If you have been following along, I have posted several Christmas Cookies I have made ahead: Gingerbread Cookies, Cutout Cookies, Italian Lemon Drop Cookies, and Baklava Sugar Cookies. This past weekend, we wrapped up our holiday baking marathon by completing the final two cookie recipes and assembling our gift plates. It’s one of my favorite traditions of the season!

First up, we made Christmas Kiss Cookies, a recipe from Sprinkle Bakes. These cookies are a chocolate lover’s dream, with rich dark cocoa powder giving them an almost fudge-like texture. Topped with a festive kiss, they’re as delicious as they are beautiful.

For our final batch, we baked Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, a recipe we adore from Our Best Bites. These cookies are so soft and fluffy, they’re more like mini cakes than traditional cookies. With warm pumpkin spice and melty chocolate chips, it’s no wonder they’ve been a favorite of ours for years.

Once those were done, we pulled out our previously frozen Italian Lemon Drop and Cutout Cookies for decorating. For these, I used the Glace Icing recipe from Our Best Bites—it’s my go-to because it’s the perfect blend of taste and functionality. The icing sets beautifully, which makes packing and gifting so much easier, without sacrificing flavor.

With all the cookies ready, it was time to assemble the gifts. We put together 20 plates of cookies to share with friends and family, plus three larger containers to bring to the office and spread a little holiday cheer. There’s something so special about seeing all the cookies arranged together.

This tradition is such a joyful part of our holiday season. From baking to decorating to sharing, it’s a labor of love that brings smiles to everyone involved—including us! It’s so rewarding to know that the cookies are as appreciated as the memories we make creating them.