Homemade Holiday Gift Guide: Cookie Boxes

Stock up on some buildable cardboard cookie boxes (you can find them on Amazon) and fill them with an assortment of cookies for an instant and memorable gift. You can mix and match from the ideas below (or your own favorites):

Assembling Your Box

Before you get to the baking part of your cookie boxes, some planning is required.

• Get inspiration from this helpful guide to concepting and choosing your mix of cookies.
• If you’re hand-delivering these boxes, you don’t need to worry as much about longevity or crushability. If you’re mailing them, you can follow this helpful guide. You’ll also want to ensure the cookies you’ve chosen will last a few days. 
• You can box and gift wrap to your heart’s content. Biscuit tins, large jars, and any type of container could work. We used these convenient buildable cardboard boxes, which are cost-effective in bulk and can be personalized with little stickers and gift wrap.

1. The Staple: Cutout Cookies

You can find a simple recipe for classic cutout cookies anywhere — and you may even have your own favorite already. You can also take a staple and make it a standout. Up your butter cookie game with neat tie-dye icing and tiny, imaginative shapes. We made mini clouds, stars, and unicorns in blue and white. You can get creative and mix and match colors with your favorite cookie cutters. Get the recipe from Bon Appétit.

2. The Sparkle: Sparkly Gingerbread

Bring the tinsel, the drama, the crunch with classic gingerbread dusted in sparkling sugar of all colors. These sturdy cookies hold up well, so this is a good place to pull out your favorite cookie cutters and create little gingerbread people, snowmen, stars, and moons to your heart’s content. Get the recipe from NYT Cooking.

3. The Crowd-Pleaser: Toasted Almond Snowballs

Everyone loves these snowy snacks, and they’re one of the easiest to make. These universal treats add some much-needed powder and crunch to any cookie box. If you want to contain the powder, you can stick them in mini cupcake foils. Get the recipe from NYT Cooking.

4. The Surprise: Cardamom Crescents

This is a sleeper hit. These little powder-dusted half-moons are unforgettable and almost too moreish. They’re also a fun, surprising swap-out for the more common snowballs if you don’t want to double-dust your cookie boxes. Get the recipe from Bon Appétit.

5. The Favorite: Cocoa Balls

Who doesn’t love sneaking a chocolate truffle? No cookie box is complete without them. This version is good for all ages, but you can use your own too. The biggest challenge will be not eating them all before you get them into the boxes. Get the recipe from Feel Good Eating.

6. The Argument Ender: World Peace Cookies

No one can be unhappy while eating the perfect chocolate cookie — hence the name. These are perfect for lifting holiday spirits, ending dinner quarrels, and bribing nieces and nephews to like you. Get the recipe from Food52.

7. The Showstopper: Lavender Shortbread With Fruits, Flowers, and Herbs

These decorative biscuits add a wintry, woodsy touch. Is it a little extra? Yes. Is it worth it? Yes. Will it make your cookie boxes look like actual gnomes made them in a forest? Yes! Get the recipe from Bon Appétit.

8. The Tree Topper: Linzer Stars

These jewel-bright, stained-glass-window cookies are ornamental enough for your tree, but better suited for your plate. Any color and flavor of preserves will work, so be bold with your windows. Get the recipe from Martha Stewart.

9. The Stocking Stuffer: Homemade Mallomars

This is a gift in itself — it’s a labor of love to make the marshmallow — so don’t be afraid to wrap these individually in golden foil. They’re worth it. Get the recipe from Saveur.

10. For Santa’s Elves: Matcha-White Chocolate Sugar Cookies

These earthy, forest-hued cookies are perfectly original and perfect for the holidays. If you’re leaving treats out for Santa, the North Pole workshop will love these elfin-looking bites (so will humans!). Get the recipe from Bon Appétit.

For more from our homemade holiday gift guide, learn how to gift holiday baking mixes and drinks.