Baking Beautiful Christmas Cookies

Christmas Sugar Cookies

These Christmas sugar cookies bake up with sharp edges, soft or crisp (your choice), and the perfect sweet vanilla flavor. The dough rolls easily, doesn’t need chilling, and holds its shape beautifully for all your favorite festive cookie cutters.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes per batch
Total Time: 35–45 minutes
Servings: About 40 cookies (depending on size and thickness)

Ingredients

Sugar Cookies

• 225 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened (use salted and omit added salt if preferred)
• 1 cup caster / superfine sugar (granulated white sugar also works)
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 large egg (55–60 g)
• 3 cups all-purpose / plain flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon salt

Optional Decorating Ideas

Use any of the following, separately or combined:

• Simple icing or royal icing (piping or flooding)
• Melted dark, milk, or white chocolate (for dipping)
• Powdered sugar (for light dusting)
• Sprinkles, sanding sugar, or silver dragées

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat the oven
   • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C), or 320°F (160°C) if using a fan-forced oven.
   • Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Cream the butter and sugar
   • In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until light and creamy, about 1 minute on medium speed.
   • Scrape down the sides of the bowl so everything is evenly mixed.
3. Add egg and vanilla
   • Add the egg and vanilla extract.
   • Beat again until the mixture is smooth and fully combined.
4. Mix in the dry ingredients
   • In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
   • Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture.
   • Start mixing slowly, then beat just until the flour is incorporated and a clumpy dough forms. The dough should hold together when pressed but not feel wet or sticky.
5. Bring the dough together
   • Lightly flour your work surface.
   • Turn the dough out, then gently press it together.
   • Divide into 2 portions and shape each into a flat disc. This makes rolling easier and keeps the dough manageable.
6. Roll out the dough
   • For softer cookies, roll to about ¼ inch (0.6 cm) thickness.
   • For thinner, crisper cookies, roll to about ⅛ inch (0.3 cm) thickness.
   • Sprinkle a little flour under and over the dough as needed to prevent sticking, but avoid adding too much or the cookies can become dry.
7. Cut out cookie shapes
   • Use your favorite Christmas cookie cutters to cut shapes from the rolled dough.
   • Use a thin spatula or knife to lift and transfer the shapes to the prepared baking sheets, leaving a little space between cookies.
   • Gather the scraps, press together, re-roll, and continue cutting until all dough is used.
8. Bake the cookies
   • Bake for about 10 minutes, rotating the trays halfway through so they bake evenly.
   • The cookies are done when the surface is set, the tops are pale, and the edges are just starting to turn light golden.
   • Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheets; they will finish setting as they cool.
9. Cool before decorating
   • Allow cookies to cool completely so any icing or chocolate sets properly and doesn’t melt or slide off.
10. Decorate (optional)
    Choose your favorite finish:

• Iced cookies:
  • Use a simple icing or royal icing for outlines, flooding, and details.
  • Let the icing dry at room temperature until firm before stacking or storing.
• Chocolate-dipped cookies:
  • Dip part or all of each cookie into melted chocolate and place on parchment to set.
  • Add sprinkles while the chocolate is still wet, if desired.
• Simple sugar finish:
  • Dust cooled cookies with powdered sugar just before serving.
• Serve plain:
  • These vanilla biscuits are sweet and flavorful enough to enjoy exactly as they are.

Pro Tips

• No-chill dough: The dough is designed to be rolled and baked right away. If your kitchen is very warm and the dough becomes soft, you can chill it briefly for 10–15 minutes to firm it up again.
• For clean edges: Don’t over-soften the butter and don’t overwork the dough. Roll evenly and bake just until the edges begin to color; this helps the cookies hold their sharp shapes.
• Texture control:
  • Thicker dough (¼ inch) = softer, more tender cookies.
  • Thinner dough (⅛ inch) = crispier cookies.
• Storage: Store fully cooled cookies (iced or plain) in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. If stacking iced cookies, make sure the icing is fully dry first and use parchment between layers if needed.

Nutrition Information

Approximate values per cookie (1 of 40 cookies):

Serving Size	Calories	Protein	Carbohydrates	Fat	Fiber	Sugar
1 cookie	96	1 g	12 g	5 g	1 g	5 g

Disclaimer: Nutrition facts are estimated using online tools and may vary based on your specific ingredients, brands, and portion sizes. For precise dietary advice, please consult a qualified nutrition professional.

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