Festive Sugar Cookies
‘Tis the season for an abundance of sweet and cheery cookies! Christmas is just around the corner and with it all of the fun of baking and sharing sweet treats. Festive Sugar Cookies are perfect on their own and also the ideal base for decorating.
Pour a couple of Apple Cider Mimosas and invite some friends over. Whether you’re looking for the perfect sugar cookies to decorate or cookies to gift, this easy cookie recipe is sure to become a new holiday tradition.
Ingredients
Festive Sugar Cookies are not only easy to make, but they also only require a few baking staples. Soft, buttery, and delicately sweet, these are as easy to shop for as they are to make.
- Butter – Adds richness and decadence to these cookies while also keeping them softy and tender.
- Sugar – Skip the fancy sugar. Classic white sugar is all that’s needed for this easy sugar cookie recipe.
- Eggs – Helps bind the cookie dough together and also adds richness.
- Flour – Use your favorite brand of all-purpose flour for this recipe.
- Baking Powder – Helps the cookies to slightly rise and give them a tender bite.
- Salt – Enhances all of the natural flavors of the ingredients.
- Vanilla – Adds a lightly floral sweetness to these cookies.
How to Make Festive Sugar Cookies
Skip the store-bought cookies and even the packaged cookie dough. These cookies are not only irresistibly delicious, they’re also easy to make.
Time needed: 2 hours
Perfume your house with the sweet scent of the season and these buttery sugar cookies.
- Prep
Let your butter and eggs sit out and come to room temperature. This will allow the dough to mix together easily and lump free.
- Cream
Add your softened butter and sugar to a bowl and using either a hand mixer or stand mixer beat on high for 5 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Mix
Add the remaining ingredients and mix until the flour is just combined.
- Chill
Form your cookie dough into a ball and wrap with plastic wrap. Allow it to chill in the refrigerator for an hour.
- Roll
Roll out your cookie dough until it is about 1/4″ thick. Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out your cookies. You can form your scraps into a ball and roll out again to get the last few cookies from the dough.
- Freeze
Place your cut out cookies on cookie sheets. Allow the cookies to freeze for five minutes. This will prevent them from spreading out as they bake and help them keep their shape.
- Bake
Bake your cookies for 10-15 minutes or until lightly golden brown in a 350 degree oven.
- Decorate
Allow your cookies to cool completely before decorating. Have fun making them your own!
Variations
Vanilla extract is the classic flavor in sugar cookies. However, you can swap out the vanilla for almond extract for a light and delicate nutty flavor. Sprinkle slivered almonds over the top of your frosting for even more almond flavor.
No cookie cutters? No problem! You can also roll this cookie dough into a uniform log and slice off even sized cookies for baking.
This same recipe can also be made Dairy Free. Swap the butter in this recipe for your favorite plant-based alternative.
Tools
- Mixer – Using a hand mixer or stand mixer helps this cookie dough come together quickly and lump free.
- Cookie Sheets – Lining your cookie sheets with either parchment paper or a silicone mat will allow them to bake evenly and be easily removed from the pans.
- Rolling Pin – If your dough seems like it might stick, lightly flour your rolling pin.
- Cookie Cutters – Have fun with your festive shapes!
Storage
The dough for these Festive Sugar Cookies can be made the day before and refrigerated overnight. These cookies also store well once baked. Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. That makes them perfect for gift giving and cookie swaps.
Top Tip for Festive Sugar Cookies
Don’t forget the step of briefly freezing your cut out cookies. This will instantly chill and harden the butter in the dough and prevent your cookies from spreading out as they bake, resulting in crisp, and defined shapes.
Festive Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- 1 mixing bowl/mixer
- 2 cookie sheets
- 1 Rolling Pin
- cookie cutters
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 3 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract can also use almond extract
Instructions
- Add your butter and sugar to a bowl and mix on high for five minutes until it is light and fluffy.
- Add the remaining ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Form the cookie dough into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and allow to refrigerate for an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Place chilled dough on your work surface. Roll cookie dough out to about 1/4".
- Cut out your cookies and place on cookie sheets.
- Freeze the cookie sheets for 5 minutes. This will prevent the cookies from spreading while baking and retain their clean and crisp shapes.
- Bake the cookies for 10-15 minutes until lightly golden brown.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely before decorating.