These Christmas Sugar Cookies are absolutely wonderful. They are tasty and sweet and have a thick and soft center while being slightly crispy around the edges. It’s so much fun to make these cookies with friends or family and enjoy them afterwards.
They are a real eye-catcher and make a perfect gift. Either packed in a nice box or bag, not only the little ones are delighted. Adults also love these cookies and they are gone in no time.
You have to plan a little more time, but it really is a lot of fun to decorate the cookies and it is also worth it, because they taste so good. Whether as a gift or to enjoy at home, these cookies may not be missing on my cookie plate at Christmas.
Tools & Equipment
- 2 large baking sheets
- 2 silicone baking mats or parchment paper
- Cookie cutter
- Medium bowl
- Piping bags or squeeze bottles
- Rolling pin
- Small bowl
- Stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment
- Whisk
- Wire rack
Recipe Tips
Room Temperature Ingredients: It is essential to use room temperature butter. If the dough is too sticky, the butter was possibly too soft. Room temperature butter still feels cool to the touch. Eggs should be at room temperature to be quickly and evenly mixed into the cookie dough.
Glaze: If you decorate your cookies with glaze, it will take at least 2-3 hours for the glaze to dry/set. Of course, you can eat the cookies before the sugar glaze dries. If you plan to make the cookies as a gift, I recommend sticking to the time it takes for the glaze to fully set, so you can nicely wrap the cookies afterwards.
Spread the Glaze: You can use small squeeze bottles, this makes it very easy. Alternatively, you can use a piping bag where you cut off a small tip. Just make sure you do not put too much glaze in the piping bag, otherwise you might have a problem with the glaze spilling out the top.
Ingredients for Christmas Sugar Cookies
Directions – How to Make Christmas Sugar Cookies
Make the Cookies
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar on high speed until completely smooth and creamy, for about 2 minutes.
Add the egg and vanilla and beat on high speed until combined, for about 1 minute. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until fully combined, for about 1 minute. The dough will be quite soft.
Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Place each portion on a lightly floured silicone baking mat. Roll out the dough with a lightly floured rolling pin to a thickness of 1,9 cm/1/4-inch. Lightly dust one of the rolled out doughs with flour. Place a piece of parchment on top to prevent sticking. Place the 2nd rolled out dough on top. Cover with plastic or aluminum foil and chill in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with silicone baking mats. Remove 1 piece of dough from the fridge. Cut the dough into shapes using a cookie cutter. Roll out and cut the remaining dough again until it is all gone. Spread the cookies about 5cm/2-inch apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 11-12 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Glaze
Combine powdered sugar, vanilla and milk with a whisk or tablespoon. If it is too thick, add a little more milk or if it is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar until you have the right consistency. When you want to color the glaze, stir in the food coloring. If you are using more than 1 color, pour some of the glaze into different bowls.
Decorate the Cookies
Decorate the cookies as desired. You can dip them in the glaze or use squeeze bottles or piping bags. I like to outline the cookies with glaze first and then fill them in the center. If you are using sugar eyes or sprinkles, add them right after applying the glaze to the cookie. The glaze will dry within 2-3 hours. You do not need to cover the cookies while you wait for the glaze to set.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
Storage: You can store decorated cookies in a cookie jar for up to 5 days at room temperature or up to 10 days in the fridge.
Freezing Instructions: You can freeze plain or decorated sugar cookies for up to 3 months. Let the glaze set completely before layering the cookies between parchment paper in an airtight container. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature.
You can also freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months before rolling it out. Make the dough, divide in half, shape both halves into a disc, wrap in plastic and freeze. To thaw, place the discs in the fridge, then bring to room temperature for about 1 hour. Roll out the dough as described, then chill in the fridge for about 1 hour before cutting into shapes and baking.
My Summary for Christmas Sugar Cookies
Difficulty: Simple.
Taste & Texture: These Christmas Sugar Cookies are flavorful sweet cookies with soft and thick centers, slightly crispy edges and flat tops, making them perfect for decorating.
Time: Making and rolling out the dough takes about 30 minutes. After that, the dough needs to chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours. Cutting out the cookies takes about 20 minutes and baking time is 11-12 minutes. After that, the cookies need to cool completely, about 1 hour. Making the glaze is 5 minutes and decorating depends on how creative you are. It took me about 1 hour.
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