Nothing beats the simple joy of baking a classic batch of sugar cookies with a delicate vanilla twist. This Vanilla Christmas Cookies Recipe delivers buttery, tender biscuits that brighten any occasion, whether it’s the holidays or just a sweet craving afternoon.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
I’ve baked many sugar cookie recipes, but this one stands out because it’s fuss-free yet incredibly flavorful. The vanilla aroma fills your kitchen, and the cookies always turn out perfect—whether you’re decorating or just enjoying them plain with a cup of tea.
- Simple to Make: You’ll appreciate how few ingredients do all the heavy lifting in flavor and texture.
- Customizable Thickness: Roll them thin for a crisp bite or thicker for that soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture you crave.
- Flexible Decorating: Whether you like to get fancy with icing or keep it classic, these cookies handle all styles beautifully.
- Reliable Results: I’ve made these dozens of times—each batch comes out consistently delicious.
Ingredients & Why They Work
This cookie dough is all about balance—just the right amount of sugar to sweeten without overpowering, and butter that brings tenderness and rich flavor. Keeping the vanilla front and center is key, as it’s what really elevates this sugar cookie beyond the ordinary.
- Unsalted Butter: Softened for easy creaming; using unsalted lets you control salt levels perfectly.
- Caster (Superfine) Sugar: Dissolves faster than granulated sugar, creating that smooth, tender crumb.
- Vanilla Extract: The star flavor, so don’t skimp here—pure vanilla extract makes all the difference.
- Egg: Acts as a binder, adds richness, and helps with the cookie’s structure.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides the foundation; make sure to measure accurately and sift for a light dough.
- Baking Powder: Just a touch to give the cookies the perfect lift without puffing up too much.
- Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances all the flavors in the dough.
Make It Your Way
One of the reasons I keep coming back to this Vanilla Sugar Cookies Recipe is how easily it bends to my mood. Sometimes I go classic with just a sprinkle of sugar on top; other times, I dive into decorating with colorful icing or dip them in melted chocolate. You can make these cookies truly yours.
- Variation: Adding a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg adds a warm, seasonal twist I love during winter holidays.
- Dietary Options: Substitute butter with a dairy-free alternative and egg with a flaxseed mix for vegan cookies—I've tried this and the results are surprisingly good.
- Thickness Preference: I usually roll mine to about ¼ inch for soft centers, but thinner cookies bake up crispier if that’s more your style.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Vanilla Sugar Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Cream That Butter and Sugar
Start by beating the softened butter with the sugar until it’s creamy and pale—about a minute on medium speed. This step is crucial because it incorporates air that helps give your cookies their tender texture. Don't rush it; take that time to get a fluffy base.
Step 2: Add Egg and Vanilla
Next, crack in your egg and pour the vanilla extract, beating again until everything is seamlessly combined. At this point, your batter should be smooth and lightly thickened. I usually pause to scrape the bowl sides—nothing should be left out!
Step 3: Mix in the Dry Ingredients
Whisk together your flour, baking powder, and salt separately before adding them to the wet mixture. This gives even distribution and prevents clumps. Start mixing on low speed to avoid flour flying everywhere, then beat just until incorporated. The dough will be a bit lumpy—that’s perfect.
Step 4: Roll and Cut Out Your Cookies
Dust your workspace with a little flour and stub out the dough onto it. Divide it in two discs, then roll each out between ⅛ to ¼ inch thickness depending on your texture preference. Flour your rolling pin and top of the dough lightly to keep things smooth. Use your favorite cookie cutters and gently transfer shapes to lined baking trays. Any leftover dough? Pop it in the fridge to chill while you bake.
Step 5: Bake Like a Pro
Bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 10 minutes, swapping positions of your trays halfway through. This little trick ensures your cookies cook evenly, especially if your oven has hot spots. Look for pale golden edges with the surface just turning slightly golden—that’s your cue to pull them out!
Step 6: Cool and Decide Your Finish
Let the cookies cool right on the trays; they firm up a bit as they rest. From here, you can get creative with icing, chocolate dips, or my favorite—a light dusting of icing sugar. Or, just dig in plain and enjoy the buttery vanilla goodness straight up.
Top Tip
After baking these sugar cookies multiple times, I’ve learned a few subtle tricks that make all the difference between good and great. I’m sharing them so you can impress as much as I hope to with every batch.
- Room Temperature Butter: Make sure your butter is soft but not melting. Too cold and it won’t cream properly; too soft and the dough gets greasy and hard to handle.
- Switching Trays: Halfway through baking, swap the positions of your trays to avoid uneven cooking caused by uneven oven heat.
- Rolling Thickness: I use a ruler to check my dough thickness when rolling, so I get consistent cookies every time.
- Don’t Overbake: Going just until edges barely brown means your cookies stay tender, not hard or crunchy.
How to Serve Vanilla Sugar Cookies Recipe
Garnishes
For me, a simple dusting of icing sugar lets the vanilla shine brightest. But I often jazz them up with a drizzle of melted chocolate or a scatter of festive silver balls when guests come over. These little touches make the cookies feel special without overpowering their delicate flavor.
