Christmas Sugar Cookies are a staple in every recipe box. But to find the best sugar cookie recipe that doesn’t spread or lose their shape when you bake them AND has an easy icing recipe to go with it, is no easy chore…. until right now!
Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe
We just love making cookies and there is nothing better than a traditional sugar cookie, cut out in a cute shape and covered with delicious icing.
I am here today to tell you that you don’t need to look any further! Just bookmark this page because this is going to be your new favorite go-to Christmas cookie recipe!
Why We Love This Christmas Sugar Cookie Recipe
- They have a soft chewy center and a slightly crispy edge.
- They don’t spread or lose their shape
- They can be made ahead of time and frozen for up to 3 months!
- The icing is out of this world – better than Royal icing.
- Can be made thicker for a softer cookie or thinner for a crispier cookie.
- Easy recipe with ingredients your most likely have in your pantry!
Ingredients / Shopping List
COOKIE INGREDIENTS:
● 2 cups cake flour
● ½ cup all-purpose flour
● 1 cup sugar
● ½ cup salted butter, softened
● 1 whole egg + 1 egg white
● ¼ cup butter flavored shortening, softened
● 1 ½ tsp baking powder
● ¼ tsp cream of tartar
● 3 tsp vanilla extract
● ⅓ cup sugar for dusting the top of the cookies after they bake
ICING/FROSTING INGREDIENTS:
● 1 cup salted butter, softened
● 4 cups powdered sugar
● 1 teaspoon clear imitation vanilla (or vanilla extract)
● 4-5 tablespoons heavy cream
How to Make the Best Christmas Sugar Cookies
- WHISK: Cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and cream of tartar in a large mixing bowl.
- MIX: The sugar, butter, and shortening. Use a hand mixer to beat together until light and fluffy.
- ADD: Vanilla extract and the whole egg. Beat together until combined. Beat in the egg white.
- MIX: Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients (beat on low), until no flour pockets remain.
- CHILL: Cover the mixing bowl with saran wrap and place in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
- ROLL: The out the dough to about ½ inch thick.
- CUT: Out desired shapes with floured cookie cutters. Place 6 cookies on one lined baking sheet, and 6 on another.
- BAKE: One cookie sheet at a time on 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
- COOL: On cookie sheet for 2-3 minutes then move to a wire rack.
How to Make Homemade Icing
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat together 1 cup butter and 4 cups powdered sugar.
- With the beater turned on, drizzle heavy cream into butter/sugar mixture and beat until fluffy.
- Add more cream to thin out frosting to desired spreadable consistency.
- Spread frosting onto cooled cookies and decorate with sprinkles.
TIPS
- All ovens bake differently, watch your cookies starting around 9 or 10 minutes. You want the edges to be firm without turning brown.
- Use clear imitation vanilla for a whiter frosting. You can also substitute in shortening for a portion of the butter for a whiter frosting.
- Use a bit of gel food coloring to make colored icing.
- Add sprinkles right away as the frosting dries a bit on the surface after a few minutes and they won’t stick as well.
How to Store and Freeze
- Store unfrosted cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months.
- Store frosting in the refrigerator up to two weeks or freeze up to 3 months.
- Store decorated cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
More Christmas Cookie Recipes
Candy Cane Cookies|Snowball Cookies |Chocolate Dipped Meringue Cookies {Meringue Kisses} |Candy Cane Kiss Cookies |Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups – the best Christmas Cookie Recipe! | Thumbprint Cookies | Christmas Cake Mix Cookies
The Best Christmas Sugar Cookies
Serves — 12
These are the best sugar cookies and are perfect for making cut-out Christmas cookies! They don't spread or lose their shape when you bake them AND we have an easy icing recipe to go with it!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Chill 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Video
Ingredients
COOKIE INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups cake flour
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup salted butter softened
- 1 whole egg + 1 egg white
- ¼ cup butter flavored shortening softened
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
- 3 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup sugar for dusting the top of the cookies after they bake
FROSTING INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup salted butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon clear imitation vanilla or vanilla extract
- 4-5 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl add the cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and cream of tartar. Whisk together then set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl add the sugar, butter, and shortening. Use a hand mixer to beat together until light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract and the whole egg. Beat together until combined. Add egg white and continue beating until well combined. Turn off the mixer and use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the mixing bowl.
- Turn the hand mixer on low and and gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix until no flour pockets remain. Cover the mixing bowl with saran wrap and place in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator and roll the dough out on a flat surface to about ½ inch thick. Cut out desired shapes with floured cookie cutters. Place 6 cookies on one baking sheet, and 6 on another.
- Place one cookie sheet in the oven at a time and cook for 10-12 minutes. You want the edges to be firm without turning brown. Let the cookies cool 2-3 minutes on the baking sheet. Place the other baking sheet in the oven and cook.
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat together 1 cup butter and 4 cups powdered sugar. With the beater turned on, drizzle heavy cream into butter/sugar mixture and beat until fluffy. Add more cream to thin out frosting to desired spreadable consistency. Spread frosting onto cooled cookies and decorate with sprinkles.
Jenn’s Notes
STORAGE:
- Store unfrosted cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months.
- Store frosting in the refrigerator up to two weeks or freeze up to 3 months.
- Store decorated cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Use clear imitation vanilla for a whiter frosting. You can also substitute in shortening for a portion of the butter for a whiter frosting.
- Use a bit of gel food coloring to make colored icing.
- Add sprinkles right away as the frosting dries a bit on the surface after a few minutes and they won’t stick as well.
Nutrition Info
Calories: 604kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 212mg | Potassium: 113mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 62g | Vitamin A: 802IU | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg
