Holiday gift-giving can be deliciously fun when you make your own cookies. Spending a day in the kitchen baking up a variety of cookies will leave you with more than just a full stomach. You’re bound to make some holiday memories too; especially when you gather several generations to help out.
The recipe for assembling the perfect cookie tin includes variety, flavor, packaging, and shelf-life.
- Combine a variety of cookies with different types of shapes, sizes, textures, colors and flavors to make a pretty and appetizing cookie tin. We have suggestions for each below.
- Add a novelty type cookie like our decorated Holiday Ornament Shortbread Cookiesor Biscoff Style Speculoos Ornament Cookiesfor the perfect centerpiece.
- Avoid sticky or gooey cookies. You don’t want all your cookies stuck together in one big clump.
- Depending on the size of your tin and the types of cookies, plan to include 2-3 of each type of cookie in each tin. You’ll want to fill the tin completely so that the cookies stay intact during transit.
- Line the bottom and the sides of your tin. You can use corrugated, tissue, or butcher block paper and top with pretty doilies.
- Separate each type of cookie with cupcake liners, shred, tissue, wax paper and/or parchment paper. Keeping cookies separated avoids the mingling of flavors. For round, crisp cookies that will stay intact – you can tie them together with a piece of pretty baker’s twine.
- When choosing which cookies to include in your tin, consider freshness. It’s best to only include cookies that can last several days without going stale.
Now, what type of cookies are best for a cookie tin? When deciding, keep these characteristics in mind.
Texture
For a chewy option, we love these Caramel Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies. If you want to add a crunchy cookie, try our Salted Caramel Crunch Cookies.
Soft cookies like Coconut Meltaway Cookies stand out this time of year by adding a tropical flair in a sea of brown sugar and spice.
If you add a soft, you need its compliment – a crisp cookie like these Cinnamon Snap Cookiesor Almond Orange Biscotti for proper cookie tin balance.
Color
Different colors of cookies in a tin make it look bright and festive. Try our Peppermint Chocolate Drop Cookies and these jewel-toned Stained Glass Jewel Cookies for a pop of red and white. These Buddy the Elf Breakfast Cookies have both outrageous color and flavor. You can add our deep brown (and top-rated) Gingerdoodle Cookies for a contrasting color.
Flavor
A cookie tin is like a box of chocolates, you want a variety to suit everyone’s tastes. For fruit lovers, include our Orange Marmalade Cookies. A spicy selection is nice too. We suggest Chai Snickerdoodles. Of course you definitely want to include a chocolate sweet treat like these Death by Chocolate Chip Cookies because you can never go wrong with three kinds of chocolate in one cookie!
Shape
Not all cookies are round, so change up the look of your tin with these fun and seasonal Copycat Mallomars. The whimsical Cream Cheese Chocolate Coconut Pinwheels check lots of boxes. Don’t forget about a moon shaped traditional cookie like ourPecan Crescent Cookies.
Do you want more Christmas cookie and dessertideas? We’ve have 100s of festively fun holiday cookie recipes on our website.
