Description
Delight in these classic Christmas Sugar Cookies with Icing, perfect for holiday celebrations. Soft yet crisp sugar cookies are infused with warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, then topped with smooth, glossy royal icing made from powdered sugar and meringue powder. An ideal recipe for festive cookie-cutting fun and deliciously decorated treats.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Wet Ingredients
- â…” cup salted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Icing Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon meringue powder
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 5 tablespoons + 1 1/2 teaspoons water
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use a silicone baking mat to prepare for baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and nutmeg to evenly combine all dry spices and leavening agents.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the room temperature salted butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the large egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated, forming a smooth batter base for the dough.
- Combine Dough: Gradually add the flour and spice mixture to the wet ingredients in the mixer bowl and mix just until combined. Avoid over-mixing to prevent a crumbly texture. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface for rolling.
- Roll and Cut: Roll the dough out to a ¼-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Gather scraps, re-roll, and continue cutting until all dough is used.
- Bake Cookies: Place the cut cookies on the prepared baking sheet and bake on the center oven rack for about 10 minutes, or until the edges have just set.
- Cool Cookies: Remove cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5–8 minutes to set up slightly, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely before icing.
- Repeat Baking: Continue baking remaining cookies in batches, letting each batch cool completely before decorating.
- Make Icing: In a clean mixing bowl fitted with a whisk attachment, combine powdered sugar, meringue powder, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.
- Add Water and Whisk: While the mixer runs, gradually add the measured water and whisk for 4–5 minutes until the icing is smooth and glossy.
- Fill Piping Bag: Spoon the prepared icing into a piping bag, cut a small hole at the tip, and use it to decorate the cooled cookies as desired.
Notes
- Ensure butter is at room temperature for easier creaming with sugar and smooth dough texture.
- Do not over-mix the dough to prevent tough or crumbly cookies.
- Use parchment paper or silicone mats to avoid cookie sticking during baking.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before decorating to prevent icing from melting.
- Adjust icing consistency by adding more water for thinner icing or more powdered sugar for thicker icing.
- The recipe yields about 28 cookies, depending on the size of your cookie cutters.
