This sugar cookie recipe is perfect for decorating. It’s simple to make and doesn’t spread during baking!

Christmas Sugar Cookies on Tray, Partially Decorated with Frosting and Sprinkles
I call this the One and Only Sugar Cookie because it’s the bestest ever for Christmas Cookie decorating.  It has the perfect texture to it…it’s not crisp (and in my opinion, shouldn’t be), but there’s a slight resistance when you bite into these soft, buttery cookies.  They’ve also got the nicest hint of almond and vanilla.  I recommend decorating these with a simple royal icing (confectioner’s sugar + water) and lots of colorful sprinkles, and hopefully you have more patience for decorating than I do.  The moment I begin to start icing these things they usually just get eaten.


Cutting Christmas Shapes from Sugar Cookie Flat Dough

Christmas Sugar Cookies on Tray, Partially Decorated with Frosting and Sprinkles

The One and Only Christmas Sugar Cookie

 This sugar cookie recipe is perfect for decorating. It's simple to make and doesn't spread during baking!
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Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 extra large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 7.5 oz all purpose flour, by weight (1.5 cups, measured)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions 

  • Cream together the butter and sugar with a mixer (read my creaming article if you need a review on how to do it properly).  Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract, and beat until blended.
  • In a bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar and beat just until the flour disappears.  Scrape the dough out into plastic wrap.  The dough may look slightly crumbly, but it should come together well as you shape it into a disk. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
  • Flour your countertop, and roll the dough out to the desired thickness (I do somewhere between 1/8 inch and 1/4 inch thick).  Cut the dough with your cutters and place on your baking sheet (no need to grease the pan or use parchment if you don’t want to).  Refrigerate for 20 minutes, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Bake for 10 minutes until very faintly golden brown on the edges.  Cool on a wire rack completely before decorating.

Nutrition

Calories: 166kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 38mg, Sodium: 63mg, Sugar: 8g

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.