Christmas Sugar Cookies -- The Recipe That Fills the Kitchen with Magic

December. Christmas baking. The annual tradition: cookies, pies, food gifts in jars. Zaria is now a full participant — she measures, mixes, decorates, and quality-controls (meaning she eats one of every five cookies before they can be packaged). The kitchen during Christmas is the best version of itself: warm, productive, filled with the smell of sugar and the sound of children and the specific magic of making something from flour and butter that will make someone smile.

Every year, this is the recipe that anchors the whole Christmas baking marathon — and honestly, it’s the one Zaria claims as her own. She’s got strong opinions about the frosting-to-cookie ratio, and she will absolutely eat one before it’s packaged (quality control, she says). Sugar cookies are the heart of our Christmas kitchen because they’re as much about the decorating and the chaos and the laughter as they are about the eating — and that’s exactly the kind of recipe a season like this deserves.

Christmas Sugar Cookies

Prep Time: 25 min | Cook Time: 10 min | Total Time: 35 min (plus 1 hr chill time) | Servings: 36 cookies

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)
• For the frosting: 2 cups powdered sugar, 2–3 tbsp milk, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, food coloring, sprinkles

Instructions

1. Make the dough. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then mix in vanilla and almond extract.
2. Combine. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing on low until a soft dough forms. Divide dough in half, flatten into discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
3. Preheat and prep. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
4. Roll and cut. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into shapes using your favorite holiday cookie cutters and transfer to prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart.
5. Bake. Bake for 8–10 minutes, until edges are just barely golden. Do not overbake — the cookies will firm up as they cool. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before decorating.
6. Make the frosting. Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth and thick enough to hold its shape. Divide into small bowls and tint with food coloring as desired.
7. Decorate. Frost cooled cookies and top with sprinkles, sanding sugar, or other decorations. Allow frosting to set for 30 minutes before packaging or stacking.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 118 | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Carbs: 17g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 65mg