Christmas Sugar Cookies with Easy Icing

Christmas Sugar Cookies with Easy Icing are buttery cut-out cookies flavored with vanilla and an optional touch of almond. Cut them into trees, stars, or snowflakes, then finish with colorful icing and sprinkles.

This recipe makes approximately 24 cookies. Plan ahead for chilling the dough, cooling the baked cookies, and allowing the decorations to dry before packaging.

For a Christmas cookie platter with contrasting flavors, serve them alongside our Classic Gingerbread Cookies for Christmas. The warm spices complement the vanilla flavor of these sugar cookies.

Tips for Making Christmas Sugar Cookies

Measure the flour carefully and chill the dough before cutting out the cookies. Work with one portion at a time, keeping the remaining dough refrigerated.

Roll the dough evenly and bake similarly sized shapes together. Smaller cookies may finish before larger ones, so check each batch rather than relying only on the timer.

Choose sturdy shapes if you plan to transport the cookies. Thin points and narrow sections are more likely to break during decorating or packing.

How to Decorate Sugar Cookies with Easy Icing

Start with completely cooled cookies. Adjust the icing gradually, adding milk in small amounts if it is too thick. Use gel coloring to create different shades without adding much extra liquid.

Practice a few lines on parchment paper before decorating. Begin with simple outlines or dots, and add sprinkles while the icing is wet. Leave the finished cookies in a single layer until the decorations have dried.

Tiffany

Christmas Sugar Cookies with Easy Icing

These Christmas Sugar Cookies are buttery, tender, and flavored with vanilla and a hint of almond. The dough holds its shape beautifully when baked, making it perfect for Christmas trees, stars, and snowflakes decorated with easy colorful icing.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Chilling and Decorating Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Servings: 24 cookies

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 202

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Sugar Cookies

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract optional

Easy Cookie Icing

• 3 cups powdered sugar sifted
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 3 tablespoons milk plus more as needed
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Gel food coloring optional
• Sprinkles optional

Equipment

• Large mixing bowl
• Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
• Rolling Pin
• Christmas cookie cutters
• Baking sheets
• Parchment paper
• Cooling rack
• Small mixing bowls
• Piping bags

Method

 

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer for 2–3 minutes, until light and creamy.
3. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed just until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.
5. Divide the dough into two equal portions and flatten each portion into a disk. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
6. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
7. Roll one disk of chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to approximately 1/4-inch thickness.
8. Cut the dough into Christmas trees, stars, snowflakes, or other holiday shapes. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets, leaving approximately 1 inch between them.
9. Bake for 8–10 minutes, until the tops look set and the edges are only lightly golden. Avoid overbaking.
10. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.
11. To prepare the icing, whisk together the powdered sugar, corn syrup, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Add more milk 1/2 teaspoon at a time if the icing is too thick.
12. Divide the icing among small bowls and tint each portion with gel food coloring. Transfer the icing to piping bags.
13. Outline and decorate the cooled cookies. Add sprinkles while the icing is still wet.
14. Let the decorated cookies rest uncovered for 4–6 hours, or until the icing has hardened completely, before stacking or storing.

Notes

Chilling the dough helps the cookies retain their shapes during baking.

Measure the flour carefully. Too much flour can make the cookies dry and difficult to roll.

Roll the dough evenly so all the cookies bake at approximately the same speed.

Use gel food coloring instead of liquid coloring because it provides stronger colors without thinning the icing.

For a softer cookie, remove it from the oven before the edges become noticeably brown.

The icing needs several hours to dry completely. Do not stack the cookies while the icing is still soft.

Store the decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

The cookie dough may be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Storing and Packing Christmas Sugar Cookies

Package cookies only after they have cooled and the icing has dried completely. Separate stacked layers with parchment paper to protect the decorations.

For gift boxes, arrange cookies snugly without pressing them together. Include an ingredient list so recipients can check for allergens, including the optional almond extract.

Cookie Dough Safety

Do not taste unbaked cookie dough. Raw flour and eggs can contain harmful bacteria. Wash your hands, utensils, and work surfaces after preparing the dough.

Read the FDA’s guidance on handling flour and raw dough safely for more information.

More Seasonal Desserts to Try

For a seasonal dessert that leaves the oven free, try our Pumpkin Pie Truffles. Their creamy filling and white chocolate coating offer a different texture alongside baked cookies.