Christmas Sugar Cookies
Serves 24
120 mins prep
0 mins total
Sweet buttery cut out Christmas sugar cookies that hold their shape, flavored with vanilla and a hint of almond, decorated with homemade royal icing.
Christmas Sugar Cookie Dough
ozall-purpose flour11-12% protein
tspbaking soda
tspbaking powder
tspcream of tartar
tspkosher salt
ozunsalted butter 80% butterfatsoftened
ozgranulated sugar
ozegg (without shell)lightly beaten
tspvanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
tsppure almond extract
Topping
Easy Royal Icing Recipe
sprinklesoptional for decorating
Make the Cookie Dough and Chill
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt. Set aside.
oz all-purpose flour
tsp baking soda
tsp baking powder
tsp cream of tartar
tsp kosher salt
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. (about 2 minutes) Then, mix in the egg, vanilla bean paste, and almond extract until incorporated and smooth.
oz unsalted butter 80% butterfat
oz granulated sugar
oz egg (without shell)
tsp vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
tsp pure almond extract
Add the flour mixture and beat the ingredients at low speed for 1 to 2 minutes, until a smooth cookie dough forms.
Shape the dough into a flat disk and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the cookie dough for a minimum of 2 hours to allow it to rest and firm up.
Bake Cookies
Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Line two rimmed medium baking sheets with parchment paper.
Remove the chilled cookie dough from the fridge and divide it in half.
Wrap half of the dough in plastic wrap, and store it in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
Dust a work surface lightly with the either all purpose flour or confectioners’ sugar. Roll out one half of the cookie dough until it is 1/4-inch thick.
Lightly dip the cookie cutters of your choice in all purpose flour or confectioners’ sugar, then cut out shapes from the dough.
Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2-3 inches apart.
Place the cookie sheets in the fridge for 20 minutes or freezer for about 10 minutes to ensure the dough is cold when it goes into the oven. This will helps the cookies maintain their shape and prevent spreading while they bake
Bake the cookies on the middle rack for 9 to 11 minutes.
The edges of the cookies should begin to slightly turn light gold. Be careful not to over bake the cookies.
Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Then using an a large offset spatula, gently place the cookies directly onto the racks to cool completely.
Decorate
Make my Easy Royal Icing Recipe to use for decorating the cooled cookies. Pipe the icing onto the cookies, sprinkle with decorative sugar crystals, then allow the icing at least 1 hour to set before stacking and storing cookies.