Holiday Cookies 101

Before you start baking, you'll want to get some ideas for the best cookies to make. Consider how much time you have, how many cookies you need to make, whether you want to bake with the kids or not, etc.

• Easy Kids Christmas Cookie Recipes - If baking together is one of your holiday traditions, these recipes are great for you. There's no complicated rolling, shaping or prep work involved.
• Christmas Cookies with Pictures - Get inspired!
• Best Holiday Cookie Recipes - From sugar cookies to peanut butter cup cookies to gingerbread cookies, there's a recipe here to suit everyone.
• Top Christmas Cookies of the Year - These are the recipes that are consistently most requested, year after year.

Most of the cookies included here can be prepared in advance and frozen. Here's everything you need to know about freezing cookies.

And here are some of my favorite recipes that freeze well:

• Mexican Wedding Cookies
• Sugar Cookies
• Snickerdoodles
• Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
• White Chocolate Raspberry Tartlets
• Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

There are lots of ways to decorate Christmas cookies, from a simple sprinkle of sugar to fancy flooding techniques. Here are some of my simple ones to try with the kids:

• Christmas Cookie Decorating with Perfect Sugar Cookie Icing - Learn how to decorate rolled sugar cookies easily with step-by-step directions and pictures.
• Decorating Sugar Cookies with Corn Syrup Glaze - This is a simple technique the kids can master easily. Step-by-step pictures show you how.
• Cookie Painting - Make edible cookie paint with this easy recipe and step-by-step directions. Kids really enjoy this technique. After all, how often do you get to eat what you paint?
• Decorate Santa Claus Cookies - Easy directions show you how to decorate rolled sugar cookies like Santa Claus, and you don't need a special Santa Claus cookie cutter.

Want to send your cookies across the country to friends and family? Here's everything you need know:

• Mailing Cookies - From choosing the right types of cookies to packing tips and making sure your cookies are mailed on time.
• 5 Best Cookies for Mailing - Your mouth will water just looking at these pictures.
• Tips for Mailing Cookies - Easy, quick suggestions for making sure your cookies get there in perfect shape every time.

Waited til the last minute, and now you need Christmas cookies fast? No problem. These recipes are festive, tasty, and you can make every one of these cookies in less than half an hour:

• Pretzel Kisses - Just 3 ingredients and less than 5 minutes to bake!
• Chocolate Cranberry Brownie Mix Cookies - They start with a brownie mix, but taste thoroughly homemade.
• Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie Recipe - Another super tasty, super fast brownie mix cookie recipe.
• Haystacks Recipe - No baking required.

A fun way to share your favorite seasonal cookies and recipes is with a cookie exchange party. Everybody bakes a large quantity of one type of cookie, then brings the cookies and recipe to share with everyone else at the cookie swap.

Want to host a holiday cookie exchange? Check out this invitation. And here are some of the best cookies to make for a cookie exchange party.