Easy Christmas Decorated Cookies

These light, tender and buttery sugar cookies are what Christmas cookie dreams are made of! These Christmas Decorated Cookies are so fun to make with the kids, too! No chill time required.

Hi friends! This year we will be focusing on amping up some of our family’s Christmas traditions. And there is no better way to start than with these cutout Christmas decorated cookies! 

There is just something special about setting aside a day to have fun in the kitchen with the family! The kids love being able to decorate the cookies with whatever colored icing and sprinkles their hearts desire. It gives them a chance to be creative and really feel a part of the process.

How to Make Christmas Decorated Cookies

First things first, we have to make the dough. Using your paddle attachment on your stand mixer, cream the butter and both sugars together. This takes about 4-5 minutes on medium speed. The butter will be light and fluffy with just a little grain from the sugar.

Next crack the eggs into a small bowl and add them to the mixer one at a time, making sure each egg mixes thoroughly. Then add the salt and baking powder and mix until just combined.

After those ingredients are combined, add the flour one cup at a time. Make sure to mix the flour completely. After the third cup, add flour in ½ cup increments until it reaches the desired consistency.

For my cookie dough, I used 4 cups of flour and the dough looked like playdough. When you make yours, it should not be sticky and should hold together.

Once you’ve reached the right consistency, lightly flour your counter and roll the dough out very thin–about ⅛ to ¼ inch thick. Then cut the cookies out and put them on a parchment or silicone-lined baking sheet.

Bake your cookies for 7 to 8 minutes, being careful not to over bake. These cookies are light and do not really get golden brown, even at the edges. 

How to Make Royal Icing

Now on to the icing! Before you are able to start icing your cookies, make sure they are completely cooled. If the cookies are still warm, the icing will just run right off the sides.

So to make the icing, combine the powdered sugar and meringue powder in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix the dry ingredients to combine.

Next, slowly add the water and vanilla extract. The icing will initially look sad and very wet. Whisk on medium for 5-6 minutes, until it thickens to a pudding consistency.

Knock the speed up to high and whisk for an additional 4-5 minutes. The icing will be very stiff and the whisk or a spatula should stand straight up without falling.

You can thin the icing with water to your desired consistency. I like my icing to be thicker for outlining the cookies and then a little thinner for filling in large spaces.

Next, fill a frosting bag with your icing. My favorite tip to use for these cookies is a Wilton #3 tip, but you can use whichever you prefer!

If you liked these Christmas Decorated Cookies, here are even more Christmas Cookie Ideas:

• Gingerbread Chai Cookies
• Spiced Shortbread Cookies
• Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Continue to Content

Print

Yield: About 4 dozen cookies

Christmas Decorated Cookies

Light, tender, and buttery, these sugar cookies melt in your mouth!

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes

Total Time 53 minutes

Ingredients

For the Cookies:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated white sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 4 to 4½ cups) all-purpose flour

For the Icing:

• 1 pound powdered sugar
• ⅓ cup plus one tablespoon meringue powder
• ¾ cup water
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Food coloring

Instructions

For Sugar Cookies

1. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. This takes about 4-5 minutes on medium speed. The butter will be light and fluffy with just a little grain from the sugar.
3. Add eggs one at a time to the mixture, making sure each egg mixes thoroughly. Add the vanilla extract, salt, and baking powder and mix until just combined.
4. Add the flour one cup at a time (up to 3 cups). Make sure to mix the flour completely. After the third cup, add flour in ½ cup increments (up to 4½ cups). I used 4 cups of flour and the dough looked like playdough. The dough should not be sticky and should hold together.
5. Lightly flour your counter and roll the dough out very thin--about ⅛ to ¼ inch thick. Cut the cookies out and put them on a prepared baking sheet.
6. Chill cut out cookies on the baking sheet for at least 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
7. Bake cookies for 7 to 8 minutes. Be careful not to over bake. These cookies are light and do not really get golden brown, even at the edges. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack and let cool completely.
8. Frost with royal icing (recipe below). Makes about four dozen cookies.

For Perfect Royal Icing

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer or large bowl, whisk the powdered sugar and meringue powder. Slowly add in the water and vanilla extract. The icing will initially be very wet. Keep whisking on medium speed for 5-6 minutes, until it thickens to pudding consistency. Increase the speed to high and whisk for an additional 4-5 minutes, until the icing is very stiff and the whisk or a spatula stands straight up without falling.
2. Separate your icing into the colors you intend to use. Then thin each portion of icing with water, a teaspoon at a time to your desired consistency. Fill a frosting bag fitted with a Wilton #3 tip. Line and flood the cookie. Decorate as desired.
3. Makes enough icing for four dozen cookies, plus some to spare.

Notes

Cookies Adapted from Lila Loa

Royal Icing Adapted from Sweet Sugar Belle

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowl Set (3-Piece)
• 
  Wilton Decorating Piping Tip Set, 22 Piece
• 
  Pastry Bag -50 Pack-16-Inch Extra Thick Large Cake/Cupcake Decorating Bags-Disposable Icing Piping Bags Set

Making this Recipe?

Share it with us on Instagram using #aclassictwist so we can see what you are baking up in your kitchen!