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Soft and tender Christmas sugar cookies are the perfect holiday treat to make and eat as a family. They look as magical as they taste!
For more festive Christmas treats try Gingerbread Cookies, Christmas Brownies and Christmas Cookies.
We Love Holiday Cookies!
There is something so magical about decorating cookies as a family. It is one of my kids’ favorite things to do together during the holidays!
We also love our classic sugar cookie recipe and decided to use that for these Christmas sugar cookies.
They are the best for so many reasons:
- Fun + Festive! These Christmas sugar cookies are insanely fun to decorate and great for parties and get togethers.
- Simple. They come together in no time, with no chilling required!
- Tasty. Soft and delicious and so addicting – everyone loves this cookie.
Save this recipe in your folder of must-dos during the Christmas season!
Ingredients
- butter – Unsalted butter is what we use but salted works. Just make sure it’s softened.
- cream cheese – softened cream cheese helps the dough come together and makes for a soft cookie
- sugar
- powdered sugar
- egg
- almond extract – if you are not a fan of almond, you can swap out for vanilla extract.
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- salt
- milk
- vanilla extract
- food coloring
- Christmas sprinkles & colored decorating gel
How to Make Christmas Sugar Cookies
- PREP. Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a cookie sheet to be used later.
- DOUGH. In a large bowl mix together butter, cream cheese, sugars, egg, and almond until creamy. Use a Kitchen-Aid or hand mixer. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture. Combine together until soft dough forms.
- ROLL & CUT. On a lightly floured surface use a rolling pin and roll the sugar cookie dough to about ⅜ inches. (For a crispier cookie roll the dough thinner.) Once the dough has been rolled cut with holiday cookie cutters.
- BAKE. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the bottom of the cookie has just barely browned. Let cool on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack.
For the Frosting
- CREAM. Add the butter, powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and almond extract to a mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to combine.
- DIVIDE & COLOR. You can make all the frosting one color or divide it into separate bowls and mix it with different food coloring.
- DECORATE. Frost the cookies. Use colored decorating gel to add embellishments. Add any holiday sprinkles you wish.
Tips for Perfect Cookies
Using these tips and tricks will ensure you have soft sugar cookies!
- Texture.
- If your dough is too dry when you’re trying to roll it out simply sprinkle a bit of water on the dough and knead it a few times. Be sure not to add too much.
- If the dough is too sticky, sprinkle a bit of flour and knead.
- Variations.
- Some classic cookie cutouts include bells, stockings, gingerbread, snowmen, and stars.
- Use gel food coloring and sprinkles to match the shapes.
- For a smooth finish, use Royal Icing to decorate the cookies.
Storing Tips
Store these Christmas sugar cookies frosted or unfrosted. If storing frosted cookies, first let the frosting set.
- STORE cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days. Separate layers with parchment paper or wax paper. In the refrigerator, they last for 6-7 days.
- FREEZE. Wrap them individually with plastic wrap or stack them, separating the layers with wax paper. Keep in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 3 months.
For More Christmas Cookies:
More Collections: Christmas Desserts
Christmas Sugar Cookie Recipe
Soft and tender Christmas sugar cookies are the perfect holiday treat to make and eat as a family. They look as magical as they taste!
Equipment
- Christmas Cookie Cutters
Ingredients
Sugar Cookies
- ¾ cup butter softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Frosting & Toppings
- ⅓ cup butter softened
- 4½ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- food coloring
- Christmas sprinkles, colored decorating gel
Instructions
Sugar Cookie
- Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a cookie sheet to be used later.
- In a large bowl mix together butter, cream cheese, sugars, egg, and almond until creamy. Use a Kitchen-Aid or hand mixer.
- In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture. Combine together until soft dough forms.
- Lightly flour the counter and roll out the dough to about ⅜ inches. (For a crispier cookie roll the dough thinner.) Once the dough has been rolled cut with holiday cookie cutters.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes. Let cool before decorating.
Frosting
- Add the butter, powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and almond extract to a mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to combine.
- You can make all the frosting one color or divide it into separate bowls and mix with different food coloring.
- Frost the cookies. Use colored decorating gel to add embellishments. Add any holiday sprinkles you wish.
Video
Notes
Store these Christmas sugar cookies frosted or unfrosted. If storing frosted cookies, first let the frosting set.
- STORE cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days. Separate layers with parchment paper or wax paper. In the refrigerator, they last for 6-7 days.
- FREEZE. Wrap them individually with plastic wrap or stack them, separating the layers with wax paper. Keep in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 293kcal, Carbohydrates: 45g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 39mg, Sodium: 157mg, Potassium: 46mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 33g, Vitamin A: 397IU, Calcium: 22mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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We made these yesterday for the first time and they are so good!! They held up great with frosting and taste so yummy
We have made these twice this month already!!! So soft and so Delicious! Another favorite recipe from Lilluna!
Best sugar cookie frosting recipe ever! Perfect consistency and the almond flavor is my favorite!
You can’t just make 1 batch of these. At least my family can’t!!! We may have quadrupled it!! Yummy!
Should the butter be unsalted or salted in this recipe?
The recipe says cream cheese frosting. Yet I don’t see cream cheese in the list of ingredients. Am I missing something or is this a mistake
Sorry about that..the cream cheese is in the cookies, not the frosting.
The best sugar cookie recipe! Dough is soft and pliable. The frosting puts it over the top good!!
Why don’t I see the cream cheese listed 8n the 8ngredient list for the ‘cream cheese” frosting? Am I overlooking it?
Sorry, the cream cheese is in the cookie, not the frosting.
We’re making these this weekend. The cream cheese frosting is my favorite 🙂
I love sugar cookies! These sound amazing!
Wow these cookies are absolutely amazing! Thanks for the easy recipe
Christmas time means all the sugar cookies! We love this recipe! They are soft & perfect!