| Are you a holiday cookie baker? I wax and wane. Some years my husband and I make hundreds of cookies and send or bring them to family and friends. I love doing that because it feels like I'm giving something I consider precious — my time — and something festive and joyful: a tin full of homemade sweet treats. But there are other seasons when I just don't have it in me. The December that my father died, the December I moved and was resettling in D.C., the first December during the pandemic. My spirits and energy were low. In those years, when I struggle to spread Christmas cheer, I still find filling the house with the scent of baking cookies to be a mood lifter. I just usually reach for my Easy Sheet Pan Cookies, a cookie brittle treat that an elementary school chum taught me to make. It's super simple, customizable, and it always gets raves. I'm betting most of us have our up and down times. So, just know that if you want to partake in what we like to call "cookie season," we're here whether you're making one cookie or dozens. Check out our Holiday Cookie Generator, where you can search by ingredient or dietary preference. If the nearly 400 recipes feel overwhelming, read about our candidates for the best cookies to mail out. We've got more than a dozen chocolate chip cookie recipes and gluten-free options. We've got classic cookies, such as Sugar Cookies, Peanut Butter Cookies and Gingerbread.
This year, Becky Krystal, who has gathered and organized our holiday cookie offerings for several years, delivered 12 new recipes from pastry chefs and food writers around the country, including easy ones, like this Saffron Ginger Macaroon, and a new cookie project, the Pattern Sugar Cookie. That sugar cookie recipe from food artist Alana Allred offers two options: A holiday lights pattern and a much simpler two-color one. Find step-by-step directions and photographs here. If you enjoy a cookie project, don't forget our other recent ones, the gorgeous Marbled Shortbread and oh-so-cute Shortbread Cookie Animals.
We've got plenty of savory recipes, too, of course. Look below for our latest, or visit washingtonpost.com/recipes.
As you scroll through our recipes — sweet or savory — if you have questions, remember that Becky and Aaron Hutcherson are available every Wednesday at noon Eastern to answer them. You can post your question in advance here.
Happy cooking, and may your season be bright!  (Scott Suchman for The Washington Post/food styling by Lisa Cherkasky and Carolyn Robb for The Washington Post) If you've ever struggled with cookie decorating, these forgiving, design-your-own treats are for you. By Alana Allred ● Read more » | | | Saffron, crystallized ginger and cinnamon take this holiday spin on coconut macaroons to the next level. By Samantha Seneviratne ● Read more » | | | These pistachio-coconut blondies, accented by cinnamon and ground caraway, are inspired by meghli, a celebratory Lebanese rice pudding. By Amanda Saab ● Read more » | | | Vegan, tri-color chocolate-matcha crinkle cookies look beautiful in a holiday cookie box or tray. By Aran Goyoaga ● Read more » | | | Food writer Keya Wingfield's brightly colored cookies are an ode to her mother's haldi doodh, or golden milk, a spiced drink featuring saffron, turmeric, cardamom and other spices. By Keya Wingfield ● Read more » | | | Mooncake molds (a tool used for making mooncakes for the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival) turn these cozy cookies into a beautiful and artful treat. By Kristina Cho ● Read more » | | | Shrimp baked under a blanket of breadcrumbs, parmesan and herbs makes a quick, easy supper. By Ann Maloney ● Read more » | | | This quick-cooking stew of chicken with bell peppers and onions in a colorful paprika sauce is a more vegetable-packed take on a traditional Hungarian Paprikash. By Ellie Krieger ● Read more » | | | |
More from Food We scoured the country for unique holiday cookies featuring chocolate, spices, fruit and more. By Becky Krystal ● Read more » | | | Find the best holiday cookie recipes for every taste and occasion. By Washington Post Staff ● Read more » | | | Everyone deserves a chocolate chip cookie, so have a look at our recipes, which include vegan and gluten-free options. By Becky Krystal ● Read more » | | | These gluten-free holiday cookies include a wide array of flavors and ingredients. By Becky Krystal and Kari Sonde ● Read more » | | | Celebrate the Festival of Lights with our varied latke recipes. By Anna Luisa Rodriguez ● Read more » | | | These recipes demonstrate that leafy kale, which is packed with fiber and nutrients, is versatile, too. By Becky Krystal ● Read more » | | | ADVICE Make better cookies with these tips from recipes in our holiday archives. By Becky Krystal ● Read more » | | | ADVICE Other questions we answered: How do I reduce the sugar in cookie recipes? Are butter and shortening interchangeable? What are some good cookies for shipping? By Aaron Hutcherson and Becky Krystal ● Read more » | | | ADVICE What happens during cooking that allows the flavors to meld and how do I know when I've gotten there? We answered this reader question. By Aaron Hutcherson ● Read more » | | | PERSPECTIVE Cava proves that you don't have to spend a fortune on good bubbles. By Dave McIntyre ● Read more » | | | |
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