Description
Classic Christmas Cookies are soft, tender, and perfectly sweet with a delightful hint of almond. These festive cookies are easy to make with a creamy dough featuring butter and cream cheese, flavored with vanilla and almond extracts, then decorated with vibrant red and green sanding sugar. Perfect for holiday gatherings or gift-giving.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 1 stick salted butter softened
- 2 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1½ cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Topping
- Red & Green sanding sugar
Instructions
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, add softened butter, cream cheese, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Using a hand mixer, beat the mixture until light and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Turn the mixer to low speed and mix until a soft dough forms.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for 2 hours to firm up for easier handling.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: After chilling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Shape Cookies: Roll dough into balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet with at least 1 inch spacing between each.
- Create Pattern and Add Sugar: Lightly press a criss-cross pattern onto each cookie ball using a fork. Sprinkle red and green sanding sugar over the tops for a festive look.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 11 minutes. Remove them when they're still soft and slightly undercooked with no browning on the edges.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Soften butter and cream cheese completely before mixing to prevent lumps in the dough.
- Remove cookies slightly underbaked as they will firm up while cooling, ensuring a soft and tender texture.
- Use a cookie scoop to make uniformly sized and round cookies.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats for easy cleanup and even baking.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 to 7 days.
- Reheat cookies in the microwave for 5 to 10 seconds to enjoy warm and soft treats.
- Freeze baked cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
- Dough can be made up to 3 days in advance and kept refrigerated or frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 1.2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
