Description
These Soft Christmas Cookies are a delightful holiday treat featuring a tender texture and a classic buttery flavor. Rolled out and cut into festive shapes, they are perfectly baked to a light golden edge and topped with a smooth, customizable icing that can be colored and decorated with sprinkles. Ideal for holiday parties and cookie exchanges, these cookies offer a deliciously soft bite and a cheerful presentation.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 4 tablespoons milk (plus more for icing)
Icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Food coloring and sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set this mixture aside for later to keep your ingredients organized and ready.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a large bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer or by hand until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, ensuring a tender cookie texture.
- Add Eggs and Extracts: Beat in the eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract until the mixture is well combined and smooth, providing flavor and moisture to the dough.
- Combine Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk, and mix until just combined. If the dough feels too sticky to handle, chill it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm up.
- Roll Out the Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to approximately ¼-inch thickness. Using festive-shaped cookie cutters, cut out your desired shapes and place them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake the shaped cookies in the preheated oven for 6-8 minutes or until the edges turn just lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the Icing: In a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. If you wish, add food coloring to customize the icing for a festive look.
- Decorate: Once the cookies have cooled completely, spread or pipe the icing on top. Add sprinkles or other decorations as desired to finish your festive Christmas cookies.
Notes
- If your dough is sticky and hard to handle, chilling it before rolling helps with easier shaping.
- Use parchment paper on your baking sheets to prevent cookies from sticking and make cleanup easier.
- Customize the icing with different food coloring and sprinkles to match holiday themes.
- Store cookies in an airtight container to keep them soft for several days.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute butter and milk with plant-based alternatives.
