Christmas Butter Cookies

Christmas Butter Cookies are festive, easy to make and decorate and make your kitchen smell like your favorite holiday movie.

This classic cutout recipe holds its shape beautifully—ideal for trees, gifts, and ornament shapes.

Turn these cookies into neighbor gifts, take to cookie swaps or eat for mom fuel while you're up at midnight wrapping a mountain of presents.

Why You’ll Love These Christmas Butter Cookies

• Rich, buttery flavor and tender texture. This is basically a shortbread cookie with an egg added for tenderness. Out of eggs? Try my no-egg sugar cookie recipe.
• Dough holds shape for clean cutouts that don't turn into blobs.
• Easy to decorate
• Freezer-friendly for make ahead baking
• A festive cookie that looks fancy but uses basic ingredients

What You'll Need:

For the dough

• Flour, all purpose
• Butter, preferably unsalted  
• Granulated Sugar
• Egg
• Salt 

For the royal icing

• 3 egg whites from large eggs
• 1 pound confectioners sugar
• Red gel food coloring (I like this 3-pack of red, green and white gel coloring)
• Green gel food coloring

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Make the Dough
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla and egg Gradually add flour and salt until a smooth dough forms.

2. Roll and Cut
Roll dough ¼ inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut into Christmas trees, presents, stars, or whatever shapes you like.

3. Bake
Bake at 350°F for 8–10 minutes or until cookie edges are golden. Cool completely on wire racks before decorating.

4. Decorate
Use royal icing or an easy cookie glaze in holiday colors. Outline shapes, fill in, and let dry.

5. Add Finishing Touches
Once the icing sets, add details like ribbons, bows, or edible glitter.

How to decorate Christmas Cookies

• Add colored sanding sugar while icing is wet for sparkle.
• Swirl red and green icing for a marbled look.
• Use gold dragees or mini candies as ornaments.

Make Ahead and Storing Tips

• Store in airtight containers up to 7 days.
• Freeze undecorated cookies for up to 3 months.
• Separate layers with parchment paper or wax paper to prevent sticking.
• See my freezer cookie guide for more tips on making cookies and cookie dough ahead.

Expert Tips

• Use room-temperature butter for smooth mixing.
• Chill dough briefly if your dough gets hard to work with while cutting into shapes.
• Bake and roll out dough on parchment paper. That way if the dough gets too warm you can easily move it to a cookie sheet and into the fridge to firm back up.

Are you having trouble with your cut-out cookies? See Cookie Troubleshooting Help.

More Holiday Cookies You’ll Love

• Gingersnap Cookies
• Italian Butter Cookies (piped cookies)
• Pecan Praline Bark
• Peppermint Gooey Butter Cake Bars
• White Chocolate Chex Mix

FAQ

Can I make butter cookies ahead of time?

Yes, up to 3 days in advance. Wrap tightly and refrigerate or freeze for up to three months. If freezing dough, be sure to double wrap–once in plastic wrap or and then tuck that into a freezer safe container or a freezer bag.

Can I freeze cut-out cookies?

Definitely, freeze baked, undecorated cookies for up to 3 months.

Do I need to chill this dough?

This dough you do need to chill because of the amount of butter used in the recipe. If you're in a time crunch, try making this no chill cut out dough.

What icing is best for cookie decorating?

Royal icing gives a clean, professional look; powdered sugar glaze icing is easier and quicker.

PIN TO SAVE FOR LATER

What Sets This Recipe Apart

• Festive and photo-worthy, even for beginner decorators
• Classic buttery flavor with bakery-style texture
• Dough that rolls and cuts like a dream
• Perfect for Christmas cookie trays or gifts
• A make-ahead favorite for stress-free holiday baking

Continue to Content

Want to Save This Recipe?

Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!

Save Recipe

Δ

Email

SAVE THIS!

By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Kitchen Serf.

Recipe

Yield: 24

Christmas Butter Cookies

Print

Classic Christmas butter cookies are soft and perfect for decorating with royal icing or sprinkles. The dough rolls out easily, keeps its shape while baking, and makes beautiful cutout cookies for your holiday trays or gift boxes.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

• For the dough;
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• christmas tree cookie cutter
• a knife
• For the royal icing;
• 3 egg whites
• 1 pound confectioners’ sugar
• To decorate;
• water based gel red food color
• water based gel green food color
• royal icing

Instructions

• In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or using a hand blender, cream the butter, salt, and sugar together until light and fluffy.

• Add the egg and vanilla extract while mixing. Scrape down sides of the bowl.

• Pour in flour and mix until incorporated.

• Roll the dough on a plastic wrap , cover it and then chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

• Lightly flour a work surface. Unwrap the dough, place on the work surface, and roll out until about ⅛-inch thick.

• Use a Christmas tree shaped cookie cutter to cut out trees.

• Using a knife make rectangle cookies to make gifts later.

• Place cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes or until the edge is just turning golden brown
• Cool on a wire rack.
• Decorate, if desired, once cool.

For the royal icing;

• In the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, beat egg whites and confectioner’s sugar until it’s glossy.
• Divide icing among small bowls, and dye with gel food coloring.
• Keep any icing that isn’t being immediately used covered with plastic wrap as it dries out very quickly.
• Transfer to piping bags and decorate cookies as in the pictures.

Notes

Rolll out dough on parchment paper to prevent sticking.

If dought gets too warm while you're cutting out shapes, simply transfer the parchment paper to a cookie sheet and put in the firdge until the dough firums up--15 to 20 minutes.

Recommended Products

This post and/or recipe may contain affiliate links, which means if you click through and make a purchase, I'll earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See Disclosure policy.

• 
  Gel Food Coloring for Cake Decorating - 3 Concentrated Assorted Food Color Edible Christmas Red Green White - Food Grade Dye for Easter Eggs Fondant Cookies Frosting Royal Icing Baking - 40g/Bottle
• 
  Reynolds Kitchens Stay Flat Dispensing Parchment Paper for Baking and Roasting, Parchment Paper Roll, Great for Baking and Rolling Dough, Non-stick, Reusable Up to 3x, 45 Sq. Ft.
• 
  Nordic Ware Naturals Half Sheet, 2-Pack, Natural
• 
  Watkins Pure Peppermint Extract, Non-GMO, Kosher, 2 oz. Bottle, 1-Pack
• 
  Rainbow Jimmies Sprinkles, Rainbow Sprinkles for Cake Decorating, Edible Sprinkle Mix for Baking, Ice Cream Toppings, Cupcakes, Cookies, Donuts
• 
  Joseph Joseph Duo Adjustable Rolling Pin
• 
  Cuisinart HM-90S Power Advantage Plus 9-Speed Handheld Mixer with Storage Case, White

Nutrition Information

Yield 24 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 257Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 6gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 53mgSodium 124mgCarbohydrates 40gFiber 1gSugar 24gProtein 3g

Nutrition information is an estimate because I am not a registered dietician.

Did you make this recipe? Please give it a rating

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest