Some of my fondest memories are of cutting out Christmas sugar cookies with my family during the holidays. Mom baked countless Christmas cookies, but of all the cookies, we loved the sugar cookies the best! Sugar cookie recipes are popular all over the world with their simple ingredients and sweet buttery taste.
This Christmas sugar cookies recipe has a fantastic icing that compliments it beautifully. The kiddos will love decorating them! I hope you’ll check out all of our Christmas cookie recipes. If you don’t have time to make them all (kidding) try our Italian Christmas Cookies, Cream Cheese Spritz Cookies , and Brown Sugar Shortbread to name just a few favorites!
Gather the family and turn the oven. Let’s bake these!
What I Love About Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe
Everyone always raves about this Christmas sugar cookies recipe, and I must agree! Here’s why:
- Brings the family together
- Perfect light and smooth texture
- Simple ingredients
- Fantastic frosting
Recipe Notes
This classic sugar cookie recipe is a breeze to make. Here are a few tips to make yours the best they can be!
Chill the dough: The world’s best sugar cookie recipe requires chill time. It’s a critical step to develop a smooth, velvety cookie. If you’re able, overnight is best!
Christmas Sugar Cookies Ingredients
The icing: This is the best sugar cookie recipe for royal icing, or as I use here more of a glace icing. The key to sugar cookies icing is to add your liquid in small increments. You don’t want to get it so runny that you can’t control the flow.
The sugar: Sugar cookie frosting without powdered sugar turns out very grainy and unappealing. I suggest you sift your powdered sugar before mixing to avoid lumps!
Storing + Freezing + Make-Ahead
- Storing: I find these cookies store best in a tightly sealed container in a cool place. They don’t like to get warm and are a little bit fragile, so I prefer a rigid container over a ziplock bag.
- Can You Freeze These? Sugar cookies freeze perfectly. I like to freeze the cookies unfrosted and decorate them when I need them. You can freeze them icing and all, but sometimes the icing loses a bit of its texture when it thaws. For maximum freshness, wrap the cookies individually in cling wrap before tucking into their freezer container.
- You can also freeze the dough. It’s best to cut the dough into the desired shape and then freeze it on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Transfer the frozen cookies to a freezer container. You can cook them straight from the freezer. The dough can also be frozen in a simple log shape, cut into circles when semi-thawed, and baked.
- Make-Ahead Tips: This dough likes to be chilled and will hold well in the fridge for a couple of days. As far as the icing goes, it’s not only one of the best tasting sugar cookie icing, but it keeps well in the fridge for a day or two. You can even store it in your piping bag ready for use!
- How Long Can You Keep These? Food handling guidelines indicate that cookie dough is best if it is used within 2 days of being made. In the freezer, the dough will hold for up to 3 months, and baked cookies are good for closer to 6 months.
Recipe Variations
Made around the globe, there are endless variations on this Christmas sugar cookies recipe!
What Other Sugar Cookies Can I Bake?
These cookies are perfect for any celebration. Of course, you don’t always have to decorate sugar cookies. Cinnamon Sugar Cookies are perfect with their sweet, spiced flavor and simple presentation!
Can I Add Chocolate?
Adding chocolate to this Christmas sugar cookies recipe would be a great idea. Much like making chocolate shortbread cookies, chocolate sugar cookies by adding cocoa powder will require an adjustment on the amount of flour.
You could also consider dipping in these cookies in chocolate. Dark chocolate would be delicious! I think my double chocolate snowballs would also be a great option if you want a moist, chocolaty cookie!
Can I Add Almonds?
I wouldn’t add almonds to the dough of this Christmas sugar cookies recipe. I love the light and smooth texture, and chopped almonds would detract from that. However, you could put sliced almonds on the top or use almond extract instead of vanilla if you want almond flavor.
- Almond crescent cookies and almond shortbread cookies are great recipes that showcase almond flavor with a buttery, sugar cookie base.
More Christmas Cookies + Treats
- Italian Wedding Cookies
- Butter Pecan Cookies
- Reindeer Noses
- Polar Bear Paws Candy
- Linzer Cookies
- Candy Cane Cookies
- Lebkuchen Cookies
- Almond Joy Cookies
- Christmas Chex Mix
TRIED THIS RECIPE?
Leave a review, I love hearing your feedback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Christmas Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Icing:
- 1 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 3-4 tablespoons whole milk
- food coloring, as needed
Decorations:
- colored sugar, jimmies, sprinkles
Instructions
Cookies:
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld electric mixer on medium speed, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Stir in vanilla.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to butter mixture and beat just until combined. Shape dough into a disk and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate a minimum of 1 hour up to overnight.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- 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 6-8 minutes. Cool 5 minutes on baking sheets then remove to a wire rack and cool completely.
Icing:
- In a mixing bowl, stir together confectioners' sugar, corn syrup, and 2 tablespoons of milk until smooth. Add more milk, a little at a time to thin icing to a pourable consistency. If desired, divide icing into smaller bowls and tint with food coloring.
Decorating:
- Set completely cooled cookies on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Slowly spoon/poor icing over cookies. Decorate with colored sugar, jimmies, sprinkles. Let icing set completely before serving or storing.
Fans Also Made:
Nutrition
Best and easiest sugar cookie!! Love them and the icing is just perfectly sweet but not too sweet.
Thank you for sharing this. Merry Christmas ?
Michelle, I’m so happy you enjoyed the Christmas Sugar Cookie recipe. Merry Christmas to you!! <3
Hello im excited to find a sugar cookie that is so good the hints helped out wonderful thank you. Do you email recipes?
Hi Sherry! I’m so happy to hear my tips are really helpful. This is one of my Mom’s favorite recipes <3 Yes, we have a newsletter that sends you a daily recipe that we'd love to have you join. You can access it directly from my website by filling out the boxes on the top pink banner or you can go directly to https://www.gonnawantseconds.com/subscribe/
Is this royal icing edible without breaking your teeth? Thanks!
Hi! Ruth! Yes, they’re certainly safe to eat (and a must-have for decorating cookies and cakes!). If you’re also concerned about the sweetness, you can add some lemon juice to balance it out. Hope this helps! ?