WHY YOU’LL LOVE THESE EUROPEAN CHRISTMAS COOKIES: European Christmas cookies are some of my favorite holiday bakes because every country has its own traditions, flavors, and techniques. From warmly spiced German Lebkuchen and Dutch Speculaas to buttery Irish Shortbread, Italian Pizzelle, and Greek Kourabiedes, these cookies are full of history and holiday flavor.
- 50 European Christmas cookies: Discover traditional favorites from Germany, Italy, France, Austria, Greece, Spain, Scandinavia, Ireland, and more.
- Authentic holiday traditions: Many of these cookies have been enjoyed for generations and are closely tied to Christmas celebrations in their home countries.
- Something for every cookie lover: Choose from buttery, spiced, nutty, fruity, chocolatey, crisp, and melt-in-your-mouth cookies.
- Perfect for cookie platters: Mix cookies from different countries to create a beautiful European-inspired Christmas cookie assortment.
- Baking inspiration: Whether you’re looking for a familiar favorite or want to discover a new Christmas tradition, there’s plenty here to bake and share.
As a professional baker, I love how much history and tradition can be packed into a Christmas cookie. Growing up in Ireland, I know firsthand how food brings family together during the holidays. This collection celebrates those traditions across Europe, from spice-filled German cookies to delicate French biscuits and buttery Irish and Scottish shortbread.
My pro tip is to plan around shelf life. Every cookie has a different shelf life, and European-style cookies and biscuits tend to be crisp and longer-lasting than soft cookies. Check how long each cookie keeps, then bake the longer-lasting varieties ahead of time to spread out the workload. Decorations can also be prepared in advance, especially icing, which needs time to set. The key to a successful cookie platter is good timing—knowing what to make ahead and what to save for closer to serving.
I’ve gathered 50 traditional European Christmas cookies and holiday biscuits so you can bake your way around Europe this Christmas. Whether you’re looking for a taste of your own heritage or want to discover a new holiday favorite, there’s something here to inspire your baking and fill your cookie platter.
Table of Contents
- How to Build a European Christmas Cookie Platter
- German & Dutch Christmas Cookies
- Austrian & Central European Christmas Cookies
- French & Alsatian Christmas Cookies
- Italian Christmas Cookies & Biscuits
- Spanish Christmas Cookies
- Greek Christmas Cookies
- Scandinavian Christmas Cookies
- Irish Christmas Biscuits & British Cookies
- Central & Eastern European Christmas Cookies
- More European Holiday Cookies & Biscuits
- Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
- How to Store Christmas Cookies
- FAQs
- More Christmas Baking
How To Build a European Christmas Cookie Platter
For the best Christmas cookie platter, choose a mix of different shapes, textures, colors, and flavors:
- Start with buttery classics: Irish Shortbread, French Sablés, and Danish Butter Cookies.
- Add warmly spiced cookies: Lebkuchen, Speculaas, Pfeffernüsse, and Pepparkakor.
- Include nutty favorites: Linzer Cookies, Pignoli Cookies, Polvorones, and Kourabiedes.
- Add something delicate and eye-catching: Pizzelle or Krumkake.
- Create variety: Mix crisp, tender, chewy, and melt-in-your-mouth cookies for a platter that feels abundant and festive while showcasing the incredible variety of European baking traditions.
German & Dutch Christmas Cookies
Nuremberg Lebkuchen (German Christmas Cookies)
These traditional Nuremberg Christmas cookies are packed with warm spices, nuts, and candied citrus for a wonderfully chewy, aromatic cookie. Finished with a chocolate or sugar glaze, Lebkuchen is one of Germany’s most beloved Christmas traditions.
Buttery Spritz Cookies (Spritzgebäck)
These delicate German cookies are wonderfully buttery with crisp edges and a tender center. Pipe them into festive shapes and decorate them for a classic Christmas cookie tin.
Traditional Spiced Pfeffernüsse Cookies
Pfeffernüsse are small, intensely spiced Christmas cookies enjoyed across Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark. Their combination of warming spices and a snowy powdered-sugar coating makes them especially festive.
Iconic Speculaas Cookies
These crisp Dutch cookies are packed with cinnamon and warm spices and are traditionally pressed into beautiful decorative molds. They’re perfect for Christmas gifting or serving with coffee.
Festive Dutch Kerstkransjes Cookies
These charming Dutch Christmas wreath cookies are buttery, crisp, and wonderfully festive. Traditionally, Kerstkransjes can even be hung from the Christmas tree, making them as decorative as they are delicious.
Homemade Stroopwafels
Two thin, crisp waffle cookies sandwich a layer of gooey caramel in this iconic Dutch treat. Place one over a hot cup of coffee or tea and let the caramel soften before taking a bite.
