These are fan-favorite cut-out Christmas sugar cookies! My recipe for sugar cookies promises flavorful cookies with soft and thick centers, slightly crisp edges, and flat tops for decorating. The dough comes together with 7–8 simple ingredients, and the cookies hold their cookie cutter shape in the oven. Decorate them with my easy glaze cookie icing, a wonderful alternative to royal icing. Get out your rolling pin and favorite cookie cutters and have fun!
I originally published this recipe in 2014 and have since added new photos, a video tutorial, a few more success tips, and a list of helpful tools.
The holiday season and a batch of decorated Christmas sugar cookies go hand-in-hand. Today’s recipe is a classic staple, and has been a popular favorite since I first published it many years ago. It’s basically my favorite sugar cookie recipe, but all dressed up for the holidays. And I love that you don’t need to mess with royal icing! The cookie icing below is unfussy and low maintenance, which is definitely appreciated if you’re baking a lot of cookies in December. 😉
Here’s Why You’ll Love These Christmas Sugar Cookies
- Soft, thick centers with slightly crisp edges
- Irresistible buttery vanilla flavor
- Made from simple ingredients
- Leave plain or flavor with extras like maple, cinnamon, peppermint, and more
- Hold shape while baking
- Icing is manageable for young bakers and beginners
- Freeze beautifully
- Easy-to-follow recipe used by beginner and expert bakers alike
By the way, if you love sugar cookies, but aren’t up for decorating with icing, you’ll enjoy my stained glass window cookies, Christmas sparkle cookies, pecan sugar cookies, or drop Christmas sugar cookies instead.
How to Make Christmas Sugar Cookies
You need 7–8 ingredients for the dough. With so few ingredients, it’s important to follow the recipe closely, because each one has an important job. Creamed butter and sugar form the base of the dough. Egg and flour provide structure, and vanilla adds flavor. I almost always add a touch of almond extract for additional flavor, and highly recommend that you try it too! You could also use peppermint extract or another flavor extract instead. Baking powder adds lift, and salt balances the sweet.
So many little ingredients doing big jobs to create a perfect cookie:
Success Tip: Make sure you start with proper room temperature butter. Room temperature butter is cool to the touch and about 65°F (18°C), which may be cooler than your kitchen. To test the butter to make sure it’s ready to cream, poke it with your finger. Your finger should make an indent without sinking down into the butter. The butter should not be shiny or greasy.
This is a recipe that requires some planning ahead.
After you make the cookie dough, it must chill for 1–2 hours, and up to 2 days. Chilling is a mandatory step. Without chilling, these cookie cutter sugar cookies won’t hold shape. You don’t want your snowman-shaped cookie turning into the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man (though that could work for Halloween cookies).
Also, the icing recipe below needs at least 24 hours to dry/set (but you can certainly eat them prior to the icing drying!). This is much longer than royal icing, which usually dries in 2 hours. So even though we’re not messing with finicky royal icing, we do have to wait longer to stack/transport the cookies.
After you make the cookie dough, divide it in half:
And then roll out each portion of dough before chilling:
Let’s talk about rolling out this dough, because it’s an unusual order of steps.
3 Tricks to Rolling Out Christmas Cookie Dough
- Trick #1: Pay attention to the order of the steps. Notice how I roll out the dough BEFORE chilling it in the refrigerator? That’s the most important trick! Let me explain why I do this. Just like when you’re making chocolate chip cookies, to prevent the cookies from over-spreading, the dough must chill. If you’ve ever tried rolling out chilled sugar cookie dough, you may remember how difficult it is to roll out cold, stiff dough. So, roll out the dough while it’s still soft (right after mixing it together), and then chill the rolled-out dough.
- Trick #2: Divide the dough in half before rolling it out. Why? Smaller sections of dough are easier to roll out.
- Trick #3: Roll out the cookie dough directly on a silicone baking mat or parchment paper so you can easily transfer it to the refrigerator. Pick the whole thing up, set it on a baking sheet, and place it in the refrigerator. If you don’t have enough room for two baking sheets in your refrigerator, simply stack the pieces of rolled-out dough on top of each other, with parchment paper or silicone baking mat in between. You can see me doing this in the video tutorial below.
After the rolled-out dough chills for at least 1–2 hours, use cookie cutters to cut out shapes, and re-roll your scraps. Remember, you have two slabs of dough.
Arrange cookies on a lined baking sheet. I usually get about 2 dozen 3-inch cookies from this recipe. Here’s some of the cookies before baking:
And after baking:
Use My Easy Cookie Icing
My easy cookie icing recipe below is a great alternative to traditional royal icing. It’s like a very thick opaque glaze and comes together quickly with a fork and a mixing bowl. This is one of my favorite ways to decorate sugar cookies because it’s low maintenance, but still delivers pretty (and tasty) results. I have a separate cookie icing page dedicated to it, and it can be used on pretty much any cookie cutter cookies like gingerbread cookies, brown sugar cut-out cookies, chocolate sugar cookies, Valentine’s Day cookies, or Easter cookies.
(I also have a recipe for thick cookie buttercream, if you’d like that option!)
Here’s why you’ll love the cookie glaze icing:
- 5 basic ingredients
- Can tint the icing different colors
- Can use squeeze bottle or piping tips to decorate
- Manageable for everyone
- Doesn’t dry into hard cement texture
- After it dries, you can stack, freeze, and transport cookies
You need confectioners’ sugar, water, vanilla extract (replace with water to keep the icing stark white), a touch of corn syrup, and a little salt. The corn syrup gives the icing sticking power and creates a beautiful sheen when the icing dries. The icing sets after 24 hours, so you can easily stack these Christmas sugar cookies for storage, transport, or even shipping.
Yes, you can create gourmet-looking Christmas cookies like the ones above without royal icing! For more decorating inspiration, see my video tutorial on how to decorate sugar cookies.
Christmas Sugar Cookie Tools
Before I leave you with the recipe, let me suggest some useful sugar cookie tools. These are the exact products I use in my own kitchen:
- Electric Mixer: stand mixer or handheld.
- Baking Sheets: I use and love these baking sheets.
- Parchment or Baking Mats: silicone baking mats or parchment sheets (for rolling out & transferring the rolled-out dough, and for baking the cookies).
- Rolling Pin: This is my favorite rolling pin. If you have difficulty evenly rolling out dough, try this adjustable rolling pin. It’s really helpful!
- Cookie Cutters: If you’d like suggestions for cookie cutters, I love Ann Clark brand. (Not sponsored, just a genuine fan!) The pictured shapes came from this holiday cookie cutter set.
- Food Coloring: Liquid food coloring can alter the consistency of the icing, so I recommend gel food coloring. I like Americolor brand.
- Squeeze Bottle: To make decorating a breeze, use a squeeze bottle. They’re less intimidating than piping tips and very easy to use. If you want to use a piping tip, I love Wilton #4 for decorating sugar cookies. (You’ll also need a disposable or reusable piping bag if using a piping tip.)
These baking tools would be great to add to your holiday wish list. And while you’re at it, be sure to check out my guide of Holiday Gifts for Bakers. Lots of fun ideas in there, either for yourself or other baker friends! You can also review my recommended Best Cookie Baking Tools and Cookie Decorating Supplies for even more suggestions.
Craving More Christmas Cookies?
- Peanut Butter Blossoms (same base dough as these peanut butter cookies!)
- Gingerbread Cookies
- Lace Cookies
- Homemade Gingerbread House
- Spritz Cookies
- Butter Cookies and Chocolate Butter Cookies
- Snowball Cookies
- Pinwheel Cookies
- Hot Cocoa Cookies
This recipe is part of my annual cookie countdown called Sally’s Cookie Palooza. It’s the biggest, most delicious event of the year! Browse dozens of cookie recipes over on the Sally’s Cookie Palooza page.
Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe with Easy Icing
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours, 10 minutes
- Yield: 24 3-inch cookies and 1.5 cups icing
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Cut-out Christmas sugar cookies with crisp edges and soft centers. This icing recipe is so simple, making decorating hassle-free!
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 and 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more as needed for rolling and work surface
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional, but makes the flavor outstanding)*
Easy Icing
- 3 cups (360g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (omit and replace with water for stark white icing)
- 2 teaspoons light corn syrup*
- 4.5–5 Tablespoons (67–75ml) room temperature water
- pinch salt*
- optional: gel food coloring & sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
- Make sure you have allotted enough time (and enough counter space!) to make these cookies. The cookie dough needs to chill, the cookies need to cool completely, and the icing needs 24 hours to completely set. If enjoying right away and hardened icing isn’t a concern, you’ll only need about 3–4 hours to make these.
- Make the cookie dough: Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a handheld or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract (if using), and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined. Dough will be a bit soft. If the dough seems too soft and sticky for rolling, add 1 more Tablespoon of flour.
- Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Place each portion onto a piece of lightly floured parchment paper or a lightly floured silicone baking mat. With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use more flour if the dough seems too sticky. The rolled-out dough can be any shape, as long as it is evenly 1/4-inch thick.
- Lightly dust one of the rolled-out doughs with flour. Place a piece of parchment on top. (This prevents sticking.) Place the second rolled-out dough on top. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then refrigerate for at least 1–2 hours and up to 2 days.
- Once chilled, preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 2–3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Carefully remove the top dough piece from the refrigerator. If it’s sticking to the bottom, run your hand under it to help remove it. Using a cookie cutter, cut the dough into shapes. Re-roll the remaining dough and continue cutting until all is used. Repeat with second piece of dough. (Note: It doesn’t seem like a lot of dough, but you get a lot of cookies from the dough scraps you re-roll.)
- Arrange cookies on baking sheets about 3 inches apart. Bake for 11–12 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. If your oven has hot spots, rotate the baking sheet halfway through bake time. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating. No need to cover the cookies as they cool.
- Make the icing: Using a fork, stir the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, corn syrup, and 4.5 Tablespoons (67ml) of water, and optional salt together in a medium bowl. It will be very thick and almost impossible to stir. Switch to a whisk and whisk in 1/2 Tablespoon (8ml) more of water. If you lift the whisk and let the icing drizzle back into the bowl, the ribbon of icing will hold shape for a few seconds before melting back into the icing. That is when you know it’s the right consistency and is ready to use. If it’s too thick (sometimes it is), whisk in another 1/2 Tablespoon (8ml) of water or a little more until you reach the proper consistency.
- If you’re tinting the icing another color, stir in the food coloring. You can pour some icing into different bowls if using multiple colors. When tinting icing, use only 1–2 drops at first, stir it in, then add more as needed to reach your desired color. Remember, color darkens as icing dries.
- Decorate the cookies: You can dip the cookies into the icing or use squeeze bottles or piping bags (reusable or disposable) fitted with piping tips (I usually use Wilton Piping Tip #4). Decorate your cookies as desired. If using the squeeze bottles or piping tips, I usually outline cookies with icing first, then fill in the middle. If adding sprinkles on top of the icing, add them right after applying icing on your cookie.
- Let icing dry/set: Feel free to enjoy cookies before icing completely dries. Icing dries in 24 hours. No need to cover the decorated cookies as you wait for the icing to set. If it’s helpful, decorate the cookies directly on a baking sheet so you can place the entire baking sheet in the refrigerator to help slightly speed up the icing setting. Once the icing has dried, these cookies are great for gifting or for sending.
- Cover and store decorated cookies for up to 5 days at room temperature or up to 10 days in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Plain or decorated sugar cookies freeze well up to 3 months. Wait for the icing to set completely before layering between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer-friendly container. To thaw, thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature. You can also freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months before rolling it out. Prepare the dough through step 4, divide in half, flatten both halves into a disc as we do with pie crust, wrap each in plastic wrap, then freeze. To thaw, thaw the discs in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature for about 1 hour. Roll out the dough as directed in step 5, then chill rolled-out dough in the refrigerator for 45 minutes–1 hour before cutting into shapes and baking.
- Make-Ahead Instructions & Storing Icing: If not decorating right away, cover the icing tightly and keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. You can store in piping bags (with clips or rubber bands to seal ends), in squeeze bottles, or covered in bowl or container. Bring to room temperature before using. If icing has thickened up, add a few drops of water and mix in to thin out. Depending how you stored the icing (squeeze bottle/piping bag/container or bowl) shake squeeze bottle to mix/massage piping bag to mix/whisk in bowl or container to mix.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Sheets | Rolling Pin or Adjustable Rolling Pin | Holiday Cookie Cutter Set | Cooling Rack | Squeeze Bottle | Piping Bag (Disposable or Reusable) | Americolor Soft Gel Paste Color Kit | Couplers | Wilton Tip #4
- Room Temperature Butter: Room temperature butter is essential. If the dough is too sticky, your butter may have been too soft. Room temperature butter is actually cool to the touch. Room temperature egg is preferred so it’s quickly and evenly mixed into the cookie dough.
- Flavors: I love flavoring this cookie dough with 1/2 teaspoon almond extract as listed in the ingredients above. For lighter flavor, use 1/4 teaspoon. Instead of the almond extract, try using 1 teaspoon of maple extract, coconut extract, lemon extract, or peppermint extract. Or add 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon. If using lemon extract, you can also add 1 Tablespoon lemon zest.
