter, softened
• 1 t. Vanilla
• 1 Can Cherry Pie Filling(you will only need about ½ the can)
• ½ C. White chocolate chips, melted

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a non-stick mat.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, cornstarch, powdered sugar, and salt until blended.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and vanilla until smooth.
• Add the dry ingredients to the butter and mix in slowly until just combined.
• Scoop about 1½ T. of dough and roll into a smooth ball. Place on the prepared baking sheets, flatten to about ½” thickness with the palm of your hand, and use your thumb to make a large indentation in the center. Take care not to make the indentation to thin at the bottom or it will not hold the cherry filling as these cookies are very tender.
• Repeat with the remaining dough.
• Spoon about 2-3 cherries and a little sauce from the can of filling into each cookie.
• Bake for 13-15 minutes in preheated oven.
• Remove from oven and let cool on the sheet for 5 minutes. Carefully transfer to a wire rack with a thin spatula.
• Pour melted white chocolate into a piping bag, snip off the tip to make a small opening, and drizzle the white chocolate over each cookie.

Recipe by: http://thekitchenmccabe.com/2014/12/02/chocolate-cherry-meltaway-thumbprint-cookies/

Nutella Stuffed Gingersnaps

Ingredients:

FOR THE COOKIES

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Nutella
• 1/2 cup salted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup dark molasses
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon Rodelle Pure Vanilla Extract
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger
• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves

FOR THE COATING

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon powdered ginger

Directions:

• Line a large flat plate with parchment paper. Scoop 18 tablespoons of Nutella onto cookie sheet, forming flat-ish balls. Freeze for at least 15 minutes before stuffing into cookies. This will ensure the Nutella does not seep into the cookie when baked.
• Once the Nutella has frozen, preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar, molasses, egg, vanilla extract, and fresh ginger. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and cloves. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet, stirring until combined. Using a 1 ounce cookie scoop, make heaping scoops (go for 1.5 oz) of dough and break in half. Flatten both halves slightly into thick pancakes. Place frozen Nutella on top of one pancake, then place other pancake on top of Nutella. Working between your hands, pinch the edges of the cookie batter together and flatten the entire ball of dough slightly more so it is about ¾ of an inch thick at the center.
• In a small bowl, combine granulated sugar and powdered ginger. Dip each flattened cookie into the coating, then place on prepared cookie sheet. Do not place more than 10 cookies into the oven at a time, as they will not crack as well.
• Bake for 10 minutes and no longer. This will keep the cookies nice and soft! Serve.

Recipe by: https://bromabakery.com/2015/12/nutella-stuffed-gingersnap-cookies-recipe.html

Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Snowball Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup hazelnut meal (I used Bob’s Red Mill)*
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted, plus 1-2 cups more for rolling
• 1 egg yolk
• ½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Whisk together the flour, hazelnut meal, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream the butter and powdered sugar on medium speed with a hand mixer until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium high and beat until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes more. Add the egg and mix on low speed until incorporated. Add the dry ingredients and beat on low speed just until combined. The dough will be crumbly. Add the mini chocolate chips and knead the dough together with your hands while combining it with the chips.
• Roll the dough into 1″ balls and place on the prepared baking sheet 1″ apart. Bake 20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking, or until they’re light golden brown. Cool for about 10 minutes and roll in powdered sugar. Cool completely and roll in more powdered sugar if desired.
• Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 weeks.

Recipe by: https://flavorthemoments.com/chocolate-chip-hazelnut-snowball-cookies/

Chocolate and Vanilla Swirl Cookies

Ingredients:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Whisk together the flour, hazelnut meal, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream the butter and powdered sugar on medium speed with a hand mixer until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium high and beat until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes more. Add the egg and mix on low speed until incorporated. Add the dry ingredients and beat on low speed just until combined. The dough will be crumbly. Add the mini chocolate chips and knead the dough together with your hands while combining it with the chips.
• Roll the dough into 1″ balls and place on the prepared baking sheet 1″ apart. Bake 20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking, or until they’re light golden brown. Cool for about 10 minutes and roll in powdered sugar. Cool completely and roll in more powdered sugar if desired.
• Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 weeks.

Directions:

• To make the vanilla layer, whisk the flour and salt together in a medium bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add egg yolks and vanilla until combined, scraping down the side of the bowl as needed. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture until combined, about 30 seconds. Transfer the dough to a clean counter and divide it in half. Roll each piece of dough into a 6-inch log about 2 inches thick. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
• To make the chocolate layer, whisk the flour, cocoa powder and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside. Melt the chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Let cool completely. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add egg yolks, cooled chocolate and vanilla until combined, scraping down the side of the bowl as needed. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture until combined, about 30 seconds. Transfer the dough to a clean counter and divide it in half. Roll each piece of dough into a 6-inch log about 2 inches thick. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
• To make the cookies, preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Roll one vanilla dough log into a 12-inch square. Repeat with one chocolate dough log. Flip the chocolate dough on top of the vanilla dough so that the chocolate dough is layered on top of the vanilla dough. Gently roll over the top with a rolling pin to make the doughs stick to one another. Roll up the dough into one big log, pressing gently as you roll to adhere the dough. Carefully slice the log into 1/4-inch-thick cookies. Repeat with the remaining two dough logs. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown. Let cool and enjoy!

