Aside from dessert wine, cookies aren’t your stereotypical wine pairing.
Yet, there are limitless possibilities when it comes to cookie and wine pairings so that tasting and experimenting with the different flavors can be an enjoyable group activity during the holidays.
“Cookies are much different than pairing wine with a complete dish where I would likely look more closely at specific ingredients,” advises Peter Marcy, sommelier and beverage director for Black Walnut Inn & Vineyard in the Willamette Valley.
“Generally, when considering a wine to pair with Christmas cookies, I would consider the cookie as a whole, rather than pinpointing specific ingredients…you have spices, sweetness, texture and density—all of which you have to take into account.”
As with any pairing, finding your favorite wine to pair with your favorite Christmas cookie is a personal endeavor, but for those seeking some guidance, below, Marcy, alongside top wine experts, share their 20 reliable pairings.
Classic Christmas Cookie Pairings
Gingerbread & Sauternes
“Spicy, gingery flavors go well with sweet dessert wines like Sauternes,” shares Kylie Monagan, sommelier and partner at Juniper in Long Island. For a more affordable alternative, Monagan suggests Maury, a fortified dessert wine made from old Grenache vines in the south of France. “Its notes of dried fruit, dark cherries, and dried Mediterranean herbs make perfect sense for holiday dining.” For gingerbread with frosting, Derrin Abac, director of food and beverage at Hotel Wailea in Maui, recommends an off-dry Alsatian Gewurztraminer. “The body and texture of the wine with notes of honey, ginger, lemongrass, tropical fruit notes and residual sugar are lovely with the cookie,” says Abac.
Peanut Butter Kisses & Syrah
For the Hershey’s Chocolate kiss topped peanut butter cookie, PJ Myers, beverage manager at Montage Palmetto Bluff says there’s no better pairing than a Northern Rhone Syrah especially from Cote Rotie. “The lush, dark fruit from the Syrah plays with the chocolate perfectly [and] the richer weight of the wine also plays on the texture of the chocolate,” explains Myers. The peanut butter, and the bacon fat flavors from the northern Rhone Syrah also complement each other as the wine adds some savory notes to the sweet cookie and cuts through some of the richness with its bright acid.”
Shortbread Sugar Cookie & Champagne
A simple shortbread cookie lightly dusted with powdered sugar should be paired with Champagne, advises Kent Bearden, sommelier at Hôtel Swexan in Dallas. “The breadiness of a true Champagne pairs wonderfully with the fresh cookie while the carbonation of the bubbles clears your palate after every bite.”
Peppermint Bark & Shiraz
Peppermint bark may be one of the most challenging cookies to pair due to the dominating menthol flavor. However, Marcy says that Australian Shiraz is a perfect match due to the wine’s “eucalyptus component on the palate that is a great compliment to the peppermint.”
Rainbow Cookies & Aged Champagne
The stack of red, green and white cookies are sweet and nutty, which Penny Nichols, beverage director for Delicious Hospitality Group advises are suited to aged Champagne, preferably with a Chardonnay base and over 10 years old. “As Champagne ages, it tends to take on more toasted almond and hazelnut notes, which enhances the almond notes from the cookies,” advises Nichols.
Snickerdoodles & Madeira
“Sercial, the driest style of Madeira, shines with its refreshing acidity and subtle hint of sweetness, offering layers of preserved lemon, black tea tannins, and warming winter spice—qualities that beautifully complement soft and chewy snickerdoodle cookies bursting with cinnamon and sugar,” shares Kara Daving, sommelier at The Bazaar by José Andrés New York. “The true magic of this pairing lies in its longevity: snickerdoodle cookies stay soft and fragrant for days, while an opened bottle of Madeira, thanks to its unique heating process, only improves over time, lasting not just months but potentially years or even centuries.”
Thumbprint Cookies & Pinot Noir
Thumbprint cookies are usually filled with jams like raspberry, cranberry, or blackberry, which “pair exceptionally well with a Russian River Valley Pinot Noir,” says Amy Racine, beverage director of JF Restaurants. “It’s not too heavy for a cookie, but the wine has a very concentrated ripe fruit flavor like black cherry and stewed blackberry. That profile brings out all of those tart tones from the berry jam and spices in the cookie itself.”
Cardamom Cookies & Infused Sparkling Wine
The baking spices of cardamom cookies already beckon a sparkling wine pairing but an orange or lemon riff on a cardamom cookie deserves Chandon Garden Spritz, a sparkling wine infused with bitter orange liqueur. “It’s a delicious balance with anything sweet and also pairs nicely with citrus flavors,” advises Pauline Lhote, director of winemaking at Chandon California.
Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies & Grenache
“These no-bake, chilled cookies are very easy to make and can be stored in the fridge or freezer. A glass of juicy, red fruit-driven Grenache pairs wonderfully with the cold chocolate cookies,” says Ben Chesna, beverage director for The Banks in Boston.
