From Better Homes and Gardens

These festively colored and shaped cookies are a must at your next cookie exchange or holiday table.

Poinsettias

From Betty Crocker

These cookies will be the highlight of your holiday cookie tray or the perfect gift for the Santa collector on your list!

Jolly Santa Cookies

From Better Homes and Gardens

Move over gingerbread boys--make room for sugar and spice and all things nice. Chai tea, pumpkin pie spice, and molasses flavor this all-time favorite Christmas cutout cookie recipe.

Chai Spice Girls

From Better Homes and Gardens

As pretty as sand sculptures, these jars of cookie mix store now for baking later. To give as Christmas gifts, include labels with the recipe and the mixing and baking instructions.

Trail Mix Bars

From Better Homes and Gardens

These patchwork cookies warm hearts as surely as real mittens warm fingers.

Patchwork Mitten Cookies

From Better Homes and Gardens

Unabashedly sweet, create these wintertime cookie reciipe with your kids for an afternoon of fun.

Marshmallow Snowmen

From Better Homes and Gardens

Your kids will enjoy getting into the Christmas spirit by stamping designs onto these shaped cookies. The recipe may be made ahead and frozen.

Brown Sugar Shortbreads

From Better Homes and Gardens

Look familiar? These classic cookies have made appearances at Christmas parties for decades.

Pecan Balls

From Better Homes and Gardens

Made from a sweet yeast dough, these chewy ring-shape cookies add joy to Christmas celebrations. Flavors of orange and lemon add tang.

Bussolai

From Better Homes and Gardens

The cookies in this holiday wreath are frosted with royal icing and then brushed with edible luster dust, available at most crafts and cake supply stores.

Cookie Wreath

From Better Homes and Gardens

Pressing the edges of the cookies with the tines of a fork serves two purposes: you create a tight seal to hold the raisin-nut filling and you give the cookies an appealing old-fashioned look.

Raisin-Nut Filled Cookies

From Better Homes and Gardens

Shape tinted dough into petals and leaves to make these lovely cookies look like poinsettias. In spring, shape the dough into the shapes of spring flowers.

Christmas Flower Cookies

From Better Homes and Gardens

This quick cookie recipe, featuring chocolate-covered raisins and a hint of pumpkin pie spice, can be finished in 20 minutes. Perfect for Christmas gift giving.

Chocolate Raisin and Oatmeal Cookie Mix

From Better Homes and Gardens

Mascarpone, the super-rich Italian cream cheese, makes these preserve-filled cookies tender and flaky. Trim the cookie tops with Christmas sprinkles.

Mascarpone Creams

From Better Homes and Gardens

When sprinkled with colorful decorative candies, these Italian-style cookies become a festive addition to a Christmas cookie tray.

Almond Sweets

From Better Homes and Gardens

Dainty, colorful cookies make a light finish to a Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday feast.

Swirled Mint Cookies

From Better Homes and Gardens

This Christmas drop cookie recipe will quickly become a family favorite when they sample the yummy pecan topping and orange glaze.

Santa's Spicy Gingersnappers

From Better Homes and Gardens

For a delectable Christmas treat, spread the hazelnut-chocolate frosting between two baked cookies. Everyone will love the mix of cream cheese, hazelnuts and sugar in the recipe.

Hazelnut Cookie Sandwiches

From Better Homes and Gardens

Meringue-like macaroons are sometimes called kisses. They were popular around the turn of the century and they're still a favorite Christmas cookie.

Nut Macaroons

From Better Homes and Gardens

Red currant jelly graces the center of these traditional Christmas cookies. This recipe using thumbprints is kid friendly.

Red Currant-Poppyseed Thumbprints

From Better Homes and Gardens

If you love pistachio, try this versatile Christmas cookie recipe to create tree cutouts and sandwich cookies. Seasonal green food coloring is added to the dough for a marbled look.

Pistachio Cookie Trees

From Midwest Living

Twist three different colored ropes of dough to form these cookies. Flavored with a touch of peppermint or cinnamon, they fit right in with any holiday menu.

Candy Cane Cookies

From Better Homes and Gardens

Kids love to help frost and decorate these buttery cookies. They're fun to prepare and perfect to serve. Try them at your next holiday party.

Christmas Tree Butter Cookies

From Better Homes and Gardens

The secret shortcut ingredients for these quick holiday cookies are the packaged dough and filling.

Mince Pastry Twists

From Ladies' Home Journal

Green-tinted dough is piped into tree shapes and then baked to make these holiday cookies. A light glaze and white sugar crystals add a little "snow" on top.

Cream Cheese and Orange Essence Christmas Trees