Everyone needs an Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe! These are buttery and literally melt-in-your-mouth delicious and my go-to sugar cookie dough. You can bake them soft or crisp. These Christmas Sugar cookies have been part of my holiday cookie-decorating tradition for years!

Sugar cookies recipe decorated on a platter for Christmas

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I love festive holiday treats like melt-in-your-mouth Snowball Cookies, soft Chocolate Chip Cookies, and of course Baklava. These beautifully decorated sugar cookies are a beautiful addition to the Christmas cookie platter.

I love simple dishes that use minimal ingredients. During the holidays, I love baking, but I don’t love the cleanup afterwards. This recipe for Christmas sugar cookies gives me the best of both worlds — perfect cookies and an easy clean-up. You also don’t have to chill the dough so you can cut and bake the cookies right away, saving you time. I’m so excited to share this recipe with you! 

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is cookie decorating, and my family has been doing this since the kids were tiny. The kids love the creative freedom to do what they want with their cookies, and of course, they are even more excited to eat them!

Whether you are planning a cookie-making party for your Christmas party or for the holiday cookie platter, you need a sugar cookie recipe that you can rely on. These cookies taste amazing, keep their shape, and are perfect for eating plain or decorating them with sugar cookie icing from our Easter Sugar Cookies Recipe and sprinkles. Let’s get started! 

Christmas Sugar cookies decorated with frosting and festive holiday sprinkles

Tips For The Best Christmas Sugar Cookies

Sugar cookies may seem simple, but there are a lot of bad recipes out there! After much trial and error, I feel confident that I have mastered the art of the sugar cookie. Here are all the best tips and tricks I have gathered throughout the years to get the best flavor and texture: 

Tip #1: Soften your butter

Butter should be softened at room temperature. If the butter is too soft or partially melted, you will end up with a sticky dough that is difficult to roll out.

Tip #2: Rolling Out Sugar Cookies Dough

Roll your dough out directly on a silicone baking mat or piece of parchment paper so you do not have to transfer your delicate shapes onto a baking sheet later. You can cut your shapes out right atop the mat and make your life a bit easier.

Tip #3: How Thick Should Sugar Cookies be Rolled Out?

Roll your dough out to about ¼-inch thick. This is the sweet spot. You’ll have cookies thick enough to keep their shape, while also thin enough to promote even baking. 

Sugar cookies rolled to 1/4-inch thickness

Tip #4: Avoid Crumbly Dough

Crumbly dough makes for misshapen cookies that are prone to uneven baking. To prevent this, don’t overmix your dough. You want the dough to be as smooth as possible. However, if you do get a crumbly texture, add ½ tbsp of water, or milk to the batter and incorporate it until it remoistens the dough.

Tip #5: Avoid Overbaking

10 minutes might seem like a very short baking time for cookies. But, trust me, do not overbake them! At around 10 minutes, the edges of the cookies should just start to turn golden brown. This is the time to pull them! If you continue baking, you risk compromising that signature tenderness of a perfect sugar cookie. 

How to make perfectly baked Sugar Cookies without over-baking

How to Make Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

  • Combine your flour, baking powder (make sure to use aluminum free baking powder) and salt together in a small bowl and set the dry mixture aside. 
  • Using a stand mixer or handheld mixer, cream together your butter and sugar then add egg and vanilla extract and beat until smooth and creamy.
  • Add the flour to the butter mixture in thirds, mixing until incorporated between additions.
  • Divide the dough into two equal parts and dust your work surface with flour to keep the dough from sticking. You can also dust the top of the dough lightly. Use a rolling pin to roll out each piece to an even ¼-inch thickness. Lift the dough gently to ensure it’s not sticking to your counter before cutting out shapes.
  • Use a cookie cutter to cut out your favorite shapes or freeze your dough for later use. Note that larger cookies will take slightly longer to bake. Transfer the cookies to a cookie sheet, keeping them 1 inch apart (they do expand a bit in the oven).
  • Bake the cookies at 350˚F for 10 minutes or until the edges are just starting to turn golden. That’s your cue to pull them out. Let the cookies cool on the baking pan for 5 minutes so they are easier to move without cracking then transfer to wire racks and let the cookies cool completely before decorating.
Step by step photos how to make sugar cookies by creaming together butter and sugar, adding flour, dividing dough and cutting shapes

Storing Sugar Cookies

The great part about this recipe is that it can be made a couple of days in advance and the cookies will still retain their freshness. Below, I will share how you should store them and also how you can freeze your dough or baked cookies for later munching! 

