Christmas Sugar Cookies & Decorating Tips

I love making Christmas sugar cookies.  I loved making them when I was younger and now as an adult, I love making them with my children.  Of course, sugar cookies are the best kind of cookie to give to Santa, too!

I have been following the same cookie recipe for years, which can be found here.  It makes a very sweet and soft cookie.  Make sure not to over bake it!

 It is so much fun to pick the different cookie cutters and to press them into the dough to make the shapes.

Decorating the cookies is even more fun because you get to decided what colors to use and any other added decorations such as sanding sugar or sprinkles.

I love having Christmas sugar cookies on hand during the holiday season.  It is such a joy for my kids to have a cookie after school or with some hot chocolate after playing outside.  But like I said before, they are good to have on hand for Santa on Christmas Eve.

I like using royal icing to frost my sugar cookies.  Make sure that when you are icing the cookies, the royal icing is able to fall back on itself and is not too runny.  You don't want it running off the cookie, but staying on the cookie and spreading itself out.

Royal Icing Recipe

3 egg whites

4-5 cups of powdered sugar

Using the whisk attachment in a KitchenAid or handheld mixer, beat the egg whites until they are frothy.

Slowly add in powdered sugar
and mix until smooth.  Depending on the consistency of the icing you may need to add more powdered sugar.  If it is too thick, dribble in a little water and mix until you think you have the right consistency.   

When the cookies are cool, they are ready to decorate.  Make sure they are completely cool, as any warmth will make the icing melt and run.  I like to have all my colors, bowls and piping bags laid out prior to decorating.  Keeping it organized and tidy will make the decorating process go much more smoothly.  I scoop out the icing and divide it up between bowls, then add my food coloring to make my colors.  I like the Wilton brand of gel colors, which can be found at Michael's craft stores.

To ice cookies with layers (like the reindeer and mittens) I did the light brown first, let it get hard and then do the next layer of icing, such as the collar, antlers and noses.  It is important to make sure the icing has set before adding the other colors, or else they will blend together.

Packaged in cello bags with crinkle and my tags, ready to give to the neighbors.

I love making snowflake cutout cookies.  They are fun and easy to decorate.  With these cookies, I just make the royal icing without any gel coloring.

I add the first layer of white icing and make sure it sets.  Then I add lines of icing highlighting the fancy snowflake parts.  While still wet, I add I then add sprinkles and sugars.

They turn out beautifully...just imaging snacking on them with a big mug of hot chocolate!

Other Christmas sugar cookies that my children helped make...they insist on using a lot of color!  But as you can see, the possibilities are endless when it comes to decorating Christmas cutouts.