5 Tips For The Best Christmas Cookies
Just a quick note: Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means if you decide to make a purchase, I may earn a small commission (thank you for supporting our family’s homestead!). We only share products we genuinely use and believe in. Full disclosure HERE.
Sugar cookies. A Christmas season staple. If you are looking for help to make the best Christmas cookies this year, you’ve come to the right place! I’ve been decorating fancy sugar cookies for years and while I still don’t have everything right, I have figured a lot out. SO here you go!
The recipe. There are SO many good recipes out there. To be honest, my favorite sugar cookie to eat vs my favorite sugar cookie to decorate are 2 very drastically different recipes. BUT I am sharing the recipe I use for the cookies I decorate *GASP. I know, I am sharing a secret for FREE . But If you need a sugar cookie recipe that is good, soft, doesn’t spread too much, and perfect for decorating then this is the recipe for you!
GET THE RECIPE HERE! (Password: HomesteadingMars)
Frosting vs Icing. This all comes down to what look are you going for on your Christmas cookies. Much like the cookie recipe, I would prefer to EAT a classic buttercream. But for fancy decorated sugar cookies, you need royal icing. These are 2 VERY different things. Buttercream is delicious but doesn’t dry hard. Royal icing dries hard and what you need to use for any kind of detailed designs.
Tools. You can decorate your cookies with frosting, a butterknife, and sprinkles. But if you are looking to get a little fancier, you need bags. But again, it depends if you are using buttercream or royal icing.
Buttercream Frosting Tools: Bags, Frosting Tips (you don’t need this many, you can grab a smaller set at Walmart or Hobby lobby with just a few tips for much cheaper!), couplers (you can do without these by just putting the tip directly into the piping bag before the frosting but then you can’t switch tips/colors)
Royal Icing Tools: Bags (I don’t use tips with these bags, you can just cut the tip how big or small you want!), scribes (not a NEED but nice to have)
Roll with powdered sugar, NOT FLOUR. I repeat, when you are rolling your sugar cookie dough out, roll it with powered sugar, NOT flour. Goodbye flour-y cookies, you’re welcome.
Also, do yourself a favor and invest in this rolling pin, you’ll have even thickness cookies EVERY SINGLE TIME. Worth it.
Happy Baking!! Questions or need help? Email me at themarshomestead@gmail.com