21 amazing Christmas cookies that aren’t cut-outs. Holiday baking options that are easy to make with no rolling and cutting required!
Cut-out cookies are a holiday classic: stunning, festive, and fun to decorate. But they can take a lot of time and patience. If you prefer faster, lower-fuss baking during the busy season, there are plenty of delicious alternatives that don’t require rolling or cutting.
Each year we still bake one small batch of decorated sugar cookies so the kids can enjoy decorating, but after that I favor recipes that are quick to prep and simple to finish—cookies you can drop by spoonfuls, roll into balls, or press into a muffin tin.
Below you’ll find 21 festive cookie ideas that aren’t cut-outs—each one is approachable, holiday-ready, and great for baking with family or for gifting. These include thumbprints, drop cookies, slice-and-bake varieties, biscotti, macaroons, and more. They offer big flavor without the time-consuming shaping and decorating that cut-outs demand.
21 Christmas Cookies That Aren’t Cut-outs
Whipped Shortbread
Light, sweet whipped shortbread cookies finished with a cherry—simple, tender, and perfect for a holiday platter.
Swig Sugar Cookies
Lacey Cookies
Homemade Thin Mints
Crisp mint-chocolate cookies that you can slice-and-bake—an easy copycat treat with big holiday flavor.
Chocolate Swig Sugar Cookies
Soft chocolate sugar cookies that stay tender and deliver exceptional homemade flavor with minimal fuss.
Almond Snowball Cookies
Buttery almond snowballs rolled in powdered sugar—classic, quick, and ideal for a festive tray.
Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Lemon Sugar Cookie Cups
Soft and Chewy Ginger Cookies
Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies
Soft, minty chocolate chip cookies that are quick to prepare and always popular during the holidays.
Lemon Sugar Cookies
Super soft lemon sugar cookies topped with light lemon frosting—bright, easy, and crowd-pleasing.
Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie
A fun oversized cookie—great for gifting or slicing into wedges to share.
Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti
Crisp biscotti studded with dried cranberries and pistachios—perfect for dunking with coffee or tea.
Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies
Chewy, hearty cookies that combine oats, peanut butter, and chocolate chips—easy and satisfying.
Chocolate Coconut Macaroons
Almond Joy Thumbprint Cookies
Chocolate cookies coated in coconut with an almond pressed on top—rich and festive thumbprints.
Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies
Chocolate and peppermint doughs swirled together for festive slice-and-bake cookies—easy to prep ahead.
Triple Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
Decadent chewy cookies with three kinds of chocolate and macadamia nuts—showstopping but simple to make.
Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dunkers
Turtle Thumbprint Cookies
Rich chocolate thumbprints rolled in pecans and finished with caramel and chocolate—an indulgent holiday bite.
Raspberry Lemon Cookies
Ultra-soft raspberry lemon cookies that are chewy, tangy, and easy to make—bright and refreshing for holiday gatherings.