Description
These Soft Christmas Cookies are the perfect festive treat with a tender, buttery texture and a sweet vanilla-almond flavor. Easy to make and fun to decorate, they are ideal for holiday baking, with soft cookies topped with colorful icing and sprinkles to bring holiday cheer.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 4 tablespoons milk
Icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Food coloring and sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agent and salt throughout the flour.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use a mixer to cream the softened butter with the granulated sugar until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color, which helps create a soft texture in the cookies.
- Add Eggs and Extracts: Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla and almond extracts, mixing until the ingredients are fully incorporated and smooth.
- Combine Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with the 4 tablespoons of milk, mixing just until combined to avoid overworking the dough. If the dough feels too sticky to handle, chill it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to make rolling easier.
- Roll Out the Dough: Lightly flour a clean surface and roll the dough to about ¼-inch thickness. Use festive cookie cutters to cut shapes and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them slightly apart.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 6-8 minutes, or until the edges turn just lightly golden for that soft, delicate texture. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the Icing: In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until the icing is smooth. Add food coloring if desired to create vibrant decorating colors.
- Decorate: Once cookies are completely cool, spread or pipe the icing on top and decorate with sprinkles as desired to add a festive touch.
Notes
- Chilling the dough prevents sticking and makes cutting shapes easier.
- Baking time is short to keep cookies soft; watch carefully to avoid overbaking.
- Use parchment paper to ensure easy removal and cleanup.
- Customize icing colors and decorations to fit your holiday theme.
- Store cookies in an airtight container to maintain softness for several days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
