Christmas Sugar Cookies
Crispy edges, sugary flavor, and plenty of room for your favorite icing, this perfectly easy cut out sugar cookie recipe is a no fail classic sugar cookie you need in your Christmas Sugar Cookie arsenal.
Everyone needs a classic sugar cookie recipe. But really, everyone needs two. The soft and chewy sugar cookie, and the crispy, cut-out, hold your shape sugar cookie.
When it comes to Christmas Sugar Cookies, the crispy, cut-out is the way to go. They hold their shape, and you can dress them up in all sorts of ways, with fun icing and sprinkles.
And this recipe is the best!
If you love cookies as much as we do, try these classic Christmas cookies that are sure to bring back fond memories: Toffee Pecan Christmas Cookies, Gingerbread Cookies, Thumbprint Cookies, Peppermint Glazed Butter Cookies or Peppermint Chocolate Cookies.
When my ex-husband and I first got married, one of the things he told me was his mom makes great cookies. Her Christmas Sugar Cookies really are the best, which is the recipe I am sharing with you today.
And take a look at these pictures because they just show you how easy these are to customize, and how fun they can be. Another of my kids’ favorite cookies are my no bake cookies.
Use your favorite sugar cookie cutters. Use your favorite icing recipe. And go to town! You know I did.
What you need to make sugar cookies:
Looking over the ingredients, you probably have most, if not all of the ingredients for these sugar cookies.
- Powdered sugar
- Butter: unsalted is what I prefer but salted butter works great since I don’t add any salt in the ingredients.
- Large egg
- Vanilla
- Almond extract
- All-purpose flour: other flours work too but this has the best results
- Baking soda
- Cream of tarter: you can find this in the seasoning isle
- Granulated sugar
Cookies for Santa
These cookies are part of our family tradition now. Not only do my kids love decorating and icing sugar cookies around the holidays but every year on Christmas Eve, when we go to visit Nana and Papa, they talk about bringing home a plate of these cookies for Santa.
If they rate high enough to share with Santa, then you know they are the kind of cookies you want to be making.
How to make Sugar Cookies:
This recipe came from my mother in law, and while I love a good soft sugar cookie, like these Cutler’s Famous, I won’t pretend I don’t go crazy for these cookies every year right alongside my kids.
They taste like Christmas to me, and are always so fun.
We tend to cut them out in the shapes of mittens and stars, but you can do candy canes, snowmen, and anything else. Just be sure to keep an eye on the cookies.
I know the first time I baked candy canes I burnt the batch because I did not alter the cooking time, and they were smaller, thinner cookies.
- Mix: In a large mixing bowl, mix powdered sugar, butter, egg, vanilla, and almond extract together with a hand mixer.
- Sift in flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar.
- Stir together.
- Refrigerate: Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
- Prepare:Divide down into two even balls, and roll out, one at a time into 3/16 inch thickness.
- Cookie Cutters: Use Christmas shaped cookie cutters, and cut out cookies (2-21/2 inch cookie cutters are best)
- Sprinkle a little granulated sugar over the top of each cookie, and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
- Bake 7-8 minutes until the edges are just starting to brown.
- Cool: Remove from tray, and cook on cooling rack.
Christmas Traditions
Let’s talk about Christmas traditions for a minute… What kinds of things do you like to do to get in the Christmas spirit? What traditions does your family do every year?
We have a lot of food traditions, like making Honey Baked Ham or Smoked Prime Rib for dinner, and having these Easy Christmas Treats : Trees at parties alongside the Cookie Butter Muddy Buddies But we have other fun traditions as well..
We love to visit the reindeer. I love making gingerbread houses and turning off all the lights except the Christmas tree. Then, I cuddle up on the couch to drink hot cocoa and listen to Christmas music.
We also try to do a little bit of service each year. Whether that is adopting a family and acting as Secret Santa’s, or making some kind of donation to a charitable organization.
I am not always the best at it, but as my kids get older, I am impressed with a need to help them experience how giving promotes more love and joy in our lives.
I would love your ideas for how to do this more effectively!
Can you make sugar cookies ahead of time? YES!
This is my favorite part about sugar cookies! I can prepare them and get them all baked before we decorate them.
If you don’t have time to bake them all at once, then this recipe is for you! Simply make a batch of sugar cookie dough. When all mixed together, cover and refrigerate up to 2 days.
When ready to bake, preheat oven and roll the sugar cookies into balls. Then bake at 375* for 7-8 minutes.
Some Fun Christmas Traditions
- Each person takes a moment to share his or her favorite Christmas memories. Wow! Has this ever helped us learn more about our family history! I love the story about a man grandpa called “Uncle Fats.” He did something special for my Grandpa each Christmas, after Grandpa’s father died. The stories of those special gifts are for the ages.
- We love to go Christmas caroling in the country! You drive down long, snow-filled lanes, and people are genuinely excited to have visitors. Find your own way to make caroling truly special!
- Christmas Charades is an all-time favorite in our family. I think it is because we are all so made for Hollywood, ha ha! It is especially fun when inviting neighbors! This is the perfect time to share Christmas Sugar Cookies.
- Here are a few Christmas games that are a lot of fun: Tis the Season Christmas Trivia, Christmas Bingo, and Three Christmas Classic Card Games for children.
- Share some of your best Christmas traditions in the comments below.
Other Fun Christmas Recipes
- 30+ Christmas Cookie Roundup
- White Chocolate Peppermint Christmas Popcorn
- Crock Pot Peanut Clusters
- Easy Orange Rolls
- Wassail
Christmas Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tbsp Granulated sugar to sprinkle on top
Your favorite Sugar Cookie Icing
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, mix powdered sugar, butter, egg, vanilla, and almond extract together with a hand mixer.
- Sift in flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar.
- Stir together.
- Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
- Divide down into two even balls, and roll out, one at a time into 3/16 inch thickness.
- Use Christmas shaped cookie cutters, and cut out cookies (2-21/2 inch cookie cutters are best)
- Sprinkle a little granulated sugar over the top of each cookie, and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
- Bake 7-8 minutes until the edges are just starting to brown.
- Remove from tray, and cook on cooling rack.
- (makes approx 5 dozen depending on cookie cutter size)
Nutrition
Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.
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Mallory Lanz says
It’s always great to find a sugar cookie recipe that is family friendly. Thanks!
Stacie A Hamilton says
I love your Christmas traditions! This recipe is perfect for people like me who don’t bake often. I needed an easy recipe. Thanks!
Andie Thueson says
It’s really not Christmas without Christmas cookies – these are so dang cute!
Kristyn says
Sugar cookies are my favorite!! I love the frosting & my kids will love to help make these!
Allyson Zea says
Wow these cookies look FABULOUS for Christmas! I am sure Santa would LOVE them!
Sabrina says
These are always the first to get eaten off of the cookie tray! So yummy!