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The BEST Christmas Cookies EVER (and How to Decorate Them)
5 from 211 votes

The BEST Christmas Cookies EVER (and How to Decorate Them)

The BEST Christmas Cookies EVER combines flour, cornstarch, butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla and almond extracts to produce tender, crumbly sugar cookies ideal for shaping and decorating. The dough is rolled out to medium thickness and cut into festive shapes. These cookies hold their form well and provide a smooth surface for detailed royal icing decoration or cream cheese frosting. Baking at a moderate temperature yields cookies that do not rise much but have a delicate crumb.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Cooling time
35 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 217 kcal
Course: Baked Goods
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 3 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup butter (1 cup = 2 sticks) keep the butter COLD until ready to use
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • royal icing see recipe links below
  • Sprinkles Christmas

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees. In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, and salt. Stir until well combined. 
  2. Cut COLD butter into cubes (they don't need to be perfect) and add to the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large mixing bowl if you are using a hand mixer). Add sugar and mix together until smooth and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl if needed.
  3. Add 1 egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract and mix until well combined. Add the flour/cornstarch mixture in and mix on low speed until crumbles form (if you are at a higher elevation and the crumbles seem a little too dry you can add a tablespoon or two of water, not too much though, you want it to be crumbly, not sticky). 
  4. Remove crumbles from mixer and knead into a ball.
  5. Place between two pieces of parchment paper and roll out to about 3/8-1/2" thickness (however thick you want the cookies to be is how thick you want to roll it out-- these cookies aren't going to rise very much, if at all). 
  6. Use Christmas cookie cutters to cut shapes out of the dough.
  7. Place cookies on a baking sheet lined with a baking mat or parchment paper.
  8. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool COMPLETELY before icing with royal icing or cream cheese frosting, (see links below for icing/frosting recipes)

Notes

  • Use royal icing for detailed, hard-drying decorations or cream cheese frosting for thick, creamy topping.
  • Store cookies in the freezer for up to one month; eat them chilled for best texture.
  • If the dough is too dry due to altitude, add a small amount of water to achieve crumbly but workable consistency.
  • The cookies do not rise much when baked, so roll to desired thickness as final thickness determines cookie thickness.

Nutrition Information

Calories 217kcal (11%) Carbohydrates 31g (10%) Protein 2g (4%) Fat 10g (15%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Cholesterol 27mg (9%) Sodium 137mg (6%) Potassium 25mg (1%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 16g (32%) Vitamin A 245IU (5%) Calcium 6mg (1%) Iron 0.8mg (4%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 24 cookies

Amount Per Serving

Calories 217

% Daily Value*

Calories 217kcal 11%
Carbohydrates 31g 10%
Protein 2g 4%
Fat 10g 15%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Cholesterol 27mg 9%
Sodium 137mg 6%
Potassium 25mg 1%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 16g 32%
Vitamin A 245IU 5%
Calcium 6mg 1%
Iron 0.8mg 4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.