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Iced Christmas Cookies

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Classic iced Christmas cookies made from a buttery sugar-cookie dough and decorated with sweet, colorful royal icing—perfect for holiday gifting and festive cookie trays.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)
  • 2–3 tbsp milk (as needed for dough)
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2–3 tbsp milk (for icing)
  • 1 tsp lemon juice or vanilla (for icing)
  • Food coloring (optional)
  • Sprinkles or decorations (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
  2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  3. Add egg, vanilla, and almond extract; mix until combined.
  4. Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture, forming a soft dough. Add 1–2 tbsp milk only if needed.
  5. Divide dough into two discs, wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  6. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  7. Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness and cut out shapes with cookie cutters.
  8. Place cookies on baking sheets and bake for 8–10 minutes or until edges are lightly golden.
  9. Cool completely on a wire rack.
  10. For icing, whisk powdered sugar, milk, and lemon juice or vanilla until smooth. Adjust thickness with more milk or sugar.
  11. Color icing as desired and decorate cooled cookies. Let icing dry fully before storing.

Notes

  • Chill the dough thoroughly to ensure cookies keep their shape.
  • For detailed piping, make the icing thicker; for flooding, thin it slightly.
  • Cookies can be frozen undecorated for up to 2 months.
  • Royal icing (with meringue powder) can be used instead of simple icing for a harder finish.

Nutrition

Keywords: iced christmas cookies, holiday sugar cookies, decorated cookies, christmas baking

Find it online: https://yumcove.com/iced-christmas-cookies/