How to make Christmas Cookie Boxes

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For the past five years, maybe, I have been making Christmas goodies and giving them away as Christmas gifts. It started because I decided to take a stance against the amount of money that we all spend on gifts alone around the holidays for my massive family. I’m talking 13 nieces and nephews alone. There is no way, I am going to buy a toy that always gets thrown away or an appliance that hardly gets used year after year. Instead, I am going to make a bunch of sugary treats that everyone will look forward to. You know what? They do! It is now to the point where people ask me for specific things in their boxes that were in someone else box the year prior.

Christmas cookie boxes have become a tradition and an expectation in my family since I started this trend. I am not starting to get into the decor of it all. It starts with a cute box that you can buy at Amazon or Michaels, add some cute tissue paper on the inside, and add a bow on the outside. They can get really cute depending on how far you want to take them.

How do you decorate a box of cookies?

Making a Holiday Cookie Box is quite simple. You can buy a cardboard cookie box or cookie tins that are already decorated. You can buy a higher-end box, a harder type of cardboard that can be reused for keepsakes. Once you have the box, add bows, ribbon, a personal note from Santa, and customize stickers and tags. To make the boxes cute inside, I would use holiday tissue paper to stuff them inside the box. You can get as creative as you want. Once you have your boxes designed, you’ll want to decide on the cookies and treats you’ll make.

What cookies to put inside a Christmas Cookie Box 

Although you want to ensure your boxes are pretty and festive, nothing is more important than what you put in them. You can customize your boxes to the person or however you want. Some of your cookie boxes may be all cookies; some may be different holiday-flavored macarons; and others may be full of different holiday candies like Peanut Brittle, Chocolate Clusters, Homemade Gingerbread Marshmallows, and English Toffee. It depends on a theme you’ve established for the year or customized for the recipient. 

This year, I have a list of cookie recipes and treats that I will be making, and I will customize them according to who I will give them to. For instance, my baby brother loves Snickerdoodles. So in his box, I will be making Snickerdoodle Bars and Snickerdoodles. I’m sure I’ll be adding additional treats there, but he likes cinnamon sugar stuff, so I’ll think about his box from that angle. But there is nothing wrong with filling boxes with Classic Christmas Sugar Cookies. 

If you have the time to bake a bunch of stuff, personalizing the cookies and treats inside the boxes gives a personal touch. Still, suppose you are doing the same thing for everyone. In that case, I recommend that you make something with some chocolate (of course), decorated cookies of different shapes, Gingerbread Cookies, a simple truffle or cluster, maybe some brownies, and add little holiday candies for decoration like Lindor Chocolate truffles, Hershey Kisses, and mini individually wrapped candy canes. Either way, these cookie boxes are going to make great gifts!

How to keep your cookies fresh for the boxes

If you are going to ship your cookie box, it is recommended that you individually wrap each type of cookie before shipping. This year, I will be dropping off the cookies so I don’t have to worry about that. But I will be wrapping some treats that may have a strong flavor like my Chocolate Mint Cookies. I have made boxes with those cookies and the next thing I knew, everything tasted like mint. I may be doing the same thing with Peanut Butter Cookies as well. If you’re dropping them off you may not have to do all of that, but to ensure freshness, I would wrap some of the treats that have a distinct flavor so it doesn’t penetrate the flavor of everything else.

My overall recommendation is to plan early on who you are going to give your boxes to and what you are going to put in them. Also, if you are going to have anything personalized like your stickers or boxes, I would also plan for that as well. No matter what you decide to put in your cookie boxes, just be sure they are from the heart and personal to those who you are giving as a gift.

Shopping List for Christmas Cookie Box

Now that you have a list of Christmas cookies and treats that are perfect for your cookie gift boxes, here is a list of additional items and ingredients that is common and you’ll need for your Christmas cookie gifts.