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Our favorite best-loved Christmas sugar cookies recipe uses an easy no-chill dough and looks as magical as it tastes!
Our Favorite Christmas Cookie!
These Christmas sugar cookies are the ones we make EVERY year during the holidays. We start with our BEST-LOVED sugar cookies (the ones with a hint of almond and no chill required) then simply add our festive flair to bring the Christmas spirit. They’re a personal favorite and ones we get asked for the recipe EVERY time we make them.
For more festive Christmas treats, try Gingerbread Cookies, Christmas Cookies and Italian Christmas Cookies.
WHY WE LOVE IT:
- Bring the Christmas spirit! These Christmas cookies are insanely fun to decorate and great for parties and get-togethers.
- Ready in about 30 minutes. They come together in no time, with no chilling required!
- Our tastiest sugar cookie. They are soft and delicious and so addicting – everyone loves this cookie.
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 25 minutes
COOK TIME: 10 minutes
Sugar Cookies
- ¾ cup butter – We used unsalted butter but salted works. Just make sure it’s softened.
- 8 ounces cream cheese – Softened cream cheese helps the dough come together and makes for a soft cookie.
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 large egg – room-temperature incorporates better
- 1 teaspoon almond extract – or swap for vanilla extract
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour – How to Measure Flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt – Omit if using salted butter.
Frosting & Toppings
- ⅓ cup butter – How to Soften Butter Quickly
- 4½ cups powdered sugar – sifted
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond 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.
- DOUGH. In a large bowl use an electric mixer (or Kitchen Aid with the paddle attachment) to mix ¾ cup butter, 8 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup granulated sugar, ½ cup powdered sugar, 1 egg, and 1 teaspoon almond extract until creamy.
- In a separate bowl sift 2¾ cups flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture. Combine 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 ⅓ cup butter, 4½ cups powdered sugar, ¼ cup milk, ½ teaspoon vanilla, and ½ teaspoon almond extract to a mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to combine.
- DIVIDE & COLOR. 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.
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Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- Christmas Cookie Cutters
Ingredients
Sugar Cookies
- ¾ cup butter, softened
- 1 (8-ounce) package 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 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- food coloring
- Christmas sprinkles, colored decorating gel
Instructions
Sugar Cookies
- Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a cookie sheet.
- In a large bowl mix butter, cream cheese, sugars, egg, and almond until creamy. Use a Kitchen-Aid or hand mixer.
- In a separate bowl sift the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture. Combine until soft dough forms. If the dough is too sticky, mix in a bit more flour.
- 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.
- Make all the frosting one color or divide it into separate bowls and mix it with different food coloring.
- Frost the cookies. Use colored decorating gel to add embellishments. Add any holiday sprinkles you wish.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 days or freeze for 2-3 months. See How to Freeze Cookie Dough for tips.
Allow the frosting to set and store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days, in the refrigerator for 6-7 days, or in a freezer-safe container and freeze for 3 months. If needed, separate layers with parchment paper or wax paper.
Love this recipe! A go to for Christmas cookies!
Cookie recipe was great. However, the frosting kept me from giving a higher rating. The frosting was not nearly creamy enough and tasted of powdered sugar only. I added extra milk to make it a spreading consistency and needed to add more than I did. Maybe you should put cream cheese in the frosting recipe as well.
We’ve made these cookies countless times and the frosting is always very creamy and delicious. You are always welcome to add cream cheese to the frosting, but you must have added too much powdered sugar for it to turn out like that.
So yummy! These are a delish sugar cookie!
The perfect sugar cookie recipe! So easy to follow and it is my fail proof go-to recipe!
Delicious cookie – as always! We love making sugar cookie to decorate – any time of the year – and this recipe is a keeper!!
Who doesn’t love a sugar cookie. These are amazing!
I forgot my rating!!!! 5 stars, of course!
I always make the Christmas tree sugar cookies.
Who doesn’t live a good sugar cookie. These are amazing!
So good!!
This is my favorite recipe for sugar cookies. We make them every year with my family and decorate on Christmas Eve.