How to Bake Christmas Cookies

Guide Note: How to Bake Christmas Cookies offers tips, tricks and advice on how to bake and decorate sugar, gingerbread and Spritz cookies for the holidays.

Table of Contents:

Introduction

How to Bake Sugar Cookies

(Creative Commons photo by Andrew Eick)
(Creative Commons photo by Andrew Eick)
  • Sugar cookies are an extremely popular choice for Christmas baking. They're easy to make, freeze well and will survive a cross-country journey should you decide to ship them. They also make the perfect canvas for your holiday-inspired icing and gumdrop artistry.

Ingredients You'll Need

Equipment You'll Need

  • 1 Large Mixing Bowl
  • 1 Heavy Duty Mixer
  • 1 Spoon
  • Christmas Cookie Cutters (Trees, Snowman, Stars, Candy Canes, etc.)
  • Plastic Wrap
  • Cookie Sheet
  • Rolling Pin

Sugar Cookie Baking Instructions

(Creative Commons photo by Joe Hall)
(Creative Commons photo by Joe Hall)
  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Set this bowl aside.
  2. In the bowl of a heavy duty mixer, beat the shortening until fluffy.
  3. Add the sugar and corn syrup. Beat until blended.
  4. Add the egg, vanilla extract and almond extract. Beat continuously.
  5. Add in the cinnamon. Continue beating.
  6. Slowly add in the flour mixture two teaspoons at a time.
    • If the mixture becomes too thick for your mixer, add the remaining flour by hand. Knead the dough on a flat surface until all of the flour is incorporated.
  7. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
  8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  9. Roll out the chilled dough to approximately 1/8-1/4 inch thick on a flat surface lightly dusted with flour.
  10. Cut out the dough using your seasonal cookie cutters.
    • To keep the cutters from sticking to the dough, spray lightly with cooking spray.
  11. Place the cookies on greased cookie sheets.
  12. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes.
    • The cookies are ready when the edges start to brown, and the cookie is golden.
  13. Remove the cookies from the oven.
  14. Cool on a rack for approximately 2 hours before decorating or freezing.

How to Bake Gingerbread Men

Photo by S. Schleicher
Photo by S. Schleicher
  • What would Christmas be without gingerbread men? They're adorable. They're delicious, and one of their ilk has been immortalized in film thanks to Shrek. Kids have a great time decorating them, and you'll certainly have a good time eating them.

Ingredients You'll Need

Equipment You'll Need

  • 1 Large Mixing Bowl
  • Whisk or Sifter
  • 1 Heavy Duty Mixer
  • Plastic Wrap
  • Cookie Sheet
  • Parchment Paper
  • Rolling Pin
  • Gingerbread Man Cookie Cutter
  • Spatula
(Creative Commons photo by Jess Lander)
(Creative Commons photo by Jess Lander)

Gingerbread Men Baking Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda and spices. Set this bowl aside.
  2. In the bowl of a heavy duty mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy.
  3. Add the egg and molasses until combined.
  4. Gradually add the flour mixture until fully incorporated.
  5. Divide the dough in half.
  6. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
  7. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  8. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  9. Roll out the chilled dough to approximately 1/4 inch thick on a flat surface lightly dusted with flour.
  10. Cut out the dough using your gingerbread man cookie cutter.
    • To keep the cutter from sticking to the dough, spray lightly with cooking spray.
  11. Place the cookies on the cookie sheet.
  12. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8 to 12 minutes depending on their size.
    • The cookies are done with the edges begin to brown.
  13. Remove the cookies from the oven.
  14. Cool on a rack for approximately 2 hours before decorating or freezing.

How to Bake Spritz Cookies

(Creative Commons photo by Ross Berteig)
(Creative Commons photo by Ross Berteig)

Ingredients You'll Need

Equipment You'll Need

Spritz Cookie Baking Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. In the bowl of a heavy duty mixer, beat the butter and sugar.
  3. Stir in the the flour, salt, egg and vanilla extract.
  4. Stir in a few drops of food coloring if desired.
  5. Place dough in cookie press.
  6. Squeeze cookie press to form the desired shapes on the cookie sheet.
  7. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 5 to 8 minutes.
    • The cookies are done with the edges start to brown.
  8. Remove the cookies from the oven.
  9. Cool on a rack for approximately 2 hours before decorating or freezing.

