Holiday Sugar Cookies

This Holiday Sugar Cookies recipe is everything you want in a festive cookie buttery, soft in the center, perfectly crisp at the edges, and ready to decorate with colorful icing and sprinkles. The dough rolls out beautifully, holds its shape when baked, and creates the kind of cookies that make your kitchen smell like pure Christmas joy.

Every year, I bake these holiday sugar cookies as a tradition with my family. They’re simple enough for kids to help with, elegant enough for gifting, and versatile for any season. Whether you decorate pumpkins for fall, snowflakes for winter, or hearts for Valentine’s Day, this recipe delivers perfect cut-out cookies every single time.

If you like baking for the holidays, you will also enjoy my Holiday Spritz Cookies for a buttery classic or these Healthy Christmas Cookies when you want something lighter but still festive.

In This Post

table talk

With Liliya!

There’s something nostalgic about rolling out sugar cookie dough on a floured countertop while Christmas music plays in the background. I love setting out little bowls of icing in pastel shades, each one waiting for its own dusting of sparkle and sugar pearls. These cookies aren’t just dessert they’re a memory maker. Every shape you press and every swirl of icing tells its own little story of the holidays.

Liliya

Why You’ll Love This Holiday Sugar Cookies Recipe

The dough rolls out easily and keeps its crisp edges after baking.
It’s sweet, buttery, and flavored with real vanilla never artificial.
You can make and chill the dough days ahead, perfect for busy holiday prep.
The icing is simple, glossy, and made with just two ingredients.
Great for decorating parties, gifting, or festive dessert tables.

Ingredients Needed for Holiday Sugar Cookies

All-purpose flour. This gives structure and that tender, classic cookie crumb. Be sure to measure correctly spoon and level instead of scooping to keep the dough soft.
Baking powder. Helps the cookies rise ever so slightly for a delicate lift while staying flat enough for decorating.
Salt. Just a pinch brings balance to the sweetness and highlights the butter’s richness.
Butter. Use real butter, softened to room temperature. It creates that smooth, creamy base and melt-in-your-mouth texture sugar cookies are known for.
Sweetener. This recipe uses Truvia® Sweet Complete™ All-Purpose Sweetener for a lighter sugar-free twist, but traditional granulated sugar works beautifully too.
Egg. Adds richness and structure. Room-temperature eggs mix better and create a smoother dough.
Vanilla extract. The heart of the flavor. Use pure vanilla extract for that warm, bakery-style aroma.
Decorating icing. Made with Truvia® Confectioners Sweetener and milk of your choice, this simple icing hardens beautifully for stacking and gifting.
Sprinkles. Choose holiday colors red, green, gold, or even pastel confetti for a personal touch that makes every cookie pop.

How I Make Holiday Sugar Cookies

(This is a quick overview of how I make holiday sugar cookies, with tips along the way. You’ll find the full ingredients & instructions in the recipe card below.)

Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
Cream butter and sweetener. Beat softened butter and Truvia® Sweet Complete™ (or sugar) for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy. This step creates that soft, tender crumb.
Add egg and vanilla. Beat until smooth and creamy. Scrape the sides and mix again so everything is well blended.
Combine and form dough. Gradually mix in dry ingredients until a soft dough forms. If sticky, add a tablespoon of flour at a time.
Roll out and chill. Divide dough in half and roll each portion between two sheets of parchment paper to about ¼ inch thick. Stack and refrigerate for 1–2 hours.
Cut into shapes. Use your favorite cookie cutters trees, stars, pumpkins, snowflakes and place cookies on lined baking sheets. Re-roll scraps as needed.
Bake and cool. Bake at 350°F for 11–12 minutes, until edges are just turning golden. Let cool completely before decorating.
Decorate. Whisk confectioners sweetener with milk for icing. Tint with food coloring and spread or pipe onto cookies. Top with sprinkles and let set until firm.

Expert Tips for Holiday Sugar Cookies

Use room-temperature ingredients. Soft butter and eggs ensure even mixing and a smooth dough texture.

Chill your dough. Refrigerating rolled-out sheets of dough keeps cookies from spreading and makes cutting shapes clean and easy.

Avoid overbaking. Pull them out when they’re set but still pale. They’ll finish baking on the sheet and stay soft inside.

Cool before decorating. Even slightly warm cookies can melt icing, so wait until they’re completely cool.

For clean lines. Use gel food coloring instead of liquid for vibrant hues that don’t thin the icing.

For perfect texture. If your dough cracks when rolling, let it warm up for 5 minutes; if it’s sticky, add a sprinkle of flour.

Plan ahead. The dough can be made up to 2 days in advance or frozen for later ideal for busy December baking sessions.

Holiday Sugar Cookies Variations and Substitutions

Classic Vanilla Sugar Cookies. Stick with the basic recipe and pure vanilla extract for the traditional buttery sugar cookie flavor everyone loves.
Almond Sugar Cookies. Replace half the vanilla extract with ½ teaspoon almond extract for a nutty, sweet twist that pairs beautifully with vanilla icing.
Lemon or Orange Sugar Cookies. Add 1 teaspoon of citrus zest (lemon or orange) to the dough and a few drops of extract for a bright, zesty variation that tastes like sunshine in cookie form.
Brown Sugar Sugar Cookies. Swap in ¼ cup of brown sugar (or brown Truvia blend) for part of the sweetener to give a deeper, caramelized note and a slightly chewier bite.
Chocolate Sugar Cookies. Replace ¼ cup of flour with unsweetened cocoa powder. These bake into soft chocolate cut-outs that pair wonderfully with vanilla or peppermint icing.
Spiced Holiday Sugar Cookies. Add ½ teaspoon cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg, and a hint of ginger to the dough for cozy, warmly spiced cookies perfect for fall and winter.
Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies. Use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum for a nearly identical texture. The dough may be slightly softer, so chill a little longer before cutting.
Frosted or Dipped Sugar Cookies. Instead of piping, dip tops of cooled cookies into icing for a smooth glazed look. Finish with edible glitter or crushed peppermint for sparkle.

Storing / Freezing Holiday Sugar Cookies

At room temperature. Store decorated cookies in an airtight container for up to 10 days. Layer with parchment or wax paper to prevent sticking.
Refrigerated dough. Keep rolled or wrapped dough refrigerated for up to 2 days before baking.
Freezing unbaked dough. Wrap discs of dough tightly in plastic, then seal in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling and cutting.
Freezing baked cookies. Once completely cooled and decorated, layer cookies between parchment sheets in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw uncovered at room temperature to prevent moisture build-up.
Refreshing texture. If cookies lose a little crispness, warm them on a baking sheet at 300°F for 2–3 minutes to revive that freshly baked taste.