As the air turns crisp and the smell of sweet treats fills our homes, there's no denying that the holiday season has arrived. Whether leaving them out for Santa Claus or simply because you enjoy festive treats, try your hand at baking this roundup of holiday cookies.

This lineup includes shortbread, chocolate treats, gingerbread and other morsels of holiday sweetness courtesy of PBS Food.

Spruce Tree Shortbread

Recipe courtesy of Kitchen Vignettes

Cooking with spruce is magical. It fills up the house with the fragrance of a sweet-scented forest and makes it feel oh so Christmassy. If you're in the mood, strap your boots on and go for a walk in the woods to gather the needles that make these shortbread cookies so special.

Spring is the optimal time to harvest spruce needles, when their tender delicate green buds appear. But more mature, wintery spruce needles can be equally delicious, with a more full and complex taste profile. And when you grind them up into a moist, bright green powder, you can almost feel their vitality and the beauty they can bring to any recipe.

Gingerbread Cookies

Recipe courtesy of The History Kitchen

No confection symbolizes the holidays quite like gingerbread, from edible houses to candy-studded gingerbread men to spiced loaves of cake-like bread. Ginger root was first cultivated in ancient China, where it was commonly used as a medical treatment. From there it spread to Europe via the Silk Road. According to Rhonda Massingham Hart’s Making Gingerbread Houses, the first known recipe for gingerbread came from Greece in 2400 BC. Chinese recipes were developed during the 10th century and by the late Middle Ages, Europeans had their own version of gingerbread.

Gingerbread arrived in the New World with English colonists. The cookies were sometimes used to sway Virginia voters to favor one candidate over another.

This recipe is slightly adapted from the now out-of-print New York Times Heritage Cookbook. It makes sturdy cookies with a crunchy snap, perfect for building gingerbread house walls (if you’re brave enough to forgo a kit). This version includes a touch more ginger to give them more flavor. You also might consider adding a splash of rosewater to the dough as a nod to Amelia Simmons! The gingerbread men bake up smooth and flat, the perfect pallet for decorating with royal icing, candies, sugar pearls and sprinkles.

If you've never tried the combination of lemon and pistachio, try your hand at these snowflake shortbread cookies infused with those flavors. While seemingly unlikely, these winter cookies are a perfect holiday treat. Learn how to bake this festive shortbread and transform it into an intricate snowflake masterpiece. Learn the art of decorating and infuse your holiday with a touch of homemade magic.

Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe courtesy of Fresh Tastes

Chocolate chip cookies are a classic any time of year, but with just a few additions they transform into a holiday favorite. This chocolate chip cookie recipe includes pecans and sweetened coconut flakes — a pairing that's sweet, savory and warm for the winter.

This cookie recipe can be made ahead, stored in the fridge and scooped out and baked. If you like, you can even freeze half of the batch and make warm cookies nightly. These are perfect for Santa and perfect to share with all your friends.

Cherry Chocolate Cookies

Recipe courtesy of Fresh Tastes

There's something utterly decadent abut pairing fruit with chocolate, and these cherry chocolate cookies are no exception. Dried cherries and dark chocolate will leave your mouth watering with every morsel.

The secret to this sweet treat is the addition of caramel. Drizzle or dip these cookies with homemade caramel — a combination of sugar, butter, heavy cream and sea salt — for a cookie you'll make every holiday season.

Chewy Chocolate Ginger-Molasses Cookies

Recipe courtesy of Martha Bakes

Don't let the word 'molasses' scare you. These chewy chocolate ginger-molasses cookies are the perfect combination of chocolate and ginger.

In addition to ginger and cocoa powder, this recipe calls for cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg creating a holiday flavor that's nostalgic, sweet, tangy and delectable with a cup of coffee or tea.

Dutch Sugar Cookies (Arnhemse Meisjes)

Recipe courtesy of Martha Bakes

With only six ingredients, these Dutch sugar cookies are simple yet full of flavor. Sugar, milk, yeast, flour, vanilla and butter is all it takes to make these cookies perfect for any holiday gathering or to snack on with your favorite beverage.

If you're on team 'sugar cookie,' give these a whirl and be prepared to add them to your festive food lineup each year.