- Corn Syrup: Corn syrup gives the icing sticking power and creates a beautiful sheen on the dried icing. I don’t recommend skipping it, but you can if absolutely needed.
- Salt: I know salt isn’t a typical ingredient in cookie icing, but it helps offset its sweetness. You need just a small pinch.
- Yield of Icing: This amount of icing is enough for icing 2 dozen cookies. You’ll have plenty if you want to divide it and tint the batch multiple colors, too. Icing can easily be halved by halving all of the ingredients. (Still add a tiny pinch of salt.)
- Be sure to check out my top 5 cookie baking tips AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.
Reader Comments and Reviews
These are the perfect Xmas cookies! *Don’t be deterred by the wet icing tasting bad. Once dried on that buttery cookies it’s completely different/delicious!
Sally these cookies are simple and delicious! We decorated them on Christmas eve with this easy icing after seeing it on your Instagram. The cookies are the best of any sugar cookies I’ve tried making before and they do not spread! Thank you for sharing. It is a new tradition for us.
easy to follow and tastes delicious! I just made the cookies.
Sally, I love this recipe! I’ve used it a few times now and it’s very easy and tastes great! I’m curious, how long do you think chilled dough would last in the fridge? I rolled dough out but haven’t used it yet. Deciding if I should just pack it back into a disc and throw it in the freezer or not. Thank you!!
Hi Christine, we recommend up to 2 days in the fridge. Enjoy!
Also, Compliments of the season!!!
i’m yet to try this recipe
instead of unsalted butter can I use normal magarine and for the almond extract can I use cinnamon powder or milk esscence?
Hi TillyAnna, we haven’t tested it ourselves, but you might try a plant-based butter instead of margarine. Margarine has very different properties than butter. The results may be different but let us know if you give it a try!
The icing was really runny for me. I measured the powdered sugar and water by weight, perhaps the numbers need to be tweaked in the recipe?
I measured everything multiple times and I can’t seem to roll out the dough without it completely falling apart and separating. What could I have done wrong? Can I also use cane sugar?
Hi A, this dough shouldn’t be crumbly. How did you measure your flour? Be sure to spoon and level the flour, or weigh it. The dough should become a bit soft and moist when you’re working with it.
I had misgivings about using granulated sugar, but did it just the same, only to have the same result as the commenter above – crumbly dough and granules that were still top visible even though I had churned the butter and sugar for nearly 15 minutes. Next time I’ll do it with powdered sugar instead.
Merry Christmas! I have all my ingredients gathered and am wondering, does this recipe work alright with country crock plant butter instead of real butter? I have both but my real butter is frozen and I’m eager to get started! 🙂
Hi Rachel, we haven’t tested that exact substitution so we’re unsure of the results. Let us know if you give it a try!
I tried this recipe with another author last year and the cookies spreaded too much, he didn’t roll the dough out before chilling. But your recipe thanks so much for this the cookies came out perfect ❤️.
I’m in the middle of the recipe currently, about to cut out the cookies. I think you said to use 3in cookie cutters- can you use the smaller cutters too? Or will they cook differently?
Hi Sarabeth, yes you can cut them into smaller shapes. The bake time will be a little shorter.
This recipe is amazing. Such a hit. Is it possible to substitute flour or gluten free?
Hi Cj, we haven’t tested this recipe with a 1:1 gluten free flour, so we’re unsure of the results. Some readers have reported success. Let us know if you decide to try it!
So upset because I followed directions, but the cookie frosting turned white. I didn’t do Royal. I did the other one and followed it to a T and put them in the refrigerator and I open the container today and they’re white.
Hi Mj, did you add gel color to the icing to dye it something other than white? If you didn’t, this icing recipe will be white. We’d be happy to help troubleshoot!
Hi Sally! Love all of your recipes – we are having a cookie decorating party. Would it be possible to just double the recipe to make a bigger batch than 24 cookies? Thank you!
Hi Deyanah, yes, this recipe doubles well. Enjoy!
I had never made sugar cookies before, but since trying your recipe, I’ve made multiple batches over the past two months. They turn out perfectly every time and disappear almost as soon as they’re ready! Thank you so much for sharing such a fantastic recipe.
This Christmas cookie recipe is perfect. And Sally, your advice to roll dough before chilling is on point! It made such a difference! Thanks!
This was SO YUMMY! They’re buttery and soft, with the perfect amount of crisp. The icing is perfect as well! 10/10 MUST TRY!
Have you made this with gluten free flour for a GF version?
