30 Sugar Cookie Recipes To Make Your Christmas Extra Sweet (2024)

30 Sugar Cookie Recipes To Make Your Christmas Extra Sweet (1)

One of the best things about the holiday season is all the sweet treats to bake and share with friends and family. We’re all about pies, cakes, candy, and bars, but the most quintessential Christmas dessert has got to be cookies. We’re big fans of sugar cookies in particular because they’re easy to bake, are super-versatile, and best of all, are fun to decorate. Bust out those cookie cutters and check out our top 30 holiday sugar cookie recipes for ideas—just don’t forget to bake enough to leave out for Santa too!

And don’t worry if you’re not the most confident baker. We’ve got all the tips you’ll need in our classic sugar cookie recipe (hint: chill that dough), as well as a few of our favorite frosting/icing recipes, like our royal icing, our cream cheese frosting, and our sugar cookie icing. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the idea of rolling and cutting out your dough, try adding different flavors to your cookies to jazz them up. Check out our brown sugar cookies, our chewy lemon sugar cookies, or our pumpkin sugar cookies for ideas—they’re still special for the holiday, but no cookie cutters needed. If all that STILL seems like too much, there’s no shade in using store-bought cookie dough and just doing your own decorating, like in our Rolo ornament cookies, our melted snowman cookies, or our sugar cookie trees. Bonus: These recipes are great for kids (and adults who feel like one this time of year).

If you are looking for more elaborate options, we’ve got ideas for you too. One way to take your sugar cookies to the next level is to change up the color of the dough, like in our checkerboard cookies, our Grinch cookies, our pinwheel cookies, or our candy cane cookies. If you’re confident in your decorating skills or want to try something new, take inspiration from our snowflake cookies, our Santa cookies, our ugly sweater cookies, or our Christmas tree cookies. You never know, you might end up finding a new cookie box favorite among them.

Though we do love sweets this time of year, one cannot survive on cookies alone. Check out our favorite Christmas appetizers, Christmas dinners, and Christmas brunch ideas too.

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1

Perfect Sugar Cookies

30 Sugar Cookie Recipes To Make Your Christmas Extra Sweet (3)

This recipe is the only one you need. It embodies both form and function: Not only does it taste fantastically buttery with just the right amount of sweetness, it also holds its shape, is perfect for decorating, and will get you sharp, clean edges every time after baking.

Get the Perfect Sugar Cookies recipe.

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2

Christmas Tree Cookies

30 Sugar Cookie Recipes To Make Your Christmas Extra Sweet (5)

It isn't Christmas without cookies, and this year, we're starting with these trees decorated with a super-simple marbling technique that's totally Tik Tok-worthy. It's perfect for getting kids involved or for using on other holiday cookie shapes, like candy canes done with a red and white marble or snowflake shapes done in blue and white. The possibilities are endless!

Get the Christmas Tree Cookies recipe.

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3

Christmas Pinwheel Cookies

30 Sugar Cookie Recipes To Make Your Christmas Extra Sweet (7)

These easy pinwheel cookies are beyond mesmerizing but also so easy to make. Make a batch of our easy sugar cookie dough, then dye one half red. Then simply roll them together to create the swirl. The sprinkles are optional, but they add so much extra fun!

Get the Christmas Pinwheel Cookies recipe.

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4

Santa Cookies

30 Sugar Cookie Recipes To Make Your Christmas Extra Sweet (9)

Here's a crazy idea that just might be brilliant: This year, leave the plate of cookies for Santa in his own image. He'll love sliding down the chimney to see his portrait! (Just don't forget the carrots and celery for the reindeer.)

Get the Santa Cookies recipe.

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5

Stained Glass Cookies

30 Sugar Cookie Recipes To Make Your Christmas Extra Sweet (11)

Love sugar cookies but hate decorating them? These are for you! Simply fill cookie cutouts with hard candies like Jolly Ranchers, then bake. The candies will melt, then turn soft and chewy after cooling, adding a bright pop of color to your holiday dessert table.

Get the Stained Glass Cookies recipe.

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6

Rolo Ornament Cookies

30 Sugar Cookie Recipes To Make Your Christmas Extra Sweet (13)

These are the perfect cookie decorating project for kids (and adults who just feel like one this time of year!). All you've got to do is snag some Lofthouse cookies and candy from the store, then get creative with the ornament decorations.

Get the Rolo Ornament Cookies recipe.

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7

Ugly Sweater Cookies

30 Sugar Cookie Recipes To Make Your Christmas Extra Sweet (15)

Looking to really wow people at the Christmas cookie swap this year? Look no further than these gorgeous cookies. We know, it sounds like an oxymoron, but these stunners truly redefine "ugly sweater."

Get the Ugly Sweater Cookies recipe.

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8

Candy Cane Cookies

30 Sugar Cookie Recipes To Make Your Christmas Extra Sweet (17)

These cookies look so much more complicated than they are. They're actually just a simple sugar cookie where half of the dough gets dyed red and then twisted together. So simple!

