2023 Christmas Cookie Box.

It’s time! I’m finally sharing our 2023 Christmas Cookie Box. This post is complete with my best tips and tricks to help you create the perfect cookie box at home! This year’s box is filled to the top with all of our favorite Christmas cookies, bars, and homemade candies. We’ve got oldies but goodies mixed in with new soon-to-be favorites! There are the classics, like snickerdoodles and sugar cookies. We’ve got Christmas monster cookies, salty-sweet peanut butter caramel chocolate truffles, and the yummiest hot chocolate cookies. And then, there are my favorite cookies in the box, gingerbread latte cookies. We included a lot this year! If there’s one gift on everyone’s list, it’s a homemade cookie box!

It’s Christmas Cookie Box Day! Every year, I frantically scramble to get this box together in the early end of December (it usually doesn’t happen). I want to provide you all with a box from which you can gather inspiration. This is probably my favorite post of the year to share, but it sure takes some prep work!

This is my 7th year sharing my homemade cookie box. With so many holiday recipes here on the website, it’s hard to narrow down just which cookies to include. For months now, I’ve been so excited to create this year’s box. So I wanted to make it big, special, and fun!

And I did! This is my biggest box yet, and my hope is that it will inspire you all to create your own holiday boxes for sharing this season. They can be big or small, it doesn’t matter, just something sweet and homemade for all to enjoy!

A homemade cookie box is the one gift no one could ever return. We ALL want Christmas cookies!

Here are links to my previous holiday cookie boxes: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. Each box is slightly different, so hopefully they can provide new inspiration! I love being able to look back at older boxes and see how my style has changed; it’s fun!

Last Christmas I was really into the “vintage Christmas” ascetic. This year, however, I’m mixing everything together. Vintage, fancy holiday, cheesy – over the top, and fun colorful Christmas. I’m embracing all the styles, creating something new, and having a lot of fun doing so! It feels very much like a Whoville Christmas but with a touch of fancy and classic elegance. Like mixing high and low!

Like almost all of the cookie boxes I share, this year’s box is in keeping with my “easy cookies” theme that I’m full-on embracing. When it comes to holiday baking, I like to keep the recipes mostly simple. Nothing too fancy or overly complicated. Holiday baking should be fun and stress-free!

That said, I think maybe one year I should create the fancy cookie box. Just for fun!

But this season, I made all my favorites and your favorites too! All the details, including my updated tips and tricks, are below!

How to Choose Your Cookies

When choosing your cookies, be sure to pick cookies/desserts/candies that will hold up well in shipping. I like to choose cookies that are of different shapes and sizes. I find it’s nice to have a little variety in the box instead of a bunch of circle cookies.

As for how many cookies I include in my box? It depends on how much time I’ve allowed for creating my boxes. I usually bake anywhere from 2 to 8 different cookies and then divide them between boxes. This year, I made eight different cookies, including chocolate pretzels, and incorporated them all into one big box.

Yes, my box is large. Many of you will most likely be using smaller boxes. If that’s the case, go with four to six of your favorite cookies. And if you’re shipping your boxes, keep them no larger than the size of a small boot box and include 2-4 cookies/candies.

All the cookies used in my 2023 Holiday Cookie Box

Holly Jolly Santa Cookies

Christmas Monster Cookies

Soft Gingerbread Latte Cookies with Brown Butter Icing

Vanilla Brown Sugar Eggnog Cookies

Vanilla Hot Chocolate Molten Cookies

Salted Peanut Butter Caramel Chocolate Truffles

Chewy Christmas Snickerdoodles (baked as cookie bars)

Chocolate Covered Espresso Pretzels (+white chocolate peppermint pretzels)

other cookies that would be great too!

Easy Hot Chocolate Lace Cookies

Slice ‘n’ Bake Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies

Chewy Frosted Cinnamon Swirl Snickerdoodles

Christmas Lights Cookies

Vanilla Ginger Wreath Cookies

Chocolate Peanut Butter Crinkle Cookies

Chewy Brown Sugar Maple Cookies

Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Milk Chocolate and Peanut Butter Blondies

Easy Hot Chocolate Lace Cookies

Chocolate Oatmeal Lace Cookies

step one: get a sturdy box

The box you use to package your cookies is very important, especially if you’re shipping cookies overnight. You’ll want to choose a sturdy box that can handle shipping. I love using a heavy-duty cardboard box; think something like a nice hatbox. Then I like to add cardboard ornament dividers. Or simply make your own using cardboard from old Amazon packages, which is what I did for this year’s box. Dividers keep each cookie separate. If you have a wooden box and are just gifting it to someone close to home, that’s great too!

