13 Fun, Festive Christmas Cookie Decorating Ideas

Soft Christmas Cookies in gingerbread man, candy cane, and tree shapes on a white plate
Photo: MDarling

With the right tools, you can bake and decorate Christmas cookies that would stop Santa in his tracks. Here's how our talented home cooks have used pretzels, sprinkles, sugar pearls, and frosting to churn out these 13 creative confections.

01 of 13

Reindeer Games

Reindeer Cookies
Photo by Ashleyschof.

"These reindeer cookies are really adorable! Children enjoy making and eating them. Add a red M&M and make the Rudolph." — JMEVNO

02 of 13

Warm Wishes

marshmallow snowman cookies melting
The Gruntled Gourmand

Don't worry if the faces of these Melted Snowman Cookies turn out a little messy. They're melting, after all!

03 of 13

Let It Snow

round sugar cookies with winter scenes: a night sky with snow falling and pine trees covered in snow
Brielle Brauner

Allrecipes user Brielle Brauner gave basic cookies the look of a snowglobe with just white, black, and blue frosting.

04 of 13

Layer Up

Sugar Cookie Icing
Sugar Cookie Icing | Photo by Marianne.

The layered look works for cookies, like these stacked snowflakes.

05 of 13

Home for the Holidays

Classic Gingerbread Cutouts
Classic Gingerbread Cutouts | Photo by Celia.

"This made a beautiful gingerbread house! I used the template on this website and did the recipe exactly as it says to here. It made a gingerbread house and quite a few large gingerbread people." — wilco

06 of 13

Star Struck

Shortbread Cookies
Shortbread Cookies | Photo by Grumpy's Honeybunch.

Coating just half of these star-shaped shortbread cookies with frosting gives them an (unexpectedly) elegant look.

07 of 13

A Merry Little Christmas

Sugar Cookie Icing
Sugar Cookie Icing | Photo by Rachel.

The little details are what make a cookie extra special, like the sprinkle-sized gingerbread men on this tree. What would you place inside this edible snow globe?

08 of 13

Oh Deer

Gingerbread Men
Gingerbread Men | Photo by footballgrl16.

Turn a gingerbread man upside down to transform him into a reindeer with a little help from some frosting and candy. We love the tangled Christmas lights in this reindeer's antlers.

09 of 13

Frosted the Snowman

The Best Rolled Sugar Cookies
The Best Rolled Sugar Cookies | Photo by augustmoon.

You'd be amazed how much fun you can have with circle cookie cutters.

10 of 13

Happy Howlidays

The Best Rolled Sugar Cookies
The Best Rolled Sugar Cookies | Photo by angela.

If you're recreating your family as cookies, don't leave out the dog!

11 of 13

Bundle Up

The Best Rolled Sugar Cookies
The Best Rolled Sugar Cookies | Photo by SHORECOOK.

As we've long known, it's the accessories that make the outfit. From a hat and scarf on a snowman to mittens adorned with sprinkles, cold-weather gear gives Christmas cookies an even cozier appeal.

12 of 13

Special Snowflakes

snowflake-shaped cookies decorated with pale blue and white icing
The Best Rolled Sugar Cookies by Dianne. Dianne

With sugar pearls and a touch of white sprinkles, these snowflake-shaped cookies look extra enchanting.

13 of 13

Don't Sweat It

sugar cookies shaped like Christmas sweaters, snowmen, candy canes, and snowflakes
Stephanie Maloney

We're smitten with all of home cook Stephanie Maloney's sugar cookies, especially the sweaters! If you've ever DIY-ed your own tacky Christmas sweater, why not get just as crafty in the kitchen?

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