DIY Christmas Cookie Box
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The best gifts are homemade and this DIY Christmas Cookie Box is full of nostalgic holiday cookies that is sure to be a crowd pleaser this Christmas season!
If you’re looking for more holiday recipes, be sure to check out some of my other favorites like Christmas Tree Cupcakes, Easy Christmas Present Brownies, or Frosted Gingerbread Cookies.
Table of Contents
Growing up, my mom and I made a DIY Christmas Cookie Box for everyone we knew during the holidays. It usually started a week before school got out and every day was filled with baking and late nights together in the kitchen making cookies, chocolate covered pretzels, and fudge. It’s some of the best time spent with my mom that I’ll always cherish.
Learn how to make a Christmas cookie box, so you can gift friends and family the gift of homemade cookies this season! In this step by step tutorial, I’m walking you through which cookies to make, how far in advance you can make them, links to the supplies I use, and how to assemble your box. I even have a full video walking you through all the steps!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Nostalgic AF: This classic cookie box is nostalgic AF as I’ve included all the classic holiday cookies you know and love! I include Sourdough Jam Thumbprints, Candy Cane Crunch Dark Chocolate Cookies, Christmas Shortbread Cookies, Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies, Peanut Butter Christmas Crack, and a White Chocolate Peppermint Mocha cookie!
Holiday Cheer: Spread some holiday cheer this season with this DIY Christmas Cookie Box!
Fun and Festive: This classic cookie box is fun to make and festive for any holiday party or gift!
Crowd Pleaser: This homemade gift is sure to be a crowd pleaser. With nostalgic and classic cookies, there’s something for everyone in this box!
Recipes
Sourdough Jam Thumbprint Cookies
I chose these Sourdough Jam Thumbprint Cookies because jam thumbprints always remind me of the holidays. My best friend, and neighbor, growing up always had them at her house around the holidays. And we never had them at mine! So jam thumbprints are very nostalgic for me! This recipe uses up sourdough discard for an amazing holiday cookie recipe.
Candy Cane Crunch Dark Chocolate Cookies
One of my all time favorite holiday cookies, these Candy Cane Crunch Dark Chocolate Cookies are classic chocolate chip with a holiday upgrade. I use Lake Champlain Organic Candy Cane Crunch Bars for cool dark chocolate peppermint crunch in every bite. This is the perfect combination of classic chocolate chip and Christmas cheer!
Christmas Shortbread Cookies
A classic holiday cookie, these Christmas Shortbread Cookies are rich, buttery, and sweet. They are decorated with naturally colored festive sprinkles! I link all the sprinkles in this recipe so you can celebrate festively with no artificial colors!
Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies
A new holiday favorite this year! These Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies are filled with Lake Champlain Dark Chocolate Peppermint Snack Bites that have quinoa for a double crunch. These soft and chewy cookies are full of rich chocolate flavor with a cool peppermint finish. I top them with flaky sea salt for that perfectly sweet and salty holiday cookie!
Peanut Butter Pretzel Christmas Crack
This is my twist on the classic Christmas crack. Instead of crackers I use pretzels and I add peanut butter to the chocolate. This insanely addicting Peanut Butter Pretzel Christmas Crack is a recipe you’ll just have to make every year once you try it! I get requests for this one year after year!
White Chocolate Peppermint Mocha Cookies
I used my Chocolate Espresso Cookies recipe and I replaced the vanilla extract with peppermint extract. I also replaced the chocolate chips with white chocolate chips and added pieces of candy canes on top right after they come out of the oven. Make sure to put the candy canes on top right after the cookies come out of the oven and don't bake them in. Candy cane pieces like this are not as good baked, but they make a great topping!
Gifting Supplies
- Cookie Boxes: You’ll need cookie or bakery boxes to gift your cookies in. You can find the one I am using here. But, you can use any kind you like and you can use smaller ones too if you want to just give people 1/2 dozen cookies or something.
- Parchment Paper: You’ll need parchment paper to help prevent the cookies from leaving grease stains on the box. I use Kana nontoxic parchment paper.
- Holiday Ribbon: You’ll need some holiday ribbon to tie up the boxes.
- Chocolate Snowmen: I add in an organic chocolate snowman to each box for a little festive touch!
- Candy Canes: I like to add in candy canes to fill in the box. You can use organic mini candy canes or regular size organic candy canes.
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Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
First, be sure you have all till your gifting supplies before you bake anything.
Step 2
Start by making the most shelf stable items first. This is going to be the Peanut Butter Pretzel Christmas Crack. Once made, you can also freeze this and keep it in the freezer until you’re ready to package boxes.
Step 3
Next, make the Christmas Shortbread Cookies. These can also be frozen once baked to ensure they stay fresh! I advise placing all these on a baking sheet in the freezer until the sprinkles have all set. You can leave these on a sheet pan in the freezer or transfer to a Tupperware to zip bag until assembling day.
Step 4
Make the Sourdough Jam Thumbprint Cookies and freeze as well. You can freeze these on a baking sheet first, allowing the jam to solidify completely. Then you can transfer to a tupperware or zip bag if needed for space saving. Or you can also leave on the baking sheet until it's assembling day.
Step 5
Make the Candy Cane Crunch Dark Chocolate Cookies and freeze these. The best way to freeze these is to place on a baking sheet in the freezer to harden. Then transfer to a Tupperware or zip bag so they stay fresh until assembling day.
