Christmas Cookies Recipe
A classic sugar cookie recipe for the holidays, yielding soft, buttery cut-out Christmas cookies decorated with royal icing and sprinkles—perfect for gift boxes or festive dessert tables.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract pure, Madagascar
- 1 Tbsp heavy cream or whole milk
- 2 cups powdered sugar for royal icing, sifted
- 1 egg white or 2 Tbsp meringue powder + 2–3 Tbsp water
- Food coloring gels red, green, blue (optional)
- Sanding sugar or sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats for even baking and easy cleanup.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside to ensure even distribution in the dough.
- Beat room-temperature butter and sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. This aerates the dough for tender cookies.
- Mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and heavy cream until glossy and smooth, scraping the bowl to incorporate all ingredients.
- With mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep cookies tender.
- Form dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for 20–30 minutes. Chilling prevents spreading and makes rolling easier.
- On a floured surface, roll dough to 1/4″ thickness. Cut with Christmas-themed cutters, re-rolling scraps once. Arrange 1″ apart on sheets.
- Bake 10–12 minutes until edges are just set. Rotate pans halfway for uniform browning and let cookies rest 2 minutes before transferring to a rack.
- Allow cookies to cool on a wire rack for 15–20 minutes so icing adheres properly without melting into the cookie.
- Whisk powdered sugar with egg white (or meringue powder mix) until glossy. Tint, pipe designs, and add sprinkles while icing is wet.
Notes
Chilling dough is key for crisp shapes—freeze cut cookies 5 minutes for extra firmness. Store in an airtight container between parchment layers.
Nutrition
Calories: 140kcal
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