Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies (Soft & Chewy Christmas Cookie Recipe!) (2024)

Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies (Soft & Chewy Christmas Cookie Recipe!) (1)

These Old Fashioned Christmas Sugar Cookies are a classic Christmas treat. Topping them off with red and green sanding sugar makes these the perfect holiday cookie.

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These Old Fashioned Christmas Sugar Cookies are a classic Christmas treat. The cookie dough is made from scratch with a cream cheese base, giving it a creamy and delicious flavor. Topping them off with red and green sanding sugar makes these the perfect holiday cookie.

Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies (Soft & Chewy Christmas Cookie Recipe!) (2)

Grandma’s Christmas Cookies

I can’t be the only one planning out my holiday baking already, right? I get so excited to get in my kitchen and prepare fun and tasty treats for my family and friends every holiday season. Christmas sugar cookies are probably my all-time favorites and I make them every single year. I even get requests for them!

These cookies will take you right back to your Grandma’s kitchen. They are the old fashioned cookies that grandmas used to surprise you with every year. They are so creamy, they pretty much melt in your mouth. I’m convinced it’s because of the addition of cream cheese in the cookie dough. I like to finish off my sugar cookies with a dusting of red and green sugar sprinkles, but the beauty of these is that they are versatile and you can decorate them however you like.

If you are looking for an easy and delicious homemade Christmas gift to give this year, or if you simply need something to bring to your cookie exchange, you can’t go wrong with this recipe. These are the best classic Christmas cookies. Whether you plan to take them to a gathering or munch on them at home, they will be a hit for sure!

Why We Love These Cookies

  • Easy to make
  • Soft and Chewy
  • Can be decorated for any occasion (just change out the sprinkles!)
  • Make-ahead cookie dough
  • No rolling the dough required
  • Reminds me of grandma!
  • Salted butter, softened – If you use unsalted butter you may want to add in some extra salt.
  • Cream cheese, softened– This is the secret to a soft and chewy cookie!
  • Large eggs – I like to always have my eggs at room temperature
  • Vanilla extract & almond extract – That little bit of almond extract absolutely makes the recipe!
  • All-purpose flour
  • Cornstarch – Keeps them puffy!
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Red & Green Sanding Sugar
Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies (Soft & Chewy Christmas Cookie Recipe!) (3)

Additions & Substitutions

Toppings: You can do a lot with this recipe for delicious Christmas sugar cookies. If you prefer, you can forego the sanding sugar and opt for frosting on some (or all) of your cookies. You can make a homemade icing recipe or use store bought frosting. Then, have fun decorating them however you like!

Butter: If you are using unsalted butter, you will want to add another ¼ tsp of salt to the recipe.

Cream cheese: I recommend using full-fat cream cheese in this cookie recipe, as it yields the best result because of the consistency it offers. However, if you prefer you could also use ⅓ fat cream cheese and it should still turn out just fine.

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How to Make Our Old Fashioned Christmas Sugar Cookies

  1. MIX: Butter, cream cheese, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and almond extract until light and fluffy.
  2. ADD: Flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt and mix until soft dough forms.Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies (Soft & Chewy Christmas Cookie Recipe!) (4)
  3. CHILL: Cover bowl with plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies (Soft & Chewy Christmas Cookie Recipe!) (5)
  4. SCOOP: Place dough balls on the lined cookie sheet, 1 inch apart.Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies (Soft & Chewy Christmas Cookie Recipe!) (6)
  5. DECORATE: Use a fork to make a criss-cross pattern in each cookie and sprinkle cookies with sugar.Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies (Soft & Chewy Christmas Cookie Recipe!) (7)
  6. BAKE: At 350 for 9-11 minutes.
  7. COOL: Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes and move to a wire rack.
Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies (Soft & Chewy Christmas Cookie Recipe!) (8)

Tips

Tip 1: Make sure that you do not overcook these cookies. They should not brown on the edges at all. You want them to be soft, and they should look just a little bit undercooked when you take them out of the oven.

Tip 2: One of the best things about a good sugar cookie dough is that it can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for a few days before using it. So, if you’d like to make this dough in advance, go right ahead! You can even freeze it for up to 3 months.

