Melissa’s Grandma’s Ginger Lace Cookies

Molasses, cinnamon and ground ginger season these soft, delicious cookies. Sprinkle sugar on top for a little holiday sparkle.

Gramma’s date squares

“This is my grandmother’s recipe that my whole family loves. If you want, you can use almond extract instead of lemon,” says community member Michelle Young about these date-filled bars with chewy oatmeal crusts.

My Grandma’s Fruitcake Cookies

Reviewers report that these fruitcake cookies—filled with chopped mixed nuts, raisins, dates, candied pineapple, and candied cherries—taste just like their own grandmothers’ recipes.

Grandma Kiener’s hazelnut Christmas cookies

“This was one of the two Christmas cookie recipes my German grandmother made every year until her death at age 92. While they may not be as fancy as other Christmas cookie recipes, they are easy to make and taste very nutty,” says KitchenGeisha about Icebox Cookies.

Grandma’s Drop Sugar Cookies

“My family’s favorite Christmas cookie. Buttery and crispy. The light coconut flavor makes this cookie the best,” says recipe creator NCHIANCONE. This easy recipe only takes 20 minutes to prepare.

Grandma Minecci’s snowball cookies

Dusted with powdered sugar and shaped like snowballs, these cookies would be perfect for a cold Christmas.

Old German honey cookies

Allrecipes community member Darlene writes: “I got this recipe from my grandmother, who got it from her grandmother. She had to translate it and then get the measurements. The original recipe called for “enough flour to make a dough.” Luckily, Grandma knew what kind of dough.

Grandma’s gingerbread cookies

“This recipe for melt-in-the-mouth ginger biscuits, which I received from my grandmother, has been very popular in my family since 1899,” says recipe author Marie Ayers.

Grandma Ruth’s Easy Snickerdoodle Cookies

With over 400 5-star reviews, this popular snickerdoodle recipe is great for large gatherings, especially considering that one batch makes 36 cookies.

Russian tea cakes

“Bubba brought it with her when she came from Lithuania. I pass it on in the true spirit of this season,” says recipe creator THEAUNT708, adding that five generations of her family now bake these cookies during the Christmas season.

Grandma’s old-fashioned tea cakes

Bake these tea cakes a day or two before Christmas to enjoy with your Christmas coffee.

Grandma’s filled cookies

“My grandma always made these for Christmas. They are the easiest and tastiest cookies there are. Be warned, they are addictive,” says Kim Borris. Fill them with the fruit jam of your choice.

Grandma’s cookies filled with strawberry jam

Strawberry preserves make an ideal cookie filling, especially when the berries are not in season. Recipe developer Julie Holden calls these soft, spiced cookies a Christmas favorite.

Grandma Mabel’s best bar cookies

Oatmeal, chocolate chips, and a jar of caramel topping create a gooey, buttery bar. “I made at least 50 servings! “They are so wonderful,” writes one reviewer.

Best snowball cookies

This recipe from home cook Lori Dehn’s grandmother features finely crushed peppermint candy canes for a festive twist on classic Russian tea cakes.

Grandma’s lace cookies

These thin, crunchy cookies are perfect with a glass of milk and a Christmas movie.

My grandma’s lace cookies

“These are delicate, top-quality cookies with an incredible taste! A Christmas tradition in our family since I was a little girl,” says Bluetiger, adding, “These cookies spread out into a very thin, almost transparent wafer. Super easy to make, but be careful as they can quickly burn on your baking tray or cool down too much – and then you’ll end up splitting the cookies off your baking tray!”

Gramas Cornflake Peanut Butter Cookies

These five-ingredient cookies taste like peanut butter fudge, but have a nice crunch from corn flakes.

Gram Opals Sugar Cookies

“My grandma Opal June Carlson, “Gram C,” baked these cookies every time my dad and I came to visit her cottage on Lake Okoboji. However, I picked off the pecan halves that my seven-year-old self made. I still don’t appreciate it, these simply delicious cookies were amazing and will live in my heart forever with my Grandma C!” -Cucina di papa

Grandma’s shortbread cookies

“Light butter cookies! Cut them into Christmas shapes and decorate with colored sugar and maraschino cherries.” -Lori G

Grandma Minnie’s Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies

If you’re looking for the perfect cookie dough to cut out, here it is. Just be sure to mix in the egg, cream, and vanilla by hand as directed in the recipe. If you use an electric mixer for this step, you’ll end up with an incredibly soft, sticky dough because of the overworking.

Grandma’s classic no-bake cookies

This delicious no-bake treat is based on staples like cocoa powder, peanut butter, and oatmeal. There’s a good chance you already have everything you need to make it on hand. When storing, be sure to place wax paper between the layers of cookies to prevent sticking.

Nana’s Spicy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

In addition to two types of chocolate, these warming pumpkin cookies contain a spicy secret ingredient: cayenne pepper. If you’re not quite sold on the heat, just try a pinch of cayenne pepper in the cinnamon-sugar coating for your first serving.

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