Baking Christmas cookies is a delightful activity for kids during the holiday season. It provides an opportunity for creativity and bonding while making delicious treats to share with family and friends.
This recipe includes simple ingredients and fun decorating ideas that will keep children engaged and excited about baking.
The Joy of Baking Christmas Cookies
Baking Christmas cookies is a wonderful way to celebrate the holiday season.
It brings families together, allowing children to express their creativity while making delicious treats.
The process of mixing, shaping, and decorating cookies can be a fun-filled activity that creates lasting memories.
Choosing the Right Ingredients
To make these festive cookies, gather simple ingredients that are easy to find.
All-purpose flour, baking soda, and butter are essential, along with sugar and a couple of eggs.
Adding vanilla and almond extracts enhances the flavor, while powdered sugar and milk are needed for the icing.
Don’t forget the colorful food coloring and sprinkles, which will bring your cookies to life!
Shaping and Baking the Cookies
Once the dough is prepared, it’s time to shape the cookies.
Using cookie cutters, create fun shapes like stars, trees, and candy canes.
Flatten each cookie slightly before baking to ensure they hold their shape and bake evenly.
After baking, let the cookies cool on wire racks.
This step is crucial, as decorating warm cookies can lead to a messy situation!
Decorating with Icing and Sprinkles
Once the cookies are completely cool, it’s time for the most exciting part—decorating!
Prepare the icing by mixing powdered sugar with milk until smooth, then divide it into smaller bowls.
Add food coloring to each bowl to create a vibrant palette for your decorations.
Let the kids go wild with their creativity!
Using piping bags or simple spoons, they can drizzle icing and sprinkle colorful toppings on their cookies.
Creating a Festive Display
After decorating, arrange the cookies on a decorative plate.
A holiday-themed background with twinkling lights and ornaments enhances the festive spirit.
This display not only looks appealing but also makes for a delightful centerpiece during holiday gatherings.
Sharing the Sweetness
These colorful Christmas cookies are perfect for sharing with family and friends.
Pack them in festive boxes or plates to give as gifts, or simply enjoy them together during holiday celebrations.
Every bite is a reminder of the joy and warmth of the season, making them a cherished tradition for years to come.
Easy Christmas Cookies Recipe for Kids
These Christmas cookies are soft, sweet, and perfect for decorating with colorful icing and sprinkles. The recipe takes about 1 hour from start to finish and yields around 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
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- Food coloring and sprinkles for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, stir together the 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.
- Shape Cookies: Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place them onto ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten each ball slightly with the bottom of a glass.
- Bake: Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let cool on wire racks.
- Prepare Icing: In a bowl, mix powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Divide into smaller bowls and add food coloring as desired.
- Decorate: Allow cookies to cool completely before decorating with icing and sprinkles.
Cook and Prep Times
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Servings: 24 cookies
- Calories: 150kcal
- Fat: 6g
- Protein: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 22g