If you’re looking for the ultimate festive treat to bring some holiday cheer into your kitchen, I’ve got you covered with this Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe. I absolutely love how these cookies turn out—they’re perfectly soft, lightly sweet, and just festive enough with that sparkle of red and green sanding sugar. When I first tried this recipe, I was hooked on how simple it is but still delivers bakery-quality cookies that my whole family goes crazy for. Stick around, and I’ll share all my tips so you can nail this recipe on your first try.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make: The straightforward steps make it approachable for bakers of all levels.
- Soft & Chewy Texture: The secret touch of cornstarch guarantees melt-in-your-mouth cookies every time.
- Festive & Fun: Rolling the dough in colored sanding sugar adds a whimsical holiday sparkle.
- Customizable: You can easily tweak extracts or decorating styles to make these uniquely yours.
Ingredients You’ll Need
These ingredients come together to create a lovely balance of flavor and texture. I find that using good quality butter and fresh vanilla really makes the cookies stand out, so don’t skimp here. Oh, and the almond extract? It’s subtle but gives a wonderful warmth that’s perfect for the holidays.
- All-purpose flour: Provides structure and a tender crumb; make sure to spoon and level for accuracy.
- Cornstarch: Helps keep cookies soft and tender by reducing gluten formation.
- Baking soda: A leavening agent for that slight lift and chewy texture.
- Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances flavors—don’t skip it.
- Unsalted butter: Use room temperature butter for easy creaming and the best cookie texture.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens and helps with spreading; measuring carefully keeps cookies from turning out too crispy.
- Egg: Adds moisture and binds ingredients—large eggs are standard here.
- Vanilla extract: Classic flavor foundation that enhances overall taste.
- Almond extract: Just a dash adds a lovely depth and a holiday vibe.
- Red and green sanding sugar: For that festive, sparkly finish that screams Christmas.
Variations
I love how versatile this Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe is. You can easily tweak it to match your preferences or dietary needs, which makes it a great go-to recipe year after year. Feel free to get creative with flavors or decorating styles!
- Gluten-free version: I swapped in a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour once and was amazed at how it maintained softness while keeping the festive vibe.
- Extract substitutions: When I ran out of almond extract, a splash of peppermint extract worked beautifully for an extra holiday punch.
- Smaller or larger cookies: Making mini cookies? Just reduce baking time to avoid overbaking—they still come out delicious!
- Decorating: Try royal icing or colored gel pens for personalized messages on top of the sugar coating—kids love helping with this step.
How to Make Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Mix Your Dry Ingredients
Start by preheating your oven to 350ºF to get it nice and hot. Then, in a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. This mix is your dry foundation, so it’s important to combine well to get an even texture and prevent pockets of baking soda or salt.
Step 2: Cream Butter and Sugar
In a larger bowl, beat the room temperature butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer for about a minute until light and fluffy. This step is critical—I discovered that creaming thoroughly lets the sugar dissolve a bit and creates a tender crumb. Then add the egg, vanilla, and almond extracts, beating together for another 30 seconds until smooth and well combined.
Step 3: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
Gradually fold your dry ingredients into the butter mixture, mixing on low speed or by hand with a spatula. It’s important not to overmix here; just bring everything together until no flour streaks remain. Overmixing can make the cookies tough, so trust me, be gentle.
Step 4: Shape and Coat the Cookies
Pour your red and green sanding sugars into two separate small bowls. Using a cookie scoop or about 3 heaping tablespoons (I like large cookies!), form dough balls and roll each ball generously in the colored sugar. I found that this step adds not only festive color but a delightful crunch on the outside. Place them at least 2 inches apart on a silicone-lined baking sheet to give them room to spread.
Step 5: Bake to Perfection
Bake the cookies in your preheated oven for 12-14 minutes. You’ll notice the edges set but the center stays slightly soft—that’s your cue! If you make smaller dough balls, consider dropping the time by a couple of minutes. Once baked, let them cool on the tray for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks.
Pro Tips for Making Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Always use softened butter and egg straight from the fridge for easier mixing and better texture.
- Don’t Skip the Cornstarch: I used to skip the cornstarch, but once I added it, my cookies were significantly softer and less cakey.
- Even Cookie Sizes: Use a cookie scoop to ensure uniform sizes and even baking, so no cookie ends up too crispy or underdone.