Side Dishes
Vanilla Sugar Cookies pair beautifully with a hot drink—think creamy chai latte, classic coffee, or soothing herbal tea. They're also a hit alongside fruit compotes or a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you want to keep the vanilla theme going strong.
Creative Ways to Present
For holiday parties, I like arranging the cookies in festive shapes on a decorative platter with pine sprigs. You can also stack them into little cookie towers tied with twine for a charming gift or party favor. The bright vanilla flavor means you can get as simple or as fancy as you like.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I keep leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, and they stay nicely fresh for up to a week. The trick is to add a slice of bread to the container—it helps maintain moisture and keeps the cookies from drying out too quickly.
Freezing
These cookies freeze beautifully, either baked or as dough discs. When freezing dough, wrap tightly in plastic and thaw in the fridge overnight before rolling and baking. For baked cookies, layer them between parchment papers in an airtight container or freezer bag.
Reheating
If you want a warm treat, pop the cookies in a 300°F (150°C) oven for about 5 minutes. This revives that just-baked softness and melting vanilla aroma. Avoid microwaving as it can make cookies tough or chewy quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes, you can! If you use salted butter, just skip adding extra salt in the recipe to keep the balance of flavors perfect.
Chilling your dough discs in the fridge before rolling and cutting helps keep the cookies firm and prevents excessive spreading while baking. Also, avoid using too much butter or over-soft butter.
Caster or superfine sugar is ideal because it dissolves easily, creating a smooth texture. If you only have granulated sugar, that works fine too, but the texture might be slightly grainier.
Stored airtight at room temperature, these cookies stay fresh and delicious for about one week. After that, they might dry out a little but can still be enjoyed. Adding a slice of bread in the container helps extend freshness.
Final Thoughts
This Vanilla Sugar Cookies Recipe feels like a warm hug every time I make it—a perfect mix of nostalgia and easy, reliable deliciousness. I hope you enjoy baking and sharing these as much as I do. Trust me, once you try them, these cookies might just become your go-to recipe for every sweet occasion that calls for a buttery, vanilla-kissed treat.
Print
Vanilla Christmas Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 40 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Western
Description
Classic Christmas Cookies recipe featuring sweet vanilla sugar biscuits that are perfect for holiday celebrations. These soft vanilla biscuits are easy to make, delightful to decorate, and can be enjoyed plain or with icing, chocolate, or sugar dusting.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 225 g unsalted butter, softened (or use salted, skip salt)
- 1 cup caster/superfine sugar (granulated/ordinary white sugar ok too)
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg (55-60 g / 1.9-2 oz)
- 3 cups plain/all purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Decorations
- Icing for Sugar Cookies (optional)
- Melted chocolate (optional)
- Icing sugar (optional)
- Silver balls for decoration (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C / 350°F (or 160°C fan for fan ovens). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together using a mixer for about 1 minute on speed 5 until creamy and smooth.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Add the egg and vanilla extract to the creamed butter and sugar, then beat until completely combined and homogeneous.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Add the plain flour, baking powder, and salt to the wet mixture. Start mixing slowly to avoid flour flying out, then beat until the flour is fully incorporated. The dough will be clumpy at this stage.
- Shape the Dough: Dust your work surface with flour. Scrape the dough from the bowl onto the surface and pat it together, then divide it into two equal portions and shape each into a disc for easier rolling.
- Roll Out Dough: Roll each dough disc out to about 0.6 cm (¼ inch) thickness for thick, soft cookies or 0.3 cm (⅛ inch) for thinner, crispier cookies. Sprinkle flour under and over the dough as needed to prevent sticking.
- Cut Out Shapes: Use cookie cutters to press out shapes. Use a knife or spatula to carefully transfer the cut shapes onto the prepared baking sheets. Keep any remaining dough refrigerated until ready to use.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Place two trays in the oven simultaneously on the middle and lower shelves. Halfway through baking, swap the trays to ensure even cooking, as the top shelf bakes faster than the bottom.
- Cool Cookies: Let the cookies cool completely on the trays after baking. They will continue to firm up and finish cooking as they cool.
- Decorate: Customize your cookies as desired: ice with royal icing (see a separate icing recipe), dip in melted chocolate, dust with icing sugar, or decorate with silver balls. Alternatively, serve the cookies plain for a simple, sweet vanilla biscuit experience.
Notes
- The number of cookies depends on the size of your cutters and how thick you roll the dough. This recipe fills approximately 3 baking trays and yields about 40 cookies.
- Swapping trays halfway through baking ensures even cooking since the top oven rack is hotter. Position one tray on the middle rack and one on the lower rack, then switch them after 5 minutes.
- This recipe is adapted from Sugar, Spun, Run's Sugar Cookies recipe.
- Store cookies in an airtight container for up to one week. After that, they may start to dry slightly but remain tasty; they do not become stale quickly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
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