The Magic (and Mess) of Making Christmas Cookies

Do you make Christmas cookies? Is it a tradition in your family? Do you enjoy it, or does it stress you out? Do you plan ahead or wing it?

I have so many questions for others, because I really do enjoy the holidays and everything that comes with them but understand the stress.

Christmas Cookie Boxes

This year, my great idea was to give our friends and family their own personal box of Christmas cookies, made by me. This was entirely my idea and very much my version of fun. I spent time scrolling Pinterest, picking out new cookie recipes to try this year while mixing in a few of my tried and true classics.

I planned everything out to make the process as easy as possible for myself. I ordered packaging ahead of time, stocked up on all the ingredients I would need, and even went the extra mile by creating personal cards to attach to each box. I spent about two days prepping batch after batch of cookie dough to roll and freeze, then thawed everything on the day I assembled the cookie boxes.

Cookies that made my family and friends Christmas 2026 boxes

• Classic Soft Gingerbread cookie half dipped in royal icing
• Classic Chocolate Chip Cookie
• Christmas Sprinkle Sugar Cookies
• Peanut Butter Blossoms
• German Butter Cookies
• Oatmeal Lace Cookies
• Snickerdoodle Shortbread Cookies

Thoughts

I was really happy with all the cookies I chose. My thought process was to include a mix of soft cookies, some shortbreads, and a few smaller “filler” cookies to add variety and depth to each box.

My favorite cookie to make (and eat) ended up being the lace cookies. I am a true lace cookie lover, and this was my first time attempting to make them myself. They came out fantastic and honestly even better than the ones I have bought in the past.

The German butter cookies were definitely the biggest leap for me. I had never made a butter cookie before, let alone one that needed to be piped. The first batch was tough because my dough was not smooth enough for the piping bag, which led to some frustration. I also forgot the first batch in the oven and walked away. Oops.

Thankfully, the second round without the kinks was a huge success. The cookies were melt in your mouth butter perfection. The classics all came out as expected and those were the doughs that I prepped, rolled, and froze ahead of time.

The Method: Future me was very grateful for past me.

Planning. That truly was the key. Everything I did ahead of time made December, the holidays, and assembling the cookie boxes feel easy and stress-free.

Freezing the Dough. I was a little nervous about baking cookies from frozen dough, but I quickly learned that the trick is letting them thaw on the counter for about 30 minutes to an hour before baking. While most cookies baked just fine, I did notice that some held a slightly puffier shape—which ended up being the only significant difference.

This system worked really well for us. Anytime we were seeing someone close to Christmas who was getting a cookie box, I just needed a little notice so I could bake the cookies and assemble the box before we headed out. Even a day before is good to aim for. Honestly, it was triky because I wanted everyone to have fresh cookies and all the cookies have different “shelf” lives. Even a day’s notice was enough to make it work. Honestly, the tricky part was wanting everyone to have fresh cookies, especially since each type of cookie has a different “shelf life.”

Tips for Baking From Frozen Dough

Baking cookies from frozen dough is a total lifesaver, especially when you want fresh cookies over several days. Here’s what I learned:

Labels – Keep dough batches labeled with type and date frozen. It makes assembly day much smoother.

Thaw on the Counter First – Let the dough sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour before baking. This helps the cookies bake evenly.

Plan Ahead – If you’re giving cookies as gifts, aim for at least a day’s notice so you can thaw, bake, and assemble without stress.

Turns out holiday baking builds character: The Challenges

What I didn’t stop to think about was the convenience of mailing cards. How exactly was I going to make all these cookies fresh and deliver them when holiday parties are spread out throughout the entire month? Yeah… that was my roadblock.

Freezing the dough definitely helped and made the process much smoother. Instead of assembling everything in one big marathon baking day like I had imagined, I ended up putting together cookie boxes over multiple days. And honestly? That was okay. Being adaptable is a good skill, and I’m learning to welcome a little bending.

Not every cookie was a success. Some were an absolute fail. I had to remind myself that the goal isn’t perfection—and that in order to make a really good cookie or recipe, there are bound to be some missteps along the way. Between the toffee and mixing the peanut butter blossoms wrong, there were definitely moments that had me practicing my coping skills right there in the kitchen.

What I’d Do Differently Next Time

Next time, I would make more batches of cookie dough. I had a plan, but somehow more of it went with the vibe rather than the structure. The result? Four batches of chocolate chip cookies and only one batch of peanut butter blossoms. Lesson learned.

Would I do this again? Absolutely.

Even with the mess, the timing challenges, and the few cookie fails, making these Christmas cookie boxes was one of my favorite parts of the season. My spouse joked that we might be doing too much, and I understand that. But to me, the magic is in giving something personal, something that shows I stopped and thought of each person. A box of cookies they can enjoy and share feels more meaningful than just another holiday photo on the wall (which I also love and there is nothing wrong with!).

I’d love to hear from you…do you make Christmas cookies? Do you have a favorite recipe or a holiday tradition? Do you plan ahead or just go with the flow? Drop a comment or vote in the poll—I can’t wait to compare notes and hear your stories.