These classic Christmas sugar cookies are perfect for holiday baking and decorating. With a soft and buttery texture, they are ideal for cutting into festive shapes and icing with colorful decorations.
This recipe is simple and great for families to enjoy together during the holiday season. You can customize the cookies with various toppings and icing to make them uniquely yours.
Creating Festive Sugar Cookies
The holiday season is the perfect time to indulge in baking, and sugar cookies are a classic choice that brings joy to both the baker and the eater. These cookies are not just delicious; they also offer a canvas for creativity with their soft texture and ability to hold various shapes.
With simple ingredients, anyone can whip up a batch of these delightful treats. The process of rolling out dough and cutting it into festive shapes like stars, trees, and snowflakes can be a fun activity for families, making it a cherished tradition during the holidays.
Decorating Your Cookies
Once the cookies are baked to a golden perfection, the real fun begins—decorating! Using colorful icing and sprinkles, you can transform plain cookies into festive masterpieces. From shimmering silver stars to vibrant green trees, the possibilities are endless.
Encouraging creativity, each cookie can reflect personal style or family traditions. Gather your loved ones and set up a decorating station with various colors of icing and an array of sprinkles to create a cheerful atmosphere filled with laughter and joy.
Setting the Scene for Holiday Cheer
To enhance the festive spirit, consider the backdrop for your cookie display. A table adorned with holiday decorations, twinkling lights, and perhaps a few ornaments can create an inviting setting that complements your beautifully decorated cookies.
As you arrange the cookies on a decorative plate, the sight of these festive treats will surely bring smiles to everyone who sees them. The combination of colors and shapes creates a visual feast that embodies the joy of the season.
Sharing the Joy
These sugar cookies are not just for personal enjoyment; they make wonderful gifts too. Pack them in decorative boxes or tins to share with friends, family, or neighbors. A plate of these cookies can brighten anyone’s day and spread holiday cheer far and wide.
Consider hosting a cookie exchange where everyone brings their decorated cookies to share. This not only allows for a variety of flavors and designs but also fosters a sense of community during the holiday season.
Tips for Perfect Sugar Cookies
To achieve the best results, pay attention to a few key tips. Ensure that your butter is softened to room temperature for easy mixing, and don’t skip the chilling step if your dough feels too soft. This will help maintain the shape of your cookies while baking.
Experiment with different flavors in your icing or add a hint of almond extract to the dough for a unique twist. The beauty of sugar cookies lies in their versatility, allowing you to customize them to your liking.
Enjoying the Festive Season
As you gather around to bake and decorate, take a moment to appreciate the warmth and joy that comes with the holiday season. These sugar cookies are more than just a treat; they are a way to create lasting memories with loved ones.
Whether you enjoy them fresh out of the oven or share them with others, each bite is a reminder of the festive spirit that surrounds us during this special time of year.
Easy Sugar Cookies for Christmas
These sugar cookies are made with basic ingredients and are easy to roll out and cut into shapes. The recipe takes about 1 hour from start to finish and yields approximately 24 cookies.
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 3 to 4 tablespoons sugar for decoration
- Icing and sprinkles for decoration (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
- Combine Mixtures: Gradually blend in the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Roll Out Dough: Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten each ball slightly with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar.
- Bake Cookies: Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let cool on wire racks.
- Decorate: Once cooled, decorate with icing and sprinkles as desired.
Cook and Prep Times
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Servings: 24 cookies
- Calories: 150kcal
- Fat: 7g
- Protein: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 20g