These Christmas Cookies are soft, buttery, and lightly crisp around the edges, with simple vanilla flavor and a colorful sprinkle coating. They use everyday baking ingredients, come together without chilling, and bake in just 8–10 minutes for an approachable holiday treat.
There are plenty of complicated cookies to make during December, but sometimes a dependable sugar cookie is exactly what your holiday baking lineup needs. These cookies are especially useful when you want something festive without rolling out dough, cutting shapes, or preparing icing.
The butter and sugar create a tender, rich base while vanilla keeps the flavor familiar and classic. Each portion of dough is rolled into a ball, gently flattened, and pressed into sprinkles before baking, giving you a cheerful finish with very little decorating work.
Because the dough goes directly from mixing to shaping, this is also a convenient choice when you need a quick batch for a holiday gathering, Christmas cookie tray, school celebration, or an afternoon of baking at home.
Christmas Cookies Ingredients
You only need a short list of familiar baking staples for these cookies.
- All-purpose flour: Provides the structure for the cookie dough while keeping the finished cookies tender enough to bite into easily.
- Unsalted butter: Creates the rich, buttery flavor and soft texture that make these simple sugar cookies so satisfying.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the dough and helps the cookies develop lightly golden edges as they bake.
- Large egg: Binds the ingredients together and contributes moisture to the dough.
- Vanilla extract: Gives the cookies their classic vanilla flavor and rounds out the sweetness.
- Baking soda: Encourages the cookies to spread slightly and contributes to their soft texture.
- Baking powder: Adds a little lift so the cookies do not bake up overly dense.
- Sprinkles: An optional but festive coating that makes the cookies ready for Christmas platters without additional frosting.
Make sure your butter is properly softened before you begin. It should give slightly when pressed but should not be melted or greasy. Butter at this consistency combines much more evenly with the sugar and helps create a smooth dough.
Cooking Steps
STEP 1: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Combine the flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a medium bowl, stirring until the leavening ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the flour.
STEP 2: Add the softened butter and granulated sugar to a large mixing bowl. Beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer until the mixture looks creamy, smooth, and well combined. Properly creaming these ingredients gives the cookies a more consistent texture.
STEP 3: Beat the egg and vanilla into the butter mixture. Continue mixing until the egg disappears completely into the mixture and everything looks evenly blended.
STEP 4: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix at a moderate to low speed so the flour does not scatter from the bowl. The dough may look somewhat crumbly at first, but continue mixing just until it comes together into a cohesive cookie dough.
STEP 5: Scoop portions of dough using approximately a 1-inch cookie scoop. Roll each portion gently between your palms to form a smooth ball, then arrange the balls on a greased baking sheet with enough room between them for slight spreading.
STEP 6: Use the smooth bottom of a drinking glass to gently press each dough ball until it is about ½ inch thick. Place the sprinkles in a shallow bowl and lightly press the top of each flattened cookie into them. Return each cookie to the baking sheet with the decorated side facing upward.
STEP 7: Bake for 8–10 minutes. Watch the edges rather than waiting for the entire cookie to become golden. The cookies are ready when the outer edges have just begun to take on a light golden color while the centers remain pale.
STEP 8: Allow the cookies to rest on the hot baking sheet for approximately 3 minutes. This brief cooling period helps them firm up enough to move without breaking. Transfer them carefully to a wire rack and let them cool completely.
Can I make these Christmas cookies without sprinkles?
Absolutely. The sprinkles are decorative rather than essential to the structure of the cookies. You can leave them plain and still get a classic buttery vanilla sugar cookie. Leaving off the sprinkles can also be useful if you plan to serve the cookies alongside several more heavily decorated holiday treats.
Helpful Tips
- Do not overmix after adding the flour. Mix long enough for the dough to come together, then stop. Excessive mixing can make the finished cookies firmer than intended.
- Flatten the cookies evenly. Keeping them close to the same thickness encourages even baking and prevents smaller cookies from browning before the others are ready.
- Watch the last few minutes carefully. These cookies should only develop light golden edges. If the entire surface becomes deeply browned, they can lose some of their soft texture.
Why does the dough look crumbly at first?
A slightly crumbly appearance while the flour is being incorporated is normal. Continue mixing until the dough begins holding together. Because the recipe relies on softened butter and an egg for moisture, the mixture should eventually form a workable dough without requiring additional liquid.
