Description
Festive Christmas butter cookies bring holiday cheer with their delicate, buttery perfection. Rich with tradition and sweet memories, these melt-in-your-mouth treats will delight your senses and spread seasonal joy.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Decorative Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup (30g) powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp colored sprinkles
- 1 tbsp red and green sanding sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper, creating a clean workspace for your festive cookie creation.
- In a spacious mixing bowl, cream the softened butter until smooth and fluffy, ensuring no lumps remain.
- Incorporate granulated sugar into the butter, blending thoroughly until the mixture becomes light and airy.
- Crack the egg into the butter-sugar mixture, adding vanilla extract, and whisk until completely integrated and silky.
- Gently sift together flour and salt in a separate bowl, eliminating potential clumps that might affect cookie texture.
- Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring carefully to create a uniform, cohesive dough without overmixing.
- Chill the prepared dough for 30 minutes to firm up and enhance flavor development.
- Roll the chilled dough into small, uniform balls, placing them evenly across the prepared baking sheets.
- Delicately press each cookie with a fork or festive cookie stamp, creating decorative patterns.
- Sprinkle colored sprinkles and sanding sugar generously over the cookie surfaces for a vibrant holiday appearance.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, watching carefully until edges turn golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let cookies cool completely on wire racks.
- Dust with powdered sugar for a final elegant, snow-like finish before serving.
Notes
- Butter Temperature Matters: Ensure butter is softened but not melted to achieve the perfect creamy texture and light, fluffy cookies.
- Chill for Better Shape: Refrigerating the dough helps prevent spreading and maintains the cookies’ crisp, defined edges during baking.
- Gluten-Free Adaptation: Swap regular flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend to make these cookies suitable for those with wheat sensitivities.
- Decorative Alternatives: Experiment with different sprinkle colors, edible glitter, or crushed candy canes to personalize your holiday cookies for various festive occasions.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 151
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 49mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 31mg