One of the greatest joys of the holidays is the aroma of cookies baking in the kitchen. Making and decorating sugar cookies has become a favorite family tradition for many: rolling out dough, cutting festive shapes, and decorating together. Packaged in a gift bag and tied with ribbon, these cookies also make a thoughtful homemade gift for friends, neighbors, or coworkers.
How to Make Christmas Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing
Begin by combining the wet ingredients in a large bowl, then gradually add the dry ingredients. The dough comes together quickly and should be fairly stiff. Use your hands to knead briefly, adding a little more flour if needed, until the dough is smooth and ready to roll.
This dough holds its shape well and does not require chilling. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness and cut with your favorite cookie cutters.
Arrange the cookies on baking sheets and bake at 350°F for about 6–7 minutes. Avoid overbaking—cookies should be lightly golden at the edges. They may seem slightly soft when removed from the oven, but they will firm up on the baking sheet as they cool.
Allow the cookies to cool completely before decorating. Properly cooled cookies will have clean edges and a smooth surface that’s perfect for icing.
How to Decorate Christmas Sugar Cookies
There are countless ways to decorate sugar cookies, which is part of the fun. Before you start with royal icing, prepare your tools: squeeze bottles or piping bags, food coloring gels or pastes, toothpicks or straws for spreading, and any decorative sprinkles or edible embellishments you plan to use. Royal icing dries quickly, so working efficiently helps.
If you want multiple colors, divide your icing into separate bowls and tint each with gel or paste colors. Transfer the icing to piping bags or squeeze bottles. Outline each cookie first to create a barrier, then thin a portion of icing with a few drops of water to a flood consistency. Squeeze the thinned icing into the center of a cookie and use a toothpick or small tool to spread it to the edges. While the icing is still wet, add sprinkles or other decorations.
Repeat the process for the remaining cookies. Once fully decorated and dried, these sugar cookies can be stored in an airtight cookie jar for up to two weeks and will stay soft and tasty. They also freeze well: wrap individual cookies in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag for up to one month.
Related Posts – More recipes you might like:
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Christmas Snowball Cookies — buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookies that pair perfectly with coffee or tea.
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Christmas Red Velvet Sugar Cookies — an easy, festive twist on classic sugar cookies with a rich red hue.
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Christmas Shortbread Cookies — simple, buttery cookies made with just a few ingredients and lots of charm.
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Fruitcake Christmas Cookies — chewy, fruit- and nut-studded cookies with warm spices like cinnamon and cloves.
- Sugar Cookies:
- 2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)
- 2 tablespoons finely ground almonds (almond flour)
- Royal Icing:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons meringue powder
- ¼ cup warm water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the vanilla and egg.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and ground almonds. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture until a stiff dough forms.
- Lightly knead the dough if needed. Divide into manageable portions and roll each to about 1/4 inch thick on a floured surface. Cut into shapes.
- Bake at 350°F for about 6 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet until firm enough to transfer to a cooling rack.
- Whisk together powdered sugar and meringue powder. Gradually add warm water and vanilla. Beat with a mixer on medium for about 5 minutes until stiff peaks form. Adjust consistency with more powdered sugar or small drops of water as needed. Transfer to piping bags and decorate cookies.
