Take a break from the Christmas madness to make Christmas Cookies! These sugar cookies are classic vanilla biscuits that are made for cutting out shapes because they hold their shape perfectly when baked.
NO CHILL time, make them soft OR crispy. Ice them my EASY way, dip in chocolate, dust with icing sugar or serve them plain!
Christmas Cookies
What I call “Christmas Cookies” are simply vanilla biscuits cut out in Christmas shapes and iced with colourful festive frosting. They taste like shortbread cookies, but not quite as buttery or crumbly. They are as classic as vanilla biscuits can be.
This particular biscuit recipe is made for cutting out shapes – in this case, Christmas shapes. Most cookies spread snd puff up so they bear little resemblance to the shape you expected!
But these hold their shape perfectly – as you can see by the sharp ridges and corners in the photo below.
What you need for Christmas Cookies
The nice thing about these Christmas Cookies is that they’re made with pantry staples – so there’s no need to add to your ever growing Christmas grocery shopping list!!!
How to make Christmas Cookies
Unlike most cookie doughs suitable for cutting out shape, there’s no chill time required for this recipe. Ain’t nobody got time for chilling during Christmas madness – right??!
Bonus: the dough is easy to handle and can be scrunched up and rolled up again over and over until you’ve used up every scrap.
Because these are sweet vanilla biscuits, they are flavoured enough and sweet enough to serve plain. But if you are inclined to ice them, pop over to my Icing for Christmas Cookies (PS I also share my quick ‘n easy way to ice them!)
So. Many. Cookies.
A sight that will catapult anyone into serious Christmas spirit!!
Make these for Santa, your family, or (if you’re really feeling the holiday spirit) maybe even to gift to someone.
And don’t worry. This is a big batch recipe. Nibble away, no one will miss one or two or five!! 😉 – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Christmas Cookies (Vanilla Biscuits / Sugar Cookies)
Ingredients
- 225g / 1 cup unsalted butter , softened (or use salted, skip salt)
- 1 cup caster/superfine sugar (granulated/ordinary white sugar ok too)
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg (55-60g / 1.9-2oz)
- 3 cups flour , plain / all purpose
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
Icing for Sugar Cookies
Instructions
- Preheat Oven to 180°C / 350°F (160°C fan). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until creamy (1 minute on speed 5)
- Add egg and vanilla, beat until completely combined.
- Add flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Start mixing slowly, then beat until the flour is incorporated – it will be clumpy.
- Dust work surface with flour, scrape dough out of bowl. Pat together then cut in half, then shape into 2 discs.
- Roll out to 0.3cm / 1/8" (for thinner, crispier cookies) or 0.6cm / 1/4" (for thicker, softer cookies), sprinkling with flour under and over the dough so it doesn't stick.
- Use cookie cutters to press out shapes and use a knife or spatula to transfer shapes to prepared baking sheets. (Keep dough that doesn’t fit in the oven in the fridge).
- Bake for 10 minutes, swapping trays halfway (Note 2), until the surface is pale golden and the edges are just beginning to turn light golden.
- Allow cookies to cool completely on trays (they will finish cooking on the trays).
Decorating options:
- Icing – see Icing for Christmas Cookies recipe.
- Melt chocolate then dip the surface into chocolate.
- Dot with icing sugar and decorated with silver balls
- Dust with icing sugar
- Serve plain! They are sweet vanilla biscuits so they are wonderful eaten just as they are!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published 2019. Reviewed and refreshed as needed every year or so. No change to recipe, it’s a classic!
Life of Dozer
When Dozer got his very own personalised Christmas cookie!!
Is this recipe using the stove ovens or conventional small ovens?
I’ve made this three times now and they’re perfect every time. No changes needed! We are obsessed with this recipe. Thank you, Nagi!
Do you think that I could use coconut oil instead of butter?
Hi can the dough be frozen for a few weeks
what if you dont have eggs
Hey can you freeze these?
Is the dough fit to be frozen until use?
Just checking for coverage for the Christmas
For how long will the biscuits stay fresh?
lovely cookies
The most wonderful Christmas Cookies!!! Thank you!!!
i belive you are a wasteman
and shuold stop dealing on my
turf
I added fresh strawberries, raspberries and blackberries to them and they were AMAZING
Hi Nagi, its you again…and its me again your ultimate fan in cooking. Thank you for this another recipes again.
Amazing recipe! This time I subbed in a bit of almond meal and lemon zest and it came out fantastic. Thank you!
I have tried so many sugar cookie recipes for decorating and always been disappointed I couldn’t get them neat and flat.
These were amazing! Made a huge batch for a jubilee street party this weekend and am so happy with how they turned out! Will definitely be doing again.
Hi Nagi – thank you for sharing this recipe. I’m excited to try it. Just wondering how long can I freeze the baked cookies for? Thank you.
They should be ok for a month or so Jyotsna – if they last that long!! N x
Can i freeze the uncooked dough?
Yes you can Hannah! N x
These Are Honestly The Best Cookies Ever! Thank You So Much Nagi!
Hello Nagi!!!
I made the cookies and they were wonderful, just a bit too sweet with the icing on top. Can I reduce the sugar in the cookie recipe??
Hi! Would these work for biscuits I want to add fondant too? Thanks
Yes Leah, they will. N x
Hello Nagi!! I love your recipe! How can I Adjust the measurements to make this a chocolate cookie?
hiya use about 70g less flour and put in cocoa powder instead !