Description
These Soft Christmas Cookies are a festive and tender treat perfect for holiday celebrations. With a delicate balance of vanilla and almond extracts, these cookies offer a melt-in-your-mouth texture topped with colorful icing and sprinkles to bring joy and sparkle to your festive gatherings.
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) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy cleanup.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening and seasoning.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, creating a smooth base for your dough.
- Add Eggs and Extracts: Beat in the eggs, then add the vanilla and almond extracts, mixing well to combine all flavors thoroughly.
- Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk, mixing until just combined. If the dough feels too sticky to handle, chill it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm it up.
- Shape the Cookies: Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to about ¼-inch thickness. Use festive cookie cutters to cut out desired shapes and place cookies spaced on lined baking sheets.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 6-8 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden, indicating they are perfectly baked while remaining soft inside.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes to set, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
- Prepare the Icing: Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add food coloring if desired to create festive hues.
- Decorate: Once the cookies are completely cool, spread or pipe the icing over each cookie and top with sprinkles as desired for a festive touch.
Notes
- For less sticky dough, chill before rolling out to make cutting shapes easier.
- Ensure cookies are fully cooled before applying icing to prevent melting.
- Customize your icing colors and decorations to fit your holiday theme.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a appropriate gluten-free blend.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