Recipe by: https://www.spoonfulofflavor.com/2014/12/15/chocolate-vanilla-swirl-cookies/

Red Velvet Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 tsp red food coloring
• 2 tsp cocoa powder
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• FOR THE FILLING
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 egg yolk
• ¼ tsp vanilla
• ⅛ tsp salt

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 300ºF. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• Beat together the butter, brown sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Mix in the flour, food coloring, and cocoa powder until soft dough forms.
• Scoop out the dough by heaping tablespoons and roll them in the sugar before placing on the prepared baking sheet (about 2 inches apart). Use the back of a round teaspoon to make a small indentation in the cookie dough.
• Bake for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: using an electric mixer or small food processor, beat together the cream cheese, egg yolk, sugar, salt, and vanilla until smooth.
• After the first 10 minutes of baking, use the back of a round teaspoon to deepen the indentation in the cookies. Spoon a teaspoon of the filling into each indentation. Bake for an additional 12 minutes, until filling is set.
• Let cool completely before serving. Store covered and chilled.

Recipe by: https://www.somethingswanky.com/red-velvet-cream-cheese-thumbprints/

Peppermint Patty Stuffed Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 and ⅓ cups all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
• ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 16-18 miniature peppermint patties, unwrapped

Directions:

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl using a handheld mixer), beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. Mix in the egg and then the vanilla until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
• Cover and refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and scoop out 2-2.5 tablespoon sized pieces of dough onto the baking sheet.
• Flatten each piece of dough, press a peppermint patty into the center, then fold the dough around the patty making sure it is completely closed inside the dough.
• Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Recipe by: https://www.livewellbakeoften.com/peppermint-patty-stuffed-chocolate-cookies/

Melt in your Mouth Eggnog cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg , plus more for topping
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter , at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp rum extract
• 1/2 cup eggnog

Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter , at room temperature (I used 1/4 cup salted and 1/4 cup unsalted butter)
• 3 – 5 Tbsp eggnog
• 1/2 tsp rum extract
• 3 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon for 30 seconds, set aside. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until pale and fluffy. Mix in egg yolks one at a time, blending just until combined after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract, rum extract and egg nog. With mixer set on low speed, slowly add in dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Scoop dough out by the heaping tablespoonfuls and drop onto Silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheets, spacing cookies 2-inches apart. Bake in preheated oven 11 – 13 minutes. Allow to rest on baking sheet several minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Cool completely then frost with Eggnog Frosting and sprinkle tops lightly with nutmeg.
• For the Eggnog Frosting:
• In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter until very pale and fluffy. Add in rum extract and 3 Tbsp eggnog and mix in powdered sugar. Add additional eggnog to reach desired consistency.

Recipe by: https://www.cookingclassy.com/melt-mouth-eggnog-cookies/

Gluten Free Stained Glass Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1.5 sticks dairy free margarine, or butter 175g
• 1 cup sugar 200g
• 2 large eggs
• 3.5 cups all purpose gluten free flour blend 450g
• 1 tsp xanthan gum omit if included in your flour blend
• 1 tsp gluten free baking powder
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1 lb bag of hard clear candies like Jolly Ranchers

Directions:

• You will need two cookies cutters of the same shape, with one smaller than the other for the cut out centers.
• Preheat your oven to 350F
• Separate the hard candies into their various colors and put each color in a small ziplock bag.
• Using a rolling pin or something similar carefully smash the candies into small pieces.
• Cream together margarine and sugar.
• Add in eggs and vanilla and almond extracts and mix until combined, remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Measure out the dry ingredients into another bowl and mix by hand to combine the gum and baking powder.
• Add the dry ingredients to the sugar and egg mixture and mix well to combine.
• If the cookie dough is too soft to roll out at this point, place it in a bag or in a covered bowl in the fridge to allow the margarine to harden enough so that you can roll it out later.
• When the dough has hardened roll it out on parchment paper, I use cling wrap to cover the top of the dough as I roll it out so that it does not stick to the rolling pin, I don’t use extra flour.
• Transfer the cut out cookies to the lined baking sheet and then use a smaller cutter with the same shape to cut out the centers.
• Fill the center of the cookies with approx 1/2 to 1 tsp crushed candy.
• Bake cookies for 12 – 14 minutes at 350F on a parchment lined baking sheet.
• Allow to cool on baking sheet, the cookies will firm up once cooled and the ‘glass’ center will harden.
• The candy will be bubbling when it comes out of the oven, this is normal and it will spread out when it cools down and the bubbles should disappear.

Recipe by: https://www.noshtastic.com/gluten-free-christmas-cookies-with-stained-glass/