Christmas cookies are one of the most beloved holiday traditions-and for good reason. Rolling, cutting, and decorating cookies with the family is an activity just as much as it is a recipe. These classic cut-out cookies hold their shape beautifully in the oven and have the perfect texture for decorating with royal icing or a simple glaze.
Notes
Tips for Success
- Chill the dough thoroughly: Cut-out cookies hold their shape only when the dough is cold. Chill for at least one hour, or overnight. If the dough gets warm while you’re cutting shapes, return it to the fridge for 15 minutes before continuing.
- Roll on a floured surface: Use just enough flour to prevent sticking-too much flour worked into the dough makes cookies tough. Alternatively, roll between two sheets of parchment to avoid adding extra flour entirely.
- Cut shapes close together: Leave as little space as possible between cutters to minimize re-rolling. Re-rolled dough is slightly tougher, so you want to cut as many shapes from the first roll as you can.
- Don’t overbake: The cookies should look barely set and pale gold at the edges when you pull them out-they firm up as they cool on the pan. Overbaked sugar cookies turn brittle and lose their buttery softness.
- Let cookies cool completely before decorating: Even slightly warm cookies will melt icing and cause colors to bleed. Give them a full hour on a wire rack before you start decorating.
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Looking for more helpful family tips? Check out our guides on Creating family holiday traditions, explore everything about Christmas traditions start kids, and don’t miss our practical advice on Save money holiday shopping.
For more holiday inspiration, Good Housekeeping holiday ideas is an excellent free resource families can rely on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes-sugar cookie dough keeps well in the refrigerator for up to three days, or in the freezer for up to two months. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil. Thaw frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator before rolling.
Royal icing (made with meringue powder or pasteurized egg whites and powdered sugar) is the gold standard-it dries hard and smooth and holds detail beautifully. A simple glaze made from powdered sugar and milk is easier to work with and great for kids. Buttercream works too but stays soft and doesn’t dry completely.
Once the icing is fully dry (give royal icing at least 8 hours), stack cookies between layers of parchment paper in an airtight container. They keep at room temperature for up to one week, or can be frozen for up to two months before or after decorating.
Cold dough and a cool baking sheet are the two biggest factors. Make sure your butter isn’t too soft when you make the dough, chill it thoroughly before baking, and always start with a room-temperature (not warm) baking sheet for each batch.
Absolutely. Unfrosted baked cookies freeze beautifully for up to two months. Layer them between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer-safe container. Thaw at room temperature for an hour before decorating or serving.
It would have to be the old fashioned Chocolate Chip Cookies. But I love those not too dry but the moist one without the crunch.
I like very of biscuits dry and crunchy.
I love Pecan Butter Balls – basically a not too sweet pecan and shortbread cookie rolled in powdered sugar. Melt in your mouth yummy!
good for christmas season
nice, the same with mine.. the tradition..
mmmmmmmmmmm this sounds yummmmmyyyy
The magic cookie bars sound so yummy, they are going on my list to bake this year, thanks
Ooh, those macaroons sound Yummo! Thanks for sharing!
I love the cookie bars! Something a bit different from the norm.
I love magic cookie bars. I haven’t made them before but I plan to this year. Looks like i better get a move on since there is only 15 days left! Ahh!
All great recommendations!
My Magic Cookie Bars are also one of my holiday traditions…oh man, are they good. These Hershey Kiss Macaroons sound heavenly!
I love cookies! Hershey Kiss Macaroons are sooo good!
I love making Christmas cookies more than any other time of the year. i remember my mom and I would stay up all night making our cookies. We would have cans of them each with one of our favorites we would make , like Peanut butter, sand tarts, toll house oatmeal etc. They would last for months. i also collect recipes and cookbooks. The ones you mention I have not ever made, so I got some new ones to try- thanks
I have to make my Snickerdoodle cookies every year! They are so delicious! I also make a bundt cake with cranberries, it is so good. I also have an apple pie and fudge!
Wow! 3 easy to prepare cookies! I’d probably try one of these for my son and his cousins on Christmas day. Thanks!
I love making all kinds of cookies for Christmas! I try to make something new each year. Hubby always takes a huge tray with him to work and now the guys are spoiled, asking when he’s bringing in more of his wife’s delicious cookies! Makes me feel good they really love them. 🙂
They all sound so good!
I love making cookies for christmas,my speciality is chococate balls wrapped in coconut powder or walnut powder or just dip in fudge..yum!
My favorite that mom and I use to make growing up was a spice date cookie.
This post reminds me of baking for Christmas when I lived at home with my mother 🙂
Thank you this year will be my first attempt at making thumbprint cookies and I just want to make sure they will come out properly :]
We have so much fun doing sugar cookies with our kids. It’s something my family did every year. Using christmas cookie cutters and letting the kids get wild and creative with icing and sprinkles!
I am really careful about making cookies around the holidays. Its so easy to get carried away with how much sugar you let the kids have this time of year! I would have to say that my all time fave is chocolate chip. either that, or I just can’t make any other ones 🙂
Wow, those sound really good!! I think I am going to make the Kiss cookie macaroons! YUM!!
Our Holiday tradition cookies are sugar cookies! We all get together bake and then let the kids decorate them how ever they like then serve them for Christmas Eve!
i’m such a sucker for macaroons!! I can’t wait to start holiday baking.
Those all sound yummy, but my favorite is the wedding ball or the pecan ball coated with powdered sugar. I use a small paper sack with powdered sugar in it then carefully place the warm cookies in the bag and gently roll around till they are covered. Take out of bag and place them on platter.(or eat)
Reading this made me hungry 🙂
Magic Cookie Bars have been a part of our holidays ever since I can remember. Also love the fudge that comes on the jar of marshmallow cream.My mom loves recipes of all kinds so every year she would drag out all these cookbooks and picka few new cookies or bars to make. We all loved her pineapple cream cheese bars.Also love the breads that we make..banan, pumpkin and zuchini. yummy
Thanks for the great recommendations!
We really need to decide what cookies we are making this year and plan it out! I need to make candy bark at the request of my Mother In law for sure!
My mother always has and does make the best Christmas cookies ever…I LOVE the shorbread sticks, dipped in chocolate, then coated with coconut, m&m pieces, sprinkles, or nuts!