Description
Soft Christmas Cookies are a classic holiday treat featuring tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture with a subtle almond and vanilla flavor. These cookies are perfect for decorating with colorful icing and sprinkles, making them a festive and delightful addition to your holiday celebration.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 4 tablespoons milk
Icing and Decoration
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Food coloring (optional)
- Sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients, alternating with the milk, until the dough is smooth and cohesive.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to make it easier to handle and roll out.
- Preheat the Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease them.
- Roll and Cut the Cookies: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about ¼ inch thickness. Use cookie cutters in festive shapes to cut out cookies, and place them about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are just barely golden and the cookies are soft to the touch. Avoid overbaking to maintain the soft texture.
- Cool the Cookies: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
- Prepare the Icing: In a bowl, mix the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add food coloring as desired to create colorful icing for decorating.
- Decorate: Once cookies are completely cooled, spread or pipe the icing onto each cookie and add sprinkles if desired. Let the icing set before serving or storing.
Notes
- Ensure butter is softened, not melted, for better dough consistency.
- Chilling the dough helps prevent spreading during baking and makes cutting easier.
- Do not overbake; cookies should remain soft with edges slightly golden.
- Customize icing colors and decorations for a festive look.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
