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These Christmas Butter Cookies are rich, tender, and full of classic buttery vanilla flavor. The dough rolls out beautifully, the cookies hold their shape as they bake, and the simple icing sets up perfectly for festive sprinkles and decorating. They’re just right for holiday cookie trays, cookie exchanges, and homemade gifts.
Decorating Christmas cookies with my mom is one of my favorite holiday memories, and I still love making a batch every year. If you’re filling your holiday cookie trays, browse my Christmas Cookies collection, or try my Italian Christmas Cookies, Christmas Sugar Cookies, and Chocolate Crinkle Cookies next.
✨ Before You Begin
✨ Plan for chilling time: The dough needs to chill for at least 2 hours or overnight. This firms up the butter so the cookies are easier to roll and hold their shapes in the oven.
✨ Let the dough soften before rolling: After chilling, leave the dough at room temperature for 20–30 minutes, or just until it’s pliable enough to roll without cracking.
✨ Don’t wait for browning: Butter cookies should stay fairly pale. Bake until the centers are set and no longer look raw; waiting for golden-brown tops can leave them dry.
✨ Cool completely before decorating: Warm cookies will melt and thin the icing. Let them cool completely, then decorate and allow the icing to set before stacking or storing.
Christmas Butter Cookies Ingredients + Key Notes
Butter: Butter is the star of these cookies, so use real butter rather than margarine. It should be softened but not melted or greasy. Properly softened butter creams smoothly while helping the cutout cookies hold their shape.
Confectioners’ sugar: Using confectioners’ sugar instead of granulated sugar gives these butter cookies their tender, fine-textured crumb and delicate sweetness.
Egg yolk: Just the yolk adds richness and helps bind the dough without adding the extra moisture of a whole egg.
Vanilla extract: With the orange zest removed, vanilla complements the butter and gives these cookies their classic flavor. Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
All-purpose flour: Measure carefully so the cookies stay tender rather than dry or crumbly. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off instead of scooping directly from the bag.
Table salt: A small amount balances the sweetness and brings out the buttery vanilla flavor.
Light corn syrup: A little corn syrup helps the simple icing dry smooth and firm enough for stacking and storing once it’s completely set.
Whole milk: Start with the smaller amount and add more a little at a time until the icing is thick but easily spreadable. Too much milk can quickly make it runny.
Sprinkles, jimmies, or colored sugar: Add them while the icing is still wet so they stick. Use any combination of colors and shapes to dress these up for your Christmas cookie trays.
🥣 How to Make Christmas Butter Cookies
Make the dough: Beat the confectioners’ sugar, softened butter, egg yolk, table salt, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the flour, mixing just until a smooth dough forms.
Chill: Divide the dough in half and shape each portion into a flat disk. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Let the dough soften: Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes, or until pliable enough to roll without cracking. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Roll and cut: On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to ¼-inch thickness. Cut into Christmas shapes with cookie cutters and arrange them about 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake: Bake for 12–14 minutes, until the centers are set and no longer look raw. The cookies should remain pale rather than brown. Cool on the baking sheets for 2–3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the icing: Stir together the confectioners’ sugar, corn syrup, and 1½ tablespoons of milk until smooth. Add additional milk a little at a time until the icing is thick but easily spreadable.
Decorate: Spread the icing over the completely cooled cookies and immediately add sprinkles, jimmies, or colored sugar. Let the icing set completely before stacking or storing the cookies.
⭐ Pro Tips
⭐ Cream until smooth and fluffy: Give the butter mixture enough time to become light and well combined before adding the flour. Once the flour goes in, mix only until the dough comes together to avoid overworking it.
⭐ Don’t skip the chill: Refrigerating the dough for at least 2 hours firms the butter and makes the dough easier to roll and cut. It also helps those pretty Christmas shapes hold their edges while baking.
⭐ Measure the flour carefully: Too much flour can make butter cookies dry and crumbly. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off rather than scooping directly from the bag.
⭐ Keep the thickness even: Roll the dough to an even ¼ inch so all the cookies bake at approximately the same rate. If you’re using cutters of very different sizes, bake similar-sized cookies together.
⭐ Use flour sparingly when rolling: A lightly floured surface is all you need. Adding too much extra flour while rolling and rerolling the scraps can make the cookies tougher and drier.
⭐ Keep them pale: These cookies don’t need to turn golden brown. Pull them from the oven when the centers look set and no longer raw. Overbaking takes away that tender butter-cookie texture.
⭐ Cool before decorating: Let the cookies cool completely before icing them, then add your sprinkles while the icing is still wet. Allow the icing to set completely before stacking the cookies.
Storing + Freezing + Making Ahead
Storing: Once the icing is completely set, store your Christmas butter cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Place parchment or wax paper between layers to protect the decorations.
