Christmas Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
Thick, soft, and wonderfully buttery cookies perfect for holiday decorating with family and friends.
Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough
- 2 cups All-purpose flour Spoon and level for accurate measurement.
- 2 teaspoons Baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Unsalted butter, softened Do not use melted butter.
- 1 cup Granulated sugar
- 1 large Eggs Use large eggs for best results.
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract Extract for flavor.
- 1 teaspoon Optional almond extract For added flavor.
For Decorating
- 2 cups Powdered sugar or royal icing For decorating the cookies.
- various as needed Food coloring, sprinkles, sanding sugar, or holiday candies For decoration.
Instructions
Preparation
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- In a separate large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and creamy.
- Beat in the eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract if using. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix just until a soft dough forms.
Chilling the Dough
- Divide the dough into two portions, flatten each into a disk, wrap them, and refrigerate until firm.
Rolling and Cutting
- Lightly flour the work surface and rolling pin. Roll the dough to a thick, even layer.
- Cut out Christmas shapes and transfer them to parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Chill the cutouts again in the refrigerator before baking.
Baking
- Bake in a preheated oven until the edges are set and lightly colored.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack.
Decorating
- Spread or pipe royal icing, powdered-sugar glaze, or buttercream on the cooled cookies.
- Finish with sprinkles, colored sugar, or small holiday candies, and let decorations set before stacking.
Notes
Store fully cooled decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. For longer storage, freeze undecorated cookies.