Hi Kaley, we haven’t tested this recipe with a 1:1 gluten free flour, so we’re unsure of the results. Some readers have reported success. Let us know if you decide to try it!
I just made these with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free flour and they turned out great. The dough was a little soft with just the 2 1/4 cups flour so I had to add about 2 tablespoons more to get it to the right consistency.
I make these each year and love them! Could I add lemon juice to the icing for a citrus flavor instead of vanilla?
Hi Susan, you could substitute some of the water with fresh lemon juice or you could use lemon extract in place of the vanilla extract. Hope they’re a hit!
Hi sally! I just wanted to ask that my cookie dough was slightly crumbly although I followed every step. Can you suggest how can I fix it?
Hi Shanem, this dough shouldn’t be crumbly. How did you measure your flour? Be sure to spoon and level the flour, or weigh it. The dough should become a bit soft and moist when you’re working with it.
Do I have to pot the cookies three inches apart? I’m curious why, especially since these don’t spread. Thank you!
You will want to leave enough space between them that if there were to be any spreading, they wouldn’t spread into one another. To avoid spreading, be sure that your dough is cold (very cold!) when going in the oven. If you are cutting out shapes and the dough has been sitting for a while, don’t be afraid to pop the already cut out shapes back in the refrigerator so they are cold going in the oven!
I am doing my own cookie palooza for coworkers and friends using all of Sally’s recipes-roughly how many cookies do each of these cookie recipes yield? 2 dozen?
Hi Loo, this recipe makes about 24 3-inch cookies. Have fun with your cookie palooza!!
We got two dozen, yes!
can these be made without eggs and if so what would you use in place my grandson has an egg allergy thank you
Hi Pat, we don’t have a reliable egg substitute for this particular sugar cookie recipe. Perhaps another reader can chime in if there has been one successfully tested!
You could try Loopy Whisk’s recipe that’s been tested without eggs: https://theloopywhisk.com/2018/01/09/1-bowl-gluten-free-vegan-sugar-cookies/
Can this dough be rolled into a log and used as slice and bake?
Hi Toni, you can use this dough for a slice and bake cookie.
I’m wanting to make these today but don’t have corn syrup could I swap it for bunny or would this not work.
Hi Carra, honey is a great substitute for the corn syrup. Or, you could simply leave it out.
Looking forward to trying this. Do you think I can use coconut oil instead of butter?
I’ve used this recipe so many times and love it!
I was wondering though, do you think this cookie recipe would be strong enough to make a “sugar cookie” house instead of a gingerbread house? Thanks!
Hi Katherine, you sure can. If it’s helpful, you can use this dough along with our gingerbread house tutorial — you will want to at least 1.5x the sugar cookie dough to ensure you have enough to work with.
hi! can i replace the vanilla in the icing for almond extract?
Hi Lily, you can add almond, yes. We would try 1/4 tsp vanilla and 1/4 tsp almond.
Sally, I would love to make these but would like to try some with just sprinkles – no icing. Would I add the sprinkles before baking?
Hi Rachel, yes, absolutely. You may have to press the sprinkles in a little bit, but they usually melt a little and stick to the cookie while they bake. You could also add sprinkles to this dough before rolling it out. We recommend beating in 3/4 cup after you mix the wet and dry ingredients together. You may need to use a little arm muscle (or very sturdy cookie cutters) to cut through the sprinkles. Keep that in mind when shaping. Enjoy!
I made and rolled out the dough and left in my fridge overnight. I only covered it loosely and my dough dried out. Any suggestions?
Hi Lisa! Did you cut and bake the cookies? They will seem quite hard, because they are cold, but should still bake up just fine. You can store the dough in a large zip-top bag or container next time for an air tight seal.
Thanks, Trina. I went ahead and cut and baked and they were fine. And delicious! Let the decorating begin!
For years I’ve had mostly disappointing results in my quest to make the perfect Christmas sugar cookies and icing. I finally succeeded, thanks to your fantistic recipe and instructions for both. Goes to show that this 80-year old grandmother can finally make the very best Christmas cookies and decorating icing, all because she had the very best teacher, Sally. I’m grateful for the holiday recipes and all others that I’ve tried.
Looking forward to making these with my 3 year old! How do you store these when the icing is setting for 24 hours? Can you just leave them out in the open it will they get stale?
Hi Sam! You can leave them out while the icing sets.
What is the difference in the results if I don’t refrigerate the dough? Is it a completely necessary step?
Hi SCM, it is necessary. Without chilling, the dough will spread and won’t hold their shape.