Freezing baked cookies: Freeze completely cooled cookies in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. For the prettiest results, I prefer to freeze them before decorating, then thaw and ice them when you’re ready to serve.
Freezing the dough: Wrap the dough disks tightly in plastic wrap, place them in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then let the dough sit at room temperature until it’s soft enough to roll.
Make ahead: The dough can be made and refrigerated overnight, making these perfect for splitting the work between two days. You can also bake the cookies ahead and decorate them closer to when you plan to serve or gift them.
Frequently Asked Questions
◆ Why did my Christmas butter cookies spread?
The most common causes are butter that was too warm or dough that wasn’t chilled long enough. Chill the dough for at least 2 hours, and don’t let it become overly soft while you’re rolling and cutting. If the cut cookies feel very soft before baking, pop the baking sheet into the refrigerator for a few minutes to firm them up.
◆ How thick should I roll butter cookie dough?
Roll the dough to about ¼ inch thick. This gives the cookies a nice, substantial bite while still allowing them to bake evenly and hold their Christmas shapes.
◆ How do I know when butter cookies are done?
Don’t wait for these cookies to turn golden brown. They’re ready when the centers look set and no longer raw, generally after 12–14 minutes at 350°F. The cookies should still be fairly pale when you take them out of the oven.
◆ Can I make Christmas butter cookie dough ahead of time?
Yes. Make the dough, divide it into disks, wrap tightly, and refrigerate overnight. When you’re ready to bake, let the dough sit at room temperature for about 20–30 minutes, or just until it’s pliable enough to roll without cracking.
◆ Can I freeze Christmas butter cookies?
Yes. Freeze baked, completely cooled cookies in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. For the best-looking decorated cookies, I prefer to freeze them undecorated, then thaw and add the icing and sprinkles afterward.
◆ What is the difference between butter cookies and sugar cookies?
Both are rich, sweet cookies that can be rolled and cut into shapes, but butter cookies are especially butter-forward and tend to have a more tender, delicate texture. This recipe also uses confectioners’ sugar and an egg yolk to create that fine, tender crumb while still making a dough sturdy enough for Christmas cutouts.
Still have questions? Drop them in the comments — I love helping you cook with confidence! 💗
More Christmas Cookies to Try
- Candy Cane Cookies – Festive red-and-white twisted cookies with a classic peppermint flavor that look beautiful on a Christmas cookie tray.
- Chocolate Christmas Cookies – Rich chocolate cookies dressed up for the holidays with festive colors and plenty of chocolate flavor.
- Spritz Cookies – Classic buttery Christmas cookies made with a cookie press for pretty holiday shapes that are perfect for gifting and cookie trays.
- Sour Cream Cookies – Soft, tender old-fashioned cookies with a delicate sweetness and a simple frosting.
- Almond Crescent Cookies – Buttery, delicate almond cookies coated in powdered sugar for an old-fashioned holiday favorite.
- Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies – Buttery shortbread filled with tart cranberries and bright orange flavor for a colorful addition to holiday cookie trays.
Tried This Recipe?
If you make these Christmas Butter Cookies, I’d love to hear how they turned out! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below — your feedback helps other readers and means so much to me. 💗
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Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today — happy cooking, friends! ❤️ Kathleen
Christmas Butter Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
Icing:
- 2 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1 1/2- 3 tablespoons whole milk
Optional Decoration:
- jimmies, sprinkles, colored sugar
Instructions
Make the Cookies:
- In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer set on medium, beat together confectioners' sugar, butter, egg yolk, salt, and vanilla until mixture is smooth. Gradually add flour and mix until dough is smooth.
- Divide the dough in half. Shape each piece into a flattened disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Before rolling out the dough, let it sit out of the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes, until it feels soft enough to roll.
- Roll dough out on a floured surface to 1/4 inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut into desired shapes. Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheets 1 inch apart and bake in preheated oven 12-14 minutes, or centers no longer look raw. Cookies will not brown. Cool 2-3 minutes on baking sheets then remove to a wire rack and cool completely.
Make the Icing:
- Combine the confectioners' sugar, corn syrup, and 1 1/2 tablespoon of milk until smooth. If necessary, add more milk, very slowly, until you achieve a thick, spreadable consistency.
- Spread each cookie with icing and decorate with jimmies, sprinkles, or colored sugar. Let the icing harden completely before storing.
Fans Also Made:
Nutrition
We tried different shapes with different sprinkles! It’s so cute
I wish there’s a way to attach a photo here! Hehe. Thank you and I’m happy you liked this 🙂
Can I make this recipe as drop cookies? I really hate rolling out dough! Thank you!
Hi Janet! I’ve never made this as drop cookies so I can’t advise! But if you give it a try, let us know how it turns out for you.