I always crave sweet treats around the holidays. Christmas desserts are just so comforting and nostalgic, don’t you think? One of my all-time favorites this time of year is the classic Christmas sugar cookies. They’re simple, delicious, and so much fun to decorate!
This sugar cookie recipe is one I return to again and again. It’s easy to prepare and turns out beautifully every time—crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. I used some Christmas cookie cutters I had on hand to make festive shapes like trees, angels, and bells, but you can use any shape you like. I’ve even used this dough for Valentine’s Day cookies!
These cookies are so good even without frosting, but I decided to dress them up a bit for the holidays. While decorating cookies isn’t exactly my specialty, I enjoy the challenge—and I think I’m getting better each year! My sister Haley, on the other hand, is a cookie-frosting pro (she works at a cookie shop!).
For the frosting, I made a simple buttercream—but these Christmas sugar cookies would also be amazing with cream cheese frosting, royal icing, or even a jar of store-bought frosting. No judgment here!
Here’s my little secret: I used a buttercream frosting mix kit to make things super easy. I added shortening, butter, and milk to the Celebakes Whimsical White Buttercream Icing Mix (pictured above) and was done in no time. I even added a bit more milk than the instructions called for to get a really smooth, spreadable texture. It tasted great and looked perfect.
I’ve had this icing mix for a while, and it’s been tricky to find the exact one on Amazon lately. But no worries—they have an Amazon storefront full of decorating goodies like sprinkles and food coloring. Click here to check it out.
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I hope this Christmas sugar cookie recipe adds a little sweetness to your holiday season! Happy baking and Merry Christmas!
Christmas Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup butter
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 3 1/4 cups flour
- 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, milk and vanilla. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add to creamed mixture. Combine thoroughly.With hands shape dough into a ball.Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2-3 hours or overnight. Grease cookie sheets lightly or use parchment paper.
On lightly floured board or counter, roll 1/2 to 1/3 of dough at a time, keeping rest in fridge. For softer cookies, roll 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Cut with floured cookie cutter. Place 1/2 inch apart on cookie sheet. Bake at 400 for 8 minutes.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup butter
2 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 1/4 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Directions
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, milk and vanilla. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add to creamed mixture. Combine thoroughly. With hands shape dough into a ball. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2-3 hours or overnight. Grease cookie sheets lightly or use parchment paper.
On lightly floured board or counter, roll 1/2 to 1/3 of dough at a time, keeping rest in fridge. For softer cookies, roll 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Cut with floured cookie cutter. Place 1/2 inch apart on cookie sheet. Bake at 400 for 8 minutes.
Even though you have to refrigerate the cookie dough for 2-3 hours, it is totally worth it! Having the cookies sit in the fridge helps the dough roll out nicely and cut into perfect shapes.
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