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Christmas Sugar Cookies

Christmas sugar cookies are rolled and cut into festive shapes, then baked until their edges are set and just beginning to turn golden. Red or green sanding sugar adds a sparkling finish to these soft, buttery cookies.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 165
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg large, room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp fine salt
  • 1 tbsp red sanding sugar
  • 1 tbsp green sanding sugar

Equipment

  • 1 electric mixer
  • 2 baking sheets

Method
 

  1. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
  2. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  4. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low just until a soft dough forms.
  5. Divide the dough in half and flatten each half into a disk.
  6. Wrap the disks and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  7. Heat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  8. Roll one dough disk between two sheets of parchment to 1/4-inch thickness.
  9. Cut the dough into shapes and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets; reroll scraps as needed and repeat with the remaining dough.
  10. Sprinkle the cookies with red or green sanding sugar.
  11. Bake one sheet at a time for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are set and just beginning to turn golden.
  12. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

For clean-edged cookies, keep the dough chilled while rolling and rerolling scraps. Store airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days; freeze baked cookies or dough disks. For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend.