German Christmas Cookies. At home. On your couch. In your PJs. THIS IS HAPPENING.
Welcome to the most delicious, holiday-ready, must-have-NOW cookie list. It is everything you want your holiday baking to be.
1. German Hazelnut Christmas Cookies
Five ingredients. 30 minutes. Some snowflake cookie cutters. Yes, it is that easy. We are talking butter, sugar, egg yolks, hazelnut flour, and regular flour. That is IT.
You can get these done so fast. The result is just this lovely, crumbly, nutty cookie. So, so good.
2. German Spritz Cookies (Spritzgebäck)
Okay, how fun are these? These are just some of the most interesting-looking cookies. You can go for ‘S’ shapes, ‘I’ shapes, ‘O’ shapes, whatever! My niece always called them “noodle cookies,” and honestly, she’s not wrong.
They have this vibe of oversized noodles in funky shapes. Want to take it over the top? Dip them in warm chocolate for extra yumminess. But even plain, they are just exceptionally tasty.
3. Haselnussmakronen (German Hazelnut Macaroons)
So these might not be what you picture when you think “macaroon,” but that’s exactly what they are! Hazelnut macaroons. They are gluten- and dairy-free, with such a simple recipe and a lovely light flavor.
We’re talking only four ingredients. Hazelnuts, sugar, vanilla, and egg whites. That’s this and this is that. It takes over an hour, but trust me, they are worth every single second.
4. Authentic Bethmännchen (German Marzipan Cookies)
Calling all fans of CHEWY cookies! These marzipan cookies are a fast favorite for the holidays. Why? 5 minutes to prep. 15 minutes to cook. YES. The rose water gives them a lovely scent and a light floral taste.
And those crunchy almonds? They add another whole layer of flavor to a cookie that is already just awesome.
5. Stollen
Okay, if you haven’t tried stollen, you need to fix that. Immediately. It’s this perfect combo of sweet and tart. We’re talking icing sugar, marzipan, dried sour cherries, AND mixed fruit. Total win.
They have this crinkly, crumbly look and a texture that is just a total crowd-pleaser. Soaking them in brandy makes for the richest, most flavorful taste, but you can totally swap in apple juice if that’s more your vibe.
6. Spekulatius
Yes, another traditional shortbread cookie! But this one is loaded with so much more spice. You’re flavoring these with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, cardamom, white pepper, salt… and more.
Is that a lot of spice? YES. And that is exactly what makes them so, so good. Bonus: your kitchen is going to smell absolutely incredible while these are baking.
7. Zimtsterne (German Cinnamon Star Cookies)
For the traditional route, you’ll want some star cookie cutters. But let’s be real, they are just as delicious no matter what shape you make. These taste strongly of cinnamon and nuts. YUM.
They also have a super fun and tasty egg wash glaze. And you can whip up two dozen in about an hour. That’s always a good thing in my book.
8. German Lebkuchen
These are the traditional cookies you’ve been looking for. Just packed with chocolatey and nutty flavor. You only need fewer than 10 ingredients! And it takes just a little over 30 minutes to prep and bake.
Every single cookie is covered in chocolate and just loaded with nuts, spices, and candied fruit. Seriously good.
9. No-Bake German Chocolate Cookie Cake
Okay, so *technically* this is a cake, but hear me out. You make it with lots of store-bought tea cookies and slice it into cookie-like rectangles. So yeah, I think it fits just fine!
If you want something SUPER simple, this is it. You can’t beat it. 15 minutes. Six ingredients. No cooking. Done. It’s so rich and decadent from the chocolate, rum, and powdered sugar. These are always, always a hit at parties.
10. Vegan Nut Bars (Nussecken)
These bars are vegan-friendly and dairy-free. They are super crispy, but also surprisingly moist! I love the flavor combo here. You get three distinct things: apricot jam, dark chocolate, and caramelized hazelnuts.
It all comes together for one cohesive taste that is sweet, salty, nutty, and just incredibly indulgent. It’s 45 minutes for a dozen, they are so delicious, and super filling, too!
11. German Potato Cookies
Potato cookies! I know, it sounds a little weird, right? But as my dad always said, “Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it.” These are a bit like potato candy, but instead of whole potatoes, you use potato starch and icing sugar.
Then you add pandan, ube, or vanilla extract for flavor and color. They come out sweet, soft, and chewy. You can make them in all kinds of beautiful colors to be extra festive for the holidays.
12. Pfeffernusse
Don’t worry about the name, just focus on that gorgeous white coating! It’s made from powdered sugar, eggs, and honey. Yum. These cookies are sweet, but then you get this kick from cloves, all-spice, cinnamon, and white pepper.
It makes them so sharply spicy and rich in flavor. A total must-make.
13. Oatmeal Cookie Recipe (aka Haferflockenplätzchen)
So, these chunky oatmeal cookies aren’t quite like the traditional ones you might be used to. What’s different? You add dried apricots and chopped almonds, which gives them this great fruity, nutty yumminess.
The texture is a little different, too. But if you love oatmeal cookies and a little tanginess from apricots sounds good, you will definitely enjoy these.
14. Heidesand (Traditional German Browned Butter Shortbread Cookies)
Another excellent shortbread recipe! And this one is a powerhouse. We’re talking 60 cookies in just 30 minutes. If your favorite part of shortbread is that warm, buttery flavor, then HELLO.
You are going to love these. They are seriously the most buttery shortbread cookies you will ever try. An absolute dream.
15. Vanillekipferl (Blue Moon Crescent Cookies)
Look at these crunchy, powdered-sugar-covered beauties! I just love the crescent shape. The flavor is mild and slightly nutty, with just a hint of vanilla.
You only need seven ingredients. And if you don’t count the chill time for the dough, you can whip them up in just 40 minutes. So good.
16. German Coconut Macaroons Recipe (Kokosmakronen)
Calling all coconut and cinnamon fans! These macaroons are such a great option. They are so chewy and have this fantastic texture, plus just a little hint of crunchiness inside.
And get this: you can make 40 of them in about 30 minutes. Perfect for when you need to bake for a crowd, like, right now.
17. Authentic German Springerle
These cookies are just plain fun. Their name means “little jumpers” because they actually tend to jump around as they bake! How cute is that? The flavor is lightly sweet and almost delicate, with notes of vanilla and anise.
You get to use a fancy rolling pin that gives them those gorgeous designs. People in Germany usually serve these for Christmas and New Year’s, but honestly, you’re going to love them so much you’ll want them all the time.
18. German Christmas Cardamom Cookies (Kardamon Plaetzchen)
Want something with a really interesting flavor? These salty and floral-like cookies might be just the thing. You get so many different flavors from the vanilla sugar, rum, and cardamom.
And for extra decadence? Go ahead and dip them in chocolate. Yes, please.
19. Toasted Hazelnut Meringue Kisses
Light and fluffy! These meringue cookies are some of the easiest you will ever make. Seriously. They only need four ingredients.
And they have this delicate nut and sugar flavor that will just delight your tastebuds. A total win.
20. German Walnut Shortbread Cookies
It doesn’t get simpler than this. Just simple shortbread cookies with walnuts added in for crunch and taste. The ingredient list is just the basics: butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, flour, salt, sugar, and walnuts. That’s it.
If you are a shortbread fan, you are going to fall in love with these crunchy, buttery cookies.