If the ingredients were measured accurately, resist the urge to immediately add extra butter or milk. Give the mixer enough time to distribute the softened butter throughout the flour first.
What to Serve with Christmas Cookies
These cookies fit naturally into just about any holiday dessert spread.
Serve them with hot chocolate for a simple family-friendly combination that works especially well during cookie decorating or movie nights.
Add them to a Christmas cookie platter alongside chocolate cookies, gingerbread, shortbread, or nut-filled cookies. Their straightforward vanilla flavor provides a nice contrast to stronger holiday spices.
They are also a natural pairing with coffee or tea, particularly once the cookies have cooled completely and the buttery vanilla flavor has had a chance to settle.
How do I know when sugar cookies are done baking?
Look closely at the edges. They should be lightly golden while the centers still look relatively pale and soft. The cookies continue to firm as they sit on the baking sheet for those first few minutes after leaving the oven.
Waiting for the centers to look completely firm while they are still baking can result in cookies that become harder after cooling.
Can I prepare the dough ahead of time?
Yes. You can mix the dough ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator until you are ready to shape and bake the cookies. Cold dough will be firmer than freshly mixed dough, so allow it to soften slightly at room temperature if it becomes difficult to scoop or roll.
For the simplest process, however, the recipe is designed to be shaped immediately after mixing, so no chilling period is required.
Keeping Leftovers Fresh
Once the cookies are completely cool, place them in an airtight container. Keeping air away from them is important because exposed cookies can gradually become dry.
At room temperature, they are generally at their nicest during the first several days. Place parchment paper between layers if your sprinkle coating is delicate or if you want to keep the surfaces looking neat for a holiday cookie tray.
For longer storage, the baked cookies can be frozen once fully cooled. Arrange them in a freezer-safe container with parchment between layers and keep them frozen for about 2–3 months. Thaw the cookies at room temperature while still protected from excess air.
Reheating is not necessary, but if you prefer a slightly warmer cookie, a few seconds of gentle warming is enough. Avoid prolonged heating because these thin sugar cookies can dry out quickly.
Can I use different sprinkles for different holidays?
Yes. The basic vanilla cookie dough is neutral enough to work with many sprinkle colors. Red and green are ideal for Christmas, but you can easily change the decorative coating for other celebrations without altering the dough itself.
Just avoid pressing excessively thick layers of decorations onto the cookies. A light, even coating gives you plenty of color while allowing the cookies to bake normally.
These Christmas sugar cookies are particularly useful when you want a festive homemade treat without committing to elaborate cut-out dough or detailed frosting. With their buttery vanilla flavor, lightly golden edges, soft centers, and quick sprinkle finish, they offer the familiar look and flavor of holiday cookies with a much simpler preparation.
Keep the baking time short, let the cookies rest briefly on the pan, and allow them to cool fully before storing. The result is a dependable batch that fits easily into Christmas parties, cookie boxes, dessert trays, and relaxed holiday baking days at home.
Christmas Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened (Miyoko’s Kitchen Cultured Vegan Butter may be used)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract recommended for the fullest flavor
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- Sprinkles as desired (optional, for decorating)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). In a medium-sized mixing bowl, thoroughly stir together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set the dry mixture aside.
- Place the softened butter and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl. Using either a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat them together until the consistency becomes creamy and smooth.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract, then continue beating until both are completely incorporated into the butter mixture.
- Gradually add the reserved flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture, beating as you go until a dough develops.
- The mixture may initially look somewhat crumbly. Continue mixing until the dough holds together and forms a cohesive mass.
- Portion the dough with a 1-inch cookie scoop, then roll each portion between your hands to create a round ball.
- Arrange the dough balls on a greased baking sheet. Press each one with the smooth bottom of a drinking glass until the dough is approximately ½ inch thick.
- Pour the sprinkles into a small bowl. Gently press the top of each flattened dough round into the sprinkles so the surface is evenly covered.
- Place the decorated dough back onto the baking sheet with the sprinkle-coated side facing upward.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 8–10 minutes, or until the cookie edges are lightly golden.
- Leave the freshly baked cookies on the baking sheet for approximately 3 minutes.
- Transfer them to a wire cooling rack and allow them to cool completely before serving.