What is your traditional Christmas Cookie Favorites

Ricciarelli (https://fearlessfresh.com/ricciarelli-italian-almond-christmas-cookies/) delicious and naturally gluten free!

No favorite to name, but an interesting article on origin and evolution of cookies associated with Christmas, with a list later in the article of some popular varieties.

https://culturallyours.com/2019/12/04/history-and-culture-of-christmas-cookies/

If you want something unique, try Pfeffernüsse, a spiced German cookie with cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon—it’s soft, slightly chewy, and perfect for the season. Happy baking! 🎄 https://thatsnotmy-neighbor.io

https://food52.com/recipes/25631-cinnamon-stars
My late mil’s recipe for Cinnamon Stars.

I heavily favor very traditional cookies from Italy, ones whose origins are centuries old.

What Americans call "biscotti" are typically the Tuscan cantucci which is centuries old. (These are also known as a "biscotti di Prato"). It's worth noting that double-baking technique has been recorded since Roman times (Pliny the Elder was one who mentioned this). Cantucci were originally Christmas cookies although now they are just more or less generic biscotti served anytime, anyplace with zero context in the USA.

Perhaps my all time favorite Christmas cookie is Ricciarelli di Siena. These date back at least to the medieval era. These days I have bake these all year long but they are traditionally a Christmas cookie. Cavallucci is another old Tuscan Christmas specialty.

All of the traditionally Catholic countries have excellent Christmas cookies. I'm very fond of lebkuchen (most famous from Nuremberg) even if I don't bake them myself these days.

All of the Italian regions have traditional local Christmas specialties, it's not just a handful of cookies with red and green sprinkles for the entire country (which didn't form until the late 19th century).

I am also a panettone enthusiast which is another Christmas delicacy that I don't bake myself.