Get the Candy Cane Cookies recipe.

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9

Snowflake Cookies

30 Sugar Cookie Recipes To Make Your Christmas Extra Sweet (19)

These elegant snowflake cookies turn our best-ever sugar cookie dough into a magical work of art. Trust us: You don't need any special kind of decorating expertise to pull these off—just a snowflake cookie cutter and some decorating sugar pearls.

Get the Snowflake Cookies recipe.

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10

Chewy Lemon Sugar Cookies

This recipe yields cookies that are soft and citrusy sweet with a perfect chewy center. They take very minimal effort, and the hardest part will be letting them chill in the fridge. Be patient! That rest time will be worth it for the crinkly texture it provides.

Get the Chewy Lemon Sugar Cookies recipe.

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11

Melted Snowman Cookies

30 Sugar Cookie Recipes To Make Your Christmas Extra Sweet (23)

Easy sugar cookies get turned into the cutest snowman cookies. Use our favorite sugar cookie icing and homemade or store-bought cookies to make these super-simple.

Get the Melted Snowman Cookies recipe.

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12

Checkerboard Cookies

30 Sugar Cookie Recipes To Make Your Christmas Extra Sweet (25)

Checkerboard cookies are a classic vanilla and chocolate sugar cookie that look far more complicated to make than they actually are. The two colors are made from the same dough, with half getting some cocoa powder added to it. Feel free to add in a little food coloring to the doughs instead and make the checkerboard pattern any color you desire.

Get the Checkerboard Cookies recipe.

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13

Brown Sugar Cookies

30 Sugar Cookie Recipes To Make Your Christmas Extra Sweet (27)

These brown sugar cookies are chewy, sweet, buttery, and caramelly. They're also big, which we firmly believe a cookie should be. They get baked until the edges are just set, and as they cool, they start to wrinkle and the centers will be chewy and soft with slightly crunchy edges. 😍

Get the Brown Sugar Cookies recipe.

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14

Copycat Crumbl Chilled Sugar Cookie

30 Sugar Cookie Recipes To Make Your Christmas Extra Sweet (29)

Crumbl’s chilled sugar cookie may no longer be on their permanent menu, but now you can make it at home to have any time you want. Their signature giant cookie is an almond sugar cookie with a pretty pink frosting. It doesn't traditionally have sprinkles, but we think they're fun!

Get the Copycat Crumbl Chilled Sugar Cookie recipe.

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15

Grinch Cookies

30 Sugar Cookie Recipes To Make Your Christmas Extra Sweet (31)

Not everyone's all about the Christmas cheer, and that's okay! These adorable sugar cookies will warm hearts even if they're 10 sizes too small this holiday season.

Get the Grinch Cookies recipe.

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16

Creme Brûlée Sugar Cookies

30 Sugar Cookie Recipes To Make Your Christmas Extra Sweet (33)

Caramelized sugar is our new favorite frosting sub (though don't worry, there's a little cream cheese frosting under there too). Don't have a kitchen torch? Try sticking these under the broiler.

Get the Creme Brûlée Sugar Cookies recipe.

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17

Royal Icing

30 Sugar Cookie Recipes To Make Your Christmas Extra Sweet (35)

Have you ever wondered how the icing on store-bought sugar cookies has that perfectly smooth, flat, matte look? The answer is royal icing! Follow our tips and you too can decorate sugar cookies like a pro.

Get the Royal Icing recipe.

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18

Leg Lamp Cookies

30 Sugar Cookie Recipes To Make Your Christmas Extra Sweet (37)

We know you'll be whipping up Christmas cookies this holiday season, and there's no better way to stand out from the crowd of classic chocolate chip and basic sugar cookies than with a platter of these gams, which fans of the movie A Christmas Story might deem hotter than "electric sex" and "indescribably beautiful." 😉

Get the Leg Lamp Cookies recipe.

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19

Holiday Cookie Pops

30 Sugar Cookie Recipes To Make Your Christmas Extra Sweet (39)

Everyone decorates Christmas sugar cookies with icing, and we think not enough people roll them in sugar and turn them into pops. Pro tip: Dunk ’em in your hot cocoa.

Get the Holiday Cookie Pops recipe.

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20

Cream Cheese Frosting

30 Sugar Cookie Recipes To Make Your Christmas Extra Sweet (41)

The Delish team's love for cream cheese is no secret, and this recipe showcases exactly why. Buttercream is great and all, but cream cheese frosting is arguably the most delicious option for topping all sorts of desserts, especially sugar cookies.

Get the Cream Cheese Frosting recipe.

30 Sugar Cookie Recipes To Make Your Christmas Extra Sweet (2024)

FAQs

What happens when you add extra sugar to cookies? ›

Sugar sweetens the cookies and makes them an enticing golden brown. Adding too little sugar can affect the taste and texture of cookies. Adding too much can cause them to be brittle. Take your time creaming the sugar and butter together at the beginning.

