Soft Christmas Cookies Recipe to Spark Holiday Magic

Crafting the best soft christmas cookies brings pure holiday magic right into your kitchen.

These delightful treats promise pure comfort with every tender bite.

Sweet memories from childhood drift back as the aroma fills your home.

Butter and sugar create a delicate dance of flavors that whispers festive cheer.

Delicate textures melt softly on your tongue, capturing the essence of seasonal joy.

Simple ingredients combine to create something truly special.

Each cookie tells a story of warmth and celebration.

You’ll want to bake a double batch and share the delicious love.

Soft Christmas Cookies That Melt in Your Mouth

• These Christmas cookies come together in under 30 minutes, making festive baking a breeze for busy home cooks.
• With simple ingredients and straightforward mixing steps, even novice bakers can create delicious, professional-looking treats without stress.
• Perfect for holiday parties, family gatherings, or sweet gift-giving, these soft cookies capture the warmth and joy of the Christmas season with their delicate texture and classic flavor profile.
• Bakers can easily adapt the recipe by adding different extracts, decorative frosting, or festive sprinkles to match their personal holiday style and make each batch unique.

What You Need for Soft Christmas Cookies

Main Ingredients:

Butter and Sugar:- Butter, Sugar: Foundational ingredients that create a sweet, rich base with creamy texture. European-style butter works best for richer flavor. Granulated white sugar provides sweetness and helps create a soft cookie.

Flour Mixture:- All-Purpose Flour, Baking Powder, Salt: Essential dry ingredients for cookie structure and rise. Unbleached flour recommended for better texture. Fresh baking powder ensures proper leavening.

• Egg: Binds ingredients and adds moisture to the cookie dough. Large, room temperature eggs work best.
• Vanilla Extract: Provides classic cookie flavor. Pure vanilla extract preferred over artificial versions.

• Almond Extract: Adds delicate, nutty undertone to cookies. High-quality extracts provide more authentic taste. Can be omitted if not preferred.

Bake Soft Christmas Cookies Like Grandma Did

Step 1: Prepare Mixing Station

Set up a spacious mixing area with a large bowl, hand mixer or stand mixer, and all necessary ingredients within reach. Ensure butter is softened at room temperature for smooth blending.

Step 2: Cream Butter and Sugar

Place softened butter and sugar into the large bowl. Beat with mixer on medium speed until the mixture becomes airy, pale, and dramatically increased in volume. The texture should look fluffy and light, which takes about 3-4 minutes.

Step 3: Incorporate Liquid Ingredients

• Egg
• Vanilla extract
• Almond extract

Blend thoroughly until all components are seamlessly combined and create a uniform liquid mixture.

Step 4: Prepare Dry Ingredients

• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Salt

Whisk these ingredients together to ensure even distribution of leavening agents and seasoning.

Step 5: Create Cookie Dough

Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients. Mix gently but consistently until a soft, cohesive dough forms. Avoid overmixing, which can make cookies tough.

Step 6: Shape and Chill Dough

Transfer the dough onto plastic wrap, form into a disc, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to enhance flavor and make rolling easier.

Tips to Make Soft Christmas Cookies Shine

• Soften Butter Perfectly: Let butter sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before creaming to ensure smooth, even mixing without overmixing.
• Prevent Tough Cookies: Mix dry ingredients gently and stop stirring as soon as the flour disappears to keep cookies tender and soft.
• Choose Quality Extracts: Use pure vanilla and almond extracts for rich, authentic flavor that elevates the cookie's taste profile.
• Chill Dough for Better Shape: Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes before baking to prevent spreading and maintain the cookies' neat, round shape.
• Customize Flavor Variations: Experiment with different extract combinations like orange or peppermint to create unique holiday cookie experiences.

Enjoy These with Soft Christmas Cookies

• Sip on rich hot cocoa topped with marshmallows to complement the sweet, buttery cookie texture.
• Enjoy a smooth eggnog or creamy vanilla latte that balances the cookie's delicate sweetness and provides a luxurious holiday drinking experience.
• Serve alongside a mild spiced rum or amaretto liqueur that enhances the almond and vanilla notes in the cookies, creating a sophisticated adult dessert moment.
• Select a chai tea with warm spices that mirror the cookie's rich flavor profile and adds a comforting winter warmth to your dessert time.

Soft Christmas Cookies: Flavorful Twists

• Gluten-Free Holiday Cookies: Replace all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend to make these cookies safe for those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivities.
• Vegan Christmas Cookies: Swap butter with coconut oil or vegan margarine, and use a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water) instead of a traditional egg.
• Nutty Festive Version: Incorporate chopped pecans or almonds into the dough for added texture and a rich, toasted flavor that complements the holiday season.
• Spiced Winter Variation: Add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger to the dry ingredients for a warm, aromatic touch that enhances the cookie's festive character.

Keep Soft Christmas Cookies Fresh Longer

• Store cooled cookies in an airtight container lined with parchment paper between layers. Keep at room temperature for up to 5 days.
• Place cookies in a freezer-safe container, separating layers with wax paper. Freeze for up to 3 months for best quality and taste.
• Remove frozen cookies from container and let sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving. Cookies will return to soft, delicious texture.
• If cookies become slightly dry, place a slice of bread in the container overnight to help restore moisture and softness.

Best Soft Christmas Cookies Recipe

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4.5 from 17 reviews

• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 24 1x

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Description

Christmas cookie magic happens when classic gingerbread meets modern sweetness in this irresistible holiday treat. Warm spices, delicate textures, and festive charm invite you to savor seasonal joy with each delightful bite.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Primary Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

Protein and Flavor Enhancers:

• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)

Additional Dry Ingredients:

• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Royal Icing Ingredients (Optional):

• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 23 tablespoons meringue powder
• 46 tablespoons water (adjust for consistency)
• Food coloring (optional)

Decorative Ingredients:

• Holiday sprinkles
• Colored sugars
• Edible glitter

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Instructions

1. Prepare the creaming station by combining softened butter and sugar in a spacious mixing bowl, utilizing an electric mixer to whip the mixture until it achieves a cloud-like, airy consistency with a pale hue.
2. Introduce the egg, pure vanilla essence, and optional almond extract to the butter-sugar blend, gently incorporating each component until a harmonious mixture develops.
3. In a separate vessel, delicately sift together the flour, leavening agent, and mineral seasoning, ensuring a uniform distribution of dry components.
4. Gradually fold the dry ingredient ensemble into the wet mixture, stirring with measured strokes to prevent overworking the developing dough.
5. Continue mixing until the ingredients seamlessly unite, forming a tender, pliable dough that holds together without excessive firmness.
6. Pause and assess the dough’s texture, confirming it has reached a smooth, malleable state ready for further cookie preparation steps.

Notes

• Chill the dough for at least one hour before rolling to prevent spreading and maintain the cookies’ shape during baking.
• Use room temperature butter for easier creaming and a smoother cookie texture that ensures even mixing.
• Experiment with different extracts like peppermint or orange to create unique holiday flavor variations that will surprise your guests.
• For a gluten-free version, swap regular flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend to accommodate dietary restrictions without compromising taste.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 24
• Calories: 150
• Sugar: 8 g
• Sodium: 50 mg
• Fat: 7 g
• Saturated Fat: 4 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 21 g
• Fiber: 0.5 g
• Protein: 1.5 g
• Cholesterol: 20 mg