Description
These classic Christmas Cookies, also known as Vanilla Biscuits or Sugar Cookies, are buttery, sweet, and perfect for holiday decorating. Soft or crisp, depending on thickness, these cookies are ideal for cookie cutters and icing, making them a festive favorite for all ages.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 225g / 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (or use salted, skip salt)
- 1 cup caster/superfine sugar (granulated/ordinary white sugar also acceptable)
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg (55-60g / 1.9-2oz)
- 3 cups plain/all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
Icing
- Icing for Sugar Cookies (optional, recipe referenced separately)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Bakeware: Preheat your oven to 180°C / 350°F (160°C fan). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, ready for the cookies.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together on medium speed (speed 5) for about one minute until the mixture is creamy and light.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Incorporate the egg and vanilla extract into the creamed butter and sugar, beating until the mixture is completely combined and smooth.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to the wet mixture. Begin mixing slowly to incorporate the dry ingredients, then increase speed to beat until the dough forms clumps and the flour is fully integrated.
- Shape Dough: Lightly dust your work surface with flour and scrape the dough onto it. Pat the dough together and divide it into two discs for easier handling.
- Roll Out Dough: Roll each disc out to your desired thickness: 0.3 cm (1/8 inch) for thinner, crispier cookies or 0.6 cm (1/4 inch) for thicker, softer ones. Sprinkle flour under and over the dough during rolling to prevent sticking.
- Cut and Transfer Shapes: Use cookie cutters to press out shapes. Use a knife or spatula to carefully transfer the shapes to the prepared baking sheets. Keep any leftover dough in the fridge until ready to roll and bake.
- Bake Cookies: Place both baking sheets in the oven simultaneously, positioning one in the middle rack and the other on the lower rack. Bake for 10 minutes, swapping trays halfway through baking so the top tray moves to the lower rack and vice versa. Cookies are done when surfaces are pale golden and edges are just starting to turn golden.
- Cool Cookies: Allow the cookies to cool completely on the trays—they will continue to firm up as they cool.
- Decorate (Optional): Decorate as desired with icing, melted chocolate dips, icing sugar dusting, or silver balls. Alternatively, serve the sweet vanilla biscuits plain for a delightful treat.
Notes
- The number of cookies depends on the size of your cookie cutters and how thickly you roll out the dough; this recipe fills approximately 3 baking trays.
- Swapping trays halfway through baking ensures even cooking because the oven shelf at the top bakes faster than the lower one.
- This recipe is adapted from Sugar Cookies by Sugar, Spun, Run.
- Store cookies in an airtight container for up to one week. After that, they may dry out slightly but remain safe and tasty to eat.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (approx. 25g)
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 85mg
- Fat: 6.5g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Protein: 1.5g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
