Christmas Sugar Cookies

Soft Christmas Sugar Cookies

Buttery, melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookies that hold their shape for cutters—and a foolproof royal icing for crisp, festive designs.

Prep Time: 20 min
Chill Time: 0 min (see note for optional 20 min)
Bake Time: 9–11 min per tray
Decorating/Set Time: 45–60 min
Total Time: ~1 hr 30 min
Servings: ~36 medium cookies

Ingredients

Sugar Cookies

• 2 ¾ cups (330 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp fine salt
• 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temp
• 1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
• ½ tsp almond extract (optional)
• 2–3 Tbsp milk, as needed for dough cohesion

Royal Icing (Easy, Meringue Powder)

• 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar, sifted
• 3 Tbsp meringue powder
• 6–8 Tbsp cool water, plus more to thin
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or ½ tsp almond extract

Optional

• Gel food coloring
• Sprinkles, sanding sugar

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat & prep. Heat oven to 350°F/175°C. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
2. Whisk dry. In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. Cream butter & sugar. In a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium until light and fluffy, 2–3 minutes. Scrape bowl.
4. Add egg & flavor. Beat in egg, vanilla, and almond extract until smooth.
5. Bring dough together. Mix in dry ingredients on low just until a few flour streaks remain. Add milk 1 Tbsp at a time until dough holds when pressed—soft but not sticky.
6. Roll. Dust the counter lightly with flour. Roll dough to ¼ in (6 mm) thickness. For clean edges, roll between two sheets of parchment.
7. Cut & bake. Cut shapes; transfer to sheets, spacing 1 in apart. Bake 9–11 minutes, until edges are set but not browned. Cool 2 minutes on the sheet, then move to a rack to cool completely.
8. Make royal icing. In a bowl, whisk powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add 6 Tbsp water and vanilla; beat 2–3 minutes until glossy with soft peaks. Adjust: add ½–1 tsp water at a time for “outline” consistency (thick ribbons). For flooding, thin small portions with more water to slow-moving ribbons.
9. Decorate. Pipe outlines, then flood. Use a toothpick to pop bubbles and nudge icing. Add sprinkles while icing is wet. Let dry at room temperature 6–8 hours before stacking.

Pro Tips

• No-chill dough: Works as written, but a 20-minute fridge rest makes transferring intricate shapes easier if your kitchen is warm.
• Flat cookies: Roll to an even thickness and bake on fully cooled sheets; warm sheets encourage spread.
• Make ahead: Baked cookies keep 3–4 days airtight at room temp. Decorated cookies keep 7–10 days. Undecorated cookies and dough freeze up to 2 months.

Nutrition Info

Serving Size	Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fat	Fiber	Sugar
1 cookie	120	1g	19g	4g	0g	12g

Disclaimer: Nutrition facts are estimated using online tools and may vary based on your ingredients and preparation. Please consult a nutritionist for precise dietary advice.

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