Decorating Sugar Cookies For Christmas

Raspberry Sugar Cookie

Credit: Andy Lyons

Turn a simple sugar cookie into a masterpiece this Christmas. We found the best-ever sugar cookie recipe but also tried fun flavors—like pistachio, almond, thyme, and coconut-lime. Whether you like your Christmas sugar cookies soft or crisp, simply decorated, or frosted with intricate designs, these sugar cookie recipes are sure to sweeten up your holiday season.

1 of 21

Jumbo Sprinkle Sugar Cookies

Credit: Adam Albright

2 of 21

Sugar Cookie Christmas Trees

Best Sugar Cookies christmas trees

Credit: Blaine Moats

Gather family, friends, and frosting to trim a sweeter tree this Christmas. For extra glamour, use festive shades of edible glitter, jimmies, and nonpareils. These Christmas tree sugar cookies will be twinkling in no time.

3 of 21

Almond Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

Almond Sour-Cream Sugar Cookies

Credit: Andy Lyons

Let these sweet sugar cookies stand apart from the crowd with a delicate snowflake design. Your Christmas cookie exchange friends will be begging for this easy Christmas cookie recipe.

4 of 21

Sugar Cookies, 7 Ways

Easy Sugar Cookies

Credit: Blaine Moats

Holiday baking just got a lot easier. One simple dough yields seven flavorful variations, including chai-clementine, lemon-poppy seed, and vanilla bean. But here's the best part: Each Christmas sugar cookie variety can be frozen up to 3 months in advance.

5 of 21

Pistachio Sugar Cookie Bars

Credit: Matthew Clark

These sugar cookie bars call for only 30 minutes of prep but look like they take a lot longer. Green food coloring adds holiday cheer to an airy cream cheese frosting, while a sprinkle of crushed pistachios adds crunch.

6 of 21

Sugar Cookie Cups

Credit: Blaine Moats

These easy-to-bake cookie cups are filled with a variety of fillings—such as cherry-almond, chocolate-peppermint mousse, and caramel-cashew—that are guaranteed to please any palate.

7 of 21

Roly-Poly Santas

Roly Poly Santas

Credit: Kritsada Panichgul

Re-create your favorite Christmas character with these scrumptious Santa-shape cookies. Use our snowy frosting recipe for his fluffy white beard and a cinnamon candy for his cherry-red nose.

8 of 21

Pretty Package Almond Sugar Cookies

Credit: Blaine Moats

A surprise is wrapped up in every bite of these pretty Christmas sugar cookie packages: warm and nutty toasted almonds. With just a few simple frosting techniques, you can easily wow any guest with these mini Christmas gifts.

9 of 21

3-D Sugar Cookie Trees

Credit: Blaine Moats

Turn your favorite Christmas sugar cookie recipe into 3-D works of art with easy-to-make cookie stands. To make 3-D stands, simply use frosting to attach small triangle-shape cookie wedges to a round sugar cookie base. Attach frosted cookie trees to the round cookie using the triangle cookie as a prop to hold it up.

Test Kitchen Tip: For your Christmas tree's gold star, top a small star-shape cookie with gold leaf and attach with frosting.

10 of 21

The Best Christmas Sugar Cookies

frosted christmas sugar cookies

Credit: Jay Wilde

These classic sugar cookies are one of our favorite traditional Christmas cookies. Royal icing is the real star when it comes to decorating Christmas sugar cookies. Use a variety of food coloring and mini candies to make fun designs that give each cookie a festive look.

11 of 21

Almond Sugar Cookies

Almond Sugar Cookies and Mascarpone-Cocoa Cutouts

Credit: Carson Downing

Sugar cookies are a must during the Christmas season. Use a piping bag to transform star-shape sugar cookies into jolly Santa figures. Finish each with a sprinkles and a red candy button nose.

12 of 21

Coconut-Lime Sugar Cookie Bars

Credit: Blaine Moats

We know you're already dreaming of warmer weather, so give your taste buds the same tropical treatment with these coconut-lime sugar cookie bars. Coconut extract is baked into the dough, while lime zest and juice star in the five-ingredient frosting.

13 of 21

Glitter Reindeer Sugar Cookie Cutouts

Glitter Reindeer Sugar Cookie Cutouts OR Comet sugar cookie

Credit: Jason Donnelly

Deck out Santa's reindeer with just a bit of glitz and sparkle for this showstopping sugar cookie recipe. Just brush with a thin layer of royal icing, then use a piping bag ($4, Walmart) to create an elegant design. A shake of extra-fine edible glitter on piped embellishments adds just the right amount of holiday shimmer.

14 of 21

Orange Cream Sugar Cookie Bars

Credit: Blaine Moats

Vanilla bean paste gives these cookie bars a pure flavor, while orange zest adds a citrus zing. Finished with a fluffy white chocolate frosting, the bars are soft to the bite.

15 of 21

Christmas Thyme Cookies

Credit: Andy Lyons

With only six ingredients and three simple steps, these thyme-infused sugar cookies will be your new Christmas cookie favorite. Package them up in a pretty green box complete with a handmade bow.

16 of 21

Eggnog-Frosted Nutmeg Sugar Cookies

Credit: Blaine Moats

Want the ultimate Christmas sugar cookie? Simply mix together two Christmas powerhouses: rich, smooth eggnog and crunchy-sweet sugar cookies. For extra irresistible flavor, top with coarse sugar for a glimmer of holiday sparkle.

17 of 21

Chai Spice Girl Cookies

Credit: Andy Lyons

Sugar, spice, and everything nice make these adorable girl cookie cutouts a holiday hit. Two bags of chai tea, pumpkin pie spice, and molasses spice up this sugar cookie recipe.

18 of 21

Raspberry Sugar Cookie Sandwiches

Raspberry Sugar Cookie

Credit: Andy Lyons

Santa will be delighted when he sees these sugar cookies left by the tree. Tangy raspberry preserves sandwiched between sweet vanilla sugar cookies create a heavenly dessert that looks gorgeous and tastes delicious.

19 of 21

Citrus Zingers Sugar Cookies

citrus zingers sugar cookies

A trio of fresh citrus peel brightens up these easy Christmas sugar cookies. The addition of almond flour gives the baked cookies plenty of nutty flavor. Finish each treat with a homemade orange cream cheese frosting—and plenty of sprinkles!

Test Kitchen Tip: Let cookies cool completely before frosting.

20 of 21

Ho Ho Ho Sugar Cookies

Credit: Matthew Clark

Creating these Christmas sugar cookies takes just a bit of patience and time. Once you've cut, baked, and cooled the cookies, use a piping bag to decorate them. Finish with a white sprinkles and let sit until the icing has hardened.

21 of 21

Citrus Sugar Cookies

Sugar cookies shaped like citrus fruits

Credit: Adam Albright

Put a summery twist on this year's Christmas cookies. These citrus-shape sugar cookies are filled with orange zest and juice. Finish eat treat with homemade vanilla royal icing and colorful sanding sugar.

Up Next