By:Nagi
259 Comments
Take a break from the Christmas madness to make Christmas Cookies! These sugar cookies are classic vanilla biscuitsthat are made for cutting out shapesbecause 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! (Vanilla Biscuits/Sugar Cookies) (1) Christmas Cookies! (Vanilla Biscuits/Sugar Cookies) (1)](https://i0.wp.com/recipetineats.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Christmas-Cookies-Sugar-Cookies_7.jpg)
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.
![Christmas Cookies! (Vanilla Biscuits/Sugar Cookies) (2) Christmas Cookies! (Vanilla Biscuits/Sugar Cookies) (2)](https://i0.wp.com/recipetineats.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Plain-Sugar-Cookies.jpg)
What you need forChristmas 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!!!
![Christmas Cookies! (Vanilla Biscuits/Sugar Cookies) (3) Christmas Cookies! (Vanilla Biscuits/Sugar Cookies) (3)](https://i0.wp.com/recipetineats.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Christmas-Cookies-Sugar-Cookies-ingredients.jpg)
How to make Christmas Cookies
Unlike most cookie doughs suitable for cutting out shape, there’sno 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.
![Christmas Cookies! (Vanilla Biscuits/Sugar Cookies) (4) Christmas Cookies! (Vanilla Biscuits/Sugar Cookies) (4)](https://i0.wp.com/recipetineats.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/How-to-make-Christmas-Cookies-Sugar-Cookies.jpg)
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!)
![Christmas Cookies! (Vanilla Biscuits/Sugar Cookies) (5) Christmas Cookies! (Vanilla Biscuits/Sugar Cookies) (5)](https://i0.wp.com/recipetineats.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Christmas-Cookies-Sugar-Cookies_0.jpg)
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)
Author: Nagi
Prep: 25 minutes mins
Cook: 10 minutes mins
Sweet Baking
Western
4.99 from 72 votes
Servings40 cookies
Tap or hover to scale
Recipe video above. These cookies are made for cutting out into shapes because they hold their shape when baking! They are plain, sweet vanilla biscuits that are perfect for icing and decorating as you please – and wonderful served plain too. NO CHILL!
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
- 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:
1. Number of cookies will depend on cut out size and how thick you roll your dough. It fills 3 baking trays.
2.Swapping trays halfway – this means that you put both trays in the oven with one in the middle of the oven and the other underneath. Halfway through the bake time, switch them around so the one underneath moves to the top shelf, and the tray on top moves to the shelf underneath. This ensures they both bake evenly because the top shelf bakes faster than the shelf underneath.
3. Source – adapted from this Sugar Cookies recipe by Sugar, Spun, Run.
4. Storage –Keeps in an airtight container for a week. After this, they are still edible and totally delicious but they do start to dry out a touch (I think….I may be a bit too picky when I’m estimating shelf life of food for recipes I share!!). I would never describe them as stale, but they are better in Week 1.
Nutrition Information:
Calories: 96cal (5%)Carbohydrates: 12g (4%)Protein: 1g (2%)Fat: 5g (8%)Saturated Fat: 3g (19%)Cholesterol: 16mg (5%)Sodium: 46mg (2%)Potassium: 20mg (1%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 5g (6%)Vitamin A: 147IU (3%)Calcium: 7mg (1%)Iron: 1mg (6%)
Keywords: christmas biscuits, christmas cookies, vanilla biscuits
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.
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!!
![Christmas Cookies! (Vanilla Biscuits/Sugar Cookies) (7) Christmas Cookies! (Vanilla Biscuits/Sugar Cookies) (7)](https://i0.wp.com/recipetineats.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Dozer-Christmas-Cookie.jpg)
Hi, I'm Nagi!
I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!
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259 Comments
Sophie Brewster says
Delicious!! I made these for neighbours and friends. Beautiful flavour and so easy to make.Reply
ioka says
These are the most amazing cookies, they are so easy to make, you don’t even need to chill them ! thanks so much Nagi, i will be sure to use this and some other recipes from you in the future 🙂Reply
𝘽𝙖𝙮𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙨 says
I absolutely loved the the holiday cookies I bake them every December with the help of my sister.Thanks Nagi 😃Reply
Susana says
I just finished baking my first batch a couple of minutes ago and had to rush here to thank you for this recipe!! I’m in love, it has great taste and it’s super easy to make!!Reply
Lola says
Made these today and turned out great! Easy dough to work with.
