🎄 Best Christmas Cookies 🎄
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons alcohol-free vanilla extract
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2–3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk, as needed
- ½ cup festive sprinkles, optional
Directions:
- Prepare the Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream the Butter and Sugar: Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together for 2–3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add the Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the egg and alcohol-free vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cornstarch.
- Make the Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix just until the dough comes together. If it feels too dry or crumbly, add the heavy cream or milk 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Chill the Dough: Divide the dough into two portions, flatten into discs, wrap, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. This helps the cookies hold their shape while baking.
- Roll and Cut: On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about ¼-inch thickness. Cut into Christmas shapes such as stars, trees, bells, and gingerbread people.
- Decorate: Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets. Add sprinkles before baking if desired.
- Bake: Bake for 8–11 minutes, depending on the size of the cookies. The edges should be lightly golden while the centers remain soft.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate Further: Once completely cool, decorate with your favorite icing, colored sugar, sprinkles, or melted chocolate.
Nutritional Information:
- ⏰ Prep Time: 25 minutes | Cooking Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes
- 🔥 Kcal: Approximately 145 kcal per cookie | 🍽️ Servings: 30 cookies