Tip 3: The step of chilling your dough is a must in this recipe. This will help with making the dough easier to roll and shape.

Here are some useful kitchen tools that will help make your baking life a lot easier! As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Cookie Scoop– this makes it much easier to get the perfect size scoop of the dough. This is a set of 3 so you always will have the right size!

Silicone Baking Mat: – This is a kitchen MUST HAVE! I use them for everything… making cookies, sheet pan dinners and so much more!

Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies (Soft & Chewy Christmas Cookie Recipe!) (9)

How to Store

Baked and decorated cookies can be stored in an airtight container for 5-7 days. You can keep them on the countertop at room temperature or place them in the refrigerator. Like most cookies, these sugar cookies can also be frozen. Place them in the freezer for up to 3 months.

More Christmas Cookie Recipes

Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups | Chocolate Christmas Tree Pretzels | Christmas Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies | Christmas Pinwheel Cookies | Cinnamon Roll Cookies | Chocolate Covered Oreo Reindeer Cookie | Christmas Truffles | Snowball Cookies | Candy Cane Kiss Cookies | Peppermint Meltaways

5 from 4 votes

Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies (Soft & Chewy Christmas Cookie Recipe!) (10)

Old-Fashioned Christmas Sugar Cookies

Author — Jennifer Fishkind

Serves — 36

These Old Fashioned Christmas Sugar Cookies are a classic Christmas treat. Topping them off with red and green sanding sugar makes these the perfect holiday cookie.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Chill 2 hours hrs

Total Time 2 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 1 stick salted butter softened
  • 2 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp almond extract
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tbs cornstarch
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • Red & Green Sanding Sugar

Instructions

  • In a large bowl add butter, cream cheese, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and almond extract. Using a hand mixer beat until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.

  • Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add flour, cornstarch baking soda, and salt. Turn the hand mixer to a low speed and combine the ingredients until a soft dough forms.

  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

  • Once the dough has been chilled for 2 hours remove from the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

  • Place the balls on the parchment paper-lined cookie sheet, at least 1 inch apart.

  • Using a fork make a criss-cross pattern pressing down lightly into the cookie dough.

  • Sprinkle sugar with green or red sugar.

  • Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes. Make sure not to overcook these cookies – they should not brown on the edges at all. You want them to be soft, and they should look a bit undercooked when you pull them out of the oven.

  • Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to continue cooling.

Jenn’s Notes

Recipe adapted from The Salty Marshmallow

Video

Nutrition Info

Calories: 97kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 82mg | Potassium: 15mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 113IU | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg

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It’s always fun to get into the holiday spirit, and what better way to do that than to make some delicious Christmas sugar cookie! This recipe will surprise you with how simple it is to make the ultimate, melt in your mouth, cookies. They make the perfect holiday snack to have around your home or to bring to a gathering.

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Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies (Soft & Chewy Christmas Cookie Recipe!) (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to making cookies soft? ›

Baking cookies quickly in a hot oven – at 375 degrees F as opposed to a lower temperature – will make for soft results. They'll bake fast instead of sitting and drying out in the oven's hot air. Ever so slightly underbaking your cookies will give you softer results than cooking them the full amount the recipe says.

How do you make cookies soft and chewy vs hard and crisp? ›

Different types of sugars affect the texture because they absorb different amounts of water. Remember moisture is the key! White sugar creates crispier cookies and brown sugar creates chewier cookies.

What factors cause a cookie to be crisp soft and chewy? ›

The ingredients you use and how you shape your cookies both play an important role in whether your cookies turn out crispy or chewy. The type of flour and sugar you use, if your cookie dough contains eggs, and whether you use melted or softened butter all factor into the crispy-chewy equation, too.

What happens if you use powdered sugar in cookies? ›

Powdered sugar (also known as confectioners' sugar) contains cornstarch. The cornstarch absorbs moisture from the rest of the ingredients, making an extra tender and chewy cookie.

What ingredient helps cookies stay soft? ›

If you enjoy your cookies soft and chewy, chances are likely the recipe contains a common ingredient that serves a very specific purpose. No, it's not granulated sugar, nor the butter. It's not the egg, all-purpose flour, or even the vanilla extract. The simple, yet oh-so-necessary component is cornstarch.