How to Decorate Your Cookies

Use royal icing to decorate your cookies. (Creative Commons photo by Dan McKay)
Use royal icing to decorate your cookies. (Creative Commons photo by Dan McKay)
  • The best part of making Christmas cookies is definitely the decorating. You get to personalize your little baked creations, and if you have kids, you get to let them in on the act. So, bust out your pastry bags and gumdrops. It's time to give those gingerbread men some eyes.

How to Make Royal Icing

  • The type of icing typically used in decorating Christmas cookies is called "royal icing." A thick version of the icing can be used to create outlines or piping around your cookie. A thinner version can be used to coat your entire cookie with a layer of icing that will harden into crunchy finish.
  • This recipe will yield approximately 2 1/2 Cups of Royal Icing.

Ingredients You'll Need

  • 3 Egg Whites
  • 1/2 Teaspoon of Cream of Tartar
  • 1 Teaspoon of Lemon Juice
  • 4 Cups of Confectioners' Sugar
  • Vanilla, Peppermint or Lemon Extract (Optional)

Equipment You'll Need
  1. In the bowl of the mixer, whip together the egg whites with the cream of tartar until foamy.
  2. Sprinkle in the sugar gradually. Add the lemon juice and extract, if desired. Continue whipping.
  3. Beat the mixture until it forms stiff, glossy peaks. Approximately 5 to 7 minutes on high speed.
  4. Transfer to a pastry bag, filling to 1/3 full. Use standard tips #2 or #3, and decorate!
    • Thick icing is good for creating a pipe or outline to be filled in with thinner icing.
    • Thin icing is good for filling in an outlined shape or laying a base coat over the entire cookie. Icing can be thinned by adding water.
There's more than one way to decorate a cookie. (Creative Commons photo by Tracy Hunter)
There's more than one way to decorate a cookie. (Creative Commons photo by Tracy Hunter)

Alternate Recipe

  • This recipe will yield approximately 3 Cups of Royal Icing.

Ingredients You'll Need

  • 3 Tablespoons of Meringue Powder
  • 1/2 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 Teaspoon of Lemon Juice
  • 4 Cups of Confectioners' Sugar
  • 1/2 Cup of Warm Water

Equipment You'll Need
  1. In the bowl of the mixer, whip together the sugar and meringue powder.
  2. Add the vanilla extract and lemon juice.
  3. Add the water. Beat for approximately 5 minutes or until stiff peaks begin to form.
  4. Transfer to a pastry bag.

Decorating Before You Bake

  • You can decorate your cookies before putting them in the oven. Try one of these pre-baking decorating techniques:
  1. Sprinkle course colored sugar on your cookies.
  2. Place nuts, colored sprinkles or dragees on your cookies.
  3. Mix beaten egg yolks with food coloring, and paint your cookies before they go in the oven.

Additional Decorating Tips

  1. To attach candies to your cookies after baking, use a drop of corn syrup or a dab of royal icing to hold them in place.
  2. Dust cookies with powdered sugar.
  3. Use a toothpick or small paintbrush to paint details on your cookies.

Shipping Your Holiday Cookies

Keep your cookies flat when shipping. (Creative Commons photo by Greg Palmer)
Keep your cookies flat when shipping. (Creative Commons photo by Greg Palmer)
  • One of the reasons sugar, gingerbread and Spritz cookies are so popular at the holidays is because they are easy to freeze and ship. Baked cookies will keep in the freezer for 3 to 4 weeks, and shipping them is a breeze if you follow these few simple rules:
  1. Pack cookies in two boxes - an inner gift box and an outer shipping box.
  2. Choose the right size box. You don't want your cookies shifting around and breaking.
  3. The box the cookies are in should have a tight lid.
  4. Lay the cookies flat, and pile same-shaped cookies on top of each other.
  5. Pack the area around the cookie tin or box with air popped popcorn. This is an inexpensive and ecologically-friendly alternative to bubble wrap or Styrofoam peanuts.

Resources for How to Bake Christmas Cookies

Photo by Monika Zillekens
Photo by Monika Zillekens

Sugar Cookie Recipes

Gingerboard Cookie Recipes

Spritz Cookie Recipes and Cookie Press Tips

Cookie Icing, Glaze and Frosting Recipes

Decorating Cookies

Christmas Cookie Merchandise

Related Searches

Christmas Cookies | Gingerbread Man | Christmas Cupcakes | Christmas Cookie Bars | How to Make Sugar Cookies | How to Make Gingerbread Men | How to Make Spritz Cookies | How to Make Royal Icing | How to Decorate Christmas Cookies



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