How do you adjust the sweetness of cookie dough? ›

Adjust the other ingredients: You can try adding a bit more of the other ingredients to balance out the sweetness. For example, you can add a little more flour, butter, or any other dry ingredients called for in the recipe. This can help dilute the extra sugar and bring the flavors back into balance [1].

How to improve sugar cookies? ›

From the dough to the baking to the icing, our guide will leave you with the perfect sugar cookie this holiday season.
  1. Opt for Room Temperature Eggs. ...
  2. Splurge on "Pure" Vanilla Extract. ...
  3. Whisk the Flour. ...
  4. Chill the Dough. ...
  5. Refrain from Overmixing. ...
  6. Go Easy on the Flour. ...
  7. Bake on Parchment Paper.
Dec 16, 2014

What does adding milk do to cookies? ›

The moisture contributed by the milk will also increase spread and hydrate more of the starches in the flour. These hydrated (gelatinized) starches support the structure of the air pocket wall, keeping the cookies from collapsing once cooled. By holding more water, they also help keep the cookies softer over time.

What does adding more brown sugar to cookies do? ›

Brown sugar, meanwhile, is dense and compacts easily, creating fewer air pockets during creaming—that means that there's less opportunity to entrap gas, creating cookies that rise less and spread more. With less moisture escaping via steam, they also stay moist and chewy.

Can you over beat sugar cookie dough? ›

Over-working the dough yields a tough cookie, which is not at all what you want. The very best sugar cookies are soft and tender. → Follow this tip: One of the keys to great sugar cookies is mixing the dry ingredients only until they're just incorporated, and not a second longer.

How do you make dough taste sweeter? ›

Sweet – If not spice, than sugar is nice. Any sweetener will help keep the dough fresh, but add it with an awareness that it will have to ferment longer as the yeast works to break it down. Molasses is a popular dough sweetener, adding a deeper and complex flavor.

Should you let sugar cookie dough rest? ›

"This allows the dry ingredients time to soak up the wet ones, which results in a firmer dough. It leads to a marvelously chewy, chocolate-rich cookie." So yes, resting your cookie dough makes better cookies.

Are sugar cookies better with butter or shortening? ›

Which One Should I Use in Cookies? Basically, cookies made with butter spread more and are flatter and crisper if baked long enough. However, they are more flavorful than cookies made with shortening. Cookies made with shortening bake up taller and are more tender, but aren't as flavorful.

What is are some key tips in ensuring a successful sugar cookie? ›

Sugar Cookie Tips for the Best-Ever Treats
  • Add an Egg Yolk. This is one of those sugar cookie tips you may have heard of before: Add an extra egg yolk to your cookies. ...
  • Use Brown Sugar. ...
  • Chill the Dough. ...
  • Add a Secret Ingredient. ...
  • Keep an Eye on the Clock. ...
  • Store Cookies the Right Way.
Jun 20, 2018

What is the least popular Christmas cookie? ›

On the naughty list of cookies, Americans gave the lowest win records to anise cookies, which only won 29% of its matchups.

What is America's favorite Christmas cookies? ›

Speaking of holiday baking, nearly half of the country has a favorite Christmas cookie. Among those who can make a single choice, frosted sugar cookies lead the list (32%), with gingerbread (12%) and chocolate chip (11%) rounding out the top three.

Who makes best Christmas cookies? ›

Christmas Cookies Gifts & Mail Order Cookies for You & Yours
  • Carlo's Bakery's Butter Cookie Box. ...
  • Elegant Desserts' Iced Sugar Cookie Christmas Gift Set. ...
  • Zola Bakes' Christmas Rainbow Cookies. ...
  • Baked in the Burg's Christmas Deep Dish Cookie Sampler. ...
  • Red Velvet NYC's Sugar Cookie Tree DIY Baking Kit.
Jan 11, 2024

What happens when you add too much sugar in your baked goods? ›

Sugar creates tenderness in baked goods by weakening the gluten structure (proteins in flour). Adding too much sugar can weaken the gluten structure in a cake to the point that it may collapse.

What to do if you add too much sugar to a recipe? ›

Continue adding an acidic ingredient already in the recipe to taste. For example, if the recipe calls for lemon or lime juice, try doubling the citrus to keep the sugar content from overwhelming the taste of the food.

Can too much sugar make cookies flat? ›

Baking is truly a science, and the texture and rise of your cookies rely on a careful ratio of fat, sugar and flour. Common measuring mistakes like using too little flour or too much sugar can lead to a flat cookie, so always use measuring cups and spoons when adding dry and wet ingredients to your dough.

Will high sugar content decrease the spread of a cookie? ›

The sugar content has an effect on the spread ratio of cookies. Higher sugar content leads to a higher spread ratio, while lower sugar content results in a lower spread ratio. In one study, cookies with 30% and 40% sugar had higher spread ratios compared to cookies with 20% sugar .

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