Classic Holiday Cookies
These Classic Holiday Cookies features a rolled cookie dough cut into your favorite shapes. Have fun decorating (and eating!) these cookies!
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 261kcal
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp almond extract
- 1¾ cups + 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp salt
For the Royal Icing
- 1 Tbsp meringue powder
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 3 Tbsp water
For the Spreadable Icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp light corn syrup
- 3 Tbsp milk
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- food coloring as desired
For the Decorations
- various colored sanding sugars and other holiday cookie decorations
Instructions
For the Cookies
- In the bowl of a countertop mixer with the paddle attached, cream together the butter and powdered sugar until well combined.
- Add the extracts and then sift the flour and salt into the bowl; mix until a smooth dough forms. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Place about half of the dough on a well-floured counter and roll out to about 1/4" thick. (See below for a couple of tips on rolling the dough.)
- Cut the dough into desired shapes using cookie cutters. Reroll the scraps and continue cutting until all dough has been used.
- Bake on a parchment-lined sheet pan at 350°F until cookies turn light brown on the edges (~10-12 minutes). Allow cookies to cool fully before decorating.
For the Royal Icing
- Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl until a smooth icing forms. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
For the Spreadable Icing
- Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl until a smooth icing forms. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
To Decorate
- Using a pastry bag with a small tip (or a sandwich bag with a very small corner snipped off), outline the edges of the cookies with the Royal Icing.
- If desired, sprinkle a generous amount of sanding sugar on top of the wet Royal Icing. (optional)
- Set aside and allow Royal Icing to dry (1-2 hours).
- Once the Royal Icing has dried, fill the centers of the cookies with the Spreadable Icing. Use a toothpick to pull the Spreadable Icing to the edges of the Royal Icing lines.
- Decorate with additional colored sanding sugars or other decorations. (optional).
- Allow cookies to fully dry before stacking or transporting them (4-5 hours).
Notes
Tip: If the dough seems too stiff to roll at first, then just let it rest at room temperature for a few minutes.
Tip: Place a piece of wax paper on top of the dough before you begin rolling it out. The wax paper will help prevent the dough from sticking to the rolling pin.
Nutrition
Calories: 261kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 116mg | Potassium: 22mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 270IU | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg
