From Snowmen to Santa: Easy Christmas Cookie Designs You’ll Love!

Bring the magic of the holidays to your kitchen with these festive and beautifully decorated Christmas cookies! This step-by-step guide will help you create stunning designs like snowmen, Christmas trees, and Santa, perfect for sharing with loved ones

Here’s a comprehensive guide to make these beautifully decorated Christmas cookies:

Materials Required

For the Cookie Dough:

1. 3 cups all-purpose flour
2. 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3. 1/4 teaspoon salt
4. 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
5. 1 cup granulated sugar
6. 1 large egg
7. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8. 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

For Royal Icing:

1. 4 cups powdered sugar
2. 3 tablespoons meringue powder
3. 6 tablespoons warm water (adjust for desired consistency)
4. Food coloring (red, green, white, blue, and any other festive colors)

Tools:

1. Rolling pin
2. Christmas-themed cookie cutters (snowmen, trees, stars, Santa, etc.)
3. Piping bags
4. Small round piping tips
5. Toothpicks
6. Baking sheet
7. Parchment paper
8. Mixing bowls
9. Hand or stand mixer

Steps to Make the Cookies

Step 1: Prepare the Dough

1. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
3. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract to the butter mixture and beat until combined.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms.
5. Divide the dough into two portions, wrap them in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Step 2: Roll and Cut the Cookies

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Remove the dough from the fridge and let it sit for 5 minutes to soften slightly.
3. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about 1/4-inch thickness.
4. Use Christmas-themed cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Place the shapes on the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between each cookie.
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Allow cookies to cool completely on a wire rack.

Steps to Make the Royal Icing

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk powdered sugar and meringue powder.
2. Add warm water gradually while mixing until the icing reaches your desired consistency (thicker for outlining, thinner for flooding).
3. Divide the icing into separate bowls and add food coloring to each to match your desired designs.
4. Transfer the icing into piping bags fitted with small round tips.

Decorating the Cookies

1. Outline the Cookies: Use thicker icing to outline each cookie. This prevents the flooding icing from spilling over.
2. Flood the Cookies: Thin the icing slightly with a few drops of water and fill in the outlined areas. Use a toothpick to spread and smooth out the icing.
3. Add Details: Once the base layer is dry (about 1 hour), use contrasting colors and finer piping tips to add details like Santa’s hat, snowmen’s scarves, or Christmas tree ornaments.
4. Final Touches: Add edible glitter or sprinkles for a festive look.

Additional Tips

• Chilling the Dough: Ensure the dough is cold before cutting out shapes to maintain sharp edges.
• Prevent Icing Bleeding: Allow the base icing layer to dry completely before adding additional layers or details.
• Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week or freeze them for longer storage.
• Practice Designs: If you’re new to cookie decorating, practice designs on parchment paper before working on the cookies.