Description
Soft Christmas Cookies are a festive and delightful treat perfect for holiday celebrations. These tender cookies are flavored with vanilla and a hint of almond extract, baked to light golden perfection, and decorated with a smooth, sweet icing and optional colorful sprinkles. They are simple to make, fun to decorate, and ideal for sharing with family and friends during the festive season.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cookies:
- 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
For the Icing:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Food coloring and sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and to ensure even baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined, setting aside the dry mixture.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, creating a smooth base for the dough.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract into the creamed butter and sugar until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk, mixing gently but thoroughly. If the dough feels too sticky to handle, chill it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before proceeding.
- Roll and Cut: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about ¼-inch thickness. Use festive cookie cutters to cut the dough into shapes, then place the cut cookies onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them slightly apart.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the edges just begin to turn a light golden color, taking care not to overbake to keep them soft.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes to set, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely before decorating.
- Prepare the Icing: In a bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add food coloring if desired to create festive hues.
- Decorate: Once the cookies have completely cooled, spread or pipe the prepared icing onto the cookies. Decorate with sprinkles as desired for a festive touch.
Notes
- If the dough is too sticky to work with, chilling it for 30 minutes helps firm it up for easier rolling and cutting.
- Do not overbake the cookies; they are best when soft with just lightly golden edges.
- Use parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent sticking and for easy cleanup.
- The almond extract adds a lovely subtle flavor but can be omitted or substituted with more vanilla extract if preferred.
- Customize the icing colors and decorations to match your holiday theme or personal preferences.
- Store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days to keep them fresh.