  • Storing Cookies at Room Temperature: Store baked sugar cookies on the counter in an airtight container. They will keep for up to a week. Remember, if you have decorated your Christmas Sugar Cookies, let the frosting firm up, and then store them between layers of parchment paper to prevent sticking and/or destroying your designs. 
  • To freeze baked sugar cookies: allow cookies to cool completely, then stack the cookies in an airtight container between layers of parchment paper. Freeze cookies for up to 2 months. When you are ready to eat them, thaw at room temperature. 
  • To freeze your sugar cookie dough: roll it into a ball or a log. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it in an airtight container or freezer bag. The dough will keep for up to 2 months before you need to use it. When you are ready to bake, allow the dough to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then, bring it to room temperature for 1 hour before you shape your cookies and bake them. 
Baked sugar cookies ready for baking

How to Decorate Christmas Cookies

To decorate sugar cookies, I love to use our 3-ingredient cookie icing from our Gingerbread Cookie Recipe, or you can make a royal icing, and add food coloring. To pipe the frosting, transfer to a squeeze bottle or little zip bags (handy and inexpensive for cookie decorating parties).

If you prefer, you can purchase an icing decorating kit with pre-made frostings in a variety of colors, which makes it easy. Don’t forget the Christmas sprinkles and crushed candy canes.

Decorated Christmas cookies with sprinkles and frosting

Decorated Christmas cookies have a way of making the holidays more merry and bright, even if you aren’t the best at decorating. The perfectly imperfect ones are the most endearing anyway.

Christmas Sugar Cookies make my heart so happy because they unlock sweet memories over the years, like the cookie decorating party in the photo above when my husband and I hosted the family Christmas Eve party.

I’d love to hear about your special Christmas traditions around cookies in the comments below.

These are our best-loved (and reviewed) Christmas cookies to fill up your holiday cookie tray. These are well-loved by all ages and you’re sure to find some new favorites in this list. Looking for more Christmas recipes and inspiration? Check out our Christmas archives here.

Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe 

4.97 from 588 votes
Sugar cookies recipe decorated on a Christmas cookie platter
Everyone needs an Easy Sugar Cookies Recipe! These are literally melt-in-your-mouth delicious. I am positive these Christmas cookies will win you over. You can use store-bought icing or our easy 3-ingredient sugar cookie icing.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 40 cookies

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 °F with a rack in the center. Whisk together flour with baking powder and salt in a small bowl and set aside. 
  • Using a stand-up or handheld mixer, beat the butter together with sugar. To the mixture add vanilla extract and egg and beat to combine.
  • To the butter mixture, add flour in 3 parts until fully incorporated. 
  • Divide the dough into two equal parts. On a lightly floured surface, roll into ¼-inch thickness. Use a cookie cutter to cut out your favorite shapes. 
  • Bake cookies on a parchment or silicone-lined baking sheet at 350˚F for 10 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn golden.
  • Let the cookies cool for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely and decorating with cookie icing

Nutrition Per Serving

96kcal Calories12g Carbs1g Protein5g Fat3g Saturated Fat16mg Cholesterol17mg Sodium43mg Potassium1g Fiber5g Sugar148IU Vitamin A16mg Calcium1mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe 
Amount per Serving
Calories
96
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
5
g
8
%
Saturated Fat
 
3
g
19
%
Cholesterol
 
16
mg
5
%
Sodium
 
17
mg
1
%
Potassium
 
43
mg
1
%
Carbohydrates
 
12
g
4
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
5
g
6
%
Protein
 
1
g
2
%
Vitamin A
 
148
IU
3
%
Calcium
 
16
mg
2
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Cookies, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: sugar cookies
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $
Calories: 96
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook
4.97 from 588 votes (497 ratings without comment)

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Patty
    July 23, 2020

    Hi Natasha…very excited to try baking sugar cookies for the first time. My question is, will this cookie dough work in a cookie press? Thanks so much in advance! Patty

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 24, 2020

      Hi Patty, to be honest, I haven’t tested this in a cookie press to advise. If you do experiment please let us know how you like that.