Toffee & Pineau des Charentes
“Pineau des Charentes is my favorite surprise dessert wine,” prefaces Cara De Lavallade, wine director at Cataloochee Ranch in North Carolina. The vin de liqueur from the Charentes region of France (where they make Cognac) is the fresh pressed juice of Cognac grapes blended with one to two year aged Cognac. “It has this amazing balance of freshness and barrel age that is endlessly charming,” she says, which perfectly highlights toffee’s sweet-nutty profile.
Rice Krispie Treats & Brut Champagne
“Growing up in the Midwest, I was raised on American classics; every Christmas we made Rice Krispie Treats, Buckeye Balls (if you know, you know), and Blondies,” says Clayton Allen, head chef at The MSR Kitchen in Carlton, Ore. “I still find myself craving those uber-sweet, nostalgic desserts, but it’s also fun to give them a little culinary upgrade.” Try a Rice Krispie Treat with sesame and brown butter paired with a Brut-style Champagne — the acidity of the Champagne will cut through the cloying sweetness.
Pecan Snowball Cookies & Lambrusco
“This sparkling, sweet wine is a perfect pairing for these sweet, textured and crunchy cookies made with pecans,” shares Alessandro Medici, fifth generation winemaker of Medici Ermete. “A touch of sweetness in the wine goes very well to make this a not-to-sweet dessert pairing.”
International Christmas Cookie Pairings
Linzer Cookies & Zweigelt
“Both from Austria, the buttery cookie is usually layered with raspberry jam, and the dry red wine is full of complementary raspberry flavors,” advises Bernadette James, the sommelier at Stages at One Washington. “Zweigelt is light with a fair amount of acidity, so it won’t overpower the nutty flavors of the cookie and it will cut the sweetness of the jam and powdered sugar.”
Pizzelle & Moscato d’Asti
“Evoking memories of grandma Rosie’s pizzelle press, Moscato’s sweetness, floral notes, and airy frizzante bubbles perfectly balance the anise flavor, enhancing the cookie’s delicate charm—especially when lightly dusted with confectioners’ sugar,” shares Scott Thomas, wine director at Restaurant Olivia in Denver.
Pignoli & Passito
A Sicilian cookie named after the Italian word for pine nuts (a key ingredient) offers a nutty flavor and airy texture. “They are soft and chewy with a crisp exterior similar to macaroons,” says Filippo Cortivo, co-owner and sommelier at Osteria Mamma in Los Angeles, who says Passito from Sicily is an ideal pairing. “It cleanses the palate from the chewiness and softness of the cookies and complements their sweetness.”
Spritz Cookies & Riesling
Spritz cookies liken sugar cookies, except they’re put through a press to give them texture; they can be elevated with almond flavor or pistachio but the classic is a buttery cookie. My grandmother emigrated from Germany in the early 20th century and brought with her a spritz cookie press which my mom still uses to make Christmas cookies every year,” shares Grace Bradley, wine director at Petite Vie in Western Springs, Ill. “With that rich buttery sweetness I love a German Riesling with a good amount of residual sugar; the zing of acidity cuts through the fat in the butter while the sweetness of the wine matches the sugar in the cookie.”
Cantucci & Vin Santo
A year-round tradition in Italy, cantucci (hard, crumbly almond biscotti) is dipped into a small glass of Vin Santo for dessert. During the holidays, however, Luca Scapolan, restaurant manager for il Pampero at The Hari, London enjoys making the classic pairing festive. “I like to add Christmas spices, such as cinnamon or nutmeg to the cantucci dough, or even go as far as mixing in dried cranberries, candied orange peel, or pistachios—whatever gives it that seasonal flare,” says Scapolan. “The wine’s subtle acidity cuts through the richness of the cookie, keeping the pairing from feeling overly heavy.”
Ricciarelli & Ramandolo
Ricciarelli are a melt-in-your-mouth honey-almond cookie with a sugar icing that are typical of Siena during the holidays, explains Jason Alexander, wine director of Che Fico in San Francisco. He says the delicate cookies are exceptional with Ramandolo, a small DOCG located in northern Friuli. “The native Verduzzo grape produces a sweet wine of great balance between sweetness, vibrant acidity and a hint of tannin that plays well off of the nutty flavors.”
Läckerli & Tokaji
A Swiss cookie typically enjoyed during the Christmas time, Läckerli is a hard spiced biscuit with honey, hazelnuts, almonds and candied citrus peels. Victor Foulhoux, head sommelier at La Réserve Geneva enjoys pairing these cookies with Tokaji “because the rich sweetness and vibrant acidity of the wine complement the warm spices and buttery texture of the cookies.”
Danish Butter Cookies & Riesling
“Simple and reliable, Danish Butter Cookies are best paired with something slightly less sweet, like a Spätlese or most Kabinett wines,” says Lauren Campbell, sommelier, Bing’s Bar at The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe. “The refreshing acidity of a Mosel Riesling complements the cookie’s warm, buttery sweetness.”
