Soft Christmas Cookies
This Soft Christmas Cookies recipe delivers perfectly shaped, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookies that hold their form for decorating. A hint of almond extract and the perfect butter-to-flour balance make these cookies tender, rich, and irresistibly soft — ideal for holiday cutouts, cookie swaps, or Santa’s plate.
Equipment
- mixing bowls
- electric mixer
- measuring cups and spoons
- Rolling Pin
- parchment paper
- cookie cutters
- baking sheets
- wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 tablespoons milk
- optional sprinkles or sanding sugar, for decoration
- optional food coloring for icing
- optional 4 oz cream cheese (replace part of butter for extra softness)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream softened butter and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer for 3–4 minutes until light and fluffy. Proper creaming ensures a soft, airy texture.
- Beat in the eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract until fully combined. Add the milk and mix until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms. If dough is sticky, wrap it in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes before rolling.
- On a lightly floured surface or between two sheets of parchment paper, roll the dough to ¼-inch thickness. Cut out shapes using festive cookie cutters. Re-roll scraps gently once if needed.
- Place cookies on prepared sheets and bake for 6–8 minutes, or until edges are just lightly golden. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare icing by whisking 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth. Add coloring as desired. Spread or pipe onto cooled cookies and decorate with sprinkles.
Notes
Pro Tips:
• Roll dough to exactly ¼ inch for soft centers and perfect edges.
• Watch carefully—1 extra minute in the oven can turn soft cookies crisp.
• For extra flavor, swap almond extract for lemon or peppermint extract.
• Add 4 oz softened cream cheese for an even richer, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Storage:
• Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week at room temperature.
• Freeze decorated cookies up to 3 months or freeze raw dough (well-wrapped) and thaw overnight before baking.
• Roll dough to exactly ¼ inch for soft centers and perfect edges.
• Watch carefully—1 extra minute in the oven can turn soft cookies crisp.
• For extra flavor, swap almond extract for lemon or peppermint extract.
• Add 4 oz softened cream cheese for an even richer, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Storage:
• Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week at room temperature.
• Freeze decorated cookies up to 3 months or freeze raw dough (well-wrapped) and thaw overnight before baking.