DrinkKnird

Food recipe · About 3 dozen medium cut-outs

Christmas Sugar Cookies (Cut-Out)

Researched · Researched formulation

Cut-out Christmas sugar cookies with chillable dough and simple icing—cookie-box friendly. Researched, not kitchen-tested.

By DrinkKnird · November 15, 2026

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Cut-out sugar cookies are the Christmas cookie-box workhorse: a buttery dough that holds shapes, a short chill, and icing that sets for stacking.

DrinkKnird's researched version follows a common creamed butter–sugar–egg dough with enough flour to roll cleanly. Chill before cutting so edges stay sharp. This is not a kitchen-tested DrinkKnird original.

Serve with [classic homemade eggnog](/classic-homemade-eggnog) or [mulled wine](/classic-mulled-wine-warm-spiced-holiday-drink). Browse more on [holiday recipes](/holiday-recipes).

Recipe

Food recipe

Yield: About 3 dozen medium cut-outs

Prep 30 minutes (plus chill) · Cook 10 minutes per tray · Total about 2 hours including chill

Original yield: About 3 dozen medium cut-outs

Scales ingredient amounts only. Temperatures, times, ratios, and instruction text stay as written. Saved and printed copies keep the original recipe amounts.

Ingredients

  • 2 3/4 cups (about 345 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
  • Icing: 2 cups powdered sugar, 2–3 tablespoons milk, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; food coloring optional

Instructions

  1. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
  2. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 2–3 minutes. Beat in egg, vanilla, and almond extract.
  3. Mix in dry ingredients on low just until a dough forms. Divide in two disks, wrap, and chill at least 1 hour (or overnight).
  4. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment.
  5. Roll one disk 1/4-inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut shapes; transfer to sheets. Re-roll scraps once.
  6. Bake until edges are just set and barely golden, 8–11 minutes depending on size. Cool on the sheet 5 minutes, then on a rack.
  7. Stir icing to a thick-but-spreadable glaze. Decorate cooled cookies; let set before stacking. Store airtight up to 1 week.

Make-ahead

  • Dough disks keep 2 days refrigerated or 1 month frozen. Baked undecorated cookies freeze well; ice after thawing.

Notes

  • Chill is non-negotiable for sharp shapes.
  • Bake pale—cookies continue to set as they cool.
  • Hosting drinks while cookies cool: [christmas brunch menu](/christmas-brunch-menu).

Why this recipe works

Creaming traps air for tenderness; chill firms butter so cutters leave clean edges.

troubleshooting

Cookies spread: dough too warm—re-chill. Tough: overmixed after flour. Icing runs: add powdered sugar.

Recipe sources & development

Researched formulation

Home cookie-box dough sized for rolling and decorating.

Why this formulation: Reliable cut-out structure without claiming a proprietary bakery formula.

Other approaches: Some recipes omit baking powder; this page uses granulated sugar + baking powder.

Adaptation credit: Standard American cut-out sugar cookie proportions

Developed from published sources; not yet kitchen-tested by DrinkKnird.

  • Sugar Cookies — King Arthur Baking · researched 2026-11-15

    Cut-out structure: creamed butter/sugar, chill, roll, bake until set

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