2023 Holiday Baking Checklist: Festive Recipes to Try This Season

This is my favorite Christmas cookie list—everything I’m planning to bake this season. These recipes are tried and true: many long-time favorites with a few newer treats and a handful of other holiday snacks.

It’s the best time of year! Here’s my holiday baking list for 2023.

This tradition began with my grandma and has become one of my favorite parts of the holidays. I can’t wait to hear what you’re baking this season—it’s the only time I truly enjoy baking!

Over the years, Lacy and I have baked many of these together. One perennial project is a buche de noel—we usually make it late at night and it always takes longer than expected. We also make candied citrus peels and homemade amaretto every year; when I make amaretto on my own I often gift most of it to friends. We’ve followed those recipes for so long they feel like family traditions.

Another holiday favorite is my whiskey pretzels—everyone loves them and they make great gifts. I often make a batch of caramel chipotle Chex Mix to package up and share, too.

I also keep a holiday baking playlist that I love to play while I bake. It’s a fun way to get into the spirit of the season and helps set the pace for long baking days.

MY 2023 HOLIDAY BAKING LIST

Below is my ideal list of what I’d love to make this year.

Chewy sprinkle cookies from last year are a must—I loved how those turned out.

Always on the list: chocolate crinkle sprinkle cookies from The Pretty Dish—classic and unbeatable.

Royal cookies are a relatively new favorite from a few years back and they remain adored in our house.

Frosted cranberry drop cookies were a hit last season and are definitely on repeat.

Cashew butter buckeyes are on my list, and I might also make classic buckeyes depending on my mood; sometimes I’m obsessed, sometimes I’m over them.

Mother Lovett’s chocolate chip cookies are non-negotiable—my all-time favorite and a kid favorite too.

Lemon crinkle cookies are another crowd-pleaser; they always get people excited.

I can’t decide between soft snickerdoodles and chewy chai snickerdoodles—they’re both too good to skip.

Soft gingersnaps are a must; sometimes I quadruple the recipe because everyone loves them, even in our non-gingersnap house.

Old-school Oreo balls always make an appearance—they’re a nostalgic staple.

Bourbon-soaked cherry oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are something I’m feeling this year; the flavor is so festive.

Mother Lovett’s pink and green thumbprints are essential—Christmas without them feels incomplete, they’re my mom and aunt’s favorites.

Mother Lovett’s orange cookies are also a perennial hit and always crowd-pleasing.

Peanut butter M&M cookie bars made with red and green M&Ms are perfect for gifting and cookie trays.

Peanut butter fudge is another treat I rotate recipes for every year, even though Mother Lovett had a classic version I love.

Pretzel peanut butter–stuffed chocolate bark is great for a salty-sweet bite and packages beautifully.

Perfect cut-out sugar cookies are a must—these foolproof sugar cookies are simple and reliable. I typically use cream cheese frosting or a dip-icing technique. For the decorated cookies in my photos I sometimes use edible glitter for extra sparkle.

I’ll probably make peppermint bark and chocolate-covered Oreos too; I often start with white fudge-covered Oreos and drizzle them with dark chocolate and sprinkles as a quick, festive hack.

HOW I MAKE MY COOKIE BOX

I follow a tradition my family has kept for generations—Mother Lovett used to assemble cookie tins and boxes as hostess gifts and for close friends and family. Everyone looked forward to receiving them, so I’ve continued the practice.

I typically use cookie tins or sturdy gift boxes that I find at stores like Target, The Container Store, or even the dollar store. My favorite is a large sugar paper gift box available in both rectangle and round shapes. I often cut up an extra box to create dividers and compartments so the cookies stay organized and presentable.

One important note: I don’t mail these boxes. I deliver them in person to friends and family within driving distance. Mailing homemade cookie boxes can be tricky—unless you wrap each cookie individually and use a lot of padding, breakage is common.