Step 6
Next, make the Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies. Freeze these by doing the same thing as above, placing on a sheet pan and allowing cookies to harden. Then transfer to a zip bag or Tupperware until assembling day.
Step 7
Last, make the White Chocolate Peppermint Mocha Cookies by following my recipe for Chocolate Espresso Cookies. Replace the vanilla extract with peppermint extract. Replace the chocolate chips with white chocolate chips and top the cookies with small bits of candy canes right after they come out of the oven. The candy canes are so much better if you want to top the cookies after they bake, as they get weird in the oven! (I know from experience!)
Step 8
Once all your cookies are baked and ready then it’s time to assemble your boxes. Line a box with parchment paper, this will help prevent the cookie grease from staining the boxes.
Step 9
Decide if you want to make cookies dividers or not. This part is totally optional and you can fill the boxes freeform with no dividers (like I did with my Gluten Free Christmas Cookie Box if you want to see a photo). Or you can cut dividers out of a secondary bakery box and place them in however you like. That’s what I did here.
Step 10
Fill the box with cookies! This is the fun part and there’s no right or wrong way to do this, so have fun with it!
Step 11
If you have gaps in the box, then fill those with extra smaller treats like the Peanut Butter Pretzel Christmas Crack, candy canes or a chocolate snowman.
Step 12
Once your boxes are filled, time to close and wrap them up with a ribbon. Be sure to deliver your boxes the day they’re made so the cookies are fresh. Or you can stick them back in the freezer as is built gifting day!
Baker’s Tips
- Make sure to order or buy the gifting supplies and have them ready before baking.
- You can use any kind of box you like, you don’t need to use the one I used.
- Smaller boxes are also great if you have a lot of boxes to gift and you can just add a couple cookies into each!
- Make the candy first, shortbreads next, and then the soft and chewy cookies to ensure the most perishable items are made last.
- Use the freezer! This helps so much when baking ahead of time and also before assembling the boxes.
FAQ’s
I advise making the cookies ahead of time and freezing. Make sure to read my post How to Freeze Cookies Properly. Then, assemble and gift the boxes on the same day as there are soft and chewy cookies that will go stale if left out.
Yes! While I’m using a large box here, you can definitely use smaller individual boxes and just put one of each cookie in a box!
Yes, a holiday cookie tin is also a great option!
Yes, feel free to use your favorite cookie recipes.
No, do not ship this box. This DIY Christmas Cookie Box is one that’s best for giving to friends and family the day you assemble it. If you want tips for shipping holiday cookies, check out my post How to Ship Holiday Cookies for all the dos and don’ts of shipping Christmas cookies!
Craving More?
DIY Christmas Cookie Box
Equipment
- Holiday Ribbon
Ingredients
Instructions
- First, be sure you have all till your gifting supplies before you bake anything.
- Start by making the most shelf stable items first. This is going to be the Peanut Butter Pretzel Christmas Crack. Once made, you can also freeze this and keep it in the freezer until you’re ready to package boxes.
- Next, make the Christmas Shortbread Cookies. These can also be frozen once baked to ensure they stay fresh! I advise placing all these on a baking sheet in the freezer until the sprinkles have all set. You can leave these on a sheet pan in the freezer or transfer to a Tupperware to zip bag until assembling day.
- Make the Sourdough Jam Thumbprint Cookies and freeze as well. You can freeze these on a baking sheet first, allowing the jam to solidify completely. Then you can transfer to a tupperware or zip bag if needed for space saving. Or you can also leave on the baking sheet until it's assembling day.
- Make the Candy Cane Crunch Dark Chocolate Cookies and freeze these. The best way to freeze these is to place on a baking sheet in the freezer to harden. Then transfer to a Tupperware or zip bag so they stay fresh until assembling day.
- Next, make the Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies. Freeze these by doing the same thing as above, placing on a sheet pan and allowing cookies to harden. Then transfer to a zip bag or Tupperware until assembling day.
- Last, make the White Chocolate Peppermint Mocha Cookies by following my recipe for Chocolate Espresso Cookies. Replace the vanilla extract with peppermint extract. Replace the chocolate chips with white chocolate chips and top the cookies with small bits of candy canes right after they come out of the oven. The candy canes are so much better if you want to top the cookies after they bake, as they get weird in the oven! (I know from experience!)
- Once all your cookies are baked and ready then it’s time to assemble your boxes. Line a box with parchment paper, this will help prevent the cookie grease from staining the boxes.
- Decide if you want to make cookies dividers or not. This part is totally optional and you can fill the boxes freeform with no dividers (like I did with my Gluten Free Christmas Cookie Box if you want to see a photo). Or you can cut dividers out of a secondary bakery box and place them in however you like. That’s what I did here.
- Fill the box with cookies! This is the fun part and there’s no right or wrong way to do this, so have fun with it!
- If you have gaps in the box, then fill those with extra smaller treats like the Peanut Butter Pretzel Christmas Crack, candy canes or a chocolate snowman.
- Once your boxes are filled, time to close and wrap them up with a ribbon. Be sure to deliver your boxes the day they’re made so the cookies are fresh. Or you can stick them back in the freezer as is built gifting day!
Video
Nutrition
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