Christmas Cookies Kids Can Help Make

Baking and decorating cookies is a memory-making Christmas tradition that kids -- regardless of their age -- look forward to. Here are a dozen recipes that will get young bakers, artists, and cookie swappers into the holiday kitchen together. A plate of the finished products might even tempt Santa to sit and stay a while.

By Tara Mataraza Desmond

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Miki Duisterhof
Crunchy Cereal Wreaths

No baking necessary for these crispy treats that kids will love to shape -- while getting sticky hands! Marshmallow, coconut, and candy bows round out festive wreaths worthy of wowing a cookie swap gathering.
- Get the recipe for Crunchy Cereal Wreaths
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Rick Lew
Gingerbread Men

The iconic Christmas cookie is a blank canvas for little artists. A palate of edible beads, buttons, and icing brings each gingerbread man to life.
- Get the recipe for Gingerbread Men
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James Baigrie
Spice Crackles

Pumpkin pie spice and cocoa make basic sugar cookies unique, and colorful finishing sugars give kids free rein to make original crackles.
- Get the recipe for Spice Crackles
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How to Make Sandwich Cookie Snowglobes

Enjoy spending time with your kids this holiday season making this fun craft and tasty snack.

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Mary Ellen Bartley
Sweet Stockings

Sugar cutouts of Christmas stockings are perfect stocking stuffers! Colorful royal icing and sprinkles make decorating as exciting as finding a full stocking on Christmas morning.
- Get the recipe for Sweet Stockings
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Jim Franco
Snowflake Cookies

Icing, sparkly sugar crystals, and creativity in the kitchen prove that no two snowflakes are the same. These cutouts are as beautiful as they are buttery.
- Get the recipe for Snowflake Cookies
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Alison Miksch
Peppermint Puffs

It's as if a little bit of Christmas magic turns wispy whips of sweetened, billowy egg whites into light crunchy puffs. Flavored with peppermint, these meringue clouds are fancied up with a sprinkle of crushed candy canes.
- Get the recipe for Peppermint Puffs
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Alison Miksch
Candy Cane Twists

Kids will love rolling and twisting colorful cookie dough into the shape of Christmas' favorite candy.
- Get the recipe for Candy Cane Twists
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Mary Ellen Bartley
Reindeer Gingerbread Cremes

These sandwich cookies will go down in history -- just like Rudolph -- as a famous Christmas favorite. From-scratch gingerbread dough cut in the likeness of Santa's trusted sleigh-pullers come together two-by-two with creamy icing centers.
- Get the recipe for Reindeer Gingerbread Cremes
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Mary Ellen Bartley
Mouse Macaroons

Candies, icing, and a little imagination turn these simple, chocolaty almond treats into cute Christmas critters. Shaping and decorating them is almost as much fun as opening Christmas gifts!
- Get the recipe for Mouse Macaroons
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Anna Palma
Star Cookie Trees

These tasty trees double as an impressive Christmas table centerpiece that everyone will love to assemble and eat. Store-bought sugar cookie dough keeps things simple, leaving extra fun for icing, decorating, and building.
- Get the recipe for Star Cookie Trees
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Miki Duisterhof
Chocolate Malt Crinkles

Surprise Santa with a malty twist on a basic chocolate cookie. Kids will love rolling the dough in powdered sugar and watching the crinkles form as the cookies bake.
- Get the recipe for Chocolate Malt Crinkles
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Rita Maas
Pecan Snowballs

The finishing touch of rolling cookies in powdered sugar makes kids feel like they're actually rolling snowballs, and nabbing the last cookie of the batch will give new meaning to snowball fight! A coating of melted white chocolate adds extra sweetness to pecan treats.

Copyright © 2010 Meredith Corporation.
- Get the recipe for Pecan Snowballs
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