Wondering CAN THEY BE FROZEN – either raw dough or cooked??? ThanksReply
Mardi Maurovic says
Another absolute winner! Had fun baking these with my toddler today. My new go to Christmas treat. Thanks Nagi!Reply
Bella says
Amazing cookies. Didn’t know they were going tospread a bit but its okay. Defenitly an easy and good recepie to make.Reply
Deborah Varty says
Made the Christmas cookies today, another winner. Thanks Nagi 🎄Reply
Heather Kester says
These worked perfectly with my new Embossed rolling pin, so quick and easy and tasted fabulous too! Didn’t have any vanilla essence and it was a test run so I subbed with lemon essence and they were delish! Will be making again very soonReply
Natalie says
Just whipped up a batch of these Christmas Cookies, and they’re an absolute delight! No chilling time is a game-changer during the holiday rush, and the dough was a dream to work with. The cookies held their shape perfectly. We used marshmallow fondant as our decorations. They taste like a festive version of shortbread—so delicious! Thanks for this stress-free and delicious recipe, Nagi! 🎄🍪Reply
Marty says
Are these cookies suitable to freeze and then thaw and ice later?
Reply
Lucy says
I have frozen them before and they were perfect
Reply
lauren says
I am making Christmas cookies for the business I work for customers.. do you think these would freeze/ unthaw ok if I flash froze so they don’t stick together?Reply
Julie says
In a word yum. Quick and easy. Making these but in a heart shape for Mother’s Day fundraiser. Thank you.Reply
WendyS says
Been looking for a good cutout recipe. This is it. Doubled it with no problems at all. Never had dough so easy to handle and roll with no chilling! The castor sugar is key, and ensure it’s whipped in the butter until light pale yellow and you’ll have gorgeous texture bikkies!Reply
Glenna says
This is the BEST cookie recipe with Royal Icing! Cookies hold their shape while baking and the Royal Icing makes them delicious and decorative! Great for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, etc. Thanks for sharing Nagi!!Reply
Michelle says
Love them!Can I keep the dough in the fridge for a day if I make extra dough?
Thanks Nagi!!
Reply
Heather Knapp says
Making 100s of these cookies as gifts this year ❤️❤️🤤Reply
Crissy says
These cookies are honestly delicious, I almost smashed the whole batch myself 🤣. I love to cook and bake, and cookies never work out for me, but this recipe is fool proof! I would 100000% make these again and again, and alter decorations and shapes for various occasions. Love, love, love them!Reply
Katharine says
Made a batch of these biscuits for my daughter and her friends to decorate. The dough came together beautifully and rolled well and the finished biscuits tasted good. Thanks for a simple, tasty recipe!Reply
Fab says
Love this christmas cookies, quick and asy recepie. But will like to knowhowtostore the icing if you dont use it all in one go and have left over its a shame to go to waste. Does anyone know ?? Thank you & Merry Christmas everyone.
Reply
Lynmarie L Christy says
LOVE these. I’ve made many different recipes, but these will now be my new “go to” for cut outs. Really like the subtly, light flavor. Haven’t even tried icing them yet!Reply
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Now, let's dive into the concepts mentioned in this article.
Christmas Cookies
The article discusses a recipe for Christmas Cookies, which are vanilla biscuits or sugar cookies that are cut out into shapes and decorated with icing. These cookies are described as holding their shape well when baked and can be made soft or crispy. The recipe provided in the article does not require chilling the dough and uses pantry staples for the ingredients [[1]].
Vanilla Biscuits/Sugar Cookies
The Christmas Cookies mentioned in the article are essentially vanilla biscuits or sugar cookies. These cookies have a sweet vanilla flavor and can be enjoyed plain or decorated with icing. The recipe provided in the article includes ingredients such as unsalted butter, sugar, vanilla extract, eggs, flour, baking powder, and salt [[1]].
Icing for Christmas Cookies
The article mentions that the Christmas Cookies can be iced and decorated with colorful festive frosting. The author also provides a separate recipe for icing the cookies, which can be found in the article [[1]].
Baking Instructions
The article provides step-by-step instructions on how to make the Christmas Cookies. The instructions include beating butter and sugar, adding eggs and vanilla, mixing in flour, baking powder, and salt, rolling out the dough, cutting out shapes, and baking the cookies at a specific temperature for a certain amount of time [[1]].
Decorating Options
The article suggests various options for decorating the Christmas Cookies. These include icing the cookies, dipping them in melted chocolate, dusting them with icing sugar, or serving them plain. The author also mentions using silver balls for decoration [[1]].
Storage
The article mentions that the Christmas Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week. After that, they may start to dry out slightly but will still be edible and delicious [[1]].
Please let me know if there's anything specific you'd like to know about the concepts mentioned in the article or if you have any other questions!