Soft Christmas Cut Out Sugar Cookies
These Christmas Cut Out Sugar Cookies are incredibly soft and thick, and they’re decorated with an easy vanilla icing and festive sprinkles. Cut out cookies are always a must for Christmas, and the recipe includes make ahead tips!
I bake a wide variety of treats every year to give away as gifts or display in my annual Christmas cookie box.
I like to change things up by baking a few different recipes every year, but gingerbread cookies, cranberry orange biscotti, and these Cut Out Christmas Sugar Cookies are traditional recipes that I make every year.
Truth be told, these cut out sugar cookies are what friends and family love the most, and I can’t say that I blame them because nothing embodies the holidays more.
This recipe produces perfectly thick, soft sugar cookies in fun Christmas shapes, and they’re decorated with an easy vanilla icing and bright, festive sprinkles that shimmer just the way the holidays were meant to.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Christmas cut out sugar cookies are super soft with irresistible crispy edges, and they’re decorating with a simple vanilla icing and festive sprinkles.
- The cookies are festive enough to serve at your holiday celebrations or give as gifts.
- This is a tried and true recipe that’s been a Christmas tradition for years.
- The recipe includes convenient make ahead options to make life easier.
Recipe ingredients
The ingredient list for these cut out Christmas cookies is nice and short, and everything you need is probably already in your pantry!
- All-purpose flour. Spoon the flour from the bag and into your measuring cups to avoid compacting it.
- Butter. You’ll need two sticks (16 tablespoons) of unsalted butter.
- Granulated sugar. A must for any sugar cookie recipe!
- Egg. Two eggs add structure to the cookie dough and create softer cookies.
- Vanilla extract. Flavors the cookies.
- Powdered sugar. Sweetens the icing without making it grainy.
- Corn syrup. Is essential for giving the vanilla icing a beautiful sheen, but you may omit it if you don’t have any on hand.
- Sprinkles. I don’t have a lot of patience decorating cookies, so simplicity is key. I used Sweetapolita Sprinkles because they’re so bright, beautiful, and festive!
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to make Christmas sugar cookies
Cut out cookies are a bit labor intensive, but they couldn’t be easier to make. The dough comes together in a few minutes, then it’s chilled, rolled out and cut into holiday shapes.
The cookies bake up quickly, then can be eaten as is or decorated with icing and sprinkles.
Pro tip: Sugar cookie dough must be chilled since it’s easier to roll when it’s on the firm side. Chill for a minimum of 30 minutes to 2 hours, or make the dough up to a few days in advance.
See the recipe card below for full instructions.
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar.
- Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and beat until just incorporated.
- Scrape half of the dough onto a large sheet of plastic wrap. Flatten into a disk, wrap, and repeat with the other half of the dough. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Working on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough until it’s 1/4″ thick. Cut into shapes, then gather up the dough and re-roll again until the dough has been used.
- Place the cut out sugar cookies on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake until lightly golden brown.
Recipe FAQs
The cut out Christmas cookies may be prepared in stages if you are planning to give them away as gifts or you’re simply pressed for time.
The sugar cookie dough may be prepared up to 3 days in advance, or formed into discs and frozen until you’re ready to make cookies.
Once the cookies are baked, they may be decorated that day, the day after, or frozen before decorating. Once decorated, store between sheets of waxed paper in an air tight container for up to 5 days or in the refrigerator for up to one week.
If the sugar cookie dough has chilled for a while, it will be too firm to roll. Simply remove the discs from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes until it’s soft enough roll out.
For thick, soft sugar cookies that stand up to icing and sprinkles, roll the dough out to about 1/4″ thick. For thinner, crispier cookies, roll the dough about an 1/8″ thick.
The cookies will appear dry on top and slightly brown on the edges. Do not allow the tops to brown as this will result in crispy sugar cookies.
Yes, cut out sugar cookies may be baked one day and decorated the next if you’re pressed for time. You may also freeze the cookies for up to 3 months prior to decorating.
I make my decorated sugar cookies a few days in advance and store them in an air tight container at room temperature between sheets of waxed paper. The cookies will stay fresh stored this way for 5 to 7 days.
Recipe notes
- Pro tip: Prepare the cookies in stages! The dough may be made up to a few days in advance, baked off when you’re ready, then decorated the day after baking. The dough discs or baked cookies may also be frozen for up to 3 months before decorating.
- If the dough has been made in advance, let it stand at room temperature for 15-30 minutes until soft enough to roll.
- If you wish to freeze the dough, wrap the plastic wrapped dough discs in foil also and store in the freezer for up to one month. Thaw the dough in the refrigerator overnight and let stand at room temperature until soft enough to roll out.
- I like to decorate my soft cut out cookies over a sheet of waxed paper to keep the mess to a minimum!
Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram
Christmas Cut Out Sugar Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the Vanilla Icing:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2-4 tablespoons hot water
- 1 teaspoon light corn syrup essential for a nice sheen
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat until smooth.2 sticks unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt with a whisk. Add to the butter mixture, beating just until combined.3 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Scrape half of the dough onto a large sheet of plastic wrap. Flatten into a disk, wrap, and place in the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour or use within 3 days. Repeat with the other half of the dough. If freezing, also wrap in aluminum foil and place in the freezer for up to one month.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Working with one disk of dough at a time, roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4" thickness for thick, soft sugar cookies, or 1/8" for thinner, crispier cookies.
- Cut into desired shapes using lightly floured cookie cutters. Place cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet about 1 1/2" apart. Sprinkle with sanding sugar, or leave plain and ice after they’re baked.
- Bake for 6-8 minutes or until lightly browned on the edges. Be careful not to over bake — the cookies are done as soon as the tops feel dry. Cool completely on a wire rack.
- For the Vanilla Icing, sift the powdered sugar into a medium bowl. Stir in 2 tablespoons of hot water, corn syrup, and vanilla until continue to stir until smooth. Add more hot water one tablespoon at a time if necessary.2 cups powdered sugar, 2-4 tablespoons hot water, 1 teaspoon light corn syrup, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Spread the icing over the tops of the cooled cookies, or pipe it with a pastry bag fitted with a fine tip. Immediately sprinkle with sanding sugars, and decorate with the candies of your choice.
- Let the cookies stand at room temperature until the icing has set, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Notes
- Pro tip: Prepare the cookies in stages! The dough may be made up to a few days in advance, baked off when you’re ready, then decorated the day after baking. The dough discs or baked cookies may also be frozen for up to 3 months before decorating.
- If the dough has been made in advance, let it stand at room temperature for 15-30 minutes until soft enough to roll.
- If you wish to freeze the dough, wrap the plastic wrapped dough discs in foil also and store in the freezer for up to one month. Thaw the dough in the refrigerator overnight and let stand at room temperature until soft enough to roll out.
- Store decorated sugar cookies between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 to 7 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
2 Comments on “Soft Christmas Cut Out Sugar Cookies”
I absolutely love this sugar cookie recipe!
I’m so happy that you like it Nancy! 🙂