Holiday Cookie Boxes
One of my favorite holiday-season traditions is creating cookie boxes. I pull together some of my favorite cookie recipes and gift the boxes to friends and family. When I was a kid, my dad used to bring home a huge box of cookies from his office every holiday season. We looked forward to the box so much, and each of us had a favorite cookie. A few were unique, and others were classic Christmas cookies. My holiday cookie boxes started a few years ago when I was away from my family for the holidays.
Now I look forward to this time each year when I am done shipping for The Print Shop and I have a week at home before traveling. The cookie boxes are for people in our community, like the UPS, USPS, and FedEx drivers. In addition to the cookies, I include a handwritten note and a tip. For friends and family, just a little note to let them know I’m thinking of them and spread some holiday cheer. We have really great neighbors, some of whom have kids. It is especially nice to fill their box with holiday cookies for the little ones.
Wearing this red Alex Mill sweater.
Below are some of my favorite holiday cookie recipes; blog readers often request them, so I thought it would be helpful to have them all in one place. Use this post to inspire your own holiday boxes with homemade cookies. It is a fun way to celebrate the holiday season.
Holiday Cookie Boxes
Tips for Cookie Baking
Pull out all the ingredients you will use for all your cookies into one spot. I love these glass bowls for pre-measuring my dry ingredients and preparing ahead of time. Using a scale and converting to grams vs cups is super helpful and more accurate.
Leave the butter and eggs out on the counter as you start preparing all your ingredients so they can reach room temperature.
You can bake your cookies ahead of time and freeze them in an airtight container before you are ready to assemble and ship.
Key Baking Tools and Ingredients For Cookies
My Kitchenaid stand mixer is over seven years old and has held up exceptionally well. I love it, and the accessories are easy to hand-wash or throw in the dishwasher. Just wipe down the base before putting it away at the end of your baking.
Rolling pin and cookie cutters in a variety of shapes. I like to pick up a new cookie cutter each year with different shapes or a theme, and parchment paper. Silpat mats are so helpful for baking cookies. I love this scooper for measuring dough evenly for each cookie.
Decorating sugars and sprinkles in fun, festive colors. I typically grab these at Target at the start of the season, along with my holiday tins. Chocolate and white chocolate are always baking staples for me.
Auntie Cookies: Vanilla Sablé
Auntie cookies are based off a vanilla sablé recipe from Dorie Greenspan. In the original recipe she uses sanding sugar to coat the exterior, I started doing sprinkles and colored sugar for my niece and nephew and never looked back. Depending on the time of the year and season, I will pick different sprinkles. Roll the log dough in sugar before you pop it in the fridge. I use parchment paper around the dough and twist the ends to seal it shut. You can put a paper towel cardboard roll around the dough to keep it from turning flat on one edge. Your dough will be nice and rounded when it chills.
This gets messy and sugar flies a bit. Just be prepared!
Madeleines: Holiday Cookie Recipes
The Madeliene recipe I use is easy and delicious! I play around with flavors and use the batter as my base. Try vanilla bean paste, lemon zest, orange zest, chocolate chips, or fruit like blueberries or raspberries. They all have their own unique flavor and are sure to be a hit. For the holidays, you can dip them in chocolate and add sprinkles if you want to get fancy.
Biscotti Recipe: The Most Requested Cookie in My Family
I found this recipe in the NYT and have been making these for years. My dad requests a shipment every couple of weeks and savors every bite with his morning coffee. I add dark chocolate chips and use vanilla bean paste. They hold up over time if they last that long. These are usually quick to go!
Holiday Cookies: From Hôtel Crillon in Paris
My husband and I love these cookies! I initially found the recipe on Instagram during the pandemic and decided to give it a try back in 2021. These have been a holiday cookie staple ever since.
Cream the butter and sugar together.
Add the milk, then the egg.
Sift all the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients while mixing.
Wrap the dough and refrigerate.
Divide the dough in half. Keep half in the fridge to keep cool. Dust the counter with flour and roll out with a rolling pin. Don’t roll it too thin, as this makes it hard to lift up after the dough is cut with the cookie cutters.
World Peace Cookies: For the Chocolate Lover
This recipe from Dorie Greenspan for World Peace Cookies was introduced to me by my aunt. I love making these for my family and they are always a hit. When you make them in your own kitchen, measure the dry ingredients. Depending on the time of the year and humidity, the dough might be more dry and crumbly. It will all come together eventually. You will mold the dough into a log and slice once chilled. Keep them in the fridge or freezer for a few days if you want to prep these ahead of time.
Final Tips for Your Cookie Boxes
These make the perfect gifts and don’t break the bank, helping you stay on budget this holiday season.
To add a little variety, I love adding peppermint bark to my cookie tin. My sister and I love this tradition and look forward to it every year.
Put on your favorite Christmas movies or music and dance around the kitchen. Make a mess and eat way too many broken cookies.
When putting together your Christmas cookie boxes, add tissue paper for extra padding. I like to wrap the different kinds of cookies separately so the flavors don’t mix in the box. This is a fun holiday tradition, and I hope you will enjoy it. Happy Baking!
*This post includes affiliate links. I make a small commisison from items purchased from my links. Merci!
Bonjour, I’m Rebecca!
I’m a photographer, blogger, croissant-lover, and world traveler. I hope that Everyday Parisian inspires you by bringing a bit of France into your daily life and helps you plan the best trip to Paris with personalized recommendations for places to stay, explore, and eat.
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This might be my favorite post from you! Great cookies. I make hundreds every year and rarely deviate from my standard recipes. I might have to try the cut out cookies though!
Thank you!
I loved reading about your holiday cookie tradition. My sister and I always spent a day together making holiday cookies and candy. My sister passed away last year…..but reading your message flooded me with so many happy memories. Thank you!! All the best to you and your family this holiday season!