Homemade Christmas Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- 2 Mixing bowl
- 1 electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- 1 Measuring cups set
- 1 Measuring spoons set
- 1 Rubber spatula
- 1 Whisk
- 2 Baking sheet
- 2 silicone baking mat or sheet of parchment paper
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 3–4 Cookie cutter
- 1 wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract optional
- 2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour leveled
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoon milk as needed
- 1 cup powdered sugar for icing
- 2–3 tablespoon milk for icing
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract for icing
- assorted sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
- Cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
- Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until fully combined.
- In a separate bowl whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two additions, mixing on low just until a soft dough forms, adding up to 2 tablespoons milk if dough seems dry.
- Divide the dough in half, flatten into discs, wrap tightly, and chill for 1 hour until firm.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment.
- On a lightly floured surface roll one dough disc to 1/4 inch thickness, rotating and lightly flouring as needed to prevent sticking.
- Cut shapes with cookie cutters and transfer to prepared baking sheets spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Bake each sheet for 8–10 minutes until edges are set and just barely golden.
- Cool cookies on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla for icing to a smooth drizzleable consistency.
- Decorate cooled cookies with icing and sprinkles, then let set until icing is firm.
Notes
Chilling prevents spread, so don’t skip it and re-chill scraps between rerolling for sharp edges. For soft cookies, pull them when centers look pale and just set; for crisper cookies, bake 1–2 minutes longer. Keep dough thickness even for uniform baking, and roll between two sheets of parchment if your kitchen is warm. To avoid tough cookies, mix only until the dough comes together and avoid adding too much extra flour. Flavor variations include citrus zest, cinnamon, or swapping almond extract for peppermint. Icing consistency should ribbon off the whisk and disappear in 10–12 seconds; add a few drops of milk to thin or a spoon of powdered sugar to thicken. Store decorated cookies airtight for up to 5 days or freeze undecorated cookies and dough discs for up to 2 months.
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