Hey y’all! The holidays are the perfect excuse to fire up your oven for some homemade magic, and nothing beats a batch of classic Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe with Easy Icing. These Cookies are buttery, soft, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious, while the simple icing is ideal for family decorating fun or last-minute dessert trays. Whether you’re gifting, sharing, or snacking, these Cookies will quickly become your new Christmas favorite. Let’s get cooking!
Why You’ll Love This Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe with Easy Icing
- Soft and chewy texture with perfectly crisp edges every time.
- Easy-to-make icing sets quickly for beautiful, picture-perfect cookies.
- No chilling required, which means more cookies, faster!
- The dough is simple to roll, cut, and bake—perfect for kids to help.
- Ideal for making ahead and sharing at cookie exchanges or gifting.
Ingredients for Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe with Easy Icing
For the Sugar Cookies:
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
For the Easy Icing:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons milk (or water)
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Food coloring (optional)
- Sprinkles, for decorating
Directions: How to Make Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe with Easy Icing
Step 1: Prep Your Ingredients
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper for easy release and cleanup.
Step 2: Mix the Dough
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl with a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Beat in egg, vanilla, and almond extract (if using) until combined. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until the dough comes together.
Step 3: Roll and Cut
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use holiday cookie cutters to cut shapes and place them 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
Step 4: Bake
Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are just starting to turn golden. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 5: Make the Easy Icing
Whisk together powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, corn syrup, and vanilla until smooth. Add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until icing is thick yet spreadable. Tint with food coloring if desired.
Step 6: Decorate Your Cookies
Spread or pipe icing onto cooled cookies. Add sprinkles before the icing sets. Let cookies stand until icing is firm (about 20-30 minutes).
Notes for the Best Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe with Easy Icing
- For extra flavor, try using European-style butter—learn more about butter types on Serious Eats.
- Don’t overbake! The cookies should look slightly underdone in the center when you take them out.
- Check out this easy royal icing technique if you want thin, glossy yet hard icing finishes.
Variations: Fun Takes on Classic Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe with Easy Icing
- Lemon Sugar Cookies: Add 2 teaspoons lemon zest to the dough and replace almond extract with lemon extract.
- Gluten-Free Version: Substitute a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for the all-purpose flour.
- Chocolate Sugar Cookies: Replace 1/2 cup flour with unsweetened cocoa powder for a chocolatey twist.
Required Equipment for Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe with Easy Icing
- Mixing bowls
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Rolling pin
- Cookie cutters
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Wire rack
- Spatula
Storage Instructions for Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe with Easy Icing
Store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. For longer storage, freeze undecorated cookies (separated by parchment) in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw and decorate as desired.
Suggested Pairings/Serving Recommendations
- Serve Christmas sugar cookies with hot cocoa, spiced apple cider, or a festive latte.
- Arrange cookies on a holiday platter with other seasonal treats for a beautiful presentation.
- Kids love helping decorate these cookies—make it a Christmas tradition!
Pro Tips for Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe with Easy Icing
- Chill dough for 10 minutes if it becomes too soft to roll and cut easily.
- Dip cookie cutters in flour to keep shapes sharp and prevent sticking—see more cookie rolling tips.
- For extra shine and smoothness, lightly brush cooled cookies with a sugar-water glaze before icing.
FAQ: Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe with Easy Icing
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Absolutely! The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before rolling.
How long does the icing take to dry?
The easy icing will set in about 30 minutes at room temperature. For stacking or packaging, let cookies dry for at least 2 hours.
Can I use margarine instead of butter?
Butter is recommended for best flavor and texture, but margarine can be substituted in equal amounts if necessary.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 8-10 minutes per batch
Total Time: About 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar (for icing)
- 2-3 tablespoons milk (for icing)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (for icing)
- Assorted food coloring and sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
-
1Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
-
2In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract, mixing well.
-
3In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to the butter mixture and mix until combined.
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4Divide dough into two portions. Roll out each portion on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters and transfer to prepared baking sheets.
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5Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes or until edges are just beginning to turn golden. Cool completely on wire racks.
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6To make the icing, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add food coloring if desired. Decorate cooled cookies with icing and sprinkles.
CLICK FOR NUTRITION INFO
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Approximate Information for One Serving
Serving Size:
1 serving
Calories:
140 caloriescal
Protein:
1gg
Fat:
5gg
Saturated Fat:
0g
Trans Fat:
0g
Cholesterol:
0mg
Sodium:
0mg
Potassium:
0mg
Total Carbs:
22gg
Fiber:
0g
Sugar:
0g
Net Carbs:
0g
Vitamin A:
0
Vitamin C:
0mg
Calcium:
0mg
Iron:
0mg
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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