The Secret to the Perfect Christmas Cookie

The holiday season is the best time for baking and there’s nothing more classic than the perfect Christmas cookie. Biting into a soft, sugary cookie with a glass of milk on the side brings a smile to everyone’s face.

Making the perfect Christmas cookie can be a bit of a challenge, though. From choosing the right recipe and mastering the tricks of the trade to decorating and packaging them up for all your friends and family. Paying attention to every detail is an art.

Here at Nielsen-Massey Vanillas, we know just how important it is to get your Christmas cookies right, especially since Santa is on his way soon. Not only are we handing you our tried-and-true, classic Christmas cookie recipe, but we are also giving you some of the top tips to make sure your cookies come out the best they possibly can. Click here for our Classic Holiday Sugar Cookie recipe.

Top Christmas Cookie Baking Tips

Do you know what makes the best thick and chewy cookies or how to cut the perfect shapes out of your cookie dough? It’s tips like these that can turn even the most novice baker into a pro in no time!

If you like thick cookies, the key is to roll out your cookie dough with light pressure on the rolling pin. This will allow for a thicker, more even dough.
When you cut out the cookie dough shapes, make sure you are using enough flour. This means a well-floured surface, a well-floured top of the cookie dough and a floured rolling pin. The extra coating of flour will ensure that you don’t end up with a sticky doughy mess!
The best sugar to use when you are making your sugar cookies is a superfine variety. You can buy superfine sugar at the grocery store but, if you don’t have time to run to the store, simply pulse granulated sugar in a food processor for 30 seconds. Using superfine sugar in your recipe will give your cookie that crisper exterior texture.
Make sure you mix your ingredients in the proper order. Begin by creaming the sugar and butter together and then add the room temperature eggs and vanilla. After sifting the salt, baking powder and flour together, add these dry ingredients to the wet mixture to form the dough. The steps are in that order for a reason, so make sure that you follow the instructions!

Suggested Decorating Ideas

Not all of us are extraordinary cookie decorators, but we all know Christmas cookies must be festive and pretty. Instead of worrying about perfectly piped decorations and detailed lines, try some of these tips with the recipe below to make gorgeous Christmas cookies.

Holiday Sugar Cookies

You already have the perfect glaze recipe below. The key is to separate the glaze out into small bowls and using gel food colors to make different colors. Simply glazing the tops of the cookies with bold reds and greens is a great, simple technique to make the cookies stand out. Don’t forget to make some regular white icing too!
The white icing is great to use with colored sugar or sprinkles. Simply glaze the cookies with white icing, and then cover them with colored sugar or sprinkles. Tilt the cookie, tap off the excess and voila! You have a fun, festive and sparkling cookie that looks stunning.
You can also pipe simple decorations like a snowman with buttons and a hat or ornaments on a green colored Christmas tree.