Next Post
WhoVille Christmas Punch (+ mocktail).
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
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!
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
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
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
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.
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.
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!
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…
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!
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!
The cookie box is gorgeous as always! I noticed after the fact that the butter for all the recipes calls for salted, but I accidentally bought unsalted. Can I still use it or should I run back to the grocery store?!
Hi Jennifer. If you have a recipe that calls for salted butter, but all you have is unsalted butter – use the unsalted butter and increase the salt in the recipe by 1/4 teaspoon for every stick or 1/2 cup of butter that the recipe calls for. I do this all the time and it works perfectly.
Hey Jennifer! Yes, you can definitely use unsalted butter! Maybe just an add extra pinch of salt to the dough you’re making! xT
Hi Tieghan, beautiful Christmas cookie box! I’ve made many of your Christmas cookies over the years and they all turn out amazing, lots of compliments and requests for repeats. Can you tell me where you got the bending Christmas tree cookie cutter? I think it’s so cute! Thanks and Merry Christmas!
Hi Cindy! It’s actually a piece of paper that I cut out and traced that! xT
Oooh- I was so excited until I learned that I had to bake/make the cookie box! 😂🤣😂 what a fabulous idea to produce on a niche/quality scale…very exclusive! Beautiful and well done box!!! Would be first on the list- every year if these were being sold! 😘🎄🎁
Thank you so so much Grace! Have an amazing Christmas! 🙂 xT
Just discovered you
Enjoying your books
Newsletter
Next to Julia …You’re the best!!
Thank you so so much Doreen! Wow, that is such a compliment! xT
Respectfully, I think you meant aesthetic not ascetic……
Very different definitions…..
New to your website, I LOVE LOVE LOVE!! My niece is coming over to bake cookies for gifts and we will be making many of your recipes. Love all the tips for packaging them up safely. Thanks so much. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Thank you so so much Jennifer! xT
You are awesome! All the work you put into sharing your beautiful cookies and recipes is amazing! Thank you!!!
Aw thank you so much Peggy! xT
What a festive box! I’m curious how you handle the items that need to be refrigerated, like the truffles, pretzels, and peppermint bark? Whether shipping or just delivering in person, seems like it would be tricky!
Also have you thought about sharing pics of the packaging process? Maybe something you could do on IG stories to show us how you get everything ready to ship? Would be super helpful to many, I’m sure!
Yes, would definitely love to share more about the packaging process! xT
How do you handle the refrigerated items?
Are the salty-sweet peanut butter caramel chocolate truffles coming soon? Looking forward to making those!
These look amazing. It Would be good to see one of your boxes actually packed up – the various stages of materials you use to ship. All great tips, but would help to SEE one done – in stages. Can’t wait to try some these recipes.
Thanks & Merry Christmas
Thanks for the feedback Rona! xT
WOW! What an incredible box of delicious, delights!
Thank you so much Nancy! xT
Hooray, the 2023 HBH Cookie Box is here! I am super excited to give the chocolate caramel pb truffles a try (not much of a candy maker but these look delish). I love that the box contains lots of easy cookies, but I would love to see your “fancy” cookie box next year! So glad you’re enjoying your favorite season. Looking forward to pics of your fun, beautiful decor! Have a wonderful weekend! 🎄🍪
Thank you so much Jen! Hope you have an awesome holiday season! xT
Hi, what are the cookies shown in the photo above that look like chocolate covered peanut butter truffles? The photo is after all the cookie links and has one sliced in half with a knife shown. It doesn’t seem to match any of the cookie links included in the post. Thanks!
I would like to know this too!
Awesome job, once again! Would love to see photos of your packaging process and final box before you seal it up. For me, the most fun of Christmas is wrapping/packaging all the gifts! Thanks for another great year of inspiration!
Thanks so so much! xT
My favorite post of the year! Thank you for all the gorgeous inspiration!
Thank you so so much! Sooo glad you enjoyed this recipe! Have a wonderful weekend! 🙂 xT