Christmas Sugar Cookies
User Reviews
5
Christmas Sugar Cookies
Description
This Christmas Sugar Cookies recipe uses barely softened unsalted butter creamed with sugar to create a fluffy base dough enhanced by eggs and vanilla. Flour, baking powder, and salt are folded in gently, then the dough is divided and rolled out between parchment sheets before chilling. Chilling twice—before and after cutting—helps maintain cookie shape and texture during baking.
Cookies bake on light-colored sheets at a moderate temperature until just set, yielding soft cookies with options for thicker textures by rolling dough thicker or baking slightly longer. After cooling, cookies are topped with a velvety frosting made from softened butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla bean paste, providing a rich contrast to the subtly sweet cookie base.
This recipe suits holiday occasions where decorated or cut-out cookies are desired. The cookies pair well with a variety of frostings and can be decorated with sprinkles or further garnishes.
The notes suggest using high-quality, barely softened butter for creaming, rolling dough out before chilling for easier handling, and baking on light-colored sheets for even browning. For firmer cookies, extend baking by a couple of minutes. Keeping the cut shapes close maximizes dough usage. Let the cookies cool fully before frosting for best results.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter barely softened, unsalted
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt (reduce the salt to 1/2 teaspoon if using salted butter)
Sugar Cookie Frosting:
- 1/2 cup butter (softened)
- 8 ounce pkg. cream cheese softened
- 3 1/2 to 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar for 4 minutes or until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Add egg and egg yolk and vanilla and mix for 1 minute longer.
- Fold in flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Place each portion onto a piece of lightly floured parchment paper or a lightly floured silicone baking mat. Roll the dough out to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness, depending on how thick you want your cookies to be. Lightly sprinkle one of the rolled-out doughs with flour. Place a piece of parchment paper on top. Place the second rolled-out dough on top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1–2 hours
- After the dough has chilled, remove from the refrigerator. Line baking sheets with parchment paper sheets. Using a cookie cutter, cut the dough into shapes. Re-roll the remaining dough and repeat the process.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place on a light-colored baking sheet and bake for 7-10 minutes or until lightly golden on the edges but still soft in the center. Let cool.
Sugar Cookie Frosting:
- In a mixing bowl, cream softened butter and cream cheese for 2-3 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Add powdered sugar and vanilla bean paste. Ad more powdered sugar for a thicker frosting. If you desire a thinner frosting, add 1-2 teaspoons of heavy cream.
- Add food coloring, if desired. Spread onto cooled cookies or place the frosting in piping bags or decorating tool and pipe the frosting onto the cookies. Top with your favorite sprinkles. May serve chilled. If chilling in the refrigerator, make sure to place in an air-tight container.
Notes
- Use barely softened high-quality unsalted butter to achieve the best dough texture.
- Roll out the dough before chilling to make handling easier and help keep shapes intact during baking.
- Bake on light-colored cookie sheets to promote even baking and prevent excess browning.
- For crisper cookies, bake 2 minutes longer than the minimum time provided.
- Keep cookie shapes close together when cutting to maximize dough use.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before applying frosting to prevent melting.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
You'll Also Love
