This is the only sugar cookie recipe I use no matter the season—Christmas, Valentine’s, Easter, birthdays, baby showers, you name it. It works perfectly, preserving the shape of the cut-out, and it has great flavor. Please see my Sugar Cookie recipe for more back story.
Christmas Sugar Cookies
makes 24–30 3-inch cookies
Ingredients
- 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
Icing
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
sugar sprinkles for decoration
Instructions
-
Cream butter and sugar using a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Add the egg, salt, and vanilla, and mix to combine. Mix in the flour. Pat dough into thick, flat disc, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
-
Preheat oven to 365° F. Prepare rimmed cookie sheet pan with parchment paper or Silpat liner. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to about ¼-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out cookies and place on prepared pan. If possible, put pan in refrigerator to cool cookies before baking—even 15 minutes will make a positive difference.
-
Bake for 8–12 minutes, until just beginning to brown around the edges. Let cool for 5–10 minutes on pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
For the icing
-
Combine icing ingredients using a stand mixer with whisk attachment. Scrape down sides of bowl using a spatula. Whisk on high speed for a minute or two to fully combine and create a smooth consistency. If too stiff, add milk by the drop. If too loose, sprinkle in more powdered sugar.
To decorate: Use a pastry bag with a small plain tip to create an outline, then flood-fill the middle. Add colored sugar sprinkles or other decorations as desired.
