Christmas time is coming soon–time to plan out the baking schedule. {Because it isn’t Christmas without some amazing Christmas cookies to eat and share with the neighbors!}. Today I have for you 12 days of my favorite Christmas cookies, so stock up on those baking essentials now!

 It’s definitely not Christmas without some gingerbread cookies, right? My favorite recipe comes from Si of A Bountiful Kitchen. They’re much easier to make than you think, even if you’ve never made them before. {This gingerbread dough can be made into gingerbread men}.

From Mel’s Kitchen Café comes this recipe for White Chocolate Cherry Shortbread cookies. Seriously, could they look any more appealing?

Continuing with the red-and-white theme, these Red Plaid cookies from Better Homes & Gardens really take the cookie platter. {I couldn’t say cake in a cookie post, could I?}. Anyway, don’t let the look of these cookies fool you–all you have to do is make logs of dough, with half colored red, then stack them together to form the plaid. Easy!

 One Christmas cookie on everyone’s list would have to be sugar cookies. There’s nothing like baking and decorating a batch to make it feel like Christmas! Try this basic sugar cookie recipe from Chow Hound.

If you love gingersnaps as much as do, then you’ll love this recipe for Soft Molasses Gingersnaps. This is one of those cookies that my neighbor delivered one year, and there was no going back–I had to have the recipe!

If you want a Christmas cookie that’s almost too cute to eat, then you need this recipe for Chocolatey Melting Snowmen from BHG.

Crinkle cookies are festive and easy, so why not try them in a Chocolate-Mint version?

 Use Hershey’s chocolate kisses in these popular Peanut Butter Blossoms. They’re popular for a good reason!

These candy cane cookies are so festive, but they’re easy to make. If I can do it, anyone can!

Shortbread cookies are a favorite at our house. They’re buttery and practically melt in your mouth, and can be shaped in various ways. The picture shows a monogrammed version for Hanukkah. What’s not to love?

Would you much rather decorate than bake? All you need are Nutter Butter cookies, pretzels, and M&Ms to make these adorable reindeer cookies.

. Do you love egg nog? Get your egg nog flavor inside a snickerdoodle cookie. Yum!