- Watch the Baking Time: Keep a close eye near the end—overbaking dries out the cookies and loses that tender softness.
How to Serve Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe
Garnishes
I love sprinkling the cookies with bright red and green sanding sugar for that instant holiday look. Sometimes, for extra flair, I dust a little edible glitter or add a thin drizzle of white chocolate. You could also top with small festive candy pieces or colored icing to make them perfect for gifting.
Side Dishes
These cookies pair perfectly with a warm cup of spiced tea, rich hot cocoa, or even a glass of eggnog. At holiday parties, I like to arrange them alongside gingerbread or peppermint bark for a colorful cookie platter everyone enjoys.
Creative Ways to Present
One year, I stacked the cookies in a clear jar tied with a festive ribbon to gift to neighbors—it was a hit! You can also arrange them on a decorative plate with sprigs of holly or cinnamon sticks for a stunning table centerpiece.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
After baking, store your Christmas sugar cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. I’ve found they stay soft and fresh for up to 5 days this way, especially with a slice of bread added to the container to keep moisture in.
Freezing
I often freeze the dough balls before baking. Just shape and roll the balls, freeze them on a tray, then stash them in freezer bags. When ready, bake straight from frozen—just add a minute or two to the baking time. This trick saves me when holiday chaos hits!
Reheating
If you want that fresh-baked taste after storing, reheat your cookies in a 300ºF oven for 5 minutes. This gently warms and refreshes their softness and brings back that just-out-of-the-oven aroma.
FAQs
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Can I make this Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe ahead of time?
Absolutely! You can prepare the dough up to 3 days in advance and keep it refrigerated. Alternatively, freeze the dough balls and bake fresh when needed for perfectly soft cookies anytime throughout the season.
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What is the best way to keep cookies soft?
The key is using cornstarch in the dough, storing cookies in airtight containers with a slice of bread, and avoiding overbaking. These methods help maintain moisture and tenderness.
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Can I decorate these cookies with icing instead of sanding sugar?
Definitely! Royal icing or buttercream decorating works great on nicely cooled cookies and adds a beautiful personalized touch. Just let the base cookies cool completely before decorating.
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How do I prevent cookies from spreading too much?
Make sure your butter isn’t too soft or melted, chill the dough briefly if needed, and space dough balls adequately on the baking sheet. Also, don’t overmix the dough, or it can become too soft.
Final Thoughts
This Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe has become a treasured part of my holiday baking tradition. I love how easy it is to make and how delightful the results are—soft, tasty, and festive without needing complicated decorating. I hope you enjoy making and sharing these cookies as much as my family and I do. Trust me, once you try this recipe, it’ll become your go-to cookie for every holiday season to come. So grab your mixing bowl and get ready for some fun in the kitchen!
Print
Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 42 minutes
- Yield: 12 large cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This festive Christmas Sugar Cookie recipe features soft, buttery cookies rolled in vibrant red and green sanding sugar, perfect for holiday celebrations. The cookies have a classic sugar cookie flavor with a hint of vanilla and almond extracts, baked to a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature (2 sticks)
- 1 ½ cups (297g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp almond extract
Topping
- Red and green sanding sugar
Instructions
- Preheat and combine dry ingredients: Preheat your oven to 350ºF (175ºC). In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter with the granulated sugar using an electric mixer for about 1 minute until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add egg and extracts: Add the large egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract to the butter-sugar mixture. Beat again for 30 seconds until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Incorporate dry ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed or stir by hand with a spatula until just combined, forming a soft dough.
- Form and coat cookies: Scoop dough balls using a cookie scoop, about 3 tablespoons for large cookies or smaller if preferred. Roll each dough ball in red or green sanding sugar until well coated.
- Arrange on baking sheet: Place the coated dough balls 2 inches apart on a silicone-lined or parchment paper–lined baking sheet to allow for spreading during baking.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes for large cookies, or slightly less time for smaller ones, until edges are just set and centers are still soft.
- Cool: Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- The dough balls in the photos were approximately 3 heaping tablespoons, yielding large cookies that bake perfectly in 12-14 minutes.
- If you make smaller dough balls, reduce the baking time to avoid overbaking and drying out the cookies.
- Using cornstarch in the flour mix helps keep the cookies tender and soft.
- Rolling dough balls in sanding sugar adds a festive crunch and sparkle to each cookie.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 190
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
