Description
Traditional and timeless, these Iced Christmas Sugar Cookies will remind you of leaving out cookies as a child for Santa.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cookies:
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar minus 2 tsp
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups plus 3 tbsp all-purpose flour (plus more for sprinkling on the dough to roll it out)
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Icing (below)
- Sanding sugar and colored sprinkles
For the Icing:
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tbsp whole milk
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Food coloring if desired
Instructions
For the Cookies:
- Combine the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or, if preferred, in a bowl using a large wooden spoon to beat by hand. Mix well.
- Combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt, and add to the liquid ingredients. Mix until there are no more streaks of flour. Chill for 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 365 degrees. Flour a surface for rolling the dough. Take half the dough (it will be very sticky), place it on the board, and liberally sprinkle with flour. Roll to desired thickness, using more flour as necessary to keep it from sticking to the counter or rolling pin. Cut out desired shapes. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 7-8 minutes for 2-inch cookies, until they are puffed and soft. Move the cookies to a rack to cool. They will crisp up quickly. Ice and decorate with sugar or sprinkles or both.
For the Icing:
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl and beat (with a mixer or by hand) until smooth and creamy.
- Divide among small bowls and use food coloring for desired shades. Makes enough icing for 6 dozen 2-inch cookies.