Dutch Banketstaaf
A traditional Dutch Christmas pastry made with flaky puff pastry wrapped around sweet almond paste. It’s especially popular during the holiday season in the Netherlands.
Austrian & Central European Christmas Cookies
Classic Austrian Linzer Cookies
These tender almond cookies are sandwiched with raspberry jam and dusted with powdered sugar. Their beautiful cutout centers make Linzer Cookies one of the prettiest additions to a Christmas cookie platter.
Classic Rugelach
Flaky, buttery pastry is rolled around fillings like jam, nuts, cinnamon, and chocolate to make these irresistible little crescents. Rugelach has deep roots in Eastern European Jewish baking and is a beloved holiday treat.
French & Alsatian Christmas Cookies
French Sablé Cookies
These classic French butter cookies have a delicate, sandy texture and rich buttery flavor. With just a few ingredients, they’re wonderfully simple but elegant enough for holiday gifting.
Cinnamon Roll Palmiers
A festive variation on the classic French palmier, made with crisp puff pastry, cinnamon sugar, and walnuts. BBB identifies palmiers as French.
Bredele Recipe (Alsatian Christmas Cookies)
Bredele are traditional Christmas cookies from Alsace, France. Families traditionally make an assortment of these little cookies during the holiday season, making them perfect for a festive cookie box.
Tuile Cigars
These delicate French cookies bake up thin and crisp before being rolled into their distinctive cigar shape. They’re an elegant choice when you want something a little different on your Christmas dessert table.
Homemade French Macarons
Crisp on the outside and chewy in the center, French macarons make a beautiful addition to any holiday spread. Choose festive colors and fillings to make them especially Christmas-ready.
Italian Christmas Cookies & Biscuits
Italian Pignoli Cookies
Soft, chewy almond cookies are covered in crunchy pine nuts for a rich, nutty Italian treat. These are especially popular during the Christmas season and make a wonderful addition to a cookie platter.
Pizzelle Recipe
These thin, crisp Italian waffle cookies are pressed into intricate patterns and traditionally flavored with anise. Their delicate, snowflake-like appearance makes them particularly beautiful for Christmas.
Italian Ricotta Cookies
Soft and tender with a bright lemon-vanilla flavor, these Italian cookies are finished with a sweet glaze and festive sprinkles. They add color and a completely different texture to your Christmas cookie assortment.
Lemon Ricotta Cookies
Soft, tender Italian cookies with fresh lemon flavor and a sweet glaze. A classic Italian-style cookie that adds a bright, citrusy option to your holiday cookie platter.
Almond Biscotti Recipe
These classic Italian twice-baked cookies are crisp, nutty, and perfect for dunking into coffee or espresso. Biscotti also keep beautifully, making them an excellent choice for homemade holiday gifts.
Lemon Biscotti
Fresh lemon gives these crisp Italian biscotti a bright citrus flavor. They’re a lighter, refreshing option among richer chocolate and nut-filled Christmas cookies.
Savory Biscotti With Parmesan, Black Pepper and Rosemary
These crisp, savory biscotti are made with Parmesan, fresh rosemary, and cracked black pepper. Twice-baked for their signature crunch, they’re a delicious Italian-inspired option for serving on a charcuterie board or alongside drinks.
Italian Rainbow Cookies (7 Layer Cookies)
These colorful seven-layer cookies are made with tender almond-flavored layers, raspberry jam, and a coating of chocolate. A festive favorite on Italian-American Christmas cookie trays, they add beautiful color and rich almond flavor to the assortment.
Homemade Ladyfingers
Also known as savoiardi, these light Italian biscuits have crisp edges and an airy center. They’re best known for tiramisu, but they’re also a classic European biscuit in their own right.
Spanish Christmas Cookies
Spanish Almond Cookies (Polvorones)
These delicate Spanish almond cookies are wonderfully crumbly with a rich, nutty flavor. Polvorones are a traditional Christmas favorite and practically melt in your mouth.
Greek Christmas Cookies
Kourabiedes (Greek Christmas Butter Cookies)
These traditional Greek Christmas cookies are rich and buttery with toasted almonds and a hint of rosewater. A generous coating of powdered sugar gives them their signature snowy finish.
Sticky Greek Honey Cookies (Melomakarona)
Soft, spiced cookies flavored with orange and walnuts are soaked in fragrant honey syrup and topped with nuts. Melomakarona are one of Greece’s most beloved Christmas treats.
Scandinavian Christmas Cookies
Danish Butter Cookies
Crisp, buttery, and delicately sweet, these homemade Danish butter cookies capture the nostalgic flavor of the famous blue tins. They’re perfect for filling a Christmas cookie tin.
Norwegian Krumkake
These delicate Norwegian waffle cookies are pressed into intricate patterns and rolled into elegant cones. Fill them with whipped cream for a beautiful Scandinavian Christmas dessert.
