Why You’ll Love These

These Christmas sugar cookies have slightly crisp edges and soft centers.Fabulous buttery flavor!Cut out sugar cookies that hold their shape!It’s the best sugar cookie recipe for decorating because of the flat surface.A great icing that hardens with a beautiful shine!

This easy sugar cookie recipe has been posted before, but I decided they needed an update. The previous pictures did not do this recipe justice. Looking for more Christmas cookie ideas? Try our Italian butterball cookies, thumbprint cookies, old fashioned molasses cookies, and classic shortbread cookies.

How to Make Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

Sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Beat the room-temperature butter and sugar together in a large bowl of an electric stand mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and heavy cream and beat to combine. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients. Beat until the mixture pulls away from the side of the bowl. Divide the dough in half, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2 hours. I normally refrigerate overnight. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dust a large surface with confectioners’ sugar or use floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the sugar cookie dough out and cut it into desired shapes. I suggest a counter or heavy wood board for dough rolling and cutting. Chilling the dough makes it very cold and stiff. If using a pastry mat for rolling out the cookie dough, place a damp kitchen towel under it to keep it from sliding around. Place the cut-out sugar cookies on the parchment-lined baking sheet about 1″ apart. They do not spread, and they hold their shape perfectly. Bake the cookies for 7-9 minutes or until they are just beginning to turn golden around the edges. The bake time can differ, so watch closely. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool completely. Decorate as desired. The cookie pictured above is why my husband is not allowed to decorate anymore.  Yes, that’s a toothpick stabbed in the poor little guy’s tummy.

Confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)Vanilla extract – Adds a flavor boost.Light corn syrup – This helps the icing to dry firm.Milk – This is used to make the desired consistency of the icing.

To make the sugar cookie frosting. Mix the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, corn syrup, milk, and salt in a medium bowl, until smooth. Separate the icing into small bowls or piping bags and add your desired gel food coloring. This icing dries perfectly, just like royal icing. Usually, royal icing recipes use beaten egg whites and powdered sugar. We have used color decorating sugar some years, and some years we decorate with icing. Aren’t they pretty for amateurs? I think we did an all-right job this year. My husband excluded! (Husband edit: I did a GREAT JOB!!) We love this recipe, and hopefully, Santa will enjoy these Christmas sugar cookies when he arrives this year!

How to Keep Sugar Cookies From Spreading

I’ve never had these cut out cookies spread. With that said, be sure to follow the tips below. Chill the Dough – Chilling the dough is a crucial step to keeping the shape of sugar cookies. Don’t Overmix – Overmixing can add excess air to the dough, causing the cookies to collapse and spread during baking. Line the Baking Sheets – Using cooking spray, greasing with butter, or shortening the baking sheet creates a slick surface causing the cookies to spread. Line the baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Cool Baking Sheets – Always use a cool baking sheet. You never want to place cookie dough on a warm or hot baking sheet.

Tips

Measure the flour correctly. Aerate, spoon, and swoop level.Use room temperature egg and butter.For the best-tasting cookie, use pure vanilla extract, not imitation.Chill the sugar cookie dough. It’s a must for this recipe! You want the cookies to hold their shape.Dip the cookie cutters in powdered sugar before cutting. This makes the dough release easier.Be sure to only roll the dough out to 1/8 inch – 1/4 inch, any thinner, and they can burn or be too crispy. We roll it out 1/4 inch thick because we like a thicker, softer cookie. Place the icing in a piping bag or ziplock bag and snip off one corner. This makes icing the cookies much easier.

Variations

Use almond extract in place of the vanilla extract.Decorate with colored sugar or sprinkles on the icing or on the cookies before baking.Use red hot cinnamon candies or mini chocolate chips.