      Reply

  • Lucca
    June 19, 2020

    Also I found your youtube channel and was like: wait….WHAT. You should make a video on this recipe.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 19, 2020

      Thank you for that suggestion Lucca.

      Reply

  • Lucca
    June 19, 2020

    I LOVE this recipe I wish I could rate 10/5, I would like your permission to sell these, since it’s your recipe. Please get back to me soon :D. Thank you!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      June 19, 2020

      Hi Lucca, if you want to bake them and sell them you are free to do so. The only thing I do not allow is for my printed recipe to sold or reproduced in a cookbook or other publication without permission.

      Reply

      • Lucca
        July 21, 2020

        I wasn’t planning on it . Thank you!

        Reply

      • Sam
        December 7, 2020

        Hi Natasha!
        love love love your recipes all the time!
        I want to make these cookies atleast a week and a half before the actual party. Can I make them a week ahead and refrigerate? without royal icing?

        Reply

        • Natasha's Kitchen
          December 8, 2020

          Hi Sam, yes that will work great to make the dough ahead and refrigerate it. Just make sure it reaches room temperature before you shape your cookies and bake them.

          Reply

  • Andrea
    June 16, 2020

    Hello Natasha,
    Thank you for sharing all your recipes!
    I would like to know how to make royal icing in order to decorate the sugar cookies.
    Pretty please!!!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 17, 2020

      Hi Andrea, thank you for that suggestion. We ran out of time to publish a royal icing for the cookies. I would suggest googling for a Royal Icing. There are a couple of varieties out there: 1 with egg whites and 1 with meringue powder (no raw egg whites). Both work well, just depends on preference or if someone may be allergic to egg whites.

      Reply

  • Heather
    June 12, 2020

    Can I use country crock spread instead of butter? I ran out of butter!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      June 12, 2020

      Hello Heather, I haven’t really tried using that substitute yet to advise. Please share with us how it goes if you do an experiment.

      Reply

  • Deborah
    May 22, 2020

    Recipe looks great! Are these the soft or the harder type of sugar cookie recipe? I prefer a crisp bite

    Reply

  • Irene
    May 18, 2020

    Great and perfect Christmas biscuits!
    Really happy with this simple recipe.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      May 18, 2020

      I’m so glad you enjoyed that Irene!

      Reply

  • Pamela
    May 9, 2020

    Hey Natasha !

    I am not using frosting only colored crystal sugar. When would I put that on. Thanks

    Reply

  • Mona
    March 18, 2020

    Amazing recipe!!!! Especially at a time when you are stuck with kids! So easy to prepare, and so yummy!!!! Thank you sooo much !!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      March 18, 2020

      You’re welcome, Mona! I’m so glad you and your family are enjoying this recipe.

      Reply

  • Sharlene sieber
    December 23, 2019

    Ohhhhh Natasha! Bless you for this recipe! It was a God send to me today! My usual recipe requires 2 hours of chilling and when I was surprised with a bunch of kids who wanted to make sugar cookies at 2pm this afternoon I knew I literally had no time for that! Then I remembered your post from the other day! It was a ray of sun for me because you said ” no chilling” required! It is amazing! And though I love my childhood Recipe…..this was soooooo much quicker, easier, and just as Delicious! I can’t thank you enough! You helped me give all my kidlets a great cookie experience! Merry Christmas and Thanks again! P.s. I’d post photos but can’t seem to find the option! Hahahaha

    Reply

    • Natasha
      December 24, 2019

      Hi Sharlene, I’m so happy you loved the sugar cookies and that makes me smile big knowing you got to enjoy your cookies sooner! Thank you for the amazing review. I don’t have a way to post a picture here but if you would like to post it on our private Facebook group that would be awesome or if you share it on your social media account, please tag me @natashaskitchen and #natashaskitchen so I can find it!

