Easy Christmas Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting!
These easy Christmas Sugar Cookies feature a soft, chewy texture, generously topped with a lightly sweetened cream cheese frosting and festive sprinkles. Perfect for holiday baking!
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Baking Sheets
- Parchment Paper
- Cookie Scoop
- Wire Rack
- Spatula
- Piping bag (optional)
- Piping Tip (optional)
- Cookie Cutter (for shaping)
Ingredients
For the Soft Sugar Cookies
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract optional, for a richer flavor
- ⅓ cup festive Christmas jimmies sprinkles
For the Lightly Sweetened Cream Cheese Frosting
- 10 ounces full-fat cream cheese about 1¼ bricks, softened
- 13 tablespoons salted butter softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1¼ cups powdered sugar sifted
- ⅓ cup very cold heavy cream
For Topping
- ¼ cup assorted festive Christmas sprinkles
Instructions
- Let's Bake the Sugar Cookies!
- 1. Get Ready! Preheat your oven to 350°F and line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- 2. Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, simply whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set this dry mix aside.
- 3. Cream the Wet Ingredients: Using a stand mixer (or a hand mixer), beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Don't forget to scrape down the sides of the bowl!
- 4. Add Egg & Vanilla: Add the room temperature egg and vanilla extract (and almond extract, if using), mixing on medium-low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds.
- 5. Combine Wet & Dry: Gradually add your dry ingredient mix to the butter mixture in two additions, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix to keep them soft!
- 6. Fold in Sprinkles: Gently fold in those fun Christmas jimmies sprinkles with a spatula until they're evenly spread throughout the dough.
- 7. Scoop the Dough: Use a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop (or about 48-50g) to portion out your dough.
- 8. Roll and Place: Roll each portion into a smooth ball and place them about 2 inches apart on your lined baking sheets.
- 9. Slightly Flatten: Gently flatten each dough ball with your fingers or the bottom of a glass, ensuring they're at least ½-inch thick.
- 10. Bake to Perfection: Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are just set and the tops look soft, not glossy. It's important they don't brown!
- 11. Shape While Warm: Once out of the oven, immediately use a slightly larger cookie cutter or glass to gently shape each cookie into a perfect circle by rotating it around the warm edges.
- 12. Cool Completely: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then carefully move them to a wire rack to cool down completely before frosting.
- Whip Up the Cream Cheese Frosting!
- 1. Beat Cream Cheese & Butter: In your stand mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the softened cream cheese and butter on low speed until perfectly smooth, creamy, and lump-free, about 1-2 minutes. Scrape the bowl often!
- 2. Add Flavor: Stir in the vanilla extract and salt on low speed until just combined.
- 3. Sweeten Gradually: Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar in three additions, beating on low speed until just combined after each, about 10-15 seconds. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
- 4. Whip with Cream: Slowly drizzle in the very cold heavy cream, about 1 tablespoon at a time, while whisking on low speed until beautiful stiff peaks form, roughly 1-1½ minutes. Be careful not to overwhip!
- Time to Assemble & Decorate!
- 1. Frost Your Cookies: Pipe the frosting in a lovely spiral pattern onto each cooled cookie, starting from the center and moving outwards with a #2A or #1A piping tip. No piping bag? No problem! A spatula works great for spreading decorative swirls.
- 2. Add Final Sprinkles: For the perfect finish, sprinkle with extra festive Christmas sprinkles right before serving! Enjoy your delicious creations!
Notes
#ChristmasCookies
#SugarCookieRecipe
#HolidayBaking
#EasyDessert
Nutrition Information (estimated per cookie):
- Calories: 395 calories
- Total Carbs: 42g
- Net Carbs: 41g
- Fats: 27g
- Protein: 4g
