These Decorated Christmas Cookies are a festive tradition that brings together buttery sugar cookies and colorful royal icing for a holiday treat everyone loves. Baking and decorating them becomes part of the magic of the season — a joyful, delicious way to celebrate together.
This Christmas Cookies Recipe is perfect for sharing, gifting, or simply enjoying with family while the tree twinkles nearby. If you love festive baking traditions, you might also enjoy our Gingerbread Men, another classic treat full of cozy spices and holiday cheer.
Simple to make and fun to personalize, these cookies add sparkle to any December table. And if you’re looking for another sweet project to brighten the season, our Easter Cookies offer a colorful, playful baking adventure for springtime celebrations.
✅ Recipe Summary
- Prep Time: 30 minutes (+ chilling)
- Cook Time: 10 minutes per batch
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Servings: 24–30 cookies
- Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
🧾 Ingredients
For the Sugar Cookie Dough:
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1½ teaspoons (7.5ml) vanilla extract
- 2½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon (2g) baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon (1g) salt
For the Royal Icing:
- 3 cups (360g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 2 tablespoons (15g) meringue powder
- 5–6 tablespoons (75–90ml) warm water
- Gel food coloring (red, green, white, gold)
👩🍳 Instructions
Make the Dough:
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to wet, mixing until just combined.
- Divide the dough into two disks, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour.
Cut and Bake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment.
- Roll out dough to ¼-inch (6mm) thickness. Cut with Christmas-themed cookie cutters.
- Place on prepared sheets and bake for 8–10 minutes until edges are barely golden.
- Cool completely before decorating.
Make the Royal Icing:
- In a bowl, mix confectioners’ sugar and meringue powder.
- Add water gradually, beating until stiff peaks form. Adjust consistency for piping or flooding.
- Tint with gel colors as desired.
Decorate:
- Pipe outlines with thicker icing, then flood centers with thinned icing.
- Add details like dots, swirls, or stars once the base dries.
📌 Notes
- Chill dough well before cutting for clean edges.
- Allow each icing layer to dry before adding another color.
- Use a toothpick to pop air bubbles after flooding icing.
🔄 Variations & Add-ons
- Flavor the dough with almond extract or citrus zest.
- Add edible gold leaf or silver dragees for sparkle.
- Dust finished cookies lightly with powdered sugar for a snowy look.
🥄 Estimated Nutrition Information (Per Cookie)
- Calories: 165 kcal
- Total Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
- Sodium: 45mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 23g
- Dietary Fiber: 0g
- Sugars: 14g
- Protein: 2g
🌍 The Story Behind Christmas Cookies
Decorating Christmas cookies dates back centuries in Europe, evolving from simple gingerbread shapes to the bright, colorful cookies we know today.
The tradition became widespread in America in the 19th century, and today, baking and decorating Christmas Cookies remains one of the season’s most cherished family activities.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve your Christmas Cookies with mugs of cocoa, glasses of eggnog, or warm spiced grog.
Arrange on platters, package in festive tins, or hang iced cookies on your Christmas tree as edible ornaments.
❓ FAQs
Can I freeze decorated Christmas Cookies?
Yes — once fully dry, they freeze beautifully for up to 2 months.
How long do decorated cookies last?
Stored airtight, they stay fresh for about 1 week at room temperature.
Can I decorate cookies the next day?
Definitely — bake one day, decorate the next for less stress.
✨ Final Thoughts
These Decorated Christmas Cookies capture all the magic of the holidays — colorful, sweet, and filled with handmade love.
Perfect for sharing, gifting, or creating beautiful memories in the kitchen.
Sandra Bizzolo blends her passion for travel, cooking, and books into every adventure. From global food tours to literary explorations, she brings a warm, personal touch to her recipes, travel stories, and cultural insights.
