Christmas Sugar Cookies
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Every year, Christmas Sugar Cookies are my favorite way to kick off the holiday season. The dough comes together with butter, vanilla, and just the right amount of sweetness, and the cookies bake golden with crisp edges and tender centers. The thick, glossy frosting sets beautifully on top, making them just as fun to decorate as they are to eat.
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I make these for Christmas cookie exchanges, holiday baking parties, and gifting because they travel beautifully, stack perfectly, and disappear fastest from any dessert table. They’re also the perfect decorating activity for kids and family gatherings. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week or freeze undecorated for up to 3 months.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.
How to Make Christmas Sugar Cookies with Step-By-Step Instructions
Scroll down for the full recipe card containing a full printable recipe and measurements in both US customary and metric units.
Once you have everything ready, this sugar cookie recipe comes together so much more easily than you’d expect, and the decorating part is genuinely fun.
Preheat and Prep Your Baking Sheet
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F/180°C and lining a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
A nonstick silicone baking mat keeps cleanup simple, while getting the oven fully preheated before the cookies go in makes a real difference in how evenly they bake.
Whisk the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, add flour, baking powder, and salt, then whisk until fully combined and set it aside. I use all-purpose flour for this recipe.
Taking a minute to whisk them together now means everything will incorporate evenly into the dough later.
Cream the Butter and Sugar
Using a handheld electric mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the unsalted butter and granulated sugar together until creamy. Softened butter makes a difference here, so make sure you’re not using frozen or chilled.
Add the vanilla extract and egg, then beat until the mixture is fully mixed and smooth. I use a powerful hand mixer to effortlessly get everything completely combined.
SERIOUSLY GOOD
DESSERTS!
Dessert First is a collection of 61 RECIPES to show you that you can make beautiful, impressive desserts right in your own kitchen, no matter your skill level.
Immediate eBook download. No physical book available.
Includes ad-free recipes like:
∙ Lemon Pound Cake
∙ Key Lime Bars
∙ Boston Cream Pie
∙ No-Bake Chocolate Lasagna
∙ Raspberry Cheesecake
...and much more!
Mix In the Dry Ingredients
Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until the dough comes together and is fully smooth. Don’t rush this part; slow and steady keeps the sugar cookie dough from getting overworked.
Shape and Chill the Dough
Lightly dust your counter space with flour, remove the dough from the mixing bowl, and cut it in half. Using your hands, shape each half into a disc on the lightly floured surface. Rolling from a disc shape gives you more even thickness across the whole cookie.
Roll and Cut Your Cookies
Using a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to ⅛-inch thickness if you prefer a crisper edge, or ¼-inch for a thicker, softer bite. Sprinkle more flour as needed so the dough doesn’t stick. A nonstick wooden rolling pin helps prevent sticking.
Cut out your desired shapes with cookie cutters, then use a spatula or knife to carefully transfer them to the prepared cookie sheet. Re-roll any remaining dough scraps to cut out more cookie shapes.
Bake the Cookies
Bake for approximately 10 minutes, turning the pan halfway through, until the cookies are pale golden or lightly browned and the edges are just starting to turn golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheets, or for a few minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Make the Frosting
In a medium bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar (or powdered sugar), corn syrup, 2 tablespoons of milk, and vanilla extract. You can use light corn syrup if you prefer mild sweetness, or dark corn syrup for a richer, more caramel-like flavor.
Stir until fully combined. If the frosting is too thick, add the remaining milk one teaspoon at a time until it’s thick but still pipeable.
Decorate Sugar Cookies
If you’re using gel food coloring, divide the frosting into separate bowls and stir in your colors. Transfer each colored sugar icing into a piping bag fitted with your preferred piping tip and pipe it onto the cooled cookies however you like.
Finish and Serve
Add sprinkles or candies while the frosting is still wet, then let the icing set before eating or stacking. Enjoy!
Once the frosting has fully set and hardened, layer the cookies between sheets of parchment paper in a sturdy airtight container or a decorative Christmas cookie tin to keep them from sliding or scratching against each other.
If you’re stacking multiple layers, keep the layers shallow so the weight doesn’t crush the decorated tops. For gifting, place them in a sturdy gift box lined with tissue paper and seal it well to keep them fresh during transport.
Ingredients
For the sugar cookies
- 3 cups flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
For the sugar cookie frosting
- 3 cups confectioners sugar
- 2 tablespoons corn syrup for a glossy finish
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Gel food coloring optional
- Sprinkles and candies for decorating optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F/180°C and line it with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
For the sugar cookies
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder until fully combined, and set aside3 cups flour, ¾ teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- Using either a stand mixer or an electric handheld mixer, combine butter and sugar until creamy. Then add vanilla extract and egg and beat until fully combined1 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 large egg, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Now, gradually add the dry ingredients until the dough is fully combined and smooth
- Next, dust your work surface with flour, remove the dough from the mixing bowl, cut the dough in half and, using your hands, shape them into two discs
- Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into ⅛ inch thickness for a crispy cookie or ¼ inch for a thicker cookie. Sprinkle with flour to ensure the dough doesn't stick
- Use your preferred cookie cutter shapes and using a spatula or knife, transfer them to a prepared baking sheet
- Bake until pale golden and the edges are turning light golden, approximately 10 minutes, turning halfway through, remove the cookies from the oven and cool on the baking sheets
For the sugar frosting
- In a medium bowl, combine confectioners sugar, corn syrup, 2 tablespoons of milk, and vanilla extract and stir until fully combined. If your frosting is too thick then add additional milk, one teaspoon at a time; you want your icing thick but pipeable3 cups confectioners sugar, 2 tablespoons corn syrup, 3 tablespoons whole milk, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- If you are using food colorings, split the frosting into the desired amount of bowls and add the coloringsGel food coloring
- Transfer your frosting to a piping bag with a piping tip and pipe the frosting onto the cookies as desired. Allow the frosting to fully set before eating or stacking. Enjoy your holiday cookies!Sprinkles and candies for decorating
Notes
Nutrition
SERIOUSLY GOOD
DESSERTS!
Dessert First is a collection of 61 RECIPES to show you that you can make beautiful, impressive desserts right in your own kitchen, no matter your skill level.
Immediate eBook download. No physical book available.
Includes ad-free recipes like:
∙ Lemon Pound Cake
∙ Key Lime Bars
∙ Boston Cream Pie
∙ No-Bake Chocolate Lasagna
∙ Raspberry Cheesecake
...and much more!
How to Store Leftovers
Once the frosting has fully set, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Layer them between sheets of parchment paper so the decorated tops don’t get damaged or stick together.
To freeze, place undecorated baked cookies in a freezer-safe container or zip-top freezer bag with parchment between each layer or wrapped individually with plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw the cookies at room temperature before decorating. Frosted cookies can also be frozen, but the decorations may shift slightly once thawed, so plain freezing works best if you’re planning ahead.
What to Serve With Christmas Sugar Cookies
They’re sweet enough to stand on their own, but they’re even better paired with something warm to drink. A mug of hot cocoa, spiced apple cider, or a classic cup of coffee or tea makes the perfect companion for a plate of these at any holiday gathering.
If you’re putting together a dessert spread, these look beautiful alongside other holiday bakes like gingerbread cookies, snickerdoodles, or a classic vanilla layer cake.
They’re light enough that they don’t compete with heavier desserts, so they work really well as part of a larger holiday table.
More Easy Recipes for You to Try at Home
Keep the holiday baking going with these festive favorites.
Right right…my boys love me more for making these cookies. I was surprised how the cookies stayed crumbly and did not go soft after I put the icing on. Definitely a keeper. Thank you.