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Christmas Cookie Cutter Cookies Recipe – Perfect for Gifts

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Today we are sharing our absolute favorite Christmas Cookie Cutter Cookies recipe. We have made these for many years as gifts and treats for friends and family, and hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

Christmas Cookie Cutter Cookies Recipe

This recipe is perfect for making Christmas cookies from cookie cutters. The dough holds its shape and doesn’t spread when baking.

Christmas Cookie Cutter Cookies Recipe on A Helicopter Mom

Christmas Cookies Recipe

Supplies You’ll Need

Food Coloring (We only use these gel colors)

Cookie Ingredients

•   6 cups flour
•   3 tsp. baking powder
•   2 cups unsalted butter
•   2 cups sugar (white granulated)
•   2 eggs
•   2 tsp. vanilla extract, almond or desired flavoring
•   1 tsp. salt

Cookie Instructions

1.  Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Mix dry ingredients and add a little at a time to butter mixture. Mix until flour is completely incorporated and the dough comes together.
2.  Chill dough for 1 to 2 hours.
3.  Roll to desired thickness and cut with holiday cookie cutters into desired shapes. Bake on ungreased baking sheet at 350 degrees F (176 C) for 8 to 10 minutes or until just beginning to turn brown around the edges. This recipe can make up to 5-dozen 3″ cookies..

Icing Ingredients

•   2 lbs of powdered sugar
•   1/3 cup light Karo corn syrup
•   1-2 TBS of clear vanilla and or clear almond extract (or some of both).
•   milk or water to adjust consistency

Icing Instructions

1.   Mix powdered sugar, corn syrup and flavorings together at a low speed until thoroughly blended without any small pockets of powdered sugar.  Do not use high speed or you will end up with bubbles. Divide and color with gel.
2.   For thicker icing to use for outlining or writing, add additional powdered sugar until you get the desired consistency.
3.  For thinner icing to fill in designs, add very small amounts of milk or water until you get the consistency you want.
4.  Can be stored in the refrigerator for a week, but should be room temperature again before using.

Icing the Cookies

I make a batch of glaze icing and separate it into lots of different bowls. As I mix each color, I then divide half of that color into another bowl, which I add a few drops of milk or water to, making it thinner.

When I’m ready to ice the cookies, I’ll have 2 bowls for each color (1 with thicker icing for outlines and with 1 thinner icing for filling-in).

Add thicker icing to parchment paper cones or icing bags.

Outline the design onto your cookie with the thick icing. Use thinner icing to fill in the design by spooning or pouring a small amount in and spreading around with a toothpick.

Once the cookies are completely dry, go back with the thicker icing and draw on any additional designs or details you like using a small tip for the tiny details. I use this tip for my detail icing work.

I’d love to see how yours turn out!  Feel free to comment or message me with any questions.  🙂

Christmas Cookie Cutter Cookies Recipe

 

Comments

  2. This would be a different cookie to make for the holidays. My mom and I used to bake dozens of cookies every year. The grandkids would like decorating these too. thanks for the recipe

  3. These look delicious! I’m thinking about using your recipe! Are the cookies soft & chewy or more crunchy?

  4. Thanks for the recipe… I will have to share it with my daughter.  she is planning to give some of her relatives cookies and a humane society calendar for christmas since they are so hard to please…  🙂

  5. Those look so pretty. I am able to make a decent tasting cookie. A decent looking and decent tasting…not so much. I don’t have the patience for baking. 

  7. thanks for the recipe – i havent heard of putting corn syrup in icing before.  my sister makes a similar cookie at Christmas and they are beautiful!

  8. I recently read to leave the baking powder out so the cookies won’t spread. Have you heard or tried this?

  12. Our family always makes cut-out sugar Christmas cookies every year. I’m going to try this recipe. It seems like it will be less sticky the one that I normally use. Love the icing too!  Thanks so much!!

  14. Thanks for the recipe! I’ve ended up with some interestingly shaped cutout cookies before thanks to spreading dough!

  15. Great recipe and just in time for Christmas!! Can’t wait to try this, thank you for sharing this recipe.

  18. Really cute cookies!!!! Could prob give this out to my co-workers and they would def enjoy them!!! Thanks for the great recipe, should def be trying this out soon!!!

  20. I think this is a great idea! I end up gaining 5 ils just making the “gifts” – that’s the only down side! 

  23. These look great! I usually buy bagged sugar cookies mixes at the grocery store (where you just add the eggs and water). I have been wanting a recipe. Can’t wait to try. Thanks!

  25. This is exactly what I have been looking for. I am going to make these with my niece. I am going to put red hots on top. Yum!

  26. How long do these take to dry? I tried a different icing recipe and after 4 hours they still weren’t dry and when I tried to stack them they all stuck together. 🙁

    • Oh no! 🙁

      I usually let mine dry overnight before stacking or putting in little bags, especially if it’s summer and humid outside.

  28. Help! I made the cookies and then realized I don’t have corn syrup for the icing! Is there anyway around it?

    • Sure. The corn syrup just makes it a little shiner. I would use a little more water instead. I hope you figured something out that worked yesterday. 🙂

  29. I can see how versatile this recipe for both the dough and icing could be! I used to think these type of cookies just took too long, but the results are worth it!

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