12 Creative Holiday Cookies That'll Make You The Star Of The Cookie Exchange

Forget boring sugar cookies! Purchase ingredients for these innovative treats and earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on everything you buy with the Chase Freedom Unlimited℠ card, like a month’s supply of hot chocolate and eggnog to wash all the cookies down!

Kirby Darland

1. Almond Butter, Pretzel, and Sea Salt Truffles

Love cookie exchanges but don’t love the baking part? These sweet and salty no-bake truffles have your name written all over them. You can even make some with almond butter and some with peanut butter for more nut-tastic variety! See the inspiration here.

2. Cinnamon Roll Cookies

The best kind of sweet, ooey-gooey breakfast meets dessert with these vanilla- and spice-infused cookies. Serve up as single cookies smothered in frosting or as sandwiches for some double dessert trouble. Get the recipe here.

3. Glittery Champagne Cookies

Light and crisp, pink, and made with...champagne? Now that’s just perfection. Add edible glitter to these pretty cookies for extra holiday pizzazz! See the inspiration here.

4. Caramel Popcorn Chocolate Chip Cookies

Every semi-normal human without an allergy loves a good chocolate chip cookie, and you’ll pleasantly surprise your friends with this special version that combines two amazing sweet treats in one. Oh, and it’s chewy and crunchy at the same time. Soo… Get the recipe here.

5. Ginger Cookie Cups With Pumpkin Cheesecake

Sugar, spice, and everything nice...and cheesecake. #win. SO many festive flavors happening in these adorable lil’ cookie cups. Get the recipe here.

6. Stuffed Chocolate Almond Macaroons

Everyone else brought cookies; you brought macaroons. And these aren’t just any macaroons — they’re filled with chocolate candy and covered in a chocolate drizzle. Get the recipe here.

7. Caramel Latte Thumbprint Cookies

Serve up that sweet, cozy winter beverage you probably spend too much of your paycheck on in cookie form! Don’t forget some sea salt for sprinkling on top because salted caramel is EVERYTHING. Get the recipe here.

8. White Chocolate–Stuffed Brown Butter Snickerdoodles

When “white chocolate,” “butter,” and “stuffed” are in the same sentence, let alone the same cookie name, you know you’re in for a pretty epic treat! You and your friends will never look at a plain snickerdoodle the same way again. Get the recipe here.

9. Strawberry-Glazed Ricotta Cookies

These fruity delights legit couldn’t be more festive and will get plenty of “oohs” and “aahs” not just for how beautiful they look but for their perfectly soft, buttery goodness paired with real berry flavor as well. Get the recipe here.

10. Mini Marshmallow Hot Chocolate Cookies

Hot chocolate with marshmallows was undoubtedly one of THE best parts of being a kid in the winter. Bring all your friends back to their youth with these comforting and colorful frosted cookies. Get the recipe here.

11. Chocolate Cow Pies

Sometimes all people want is pure, creamy chocolate and some crunch, and for that, these no-bake cookies TOTALLY deliver. Decorate with festive sprinkles for a pop of color, and get ready to watch these fly off the serving plate. See the inspiration here.

12. Peppermint Meringues

These minty meringues are the perfect palate cleanse amongst more decadent cookie exchange treats. You also need only five ingredients and 20 minutes of prep for these beauties. But don’t tell anyone that, obviously. ;) See the inspiration here.

Photographs by Stone, Vogel & Zaser / © BuzzFeed

Get ready to become cookie exchange–famous!

Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on everything you buy with the Chase Freedom Unlimited℠ card, including a fabulous outfit to wear to said cookie exchange. ;)