Add some sparkle to your holiday cookie platter! These soft, cinnamon-scented sandwich cookies naturally outshine the competition.

A step above the basic butter cookie, these sweet half moons practically glow with rich almond flavor and a stunning blue hue. Although they're ideal for dazzling on holiday cookie platters, don't wait for Christmas to whip up a batch.

Amplify your average sugar cookie by emphasizing salty crushed pretzels instead of the usual cinnamon coating. A small dollop of prepared mustard in the dough adds subtle warmth to the unconventional mix.

These are the very best lemon bars, bar none. Luscious, silken curd dazzles like a semi-sold bite of sunshine atop a buttery, pleasantly sandy shortbread crust. Tender and yielding, each square trembles gently in the hand, melting the instant it hits the tongue. No eggs, no dairy, no nonsense.

Warm spices and dark, rich molasses join forces with the supple amber flesh, transforming the nostalgic, simple pleasure of the humble rice crispy treat into a seasonal delight. The satisfying crunch of toasted pecans punctuate the chewy, tender squares, rivaling the experience of a full slice of Thanksgiving pie.

Adapted from the original recipe from The Joy of Cooking, this small batch of cocoa meringue cookies is made with aquafaba instead of egg whites. Tinted with just a hit of chocolate, they're crisp, light as a cloud, but gooey and soft on the inside.

Soft and chewy, warm spices and tart cranberry sauce make up the festive base for these crave-worthy vegan cookies. Whether you scale the recipe up or down, swap in different dried fruits or nuts, or switch up the seasonings, it will never let you down!

Exceedingly tender, soft, and chewy, these are quite possibly the best peanut butter cookies around. They just happen to be vegan and gluten-free, too!

The classic combo of chocolate and peppermint is an easy crowd pleaser, the crisp but still soft cocoa cookies yielding to a creamy, lightly minted filling, riddled with crunchy pieces of smashed candy canes.

Crisp, lightly sweetened shortbread cookies come to life with the bright acidity of fresh lemons, which also plays of the natural bitter edge of raw cacao nibs. Though undeniably buttery, their richness comes entirely from olive oil, adding a complementary grassy, peppery undertone.

Shaped as adorable little wreaths and brilliantly emerald green, these spritz cookies glittering with a light sprinkle of coarse sugar for a perfectly festive finishing touch.

Popcorn balls reimagined as neat rectangular bars, they now fit seamlessly onto a cookie platter. Pistachios and cranberries are perfectly festive red and green mix-ins with a spirited nutty, tangy, and tart taste.

Both simple in concept and complex in flavor, these sweet little gems
will satisfy the sweet tooth of anyone on your list. Rich maple flavor
carries these surprisingly soft cookies, accented by the subtle warmth
of ginger.

Black pepper and cayenne liven up these crisp biscotti, ideal for dunking in tea or coffee. Adding a bold hit of lemon zest to finish it off is guaranteed to wake anyone up and out of hibernation.

Caramelized pistachio cream is sandwiched between two crisp shortbread cookies, seen through cut-out windows frosted with coarse sugar. They're as beautiful to look at as they are satisfying to eat.

Consider this the grown-up take on the typical Snickerdoodle; a bit more edgy than its simple cinnamon-scented origins, occasionally salty, crisp on the outside but still soft and supple in the center. Pure maple syrup provides a comforting woodsy undercurrent, perfectly paired with the more earthy notes of strong coffee.

A chewy, sticky filling of buttery caramel glues together two crisp waffer cookies to make an utterly irresistible treat. Once cool, it will set up into a soft but still malleable texture, creating an addictive contrast between easily shattering cookie exterior and toothsome, sweet interior.

Celebrating simplicity, they’re merely the best vanilla cookie you’ve ever tasted. Boldly infused with powder from the whole bean, they’re not shy about shouting this warm, classic flavor from the rooftops- Or wherever else they may settle.

Dark as coal but much sweeter, they're not simple brownies either. Complex and delicately nuanced, this is a gingerbread built for the adventurous eater, looking for something just a bit different from the same old spice blend. Rounded out by rich molasses, these bars are fantastically dense and chewy, like the best blondies should be.

For a tried-and-true gingerbread cookie that makes ultra-snappy, crisp, and sturdy cookies, look no further. They retain their shape when baked, travel well, and make a solid foundation for edible buildings. Chose your own adventure with either chai spiced or blonde ginger bread dough.