It’s the holiday season! That means it’s time to get going on holiday baking. And you can bet I will be baking a lot of Christmas treats…and at least a lot of Christmas cookies! 😉 These Christmas Sugar Cookies are one of our favorites! Unlike a lot of cut-out cookies, these are thick and soft. They can be cut out into whatever festive shape you like and topped off with homemade frosting or enjoyed as is. Love sugar cookies? Check out my chocolate sour cream sugar cookies, my frosted lemon sour cream sugar cookies, or Grandma’s sour cream sugar cookies! Can you ever have too many cookies?
Ingredients for Christmas sugar cookies:
Unsalted Butter: bring the butter to room temperature so it incorporates easily with the sugar. Granulated Sugar: you can’t have sugar cookies without the sugar! 😉 Sour Cream: this makes the cookies soft and provides a bit of tang to contrast the sweetness of the sugar. Egg Vanilla Extract All-Purpose Flour: for the best results, I recommend spooning the flour into the measuring cup and leveling it off with your finger. This prevents it from getting too packed in. If you add too much flour, the dough will be dry. You can also weigh it for more accurate results. Baking Powder: gives the cookies a lighter texture. Salt: cuts the sweetness and enhances flavor.
How to make Christmas sugar cookies
These cut-out sugar cookies are an easy holiday staple that comes together in a total of 30 minutes! See the detailed recipe down in the recipe card.
Do you have to chill the dough?
Not necessarily. I pretty much always skip this step, because we don’t like to wait for cookies. I wanted a rolled sugar cookie that could be cut out and baked right away and still hold their shape. These are perfect! However, chilling the dough can make it easier to roll and cut. If you aren’t chilling, you may need to dust your work space and the dough very lightly with flour so that it doesn’t stick. Do not add too much!
What thickness is best for cut-out cookies?
That depends on the texture you prefer. I like to roll the dough to about 1/4″ – 1/3″ thick for softer, thicker cookies. If you like sugar cookies that are a little bit thinner and crunchier, roll the dough closer to 1/8″ thick and bake for 6-8 minutes. Keep in mind that different thicknesses will cook at different rates. The key is to keep an eye on the cookies so they don’t overcook. Take them out as soon as the edges are starting to turn lightly golden.
Tips and tricks for cut-out sugar cookies
Use the excess dough. After you do the first set of cut-outs, you can re-roll the excess dough to make more cookies. Repeat that process until you don’t have any more dough left. Check for doneness. I say 8-10 minutes as a guideline, but it’s more important to keep an eye on the cookies to check when they’re done (it will depend on the thickness). You want to take them out just before they are browning. If they are browned on the bottom, they will still be delicious but less soft. Cool before frosting. Let the cookies cool completely before adding the frosting. If they’re too warm it will just melt off. If you’re adding sprinkles, make sure you add them right away after you add the frosting so they stick. If the frosting sets, they will just slip off the top of the cookies.
Can sugar cookie dough be made ahead of time?
Absolutely! Prepping the cookie dough ahead of time is a great way to get ahead on holiday baking. To prepare ahead of time, assemble as directed then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to use it, thaw it in the fridge if frozen, then proceed with the recipe as instructed!
How to store
Baked and frosted cookies will last in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze them, but you will want to do so unfrosted. They will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More Christmas cookie recipes to try
Ready to do more holiday baking? Here are a few more of my favorite Christmas cookie recipes:
Soft Molasses Cookies Recipe Christmas M&M Cookies No-Bake Christmas Tree Cookies Chocolate Peppermint Icebox Cookies Fudgy Mint Chocolate No-Bake Cookies
Create an account easily save your favorite content, so you never forget a recipe again. Register Now Tag @thereciperebel or hashtag #thereciperebel — I love to see what you’re making!
