Description
These Best Soft Christmas Cookies are classic, tender cut-out sugar cookies that maintain their shape perfectly. Ideal for holiday celebrations, they are subtly sweet and delightfully soft with a gentle vanilla aroma. Perfect for decorating with colored sugar before baking or frosting after cooling, these cookies make festive treats for all ages.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3.75 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1.5 cups white sugar
- 1 cup margarine, softened
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Gather Ingredients: Collect all necessary ingredients to ensure a smooth baking process without interruptions.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agent and salt for uniform flavor and texture.
- Cream Sugar and Butter: Using an electric mixer in a large bowl, beat the white sugar with softened margarine until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy, which helps to create a tender texture in the cookies.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat the first egg into the creamed mixture, followed by the second egg along with the vanilla extract to enhance flavor and help bind the dough.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients just until combined, taking care not to overmix to keep the cookies soft and tender.
- Chill Dough: Wrap the dough tightly and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm it up, which makes it easier to roll out and helps cookies hold their shape during baking.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Sheets: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and grease two cookie sheets to prevent sticking.
- Roll and Cut Dough: On a clean, floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use Christmas-themed cookie cutters to cut shapes and place them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheets. Gather and re-roll scraps as needed to use all dough.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes until the edges turn golden, indicating they are perfectly baked yet soft inside.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool briefly on the baking sheet to firm up, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating or serving.
- Serve and Enjoy: Decorate with colored sugar before baking or frost once fully cooled for a festive touch, then serve and enjoy your soft Christmas cookies.
Notes
- These cookies are soft and tender, perfect for holding detailed cut-out shapes that do not spread too much during baking.
- Sprinkle with colored sugar before baking for a sparkling festive look or frost when cool for more decorative options.
- Use margarine or butter per preference; margarine is used here to reduce saturated fat content slightly.
- Ensure dough is well chilled to avoid excessive spreading and to make rolling easier.
- Store cookies in an airtight container to maintain softness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 97 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 81 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 8 mg
