Description
These Frosted Christmas Cookies are soft, tender, and bursting with festive flavor. Made with a sweet vanilla pudding mix for extra moistness, these cookies are perfectly complemented by a creamy, buttery frosting that can be colored and decorated with sprinkles to celebrate the holiday season. Easy to prepare and bake, these cookies make an ideal treat for Christmas parties, gift-giving, or simply enjoying with family and friends.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cookies:
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¼ cup shortening
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 3.4 ounce instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoons heavy cream (⅜ cup)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups confectioners sugar
- Gel food coloring, optional
- Sprinkles, optional
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set them aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: Using a stand mixer or hand mixer with a large bowl, cream together the unsalted butter, shortening, and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which should take about 5 minutes.
- Add Eggs and Flavoring: Beat in the eggs one at a time along with the vanilla extract and instant vanilla pudding mix until fully combined.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add this mixture to the butter mixture a little at a time, mixing well between each addition until a soft dough forms.
- Shape Cookies: Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop the dough and roll into balls. Place them on the prepared cookie sheets, spacing each cookie about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until they are set and lightly golden brown around the edges. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Frosting: In a clean bowl, beat the butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Gradually add the confectioners sugar and heavy cream, alternating between the two, and mix thoroughly after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and salt and mix until fully incorporated.
- Color Frosting: Divide the frosting into separate bowls if using multiple colors. Stir in a few drops of gel food coloring into each bowl, adding more as needed until the desired shade is achieved.
- Frost Cookies: Once the cookies are fully cooled, spread or pipe the frosting onto each cookie. Immediately top with sprinkles if desired for a festive touch.
- Set and Store: Allow the frosting to set before storing. Place cookies in an airtight container in a single layer or with parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. Store at room temperature for up to 4 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Your soft Christmas frosted cookies will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container at room temperature or up to 1 week in the fridge.
- Store cookies in a single layer or separate layers with parchment paper to prevent frosting from sticking.
- Cookie dough can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months before baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 70mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
