A collection of the best keto Christmas cookies that you can make ahead and freeze. Want to get a jump on your low carb holiday baking? I’ve got 23 wonderful make-ahead, freezable cookie recipes that won’t blow your healthy diet. Perfect for gift giving or keeping all to yourself!
How much of a planner are you when it comes to holiday baking? Are you a pre-Thanksgiving, get all your ducks in a row early kind of baker? Or are you a mid-December, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants cookie maker? I
Do you rifle through your low carb recipe collections, seeking out the contenders and giving them a test drive well in advance? Or do you bake as you go, when you just happen upon a recipe that appeals to you?
If you’re like me, you’ve already been hunting up and dreaming up low carb cookie recipes for weeks. Possibly even months!
It’s funny, because in much of my life, I am not really the planner type. But when it comes to keto Christmas cookies, I start the process very early. Very early indeed! I am an Early November, maybe even Late October holiday baker. I just love holiday treats, I love baking them, love sharing them, love everything about them. It really is the most wonderful time of the year.
Freezing Low Carb Christmas Cookies
Let’s face it, if you start baking too early, you’re going to run into some issues. Like stale and moldy cookies, which aren’t going to help you spread the holiday cheer. But on the other hand, if you start baking too late, you might run into a time crunch trying to get it all done. What to do, what to do?
Part of the planning process is deciding what low carb cookie recipes can be made in advance and frozen. Not all recipes fit this bill and they change too much upon freezing and thawing. But others have just the right consistency to be frozen without incident.
A few things to keep in mind when planning your keto holiday cookies:
- Most basic almond flour or coconut flour cookies freeze just as well as conventional cookies and don’t change consistency upon thawing. By “basic”, I mean ones that don’t have fillings or a lot of decoration.
- Let the cookies cool completely before storing in a container or plastic bag. This allows the cookies to firm up properly before storing. Warm cookies will also give off condensation in the freezer which could ruin them.
- Flash freezing the cookies works well. Place them individually on a cookie sheet, not touching, and place the cookie sheet in the freezer. Then remove and place them in your container of choice. This helps them not stick together during the freezing process.
- Chocolate doesn’t freeze well. This is the case even for conventional cookies as the chocolate can bloom and go grey in the freezer. So cookies that are meant to be dipped in chocolate, like biscotti, or have a chocolate center, like peanut butter blossoms, are best frozen without. Then thaw and decorate as desired.
- Raw cookie dough freezes well. Some cookies are actually best frozen in their raw form. Consider doing this for drop cookies like chocolate chips and peanut butter. And my famous Chewy Ginger Cookies! The easiest way to do this is to roll them into balls and flash freeze on a baking sheet, then transfer to a zippered freezer bag once they are solid. Let them thaw before baking.
- Slice and bake cookies like pinwheels are actually designed to be frozen before baking, as it allows you to slice them more thinly.
Freezable Low Carb Cookie Recipes
This post was originally published in 2015. Since then I’ve created a lot more keto cookie recipes! So it was time for a wee update so that I could include the best of them. So many great options for make ahead holiday cookies.
I’ve gathered 21 of the BEST low carb freezable cookie recipes – all of them will be good for about a month when wrapped up air-tight. So you can get ahead now and have time in December to relax and enjoy the festivities.
1. Keto Sugar Cookies
This cut out sugar cookie recipe produces sturdy but tender cookies that freeze well both frosted and unfrosted.
2. Keto Chewy Ginger Cookies
The best way to make these ahead is to roll the dough into balls and freeze on a cookie sheet. Then store in a plastic bag in the freezer. Simply let thaw on the cookie sheet when ready to bake.
3. Chocolate Peppermint Stars
These easy egg-free cookies are best stored frozen without the chocolate coating.
4. Keto Danish Butter Cookies
Make these tender butter cookies ahead and freeze in an airtight container. Dip in chocolate after they thaw.
5. Keto White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies
This holiday classic is best frozen as raw dough. Roll into balls and freeze on a cookie sheet, then store in an airtight container or freezer bag. Simply let thaw on the cookie sheet when ready to bake.
