🎄 Soft Christmas Sugar Cookies
Yields: ~24 cookies
Prep Time: 15 min
Chill Time: 1 hour
Bake Time: 8–10 min
🧂 Ingredients:
For the Cookies:
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1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
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1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
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1 large egg
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1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
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½ tsp almond extract (optional, but festive!)
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2 ¾ cups (344g) all-purpose flour
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1 tsp baking powder
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½ tsp salt
For the Optional Icing:
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2 cups (240g) powdered sugar
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2–3 tbsp milk
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1 tbsp light corn syrup (for shine, optional)
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½ tsp vanilla or almond extract
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Food coloring & sprinkles (optional)
🍪 Instructions:
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Cream butter & sugar:
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In a large bowl, beat softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes).
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Add wet ingredients:
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Mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until combined.
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Add dry ingredients:
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In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
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Gradually add the dry mix to the wet mixture. Mix until dough forms (don’t overmix).
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Chill the dough:
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Divide dough in half, flatten into discs, wrap in plastic, and chill for 1 hour (or freeze for 20–30 min if in a rush).
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Roll & cut:
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Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment.
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Roll out dough on a floured surface to about ¼ inch thick. Cut with holiday cookie cutters.
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Bake:
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Place on prepared sheet and bake for 8–10 minutes, just until edges are set and bottoms are barely golden.
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Do not overbake if you want soft cookies!
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Cool & decorate:
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Let cool completely before icing.
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🎨 Easy Icing:
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Whisk powdered sugar, milk, corn syrup, and extract until smooth.
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Divide and color with food dye.
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Dip, drizzle, or pipe onto cookies.
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Let decorated cookies sit at room temp for 4–6 hours to dry completely.
🧊 Storage:
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Store cookies in an airtight container at room temp for up to 5 days.
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Dough can be frozen for up to 2 months—thaw overnight in fridge before rolling.
Would you like a gingerbread or spiced molasses variation too?
