🍪 Easy cut-out sugar cookies for Santa (kid-friendly)
Prep: 30 min · Cook: 10 min · Makes: about 30 cookies
Every family needs one great sugar cookie recipe, and this is ours. The dough is easy to roll, it doesn't puff up into blobs in the oven, and the cookies stay soft in the middle with just a little crunch at the edges.
Bake a big batch on a December weekend: some for the cookie jar, some for the neighbors, and the very best ones saved for the plate you leave out for Santa on Christmas Eve, next to a glass of milk.
Tips for little bakers
- Ages 3-5 can stir, press the cutters, and go wild with sprinkles.
- Ages 6 and up can roll the dough and frost with a butter knife or a squeeze bottle.
- Put sprinkles in a rimmed baking sheet to keep most of them off the floor. Most of them.
- Re-roll the scraps once. After that, roll them into little balls and bake as "snowball" bites.
The plate for Santa
Let your kids choose which cookies go on Santa's plate and write him a note to go with it. Many families add a carrot or two for the reindeer, and some kids like to leave a little drawing too.
Flavor twists
- Almond: swap 1/2 tsp of the vanilla for almond extract.
- Citrus: add the finely grated zest of an orange or lemon with the egg.
- Spiced: add 1 tsp cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg to the flour.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks, 8 oz) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar, for the frosting
- 2-3 tbsp milk, for the frosting
- gel food coloring and sprinkles, to decorate
Method
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with a mixer (or a sturdy spoon and some determination) until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Beat in the egg and 1 1/2 tsp of the vanilla.
- In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt. Add it to the butter mixture and mix on low just until a soft dough forms.
- Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disk, wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour so the cookies keep sharp edges.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll the dough on a floured counter to about 1/4 inch thick. Let the kids cut out stars, trees, mittens and stockings, and place them 1 inch apart on the sheets.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, just until the edges are set and barely golden. A grown-up handles the oven. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack.
- For the frosting, stir the powdered sugar, the remaining 1/2 tsp vanilla and the milk together until thick but spreadable. Divide into small bowls and tint with gel coloring.
- Frost the cooled cookies, add sprinkles right away, and let the frosting set for about an hour.
Questions
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes. The dough keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before rolling.
Why did my cookies spread?
The dough was probably too warm. Chill the cut-out shapes on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before baking.
How long do frosted sugar cookies stay fresh?
About a week in an airtight container at room temperature. Let the frosting dry completely, then stack with parchment between the layers.