6. Chocolate Orange Spritz Cookies
These tender keto spritz cookies are best frozen before you dip in chocolate.
7. Keto Gingerbread Men
Best frozen before decorating, although they do okay as decorated cookies too.
8. Keto Peanut Butter Blossoms
These classic cookies are best frozen without the chocolate center. Add that in after thawing.
9. Walnut Cardamom Snowballs
Freeze prior to rolling in the powdered sweetener. Don’t like walnuts or cardamom? Try chopped pecans instead!
10. Cranberry Pecan Biscotti
Best frozen before dipping in chocolate.
11. Keto Macadamia Nut Shortbread
Freeze the baked shortbread before dipping in chocolate.
12. Keto Gingerbread Spritz Cookies
These can be frozen after baking. Sprinkle with powdered sweetener after thawing.
13. Keto Butter Pecan Cookies
These just might be my most popular keto cookies ever! You can roll the dough into balls and freeze or you can freeze after baking.
14. Classic Italian Christmas Cookies
Freeze these soft Christmas cookies before decorating.
15. Keto Pecan Crescents
M5 dad’s favorite Christmas cookie! Freeze before decorating.
16. Keto Chocolate Chip Cookies
These can be baked and then frozen, or rolled into balls, frozen and then thawed and baked!
17. Chocolate Peppermint Snowballs
Freeze before rolling in powdered sweetener.
18. Keto Peanut Butter Buckeyes
Okay so they aren’t cookies. But they are also known as peanut butter cookie dough truffles so I think they should count! Freeze the balls before dipping in chocolate.
19. Keto Oatmeal Cookies
You should be able to freeze this as raw dough or as baked cookies.
20. Low Carb Cranberry Orange Shortbread
This is a perfect slice and bake recipe. You freeze the dough logs and they can last for up to a month. Then you can bake whenever you’re ready.
21. Chocolate Hazelnut Sandwich Cookies
These are best frozen before adding the chocolate filling.
22. Chocolate Orange Biscotti
Freeze the biscotti before dipping in chocolate.
23. Keto Rum Balls
Okay so again it’s not exactly a cookie. But these no-bake holiday treats are delicious and easy to make. And you can freeze the balls before rolling in coconut or dipping in chocolate.
Ripple Rome says
Please tell me where I can buy this
The Best Keto Holiday Cookie Recipes
Thank you for your time.
Ripple Rome
Carolyn says
The link is right in this post.
Anne says
I was excited to try the royal icing and read the recipe twice but do not see the ingredients or instructions. I had this problem with the broccoli, cheese soup. Great article but no recipe. I would love to make these things if it was possible.
Carolyn says
I’m sorry, I am confused. You came to a round up article on my site which includes a bunch of recipe. THE VERY FIRST is the cut out cookies with the royal icing. Please click on that…
Leslee says
Okay, I know this is an old post but I just had to scroll ALL THE WAY to the bottom to add my comment. You are so awesome! I am definitely a mid-November early baker, love freezing rolled out dough ahead for fresh baked goodies through the season. Never in my wildest dreams did I think there would be low-carb options for this!! YAY!! You have done all the work for us. I am over the moon excited to find this page. I know they will be good because I’m a long-time fan of your recipes!! Thank you, thank you!!
Carolyn says
Yay! I have to update this post with some new ones too, so check back in a few weeks!
Constance says
Wow…. I am so impressed with the quality of your recipes. I would love to get your books but prefer hard copies over e-books. Is there a way I can have them printed at my expense or do you have hard copies available. I am so looking forward to making many, many of your recipes… so glad I found your website. 🙂
Kind Regards…Connie
Carolyn says
Hi Connie, I just send this as a PDF so you can print it yourself. You could also simply purchase one of my traditionally published books like The Everyday Ketogenic Kitchen https://amzn.to/2mDxlmk
Suzanne says
We are planning a little family Cookie and Candy Baking day for the Holidays and have been struggling to find recipes we can adapt to be GF. THANK YOU for this. Although we can’t make them all (though I desperately want to), I will gladly sort through the list and get a few on the agenda. Thanks!