Want to give the BEST homemade gift this holiday season? Try making your own Christmas Cookie Box! This post will give you everything you need to plan and bake your own selection of Christmas cookies.
When it comes to finding the best Christmas cookie box ideas, the internet is overflowing with options, but not all of them are practical, well-tested, or efficient. This guide brings together everything you need for the perfect holiday cookie box: easy, delicious recipes, reliable techniques, clever packaging tips, and even creative decorating ideas. All the planning has already been done for you, so it's easier than ever to assemble a beautiful, thoughtful cookie box that actually holds up in real life.
As a business owner and mom of two (under the age of two!), I knew I had to create a cookie box that didn't take hours to make. The recipes I've selected are intentionally simple and batch-friendly, so you can bake multiple versions of the same kind of cookie, without spending your whole day in the kitchen.
Create a beautiful cookie box for your besties and loved ones this year, and fill it with the most scrumptious cookies. This guide makes the process fun, simple, and totally doable - even during the busiest time of year.
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What is a Christmas Cookie Box?
A Christmas cookie box is a festive gift box filled with homemade holiday cookies, often displayed beautifully and decorated with seasonal touches. It's a fun, thoughtful way to share treats with friends, family, neighbours, teachers, or coworkers during the Christmas season. Plus, there's always some cookies left over to enjoy yourself!
Choosing the Right Christmas Cookie Recipes
There are endless cookie recipes out there, and it can be so hard to know which cookies to choose to make the best Christmas cookie box. From size and texture, to flavor and icing, there are PLENTY of things to consider - and this guide is here to help you pick the perfect cookies.
Step 1: Add Variety
A festive cookie box should be bursting with all sorts of shapes, sizes, flavors, colors, and textures to make it special and exciting.
When choosing your Christmas cookies, think about picking a few recipes that are completely different from each other - both in taste and appearance - so the lucky receivers have a good variety to eat and admire. Perhaps you'll have some cookies that are simple in taste and texture, but can be cut into festive shapes and decorated with striking icing. Alongside these can be some classic, soft, indulgent cookies with rich flavor - I always include a few pops of chocolate in my cookie spread.
Above everything, choose cookies you know your loved ones will enjoy! But it's always nice to keep things fun, unique, and interesting.
Step 2: Choose Durable Cookies
You don't want to go to the effort of making a gorgeous cookie box, just for it to fall apart, smudge, or get soggy before gifting. Choose cookies that are sturdy, stackable, and hold up well. It's especially important to avoid soft or sticky icing - you want something that hardens nicely and keeps its pretty design.
Step 3: Double Up on Dough
When it comes to giving myself less work at Christmas time, I'm all about choosing the most efficient option! One of my favourite time-savers is using the same dough to make multiple cookies.
For example, I love making a big batch of shortbread dough and transforming it into lots of delicious variations. It can be cut into different shapes, iced or left plain, or mixed with goodies like nuts or chocolate chunks.
In this year's box, I used the same dough as my pistachio shortbread cookies to make the heart-shaped cookies and the iced Christmas tree cookies. I also repurposed my gingerbread dough to create big and mini gingerbread men, plus some adorable iced gingerbread stars.
Work smarter, not harder, this Christmas, and still fill your box with beautiful cookies.
Recipes In My Christmas Cookie Box
Below are links to all of the tasty cookie recipes I used to make up my festive cookie box. Each recipe has been well-tested to achieve the tastiest cookies that anyone can make.
Starting with a festive classic that I bake every Christmas! First, bake up some melt-in-the-mouth almond cookies, cutting a heart or star shape out of half of them. Then, sandwich the cookies together with a sweet raspberry jam that shines through the window - I like to add a dusting of icing sugar for a snowy illusion!
This pistachio shortbread is my go-to cookie recipe when I need to bake something quick and easy, yet still scrumptious. Using the cookie-log method, you simply need to bring together the buttery pistachio dough, roll it into a log shape, and slice your rounds of cookies - no cookie cutter needed. Bake to golden brown, and dip in glossy dark chocolate, with a sprinkle of chopped pistachios to finish.
You can swirl this delicious Danish butter cookie batter into any shape you like - from Christmas trees and snowflakes, to love hearts and stars. Their delicious buttery flavor makes them the perfect cookie to balance out your cookie box.
You can't build a festive cookie box without some cute little gingerbread men! This recipe is made with lots of ginger and warm spices for the coziest flavor. And better yet, each cookie is guaranteed to have a perfect snap when you bite into it, and still melt in your mouth. I like to double-up on this recipe, and make half gingerbread men, and half iced gingerbread stars.
These are a cookie staple that I always include in my cookie boxes - no matter the time of year. They are delicate, rolled-oat cookies with golden, caramelized edges and a crispy crunch. Oatmeal lace cookies are so easy to make, taking less than 30 minutes (including bake time) - they'll be ready to go with your cup of tea in no time!
These authentic Scottish shortbread cookies are so versatile! I used them to make several different shapes for the box. You can make some plain and have some iced, or even dip them in chocolate! Also, you can double up the dough and add some mix-ins to make chocolate chip shortbread or pistachio shortbread.
Watch these chocolate cookie-dough snowballs spread into the tastiest crinkle cookies as they bake! They are super soft and indulgent, making them the perfect cookie box filler for any chocolate-lovers you might know. In this recipe, I use cocoa powder and chocolate chips to make my cookies extra chocolatey.
These melt-in-the-mouth sugar cookies make the perfect base for your festive cookie designs. They can be made into any shape with your choice of cookie cutters, and have the perfect flat surface to be decorated on. Think Christmas trees, snowmen, reindeer, and all your festive favs!
You have to include the most classic cookie of all in your Christmas box - the chocolate chip cookie. I tested 36 iterations of this recipe until it was absolutely perfect, and I haven't stopped making it since! These cookies are the best combination of crispy on the outside and soft and gooey on the inside, loaded with melty chocolate chips.
Planning Quantities
One of the most overwhelming parts of making cooking boxes is figuring out how many of each cookie to make. There are multiple things to take into consideration, including:
- How many boxes you want to make in total
- How many cookies should be in each box
- The size and shape of the cookies
- How many batches of each recipe you need to make
You can get tools to help you plan this out in my FREE Christmas Cookie Box Planner.
Arranging Your Cookie Box
The way a cookie box is arranged can make a huge difference in its overall appearance, and there are a few easy tricks you can use to make it look irresistibly gift-ready.
Here are my top tips for displaying your Christmas cookies:
- Big at the bottom - To create a sturdy base layer that you can build upon, it's best to place your largest cookies down first and space them out over the bottom of the cookie box.
- Break up colors and sizes - Add some contrast and dimension to your holiday cookie box by breaking up alike pieces. Try your best to keep cookies with similar colors and sizes seperate.
- Fill the gaps - Use your smaller cookies to fill in the space between the larger ones! I love a cookie box that looks full to the brim - even if there are some gaps underneath, the small cookies will create the illusion of a jam-packed box.
- No wiggle room - Pack the cookies nice and tight so they don't move around in transit or while the box is being passed around. You want it to look the exact same when your loved one opens it as it did when you first arranged it.
- Protect - Keep delicate or oily cookies protected with cupcake liners!
The Best Way to Package Holiday Cookie Boxes
Presentation is just as important as taste when it comes to holiday cookies. You can get really creative with the packaging in whatever way you like - think bold colors, festive bows, and glitzy wrapping paper. I like to package mine in a way that's both pretty and practical, with these handy techniques:
- Sturdy box - A thick, rigid paper box will keep your cookies protected and fresh, preventing them from getting damaged on the move. Classic cake boxes work well, but corrugated boxes are the most sturdy - the ones with layers of waved, fluted cardboard in between the sides.
- Cookie window - Show off your delicious cookies through a clear window so they're always on display! You can buy Kraft window boxes online, from a local supply store, or make your own out of recycled plastic.
- Line with parchment - Use one or two big sheets of baking paper to line the bottom of your cookie box. This will not only prevent any grease or moisture from seeping onto the box, but also create some texture and depth to your display.
- Festive decor - My favorite part of making a Christmas cookie box is always the decorating! Adding a few festive touches can make your box look really special. You can get loads of design inspiration on Pinterest - these are some of my ideas:
- Ribbon - A Christmassy ribbon instantly spruces up a cookie box and can be styled in lots of creative ways. You can wrap it around the box, crossing in the middle or off to the side, and tie a pretty bow. Using two ribbons of different thicknesses or colors/patterns can create a beautiful double bow. Beyond tying up the box, you can also cut shorter pieces of ribbon, tie them into tiny bows, and stick them around the box for an elegant finish.
- Patterns - A simple yet effective way to decorate your cookie box is to add a pattern to the outside. Grab a white marker pen and doodle some snowflakes, stars, snowdrops, and Christmas trees. It is so easy to do and looks gorgeous against the brown paper background!
- Stickers - Brighten up your cookie box with stickers! Source some cute festive ones from a local craft shop, or go the extra mile by making them personalized. You can design your own with blank stickers, or design them online. It's always nice to include the receiver's name and a thoughtful message.
- Festive add-ins - Small additions like a sprig of holly, a twig of Christmas berries, or a candy cane tucked into the ribbon bring a subtle festive detail to finish off the box.
- Ribbon - A Christmassy ribbon instantly spruces up a cookie box and can be styled in lots of creative ways. You can wrap it around the box, crossing in the middle or off to the side, and tie a pretty bow. Using two ribbons of different thicknesses or colors/patterns can create a beautiful double bow. Beyond tying up the box, you can also cut shorter pieces of ribbon, tie them into tiny bows, and stick them around the box for an elegant finish.
My Favorite Filler Treats
Do you need a few extra treats to fill your cookie box that aren't cookies? Here are some of my favorite Christmas snacks - small, delicious, and perfectly suited for adding to your festive cookie box.
Tools You'll Need
This is a list of all the equipment required to make the perfect Christmas cookie box:
- Cookie cutters
- Cookie stamps
- Cookie scoops
- Rolling pin
- Cookie sheets
- Parchment paper
- Cookie lifter
- Cooling racks
- Cookie boxes
- Ribbon and decorations
More Christmas Cookies
Looking for some more cozy cookies to bake this Christmas? Try these:
FAQs
Anything made with shortbread dough will keep well as it doesn't contain any egg. My traditional shortbread, shortbread cookies, chocolate chip shortbread, pistachio shortbread cookies, and sugar cookies are all egg-free.
I would recommend making a cookie box no more than 1-2 days in advance. You want the receiver to enjoy the cookies at their freshest and have them to eat over a few days. Most of the cookies in this blog post stay fresh for up to 5-7 days, especially the shortbread base cookies.
Hopefully you'll have a few cookies left over to enjoy yourself! To keep them fresh, store any leftover cookies at room temperature in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
It all depends on the size of your box. For a large cookie box, I would recommend using 8-12 styles of cookies (the dough can be doubled up for less work), and including 3-5 cookies per style, depending on how big or small they are. In total, that would be around 40-50 cookies per box.
Making a Christmas cookie box is a fun way to share delicious treats with loved ones. With these simple recipes and festive tips, you're all set to create something beautiful and delicious. Which cookie will you be baking first? Let me know in the comments - I'd love to hear!
Linda Smart
My granddaughter especially loved the Christmas trees, the gingerbread man and the stars, this would be a beautiful Christmas gift for anyone. Thank you juliane.