Santa doesn’t come all the way from the North Pole to nibble on bland, calorie-conscious cookies. No, the big guy’s taste buds crave indulgence, decadence, and sugar so potent it could send a reindeer into orbit. If you're going to bake cookies for Saint Nick, do it right. Reach for the heavy cream, the butter, and yes, the corn syrup. Here’s your ultimate guide to creating holiday cookies so sinful, they’re worth every potential sugar crash.

Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

What’s better than chocolate? Double chocolate. And what’s better than that? Adding a cool peppermint kick that makes every bite taste like Christmas itself.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 1 cup crushed peppermint candies

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Cream butter and sugars together until fluffy, then mix in eggs and vanilla.
  3. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Gradually add to the wet mixture.
  4. Fold in chocolate chips and crushed peppermint candies.
  5. Scoop out generous spoonfuls onto the baking sheet, ensuring plenty of space between cookies.
  6. Bake for 10–12 minutes, then cool before devouring.

Pro Tip: Dunk these bad boys in hot cocoa for the ultimate sugar overload. Extra marshmallows? Obviously.

Caramel-Stuffed Snickerdoodles

This is for everyone who thinks regular snickerdoodles aren’t “extra” enough. These come with a buttery caramel center that oozes out after every bite. Need we say more?

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, divided
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ tsp cream of tartar
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 12–15 soft caramel candies
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Beat butter and 1¼ cups of sugar until creamy. Add egg and vanilla.
  3. Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in another bowl, then slowly mix into the wet ingredients.
  4. Chill the dough for 20 minutes while you unwrap the caramel candies (yes, this is tedious, but worth it).
  5. Roll dough into balls, flatten slightly, and press a caramel candy into the center, wrapping the dough around to seal it.
  6. Mix the remaining sugar with cinnamon and roll each ball in the mixture.
  7. Bake for 10–12 minutes, cool slightly, and enjoy the gooey perfection.

Pro Tip: These are best warm for maximum caramel flow. If reheating, a quick zap in the microwave will do the trick.

Frosted Sugar Cookies

Sugar cookies should be more than just a vehicle for frosting. This recipe delivers a rich, buttery cookie base under all that decorative decadence. Perfect for showing off your inner Picasso with piping bags.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt

For the Frosting:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp heavy cream
  • Food coloring and sprinkles

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Cream butter and sugar together, then add eggs and almond extract. Mix until combined.
  3. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly mix into the wet ingredients.
  4. Roll out dough to about ¼-inch thickness and cut into festive shapes.
  5. Bake for 8–10 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting, beat butter until creamy, then gradually mix in powdered sugar and vanilla. Add heavy cream until the consistency is spreadable. Divide frosting into bowls, add food coloring, and channel your inner cookie artist.

Pro Tip: Tint your frosting in vibrant, borderline-obnoxious colors. Then, add sprinkles like you’re decorating with reckless abandon.

Peanut Butter Cup-stuffed Blossoms

Take the classic peanut butter blossom and crank up the decadence by stuffing the middle with a mini peanut butter cup. Santa deserves this level of indulgence.

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • Mini peanut butter cups (unwrapped, of course!)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Cream butter, peanut butter, and sugars. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla, beating until combined.
  3. Mix flour, baking soda, and salt, then incorporate into wet ingredients.
  4. Roll dough into balls, then roll them in granulated sugar.
  5. Bake for 8 minutes, remove from oven, press a peanut butter cup into the middle of each cookie, and bake for another 2–3 minutes.

Pro Tip: For dramatic flair, sprinkle crushed peanuts over the top before the final bake.

Gingerbread Cookies

Forget bland factory gingerbread houses. This recipe focuses on bold spices, deep molasses flavor, and a soft texture that melts in your mouth.

Ingredients:

  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • ¾ cup molasses
  • 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp cloves

Instructions:

  1. Cream butter and brown sugar, then mix in the egg and molasses until combined.
  2. Stir together dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then gradually mix into the molasses mixture.
  3. Chill the dough for at least 1 hour.
  4. Roll out to ¼-inch thickness, cut into festive shapes, and bake at 350°F for 8–10 minutes.

Pro Tip: Use royal icing to create dramatic designs, like tiny sweater patterns or intricate snowflake details. If gingerbread cookies don’t scream “Showstopper,” what does?