Christmas Sugar Cookies
These festive Christmas Sugar Cookies are soft, sweet, and decorated with colorful sprinkles, perfect for holiday gatherings. Easy to make, they bring fun to your baking experience.
Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough
- 270 g all-purpose flour
- 4 g baking powder 1 tsp
- 0.25 tsp salt
- 170 g unsalted butter, softened 68-72°F (¾ cup)
- 200 g granulated sugar 1 cup
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 0.25 tsp almond extract optional
- 54 g Christmas jimmies sprinkles ⅓ cup
For the Frosting
- 283 g full-fat cream cheese, softened 10 oz
- 184 g salted butter, softened 13 Tbsp
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 0.125 tsp salt
- 150 g powdered sugar, sifted 1¼ cups
- 80 ml heavy cream, very cold ⅓ cup
- 24 g Christmas sprinkles 2 Tbsp (jimmies, nonpareils, trees, etc.)
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set it aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Stop to scrape down the bowl once or twice.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract, and beat on medium-low speed until combined, about 30 seconds.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in two parts, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Gently fold in the Christmas jimmies sprinkles using a spatula until they are evenly distributed.
- Use a 3-Tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the dough (48-50 g each).
- Roll each scoop into a ball and place them on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Slightly flatten each dough ball with your fingers or the bottom of a glass, keeping the cookies at least ½-inch thick.
Baking
- Bake for about 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are set and the tops look soft and no longer glossy. The cookies should not brown.
- Remove from the oven, then immediately shape into perfect circles by lightly rotating a cookie cutter or glass larger than the cookies around each one.
- Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer), beat the cream cheese and butter on low speed until smooth and lump-free, about 1-2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the vanilla extract and salt, then beat on low until just combined.
- Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar in three parts, mixing on low speed until just combined, stopping to scrape the bowl as needed.
- Slowly drizzle in the cold heavy cream (about 1 tablespoon at a time) while whisking on low speed until stiff peaks form, about 1-1½ minutes. Be careful not to overwhip the heavy cream.
- Pipe the frosting in a spiral pattern over the cookies with a #2A or #1A piping tip, starting from the center and working outward. Alternatively, spread with a spatula to create decorative swirls.
- Just before serving, sprinkle Christmas sprinkles over the frosting.
Notes
Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. If you want them to stay fresh longer, you can keep them in the freezer for up to a month. Use softened butter and cream cheese for the frosting for a smooth texture. Don't overmix the dough; it should be just combined. You can change the sprinkles to match your holiday theme or make them year-round. Options like chocolate chips or nuts can also add a fun twist.