      Reply

  • NayNay
    December 18, 2019

    I’m definitely gonna make some Christmas cookies this year with my daughter. I’m wondering do you have to flour your cookie cutters before using them? I’ve had my cookie cutters for a long time but have never used them.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 18, 2019

      I have not had to do that with this recipe but it may help if your dough is too sticky.

      Reply

  • Karen Mella
    December 18, 2019

    I can’t wait for Christmas lm going to make it tomorrow. Thanks

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 18, 2019

      You’re welcome! I hope you love this recipe!

      Reply

  • Yana s
    December 18, 2019

    Hey Natasha! I’ve seen other recipes where the cool the dough in the fridge for a couple hours before rolling it out so it’s not sticky, is there a reason why this recipe doesn’t require the dough to be refrigerated?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      December 18, 2019

      Hi Yana, it is not necessary at all to refrigerate the dough with this recipe and the dough does not stick. If you have any sticking, just dust your work surface and the top of the dough or your rolling pin lightly with flour. There is plenty of butter in the recipe that helps prevent sticking.

      Reply

  • Inna
    December 18, 2019

    Can this dough be refrigerated still? Or will they not turn out as good?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      December 18, 2019

      Hi Inna, yes that will work great to make the dough ahead and refrigerate it. Just make sure it reaches room temperature before you shape your cookies and bake them.

      Reply

  • Rose
    December 18, 2019

    Natasha, thank you for these great tips! What is the best recipe for Royal Icing for decorating the cookies?
    🌲 Rose

    Reply

    • Natasha
      December 18, 2019

      Hi Rose, we ran out of time to publish a royal icing for the cookies. I’m hoping to have one up around Valentines day. I know it doesn’t help for Christmas! I would suggest googling for a Royal Icing. There are a couple of varieties out there: 1 with egg whites and 1 with meringue powder (no raw egg whites). Both work well, just depends on preference or if someone may be allergic to egg whites.

      Reply

  • Cheryl
    December 18, 2019

    Hi. Do you put cookies in fridge before baking? So many recipes call for this. Thanks!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      December 18, 2019

      Hi Cheryl, that is one of the things I love so much about this recipe – it is unnecessary to refrigerate the dough. I just baked up a batch yesterday and they came out perfect without needing to be refrigerated before baking.

      Reply

  • Erin
    December 17, 2019

    We love making sugar cookies this time of year. Thanks for the detailed instructions and pictures. This recipe was easy to make! Happy holidays!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      December 17, 2019

      Hi Erin, I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for sharing that with me and Merry Christmas!!

      Reply

  • Lauren Kelly
    December 17, 2019

    I was so excited when I found this recipe this morning because I have all of the ingredients! Mine didn’t come out as pretty as yours but they were amazing! Thank you!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 17, 2019

      I love when that happens! That’s so great! Thank you for that awesome review, Lauren!

      Reply

  • Erin
    December 17, 2019

    These cookies are so perfect! Sugar cookies are a must for Christmas and love this recipe.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      December 17, 2019

      Thank you Erin for your wonderful review! I’m so glad you love the cookies. I agree they are such a sweet and memorable Christmas tradition.

      Reply

  • Lana
    December 17, 2019

    Can you share what frosting you used?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      December 17, 2019

      Hi Lana, There’s a link to the one that was used to make these cookies at the bottom of the recipe post. We didn’t have time to post a homemade one this year, but it is definitely on my list!

      Reply

      • Olya
        December 18, 2019

        Is it just me, or is there no link?
        Can’t find it.

        Reply

        • Natasha
          December 18, 2019

          Hi Olya, sorry that wasn’t more clear in the post. I’ll add an extra link above to make it easier to find, but it is currently in the decorating section. Here is the link to the icing decorating kit.

          Reply

      • Nataliya
        December 18, 2019

        I couldn’t find the link for the icing, that was used. Can you please help? Thank you!

        Reply

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