From spiced gingerbread to crunchy biscotti, we've got a range of sweet and savoury festive biscuits that both kids and grown-ups will love. Festive cookies are the perfect homemade gift or to have ready in a tin for impromptu visits, plus it's an opportunity to get creative in the kitchen. Bring out the fondant, icing pens and your favourite sweets, and fill yourself with festive cheer (and biscuits).

Advertisement

Get baking some of these tempting treats, then find more festive inspiration from our collections of Christmas biscuits and Christmas gift recipes.

1. Ultimate easy gingerbread

Gingerbread stars with icing decoration, on a wire rack

There's little quite as Christmassy as the alluring scent of freshly baked gingerbread. Shape this gently spiced biscuit dough into stars for a festive treat which can be given as gifts, used to decorate the tree, or devoured straight away!

Ultimate easy gingerbread

Variations on gingerbread

gingerbread-f9bb430

Baking with the kids? Fashion your gingerbread into some fun shapes, such as our classic gingerbread people and gingerbread penguins. Or warm up in the chilly weather with these beautiful knit-inspired Christmas gingerbread jumpers.

If you are feeling ambitious, you could even build a showstopping gingerbread house complete with snowy rooftop icing, colourful sweets and more. We've also got special diets covered on the biscuit front - try our easy vegan gingerbread and gluten-free gingerbread.

Check out more of our gorgeous gingerbread recipes.

2. Christmas crinkle cookies

Chocolate crinkle cookies on a tray

With a rich, fudgy centre and crunchy sugar-dusted surface, it's easy to see why chocolate crinkles are so popular. Try our extra-festive version, flavoured with zingy orange zest, mixed spice and cinnamon. Ready in just half an hour, these snowy snacks are sure to disappear in no time.

Christmas crinkle cookies

Prefer a plain version? Try our chocolate fudge crinkle biscuits or fun variations such as these chocolate fudge sprinkle-crinkle biscuits and chocolate orange fudge crinkle biscuits.

3. Chocolate florentine biscuits

florentine-biscuits-2a2ac05


We've given the classic florentine a biscuity base to make them sturdier and better for dunking into a hot drink. Packaged up and topped with a ribbon, these gorgeous biscuits make a great homemade edible Christmas gift.

Chocolate florentine biscuits

For a fruity flavour variation, try our cherry and coconut florentines.

4. Christmas cinnamon biscuits

Iced cinnamon biscuits in present and heart shape, hanging from Christmas tree

Simple yet striking, these easy cinnamon-flavoured biscuits are made with a few basic ingredients and festive spices. Cut into shapes with cutters, such as presents, trees and hearts, then decorate them with piped white chocolate and edible silver balls. They'll look the picture of perfection dangling from your Christmas tree.

Christmas cinnamon biscuits

5. Rudolph shortbread biscuits

rudolph-e87ae76


Turn easy shortbread triangles into everyone's favourite reindeer, complete with shiny red nose. Use Smarties and other sweets for the face and pipe cleaners for antlers. Then watch them disappear faster than Father Christmas's sleigh.

Rudolph shortbread biscuits

6. Manchego & chorizo melting biscuits

Box of manchego and chorizo biscuits

Looking for something savoury? These moreish manchego, paprika and chorizo biscuits have an irresistibly salty, smoky flavour which will go down perfectly as part of a cheeseboard, served with grapes. Or box them up and give as a gift to impress some adult friends. They'll keep for up to three days in an airtight container.

Manchego and chorizo melting biscuits

Discover more savoury biscuit recipes, from cheesy crackers to soft oatcakes.

7. Mint chocolate chip cookies

Cookies half covered in chocolate and peppermint

Take a break from all the festivities with these minty biscuits and a steaming cuppa. These decadent grown-up biscuits are dunked in dark chocolate and filled with dark choc chips, then finished with a sprinkling of peppermint candy cane pieces. They might be too good to share.

Mint chocolate chip cookies

8. Snowflake biscuits

Snowflake biscuits in gift box with red ribbon

Nothing captures the magic of Christmas like a glitzy snowflake. These beautiful biscuits are perfect for gifting at Christmas. Use white sprinkles, silver balls and white fondant to create a suitably glittery, snowy treat. Get the cutters out, your gift boxes wrapped and Secret Santa is sorted.

Snowflake biscuits

9. Double chocolate & orange biscotti

Chocolate orange biscotti on a board with Christmas ornaments

Crunchy biscotti are a classic Christmas treat, perfect for dunking in a cup of tea. Try our version made with cocoa powder and chocolate chips for a double dose of chocolatey goodness, rounded off with a burst of citrus and a hunt of nutmeg.

Double chocolate and orange biscotti

Treat yourself to more biscotti recipes, including versions with dried fruits, nuts and coffee.

10. Gingerbread stained glass biscuits

Gingerbread biscuits with coloured boiled sweet centres

Take your Christmas snacking to the next level with these striking 'stained glass' gingerbread biscuits. Use boiled sweets to fill your windows with a warm, tinted glow – they should melt like magic while baking to fill the biscuit dough shapes. We can attest that these taste as good as they look, so why not show off your colourful creations on the tree or share them with family and friends.

Gingerbread stained glass biscuits

Like these recipes? Check out other festive treats...

Christmas biscuit recipes
Homemade Christmas gift ideas
Christmas cookies for kids
Easy Christmas desserts
Christmas chocolate recipes
How to make Christmas cupcakes

Advertisement

What's your favourite Christmas treat? Leave a comment below...

Comments, questions and tips

Choose the type of message you'd like to post

Choose the type of message you'd like to post
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement