5 easy Christmas cookies to make this holiday season

Check out these 5 easy Christmas cookies to make. (iStock)

Christmas is just around the corner, which means it's the perfect time to practice your cookie making skills before Santa comes sliding down your chimney.

Whether you’re hosting a lot of family and friends this holiday season or attending another holiday gathering, here are five cookies to easily bake.

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Santa hat cookies

These cookies take inspiration from the jolly man himself. Use a cookie cutter to make these hat shapes before decorating them with red and white icing after they’re baked.

As a separate option, use a sugar cookie as a base and use red icing or a strawberry to create a hat-looking shape. A small marshmallow or white icing can be used to top off Santa’s hat.

Gingersnap cookies with a twist 

Put a twist on traditional gingersnap cookies by dipping half of the cookie in Christmas colored-icing, such as red, green or white.

Traditional holiday shapes 

What's better than a classic Christmas cookie? Use holiday-themed cookie cutters — such as a snowflake, candy cane, Christmas tree or star — to create the shapes before decorating them with icing and sprinkles.

Red and green cookies 

Use food dye to add red or green colors to the batter. Bake and top with fun garnishes — or leave as is. One Instagram user said her green-colored cookies were inspired by Dr. Seuss' "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."

"Rudolph" cookies 

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Using your favorite batter, bake traditional round cookies and then use icing to draw antlers and eyes. Use a piece of round, red candy to give the famed reindeer his bright nose.