🎄 The Ultimate Soft & Festive Christmas Cookies Recipe 🍪❄️
There’s nothing better than the smell of freshly baked Christmas cookies filling your home during the holidays! These cookies are soft, buttery, perfectly sweet, and easy to decorate with festive royal icing. Whether you're baking for family, gifting, or holiday parties, this recipe is guaranteed to impress!
✨ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
✔ Soft, chewy texture
✔ Easy for beginners
✔ Perfect for decorating
✔ Stays fresh for days
✔ Great for Christmas gifting
🛒 Ingredients
For the Cookies
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2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
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1 tsp baking powder
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½ tsp salt
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1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
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1 ½ cups sugar
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1 egg
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2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Royal Icing
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2 egg whites (or 4 tbsp meringue powder)
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3 cups icing sugar (powdered sugar)
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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Food coloring (red, green, white)
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Sprinkles for decoration
👩🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Make the Cookie Dough
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Mix flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl.
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In another bowl, beat butter + sugar until creamy.
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Add egg and vanilla, mix well.
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Slowly add dry ingredients and form soft dough.
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Chill dough for 30 minutes.
2. Cut & Bake
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Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
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Roll dough to ¼ inch thickness.
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Cut into Christmas shapes (stars, trees, snowflakes).
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Bake 8–10 minutes until edges turn light golden.
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Cool completely before icing.
3. Prepare the Royal Icing
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Beat egg whites + vanilla until frothy.
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Gradually add icing sugar until smooth and thick.
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Divide into bowls, add food coloring.
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Pipe outlines, fill colors, add sprinkles.
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Let dry 1–2 hours.
✨ Optional: Add glitter sugar, snowflake details, or mini pearls for that magical touch!
🎁 Storage & Gifting Tips
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Store in airtight container for 5–7 days
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Freeze undecorated cookies for 2–3 months
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Wrap in clear bags + ribbons for gifting
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Add cinnamon sticks inside gift boxes for festive scent
🎀 Decoration Ideas Inspiration
🎄 Christmas tree cookies with star sprinkles
❄ Snowflake cookies with white pearl icing
❤️ Red & green swirl cookie designs
✨ Glitter sugar dust for magical sparkle
🍬 Candy cane striped icing
🎄 Perfect For
✔ Christmas parties
✔ Kids baking night
✔ Cookie exchange events
✔ Holiday gift boxes
⭐ Final Tip:
Bake with love + decorate with creativity = unforgettable Christmas memories 💚