If you’re looking to order a box, I found this cute Christmas box set, this one, and this cute set too. There’s also this box with cute Christmas designs. Or if you’re looking for a simpler design, these are nice too, but a little smaller. Oh, and these cute boxes too!!

Lastly, these cookie boxes are pretty adorable. I think they would be best for smaller treats though!

Any of these boxes are the perfect size for gifting and will fit four to six different cookies. These boxes are great for dropping off to neighbors and gifting to family and friends in town. If you plan to ship your box, I recommend putting the cookie box inside a sturdier one. Be sure to use bubble wrap or packaging paper to secure the box. This will help ensure that none of your cookies get banged around during shipping.

Another alternative is to use cookie tins. I love these festive square tins or these more classic round tins.

Or, if you want to ship just one kind of cookie, give this cookie box a try. It would be perfect for a batch of Chocolate Oatmeal Lace Cookies.

For pretty ribbon, I love this ribbon, and this striped ribbon is cute too. And this is certainly my favorite velvet ribbon; it’s great for any kind of gift wrapping!

I love searching through Anthropologie, Terrain, and Target for good ribbons and other fun cookie box items.

Tip: place bubble wrap in the bottom of your box. Then line the box with a very large piece of plastic wrap (use multiple layers if needed). Be sure to use a piece large enough to wrap over the cookies when the box is full. This keeps the cookies safe and fresh.

step two: gather cute packaging and ribbon

I try to find festive plastic wrapping, food-safe tissue paper, and/or ribbon to wrap around my cookies. This gives your box that extra special touch.

Tip: I always wrap cookies that I want to stay extra fresh in holiday ziplock storage bags and then add them to the box. If you want to use something a little cuter than storage bags or plastic wrap, try using holiday cellophane bags that can be sealed with ribbon. Or use small holiday cookie tins or boxes or even  holiday food containers that will fit inside your box.

step three: when to bake your cookies

As I mentioned above, I like to bake and decorate my cookies in the morning. Then, I let them chill and package them up later that afternoon or at night. This way, they’re all ready to ship in the morning. Have fun and make a day of this with your girlfriends, kids, siblings, and really anyone who loves to bake and listen to Christmas music!

step four: package everything up

Packing up your boxes is probably one of the trickiest steps of sending out holiday cookie boxes. You’ll want to ensure that all the time you spent making cookies wasn’t wasted. First, you should know that these photos are a bit misleading. They do not represent how I would actually ship my box. My goal is to show off the cookies, but here are my best tips for actually packaging up the cookies and shipping out your boxes…

1. Start out by wrapping any cookies that are more fragile in plastic wrap or plastic storage bags.
2. Be sure to pack the heaviest cookies on the bottom and the lightest cookies on top.
3. Arrange a layer of shredded paper, bubble wrap, or tissue paper between each new layer of cookies.
4. Pack your cookies snugly in your box to keep them from moving during shipping.
5. For the final layer of your box, I like to use shredded paper, bubble wrap, or tissue paper. This will further help the cookies to stay snug and in their place.
6. Pack the box inside a large cardboard box with about two inches of space all around it. Fill in the empty space with bubble wrap. This provides just another layer of protection for your cookies.
7. Seal the box well with packaging tape and then write FRAGILE all over it.

step five: ship your box

I ship via UPS or FedEx, and I’ve found them to be pretty reliable. Ship your cookies via two-day air because it’s important to get your cookies to their recipient as soon as possible. My biggest tip? If possible, avoid the post office. In my experience, that does not end well.

What are all of you baking up this holiday season? I love seeing your creations, so please share your HBH recipes!

SO EXCITED to see everyone’s cookie boxes soon!

@halfbakedharvest

Tis the season ☃️🎁🎄🎅 #christmas #cookiebox #holidaybaking #foodtok #happyholidays #halfbakedharvest #cookiesforchristmas

♬ All I Want for Christmas Is You – Mariah Carey

Lastly, if you make any of the cookies from our 2023 Christmas Cookie Box, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!