Viral Christmas Sugar Cookies: Soft, Buttery Cut-Out Cookies with Easy Royal Icing

Nothing says the holidays quite like a tray of homemade Christmas sugar cookies. Soft in the center, lightly crisp at the edges, and dressed up in snowy royal icing with red and green sprinkles, these cut-out cookies are the ones everyone reaches for first at the cookie exchange. They hold their shape beautifully in the oven, so stars, trees, and snowflakes come out looking just as festive as they went in.

This is the kind of recipe that turns an ordinary December afternoon into a tradition. The dough comes together with simple pantry staples, chills quickly, and rolls out without sticking or tearing. Kids love cutting out shapes and decorating, while adults will appreciate a cookie that is genuinely tender and buttery rather than dry and crumbly. One batch makes plenty for gifting, and the cookies stay soft for days.

Whether you keep them classic with a simple vanilla icing or go all out with colored royal icing and sprinkles, these viral-worthy Christmas sugar cookies are made to be shared. Bake a double batch, pour some hot cocoa, and let the decorating begin.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Soft, thick, and buttery with clean edges that keep their shape.
• No-fail dough that rolls out easily and does not spread in the oven.
• Simple royal icing that sets firm enough for stacking and gifting.
• Perfect for cookie exchanges, holiday parties, and edible gifts.
• Kid-friendly decorating with sprinkles, colored icing, and edible glitter.

Ingredients

For the Sugar Cookies

• 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional, for a classic bakery flavor)

For the Easy Royal Icing

• 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup (optional, for shine)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Gel food coloring in red and green (optional)
• Holiday sprinkles for decorating

Instructions

1. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract if using, mixing until smooth and fully combined.
4. Add the dry ingredients in two additions, mixing on low speed just until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix, or the cookies will turn tough.
5. Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
7. On a lightly floured surface, roll one disk of dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out shapes with floured cookie cutters and place them 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Re-roll scraps once for the best texture.
8. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are just set and the centers still look pale. The cookies will firm up as they cool, so do not wait for browning.
9. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
10. For the icing, whisk the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of milk, corn syrup if using, and vanilla until smooth. Add milk a teaspoon at a time until the icing flows slowly off a spoon. Tint portions red and green with gel food coloring if desired.
11. Spread or pipe the icing onto the cooled cookies, add sprinkles while the icing is still wet, and let the cookies sit at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours until the icing is fully set.

Tips for Perfect Cut-Out Cookies

Keep the dough cold for the cleanest shapes. If the dough softens while you work, slide it back into the refrigerator for 10 minutes before cutting. Dip cookie cutters in flour between cuts so the shapes release easily, and bake similar-sized cookies together so they finish at the same time. For extra-tender cookies, measure the flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling it off rather than scooping straight from the bag.

Make-Ahead and Storage

The dough can be wrapped tightly and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator before rolling. Undecorated cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, and decorated cookies keep for up to 5 days once the icing has fully set. Stack decorated cookies between sheets of parchment paper, and freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months for last-minute holiday trays.

Nutrition (Estimates)

Per cookie, approximately: 165 calories, 7 g fat, 23 g carbohydrates, 2 g protein, 12 g sugar, 95 mg sodium. Values are estimates and will vary with cookie size, icing, and decorations.