Swedish Pepparkakor
Thin, crisp Swedish ginger cookies are filled with warming spices and can be cut into festive shapes. They’re a classic Scandinavian Christmas cookie for dunking into coffee or tea.
Irish Christmas Biscuits & British
Irish Shortbread Cookies
Rich, buttery, and wonderfully simple, Irish shortbread has a tender crumb and crisp edges. It’s an easy classic for your Christmas cookie tin and a recipe close to my Irish baking roots.
Homemade Walker’s Scottish Shortbread
This homemade version of classic Scottish shortbread is rich, buttery, and delicately crisp. Serve it with tea or package it up as a simple homemade Christmas gift.
Homemade Chocolate Hobnobs
These crisp, oaty Irish biscuits are covered in chocolate for the perfect combination of crunch and richness. They’re particularly good with a cup of tea.
Homemade Digestive Biscuits
A classic British and Irish biscuit made with whole-grain flour and oats. Their hearty texture makes them perfect alongside a cup of tea or coffee.
Garibaldi Biscuits
Sweet currants are sandwiched between layers of buttery biscuit in this classic British teatime favorite. They’re simple, nostalgic, and wonderfully crisp.
Central & Eastern European Christmas Cookies
Ginger Molasses Cookies
Soft and chewy with crisp edges and plenty of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, these molasses cookies bring the warm spice profile associated with European Christmas baking. They’re also excellent for making ahead and freezing.
Spiced Sugar Cookies
These warmly spiced sugar cookies combine the flavors of Dutch speculoos and Polish Christmas gingerbread, with cinnamon and ginger in a simple, festive cookie.
Traditional Spiced Pfeffernüsse Cookies
Small, intensely spiced Christmas cookies with anise, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, cardamom and black pepper.
Chocolate Rugelach
A chocolate-filled variation of traditional rugelach, made with tender cream-cheese pastry, bittersweet chocolate, cinnamon, and nuts. It’s particularly fitting for the holiday season and Hanukkah.
More European Holiday Cookies & Biscuits
Orange Shortbread with Chocolate Orange Truffle Filling (British)
Buttery orange shortbread is sandwiched with rich chocolate-orange truffle filling for a decadent holiday cookie. The combination of citrus and chocolate makes these especially festive.
Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies (Scottish)
Tart cranberries and bright orange flavor add color and freshness to rich buttery shortbread. These are especially pretty in a Christmas cookie box.
Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
Rich cocoa transforms classic shortbread into a deeply chocolatey cookie with that signature tender, crumbly texture.
3-Ingredient Shortbread Cookies
With just three ingredients, these buttery shortbread cookies are proof that holiday baking doesn’t have to be complicated. They’re an easy choice for gifting or making with the family.
Ginger Shortbread Cookies
Classic buttery shortbread gets a warm ginger twist in these simple holiday cookies. They’re an easy way to bring more spice to your Christmas cookie assortment.
Christmas Shortbread Cookies
These buttery shortbread cookies are cut into festive Christmas shapes and decorated for the holidays. They’re a natural fit for this roundup because shortbread has deep roots in British and Irish baking, and they make an easy, beautiful addition to a Christmas cookie platter.
Rose and Cardamom Shortbread Cookies
Buttery shortbread scented with rosewater, rose petals, and cardamom. A more distinctive European-style tea cookie for the holiday platter.
Scottish Oatcakes Recipe
These traditional Scottish oatcakes are crisp, buttery, and wonderfully nutty, made with just 5 simple ingredients. They’re perfect alongside cheese, spreads, or a cup of tea.
Homemade Tuile Cookies
Thin, crisp, and delicately buttery, tuiles are a classic French cookie that can be shaped while warm into elegant curves and curls.
Tirggel (Swiss Honey Cookies) 
A traditional Swiss Christmas cookie from Zürich, Tirggel dates back to the 1400s. These thin, crisp honey cookies are flavored with rosewater and warming spices and traditionally pressed into decorative molds.
Irish Shortbread Christmas Tree Cookies
Buttery, tender shortbread cut into festive Christmas trees. Made with just five ingredients, these traditional Irish-style cookies are perfect for holiday baking and gifting.
Crispy Gingersnap Cookies
Gingersnap are generally considered American, with roots in European gingerbread traditions brought by German and Dutch immigrants. Crisp, crunchy gingersnaps packed with cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, with molasses adding rich depth. A classic spiced cookie that’s perfect for holiday baking.
Fruitcake Cookies
Buttery shortbread studded with candied fruit and almonds, with mixed spice and a splash of sherry. Inspired by the traditional Christmas fruitcake of Ireland and Britain, these festive cookies bring those classic holiday flavors into a bite-sized treat.
Meringue Mushrooms Recipe (for Bûche de Noël) 
These delicate French-inspired meringue mushrooms are crisp, light, and beautifully whimsical, traditionally used to decorate a classic Bûche de Noël. They’re a fun finishing touch for a European Christmas dessert spread.
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
- Plan your cookie assortment: Choose cookies with different textures, flavors, and shapes so your platter feels varied rather than repetitive.
- Make dough ahead: Many cookie doughs can be refrigerated for a few days or frozen for up to 8 weeks, making it easier to spread out your holiday baking.
- Freeze cookie dough properly: Shape dough into portions before freezing so you can bake only what you need. Wrap it well and label it with the cookie name and date. For more tips, see How To Freeze Cookie Dough (Great For The Holidays!).
- Chill when needed: If a dough is soft or sticky, chilling it will make it easier to roll, shape, and cut—and can help cookies hold their shape while baking.
- Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet: Give cookies enough room to spread and bake evenly. Use multiple sheets when making large batches.
- Bake similar cookies together: Cookies with similar baking times and temperatures are easier to manage when you’re working through a large assortment.
- Cool completely before decorating: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet briefly, then transfer them to a rack and cool completely before glazing or decorating.
- Store by texture: Keep crisp cookies separate from soft or chewy cookies so they don’t transfer moisture and lose their texture.
- Pack cookies carefully for gifting: Layer cookies between sheets of parchment and use sturdy containers to prevent delicate cookies from breaking.
- Ship sturdy cookies: Choose cookies that travel well, protect them with parchment or padding, and pack them snugly so they don’t move around. For a complete guide, see How To Ship Cookies (For The Holidays And Beyond!).
How To Store Christmas Cookies
Most Christmas cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Keep crisp cookies separate from softer cookies so they maintain their texture.
You can also make many cookie doughs ahead and freeze raw cookie dough for up to eight weeks, which is a great way to spread out your holiday baking and have homemade cookies ready when you need them.
FAQs
What are traditional European Christmas cookies?
Traditional European Christmas cookies vary by country and region. Some of the best-known include German Lebkuchen, Dutch Speculaas, Austrian Linzer cookies, Italian Pizzelle, Spanish Polvorones, Greek Kourabiedes, Scandinavian Pepparkakor, and Irish shortbread.
What country has the best Christmas cookies?
Germany is one of the countries most famous for its Christmas cookie tradition, particularly for its beautifully spiced and nut-filled cookies such as Lebkuchen and Pfeffernüsse. But it’s certainly not the only country with an exceptional Christmas baking tradition.
Ireland has our own wonderful tradition of buttery biscuits and shortbread, while Austria is known for Linzer cookies, Italy for biscotti and Pizzelle, France for delicate Sablés, Greece for Kourabiedes and Melomakarona, and Sweden for crisp, warmly spiced cookies such as Pepparkakor.
What makes European Christmas cookies so special is how different each tradition is. Spices, nuts, citrus, dried fruit, butter, and local baking techniques all shape the cookies of each region, so building a platter from several countries lets you experience that variety in one assortment.
Can I make Christmas cookies ahead of time and how should I store Christmas cookies?
Yes. Most Christmas cookies are excellent make-ahead bakes. Many can be baked several days in advance, while cookie dough can often be refrigerated or frozen until you’re ready to bake.
Crisp cookies and biscuits, such as Speculaas, Pizzelle, biscotti, and shortbread, generally stay fresh for about 5 days at room temperature in airtight containers, and are great to bake several days ahead. Soft, tender, or chewy cookies, such as Italian Ricotta Cookies and Lebkuchen, can stay fresh for around 3 days and are best made closer to serving. This simple planning will help you spread out the baking and ensure every cookie on your platter tastes its best.
How do I keep Christmas cookies fresh?
The best way is to cool them completely before storing them in an airtight container. Keep different types of cookies separate, especially crisp cookies and soft or chewy cookies.
How do I freeze Christmas cookies?
Many Christmas cookies can be frozen before or after baking. For the best results, freeze raw cookie dough in portions, wrapped tightly and labeled with the date. Baked cookies should be cooled completely before freezing in an airtight, freezer-safe container, with parchment between layers. For detailed instructions, see my How To Freeze Cookie Dough (Great For The Holidays!)
How do I ship Christmas cookies?
Choose sturdy cookies that won’t crumble easily, such as Speculaas, Pizzelle, biscotti, and shortbread which generally stay fresh for about 5 days at room temperature in airtight containers. Cool them completely, and pack them tightly with parchment or other protective material. For detailed instructions, see How To Ship Cookies (For The Holidays And Beyond!).
More Christmas Baking
- Irish Christmas Cake Recipe
- Christmas Wreath Pavlova
- Traditional ChristmasPudding Recipe
- Aunty Marian’s No-Bake Christmas Cake
- Traditional Mince Pies Recipe
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