Easy Christmas cookie recipes often call for few ingredients which are kitchen staples such as flour, sugar, and eggs. This simplicity does not detract from variety. There are a number of recipes and styles available to choose from. Easy Christmas cookie recipes include sugar cookies, gingersnaps, drop cookies, butter cookies and snickerdoodles. Some recipes such as no bake cookies do not require oven use. This shortens the length of time needed to complete the task. http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Desserts/Cookies/Christmas-Cookies/Main.aspx<ref>

The tradition of the Christmas cookie dates back to the middle ages of Europe. During this time in history sweets such as cakes and cookies were a popular product. The Christmas cookie in American culture today is traceable to the European recipes heavy in cinnamon, ginger, and dried fruit. During the 1500's Christmas cookies became a popular part of European culture. It was during the 1600's that Dutch immigrants brought the tradition to the United States. German immigrants later brought the tradition of gingerbread as a holiday treat to the United States. The tradition of giving Christmas cookies as gifts was not noted until 1963. http://www.foodtimeline.org/christmasfood.html#cookies<ref>

Some common variations of Christmas cookies include sugar cookies, gingerbread cookies, spice cookies and a traditional German Christmas cookies known as the lebkuchen. These recipes are quite versatile, allowing for the addition of preferred ingredients. The dough lends itself to various shapes for easy decorating.http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Desserts/Cookies/Christmas-Cookies/Main.aspx<ref>