What cookie ingredient will rise and be softer? ›

For soft cookies, use: Brown sugar, as it has a high moisture content and retains moisture better than white sugar. Also, when combined with eggs, brown sugar can prevent spreading (taller cookies tend to be softer and fluffier). Shortening instead of butter or in addition to butter.

Does more butter make cookies softer? ›

Also, underbaking them by a minute or 2 will help them retain a dense, chewy bite, explains Jenny McCoy, pastry baking arts chef-instructor at the Institute for Culinary Education in New York. Adding more moisture to your dough in the form of extra butter, egg yolks, or brown sugar will make your cookies even softer.

What ingredient contributes most to a crisp cookie? ›

The sugar you use makes a difference. All white granulated sugar makes a crisper cookie. All brown sugar makes a soft, chewy cookie, and a combination is inbetween. Creaming the sugar and butter well before combining with other ingredients makes a difference.

Should I use baking powder or baking soda for cookies? ›

Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies. Since baking powder is comprised of a number of ingredients (baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, etc.), using it instead of pure baking soda will affect the taste of your cookies.

What does an extra egg yolk do for cookies? ›

A cookie made with extra egg yolk (or, in this case, only egg yolk), will be lighter and chewier than a cookie made with whole eggs. The cookies will also have a richer flavor thanks to the added fat in egg yolk.

How to make a cookie more chewy? ›

Cornstarch helps product soft and thick cookies. Using more brown sugar than white sugar results in a moister, softer cookie. An extra egg yolk increases chewiness. Rolling the cookie dough balls to be tall and lumpy instead of wide and smooth gives the cookies a bakery-style textured thickness.

How do you keep cookies soft and chewy? ›

“To keep cookies soft, store them in an airtight container and not in a cookie jar,” Amanda recommends. “While cookie jars are cute, they usually don't have airtight lids.

Can I use powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar for sugar cookies? ›

Can powdered sugar be substituted for granulated sugar in recipes? A. It is not recommended to substitute powdered sugar for granulated sugar. Since powdered sugar has a much finer texture, and it contains a small percentage of cornstarch to prevent caking, substituting can give you unexpected results.

Why put cream of tartar in sugar cookies? ›

Cream of tartar makes cookies chewy, as it precludes the sugar in the dough from crystalizing, which would lead to crispiness (ie: the opposite of chewiness).

What is the best sugar to use in cookies? ›

Brown sugar makes my sugar cookies spread thin and keeps my oatmeal cookies from spreading at all; it makes both of them extra chewy. It also adds flavor to my crispy gingersnaps. White sugar turns my oatmeal cookies crisp and thin, and keeps my sugar cookies soft and thick.

What is the trick to soften hard cookies? ›

Here is the simplest method to soften hard cookies quickly in a microwave.
  1. Wrap the cookies in a paper towel.
  2. Place in the microwave for 1 minute.
  3. The paper will absorb any excess moisture.
  4. That's it! Your cookies are as deliciously warm and crisp as the day they were baked.
Oct 18, 2023

What makes cookies soft and flat? ›

WHY ARE MY COOKIES FLAT? HOW TO FIX FLAT COOKIES
  1. OVEN IS TOO HOT. Oven temperatures are a crucial factor in baking. ...
  2. INGREDIENTS MEASURED INCORRECTLY. ...
  3. BAKING SHEET IS TOO HOT. ...
  4. BUTTER IS TOO SOFT. ...
  5. BAKING SHEET IS OVER-GREASED. ...
  6. DOUGH WASN'T CHILLED BEFORE BAKING. ...
  7. DOUGH IS OVERMIXED. ...
  8. BAKING SHEET WAS OVERCROWDED.

How do you keep cookies soft and chewy after baking? ›

Bread. You might be familiar with this tip, as the method is as old as the recipe itself. Place the cookies inside an airtight container with a slice of bread, seal them, and leave for a few hours, preferably overnight.

Does baking soda make cookies softer or harder? ›

Baking soda is generally about three times stronger than baking powder, so adjust your recipe accordingly. Baking soda and baking powder can produce cookies with different textures. Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies.

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