26 Old Fashioned Christmas Cookie Recipes

There's just something magical about a plate of Christmas cookies. Growing up in the 1970s, I remember walking into church socials or holiday parties and seeing tables lined with tins of cookies that every grandma swore were "the best." From spiced gingerbread to jam thumbprints and powdered sugar snowballs, these cookies weren't just sweet treats - they were traditions passed down through generations.

If you're looking for old fashioned Christmas cookie recipes that bring back the charm of grandma's kitchen, I've rounded up 26 nostalgic favorites. These are the cookies that graced holiday tins, bake sales, and potluck trays from the 1950s through the 70s - many of which still hold a special spot in our hearts (and bellies!) today.

1

Classic Gingerbread Cookies

Spiced cookies flavored with ginger, cinnamon, and molasses, cut into festive little people. These became especially popular in the 1950s when holiday cookie cutters were found in every kitchen drawer.

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2

Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe (With Icing!)

Buttery cookies cut into stars, bells, and trees, decorated with bright icing. A baking tradition since the early 1900s, they were especially beloved in the 1950s-70s when decorating became a family holiday ritual.

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3

Easy Spritz Cookies

Easy spritz cookies made with butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and almond, pressed into holiday shapes and baked in 6 to 8 minutes.

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4

Easy Christmas Butter Cookies with Royal Icing

Easy Christmas butter cookies made with 6 pantry ingredients, cut into trees and presents and decorated with royal icing.

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5

Retro Betty Crocker Candy Cane Cookies

Peppermint sugar cookie dough twisted into red and white candy cane shapes. These whimsical cookies became popular in the 1960s-70s, often made as a fun project with kids.

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6

Stained Glass Window Cookies

Sugar cookies cut with centers filled with crushed hard candy that melts into "glass." A 1960s-70s holiday party favorite, they added a colorful sparkle to cookie trays.

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7

Snowball Cookies (Mexican Wedding Cookies)

Nutty shortbread rolled in powdered sugar until they look like snowballs. These became a holiday staple in the 1950s-70s, showing up at nearly every cookie exchange.

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8

Old Fashioned Soft Molasses Cookies

Chewy cookies spiced with ginger and cloves, rolled in sugar before baking. A Depression-era recipe that lingered in grandma's holiday collection for its simplicity and deep flavor.

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9

Pinwheel Cookies

Vanilla and chocolate doughs rolled into spirals. A 1940s-60s holiday cookie tray favorite, these looked impressive but were easy to make ahead.

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10

Lebkuchen | German Christmas Cookies

German spice cookies made with honey, nuts, and warm spices. Immigrant families brought these recipes to America, keeping them alive in 1950s-70s Christmas baking traditions.

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11

German Pfeffernüsse Cookies

German spice cookies dusted with powdered sugar. These old-world cookies became holiday favorites in immigrant households and appeared on many festive tables in the 1950s.

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12

Classic Hermit Cookies

Chewy spiced cookies studded with raisins and nuts. A New England favorite, they found their way into mid-century holiday tins for their long shelf life.

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13

Easy Peanut Butter Blossoms

Classic peanut butter blossoms from the original 1957 recipe, made with butter, rolled in sugar and topped with a chocolate kiss.

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14

Jam Thumbprints

Buttery shortbread cookies filled with jam centers. Inspired by Scandinavian baking, these spread widely across American kitchens in the 1950s-60s.

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15

Old Fashioned Fruitcake Cookies

Loaded with candied fruit and nuts, these taste like mini fruitcakes. A 1960s Christmas staple when fruitcake itself was nearly unavoidable.

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16

Easy Anise Cookies

Light, slightly licorice-flavored cookies often glazed with icing. Italian and German-American families made these every holiday season, passing the recipe from one generation to the next.

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17

Date Pinwheel Cookies

Spirals of vanilla dough filled with sweet date paste. These were common in 1940s-60s kitchens, especially when dried fruits were a pantry staple.

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18

Easy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Easy chocolate crinkle cookies with fudgy, brownie-like centers, rolled in powdered sugar for crackly tops. Makes 50.

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19

Old World Italian Biscotti

Crunchy Italian cookies, often almond- or anise-flavored, perfect for dipping in coffee. By the 1960s-70s, biscotti had become a holiday favorite in many Italian-American homes.

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20

Chocolate-Dipped Ritz Cookies

Ritz crackers filled with peanut butter and dipped in chocolate. A thrifty but beloved 1960s-70s Christmas cookie that was found in countless grandma kitchens.

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21

Magnificent Coconut Macaroons

Chewy coconut cookies, sometimes dipped in chocolate. Popular at church bake sales and on holiday trays in the 1950s-70s.

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22

Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies

Buttery shortbread made with brown sugar for a richer flavor. A Scottish-inspired recipe that showed up in mid-century American kitchens for Christmas.

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23

Cornflake Wreath Cookies

Marshmallow-coated cornflakes tinted green and shaped into wreaths, topped with red candy "berries." A playful recipe born from 1960s-70s women's magazines.

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24

Almond Crescent Cookies

Buttery cookies with almonds, shaped into crescents and rolled in powdered sugar. A European classic that became a community cookbook favorite in the 1950s-70s.

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25

Grandma's Old Fashioned Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Chewy cookies made with oats, raisins, and cinnamon. A year-round staple that often landed on holiday trays during the 1940s-60s.

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26

Chocolate Chip Cookies (Holiday Style)

Classic Toll House cookies decorated with red and green candies or sprinkles. By the 1960s, these had become a festive twist on America's favorite cookie.

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Wrap-Up: Old Fashioned Cookies Never Go Out of Style

Christmas just wouldn't feel the same without these classic cookies. From the snowy powdered sugar of snowballs to the spiced warmth of gingerbread men, these recipes remind us of cozy kitchens, family gatherings, and plates of cookies set out for Santa. They may be vintage, but they'll never go out of style.

Looking for more holiday baking? Try my 25 easy gingerbread recipes, from soft cutout cookies to gingerbread loaf.

FAQs About Old Fashioned Christmas Cookies

What is the most traditional Christmas cookie?

Gingerbread men and sugar cookies with icing are two of the most classic cookies found on Christmas trays for decades.

Why were cookies such a big part of Christmas in the 1950s-70s?

Holiday baking was tied to family traditions, church socials, and gift-giving. Cookies were easy to share, pack into tins, and bake with kids.

What's the best cookie for gifting?

Snowball cookies, almond crescents, and biscotti hold up well in tins and ship easily, making them great for sharing.

Did grandmas really bake all these from scratch?

Yes! While boxed mixes were available, many grandmas stuck to scratch recipes handed down through family cookbooks.