Name: Christmas Sugar Cookies: Cut-Out, No-Spread and Easy to Decorate
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 37 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 cup all-purpose flour, 375 g; ½ tsp baking powder; ½ tsp salt; 1 cup butter, 227 g, cool but not cold, cubed; ¾ cup sugar, 150 g; 1 egg, large; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 1 tbsp milk; 2 cup powdered sugar, 250 g; 1 tbsp meringue powder; 3 tbsp water, plus more as needed

American Winter 37 min 30 servings140 Calories

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If there is one cookie that belongs on every Christmas table, it is the cut-out sugar cookie: buttery, lightly sweet and sturdy enough to be cut into stars, trees and gingerbread people, then decorated by kids and adults alike. The trick is a dough that holds its shape in the oven, so your reindeer still look like reindeer. This no-spread recipe does exactly that, and it needs only pantry basics.

Why this recipe works

Most spreading comes from warm butter and too much leavening. Here the butter is cold-to-cool, there is only a pinch of baking powder, and the cut shapes are chilled before baking. The result is a soft centre, crisp edges and clean, sharp outlines that take icing beautifully.

Tips for sharp, flat, even cookies

Do not over-cream the butter. Beat butter and sugar only until combined and creamy, not fluffy. Too much air makes cookies puff and spread.
Chill twice. Rest the dough for an hour, then freeze the cut-out shapes on the tray for 10 minutes before baking.
Roll between parchment sheets. This avoids adding extra flour, which makes cookies dry. Aim for a thickness of about 1/4 inch (6 mm).
Measure flour by weight (125 g per cup) or spoon and level it. Scooping straight from the bag packs in too much.
Bake one tray at a time on the middle rack and pull the cookies when the edges are just pale gold.

Easy royal icing

Whisk 2 cups (250 g) of powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon of meringue powder (sold in baking aisles and online; it is the safe, shelf-stable substitute for raw egg white) and 3 to 4 tablespoons of water until it falls from the whisk in a ribbon that disappears in about 10 seconds. Thin it slightly to flood the cookie surface, or keep it thicker for piping outlines. Divide and colour with gel food colouring for the brightest shades.

Variations

Lemon or orange: add 1 tablespoon of finely grated zest to the dough.
Almond: replace 1 teaspoon of the vanilla with almond extract for a bakery-style flavour.
Chocolate: swap 1/2 cup of the flour for unsweetened cocoa powder.
Persian-inspired: add 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom to the dough and a few drops of rose water to the icing, then top with chopped pistachios.
No-icing option: brush with a little milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar before baking.

Decorating party and gifting ideas

Set out bowls of icing, sprinkles and edible pearls for a family decorating afternoon. Packed in cellophane bags tied with ribbon, plain or iced cookies make a lovely teacher, neighbour or host gift. Stack them with parchment between layers in a tin so the icing does not smudge.

Make-ahead and storage

The dough can be made up to 3 days ahead in the fridge or frozen for 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before rolling. Baked, undecorated cookies keep in an airtight container for a week, or freeze for up to 2 months. Iced cookies should dry uncovered for 8 hours (or overnight) until the icing is fully set, and then stay fresh for 5 days.

Who should be careful

These cookies contain wheat, dairy and egg. If you are baking for guests with allergies, label them clearly and check your sprinkles and food colouring, which may contain other allergens.