65+ BEST Christmas Cookies
Enjoy our Favorite Christmas cookies plus dozens of others to bake and share this holiday season!
Servings: 36 cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
Gingerbread Men
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the cookies
- 1½ teaspoons ground ginger, or use 2 tsp for a stronger flavor
- 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsulphered molasses, spray the measuring cup with non-stick cooking spray first to avoid sticking
Royal Icing
- 1½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons clear corn syrup
- food coloring
Confectioners Frosting
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1-2 tablespoons milk or cream
- food coloring
Instructions
Gingerbread Men
- In a medium bowl whisk flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla, and molasses.
- Carefully beat in the flour mixture until it's incorporated.
- Divide the dough in 2, form each half into a round disc, wrap each in plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours or up to 2 days.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Work with one ball of dough at a time. If the dough was in the fridge overnight, you may need to let it warm up for 10-15 minutes first.
- On a well-floured countertop using a well-floured rolling pin, roll out one disc of the dough until it's about ¼ inch thick. Cut into shapes and place 1-2 inches apart on the cookie sheet.
- Bake for 8-12 minutes until the tops are set. (This will depend on the size of your cookie cutters and the thickness of the dough). This yields between 25-36 cookies.
Royal Icing
- Whisk powdered sugar, corn syrup, and milk. Mix in a little more milk or powdered sugar as necessary.
- Divide into small bowls and mix with food coloring.
- Decorate the cookies using piping bags, or a knife. We use disposable piping bags and a 4M tip.
Buttercream Frosting
- In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat butter until fluffy.
- Beat in powdered sugar about ½ cup at a time, then beat in 1-2 tablespoons milk or cream. Add in a little extra powdered sugar or milk/cream as necessary.
- Divide the icing into small bowls and mix with food coloring.
- Frost the cookies using piping bags or a knife.
Video
Notes
Pro tip. The dough must stay chilled otherwise it can spread too much in the oven producing a thin flat cookie. Also, be sure that you roll the dough between ¼-⅓ inch thick.
Freeze the dough. Instead of refrigerating the dough, place it into a freeze Ziploc and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before rolling.
Store. Let the frosting set then store in an airtight container for 3-5 days or place cookies in a freezer-safe bag, separate layers with parchment paper, and freeze for up to 3 months. (Note that any candy decorations may fall off in the freezer.)
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 178kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 54mg | Potassium: 94mg | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 185IU | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 0.8mg