Countless cookie recipes and many variations exist but even still, a few classics have stood the test of time and prove to be all-time favorites for people of all ages. These delicious holiday classics offer something for everyone. To name a few: spritz, peanut butter blossoms, gingerbread, thumbprints and sugar cookie cutouts top the list of the tastiest cookies of the season.

One of the best ways to get into the holiday spirit is by baking Christmas cookies and the recipes that follow are a great place to start.

According to Alpine Bakery, Christmas cookies date all the way back to the Winter Solstice Celebration in Medieval Times. Although ingredients and methods of baking have changed with the times, making Christmas cookies remains a classic family holiday tradition.

Nothing compares with the opportunity to spend time with loved ones and sample a few delicious cookies at the same time.

Baking Christmas cookies can even be good for a person’s health. Women’s health magazine suggests baking cookies as a stress reliever. By focusing on the task of baking, one’s undivided attention is on the cookies instead of the other stressors that the holiday season often brings.

Whether it is to relieve stress, make family memories, or satisfy a sweet tooth, making Christmas cookies provides a tasty solution. When looking for which festive treats to make, here are a few favorites to try:

Starting off the list is a classic — the spritz cookie.

Originating in many Scandinavian countries, this classic cookie is sure to please. The spritz cookie is small and buttery with a crisp outside. It also offers a variety of toppings ranging from colored sugar sprinkles to fruit such as cherries. What’s Cooking America gives an easy recipe to follow for making this delicious Christmas cookie.

Taking the next spot on the list of favorites is the peanut butter blossom. This peanut butter cookie rolled in sugar with a chocolate kiss on top is a favorite for many. Betty Crocker has a recipe for this cookie and also gives some ways to make this cookie festive for the holidays. Adding colored frosting on the Hershey kiss to make it look like a Christmas tree or using colored sugar to roll it in are ways to add some extra holiday cheer to the Christmas cookie.

Another cookie that makes the list is the gingerbread cookie. The flavors of ginger, allspice, cloves, and cinnamon dance on one’s tongue and give this cookie the taste of the holidays. The spices and crunch of the gingerbread mixed with the sweet of the frosting is a delicious combination. Betty Crocker shows how to make it more fun by cutting out shapes whether it is the classic gingerbread man or any other shape that is desired.

Next on the list is the thumbprint cookie. Several variations of this cookie exist, but they all share a soft inside, crunchy outside cover in nuts, and a spoonful of jelly in the thumbprint. Taste of home says the thumbprint cookie is fun to make and even better to eat.

Coming in at number one is the all-time classic — sugar cookie cutouts. This cookie is tasty and fun to make for people of all ages. Betty Crocker’s recipe is easy and affordable to make. This cookie tops the list for how fun it is to make in addition to how good they taste. With the sugar cookie cutouts, a wide variety of shapes and an even wider variety of frosting colors and decorations exist.

Regardless of which cookie is chosen to be made, baking offers an unparalleled opportunity to bond fabulously with friends and family. For as long as cookies have been around they have been a way to share and connect with people. Making cookies is fun and delicious, but the people chosen to share that experience with mean even more. So this holiday season, grab a favorite cookie recipe and a loved one and make some lifelong memories. After all, Christmas cookies are a pretty sweet way to spread holiday cheer.