Christmas Sugar Cookies

These Christmas sugar cookies are roll out cookies that are dipped in dark and white chocolate and coated with sprinkles. A fun and elegant holiday cookie that’s perfect for class parties and gift giving!

This is my absolute favorite go-to Christmas cookie recipe, I’ve made these cookies dozens of times and they always come out perfect! You can also use this dough to make stained glass cookies and heart shaped cookies.

Sugar cookies are a staple around the holidays and they come in so many different varieties. You’ll often see them topped with sprinkles, cut into fun shapes and decorated with a variety of frostings. These Christmas sugar cookies are dipped in chocolate and sprinkles for an elegant yet hassle free presentation.

How do you make Christmas sugar cookies?

This is a basic sugar cookie recipe with the classic ingredients including butter, sugar, eggs, flour and vanilla. The one thing these cookies don’t contain is baking powder, because baking powder will make the cookies spread and lose their shape.

The great thing about this sugar cookie dough is that it can be made in advance, and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. I often freeze this dough in small portions so we can bake up a few cookies at a time when the craving strikes.

There are SO many different ways to decorate sugar cookies. I love to admire those intricately decorated cookies with the layers of frosting and fine details, but I’m going to be honest and tell you that I’m not great with a piping bag. Instead, I give my Christmas sugar cookies a dip into white or dark chocolate and decorate them with sprinkles.

If you’d rather frost these cookies, you can definitely do so. I’d recommend using either a buttercream frosting which will stay creamy and soft, or a royal icing which will harden on the cookies.

Sugar cookie buttercream frosting

Beat together 3 cups of powdered sugar with 1/3 cup softened butter with a mixer. Stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk. Add more milk if needed, one teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Color with food coloring if desired, then spread onto your cookies.

Sugar cookie royal icing

Beat together 3 tablespoons of meringue powder, 4 cups of powdered sugar and 5 tablespoons of warm water until the icing forms peaks. This takes about 7-10 minutes. Thin to desired consistency with small amounts of water. Color with food coloring if desired.

If you want to go the easier route like I did, grab yourself some white and dark chocolate candy melts or chocolate chips. I recommend using Ghirardelli Melting Wafers – they’re candy melts, but they taste like real chocolate and they melt smooth and thin which makes dipping cookies a breeze.

I used a Christmas variety of sprinkles from Wilton, but you can use any holiday sprinkles you find at your grocery store, or even try sprinkling your cookies with crushed candy canes.

These Christmas sugar cookies can be made up to 5 days before you plan to serve them, and they make a festive and delicious addition to any holiday cookie platter.

More Christmas treats you’ll love

• Peppermint Patties
• Buckeye Balls
• Crock Pot Candy
• Microwave Caramels
• Candy Cane Hearts

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5 from 9 votes

Christmas Sugar Cookies

These Christmas sugar cookies are roll out cookies that are dipped in dark and white chocolate and coated with sprinkles. A fun and elegant holiday cookie that's perfect for class parties and gift giving!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Christmas roll out cookies, Christmas sugar cookies

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Chill Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 30

Calories 134

Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate candy melts
• 6 ounces white chocolate chips or white chocolate candy melts
• 1 tablespoon shortening divided use, only if using chocolate chips. Do not use shortening if you're using candy melts.
• 1/2 cup Christmas sprinkles

Instructions

• In the bowl of a mixer, beat the butter and sugar until smooth, about 2 minutes
  
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition
  
• Add the vanilla and salt, then slowly mix in the flour until thoroughly combined
  
• Remove the dough from the bowl. Place the dough on a large piece of plastic wrap and shape it into a disc. Wrap the plastic wrap around the dough and chill for at least 1 hour, or up to 1 day before you plan to bake your cookies.
  
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. 
  
• Divide the dough in half. Re-wrap one half of the dough and place it in the fridge. Roll the remaining dough into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle.
  
• Using a 3-4 inch sized Christmas cookie cutters, cut out as many shapes as you can from the dough.
  
• Re-roll the dough and repeat the process until you've filled your first baking sheet. Cookies should be spaced 1 1/2 inches apart on the sheet.
  
• Place the pan of cookies in the fridge and chill for 20 minutes
  
• Bake for 12-15 minutes or until cookies are set and the edges are just barely turning brown.
  
• Cool the cookies completely
  
• Repeat the same process with the other half of the dough that you previously put in the refrigerator.
  
• Place the white chocolate and dark chocolate in separate bowls. If you're using chocolate chips, add 1/2 of the shortening to each bowl.
• Heat the chocolate chips + shortening OR candy melts (no shortening needed) in the microwave in 30 second increments until melted. Stir until smooth.
  
• Dip half of each cookie into dark or white chocolate, tapping against the bowl to remove the excess. Place the cookies on a sheet of parchment paper and quickly add the sprinkles onto the wet chocolate. Let set completely.
  

Notes

1. Dough can be frozen for up to two months; thaw in the refrigerator before using.
2. Plain cookies can be frozen for up to one month, then thawed and dipped in chocolate and sprinkles.

Nutrition

Calories: 134kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 19mg | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 205IU | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 0.6mg