A Definitive Ranking of Christmas Cookies

It’s that time of year again: the time when you have an excuse to stay in the kitchen all day, ignoring all your other responsibilities and simply whipping up batch after batch of Christmas cookies. Maybe you’re the kind of person who makes extras for friends and neighbors, or perhaps you have the type of family who eats all the sweet treats before the big day even arises.

Whatever category you fall into, making Christmas cookies may just be the best part of the holiday. But not all Christmas cookies are created equally. I’ve done the hard work of baking—and taste-testing, of course—a wide range of Christmas cookies throughout my life, so I think I’m qualified to rank them, starting with the worst and ending with the best. Feel free to disagree with me; honestly, you can never go wrong with any cookie that’s been baked with love.

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10. Gingerbread Cookies

I don’t believe that anyone actually likes gingerbread cookies. The flavor is bland at best, and even if the ginger flavor itself is pronounced (it usually isn’t), it usually just tastes like cardboard. The main appeal of gingerbread cookies is their ability to be decorated and the sense of nostalgia they invoke. Because they’re sturdy, they’re ideal for gingerbread houses, but they’re not ideal for actual consumption.

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9. Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles are a marked step up from gingerbread cookies, but they’re still overwhelmingly boring. The only real flavor comes from cinnamon, which results in a relatively flavorless cookie. These are ideal for dipping into coffee or hot cocoa, but they’re really not worth the hassle to make when you have so many other recipes to choose from.

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8. Classic Shortbread Cookies

Shortbread, too, falls in the category of bland cookies, but I actually really love the buttery flavor and texture that’s somehow creamy and crumbly at the same time. They’re not amazing on their own, but it’s nice to include them on a cookie tray to give everyone a break from the more intensely flavored options.

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7. Spritz Cookies

Spritz cookies are basically synonymous with the holidays, and their pretty shape means that they look great when included in any Christmas cookie spread. Are they the most delicious cookies you’ll ever taste? No. But they feel kind of essential anyway.

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6. Thumbprint Cookies

Thumbprint cookies are made in a variety of ways, sometimes filled with jam, sometimes peanut butter and sometimes something else entirely. Personally, I’m partial to the ones filled with Hershey’s kisses, as they melt into the cookie and give it an extra boost of creaminess. The rest of the cookie may not be anything special, but that extra bit of flavor makes the effort of baking these worth it.

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5. Anise Pizzelle

Thin, crispy, elegant and lacy, anise pizzelle cookies hail from the Abruzzo region of Italy. Truthfully, I’m not a talented enough baker to make these at home, but I’ll always buy a box to enjoy with my coffee on Christmas morning. Since they feel and taste so much lighter than other Christmas cookies, they feel like a nice break from the heavier, sprinkle-decorated varieties.

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4. Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Chocolate peppermint cookies come in all shapes and sizes, but regardless of the format, the pairing of chocolate and peppermint is always going to be a good one. This is definitely one of the more flavorful varieties in this ranking, and we’re grateful for a holiday food that’s not beige and doesn’t get all its flavor from butter and vanilla extract.

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3. Linzer Cookies

Linzer cookies are wonderfully nutty, subtle in flavor but still interesting enough to make you want to take a second bite. They’re filled with jam, which also gives them a pop of color. They’re not the easiest cookies to make, but if you can pull them off, they’re sure to make your Christmas cookie spread more appealing.

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2. Biscotti

Biscotti are mandatory on Christmas morning. My favorites are dipped in chocolate and crushed pistachios, but really, biscotti in any form will do. Although they’re delicious on their own, they’re at their best when dipped into milky coffee until they get soft.

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1. Classic Sugar Cookies

This may be controversial, but I truly believe that classic sugar cookies are the pinnacle of Christmas cookies. Their light, inoffensive flavor makes them appealing to just about everyone, and they’re perfect for decorating (which is basically the whole point of making Christmas cookies, anyway). Plus, they’re easy to make, so even if you’re not an amazing baker, you should be able to pull them off.

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Samantha Maxwell is a food writer and editor based in Boston. Follow her on Twitter at @samseating.