Description
Classic Christmas sugar cookies featuring a tender, buttery texture and a sweet vanilla flavor. These cookies are rolled and cut into festive shapes, baked to perfection, then topped with a luscious creamy vanilla frosting, perfect for holiday celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups cake flour
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup salted butter, softened
- ¼ cup butter flavored shortening, softened
- 1 whole egg
- 1 egg white
- 3 tsp vanilla extract
For Dusting
- ⅓ cup sugar for dusting the top of the cookies after baking
Frosting
- 1 cup salted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon clear imitation vanilla or vanilla extract
- 4–5 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and cream of tartar until combined. Set aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In another large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the sugar, softened butter, and softened butter-flavored shortening until light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract and the whole egg and beat until combined. Then add the egg white and continue beating until the mixture is well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to incorporate any stuck ingredients.
- Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures: On low speed, gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredient bowl. Mix until no pockets of flour remain and the dough becomes uniformly blended. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours to chill and firm up.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Set the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Roll Out Dough and Cut Shapes: Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and roll it out on a lightly floured surface to about ½ inch thickness. Using floured cookie cutters, cut out your desired festive shapes. Arrange six cookies per baking sheet, spacing them evenly.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake one sheet at a time in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. Watch for firm edges without browning. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Repeat with the second baking sheet.
- Prepare Frosting: In a medium mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and powdered sugar together. While beating, drizzle in the heavy cream gradually until the frosting reaches a fluffy and spreadable consistency. Add vanilla extract and mix well.
- Frost and Decorate: Once the cookies are completely cooled, spread the vanilla buttercream frosting generously on each cookie. Optionally, decorate with sprinkles for a festive touch.
Notes
- Chilling the dough before rolling helps prevent spreading and keeps the shapes defined during baking.
- Use parchment paper on baking sheets to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Adjust the amount of heavy cream in the frosting to achieve your preferred consistency.
- Store frosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the cake and all-purpose flours with gluten-free baking blends.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes per batch
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Christmas sugar cookies, holiday cookies, vanilla frosting cookies, festive cookie recipe, soft sugar cookies, cut-out sugar cookies
