If you’ve ever bitten into a sugar cookie so soft it practically sighed back at you, then you already understand why I obsess over soft Christmas sugar cookies every single December. And honestly, if you haven’t experienced that yet… well, buckle up, friend, because you’re about to bake the cookies I guard like family secrets.

I know — everyone on the internet claims their sugar cookie recipe changes lives. But after baking Christmas cookies for half my life (with many, MANY failures I conveniently “forgot” to photograph), I finally locked down a recipe that never dries out, never spreads into sad little pancakes, and always tastes like pure holiday joy.

You know those Pinterest-perfect cookies that look like they came out of a bakery? These are actually achievable, even if you’re the person who forgets half the ingredients until you open the oven. (Been there. More than once.)

Let’s get into it. FYI, this might turn you into “that person who brings the cookies” for every holiday gathering… IMO, not a bad reputation. 🙂

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Why I Love These Soft Christmas Sugar Cookies So Much

Every December, I go into full holiday-baking gremlin mode. If something has sprinkles, butter, or red-and-green icing, I will make it unreasonable times. But these cookies? They’re the ones friends text me about in June asking, “Hey, uh… remember those Christmas cookies? You still have that recipe?”

Why do I love them?

• They stay soft for DAYS (shockingly rare for sugar cookies)
• They taste like vanilla-buttery nostalgia
• The dough rolls out like a dream
• They don’t spread in the oven
• The frosting sets but stays creamy (the real holiday miracle)

And honestly, they just make people happy. Isn’t that the whole point of Christmas baking?

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What Makes These Sugar Cookies SO Soft?

Ever wonder why some sugar cookies stay tender and fluffy while others snap like drywall? The secret is simple:

1. Cornstarch

This makes the dough soft and pillowy. A little goes a long way.

2. Cream cheese (just a tablespoon!)

This tiny addition adds moisture and richness without turning them tangy.

3. Underbaking — on purpose

You pull them when the edges just look set. The centers finish cooking on the sheet.

4. Chill time

I know, I know. Chill time is annoying. But it turns spread-prone dough into perfect shapes.

5. Don’t overmix

Overmixing = tough cookies. (If cookies could protest, these ones would literally shout “STOP MIXING!”)

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The Tools I Swear By (Just Obsessed)

These aren’t required, but they make your life easier — especially for Christmas cookie season.

• OXO Good Grips Cookie Scoop – perfect for even cookie sizes.
  
• Airtight Glass Storage Set from Anchor Hocking – keeps cookies soft longer.
  
• Wilton Christmas Cookie Cutters (40-piece set) – every holiday shape you can think of.
  
• KitchenAid Classic Stand Mixer – because mixing cold December butter by hand is cruelty.
  

I use every one of these during cookie season, and they’ve never failed me.

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Ingredients You Need

Here’s everything required to make these buttery-soft Christmas sugar cookies:

Dry Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon cream cheese (softened)
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional but magical)

Frosting

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 2–3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Pinch of salt
• Food coloring + sprinkles

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Step-by-Step Recipe (With Tips I Wish Someone Told Me Years Ago)

1. Whisk the dry ingredients

Mix flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Tip: Sift if you want extra fluffy cookies.

2. Beat butter + sugar until fluffy

I beat mine for about 2 minutes until it looks pale and cloudlike.

Add cream cheese, egg + yolk, vanilla, and almond extract.

Rhetorical moment: Isn’t it wild how one extra egg yolk changes EVERYTHING?

3. Add dry to wet

Mix just until combined. Stop the second you don’t see flour streaks.

4. Chill the dough

Minimum 1 hour. Overnight = even better.

I wrap mine in plastic, say goodnight, and pretend it’s a tiny butter baby.

5. Roll out + cut

Roll on a lightly floured surface to about ¼ inch.

Cut your shapes — trees, stars, gingerbread guys, reindeer who always look like lumpy dogs, etc.

6. Bake

Bake at 350°F for 8–10 minutes.

You want the edges just barely set. If they brown, they’ll get crisp.

7. Cool completely

Do not frost warm cookies unless you enjoy watching frosting melt into tragedy.

8. Make frosting

Beat butter, add powdered sugar slowly, thin out with cream. Color as you wish.

9. Decorate like a festive menace

Piping bags, sprinkles, edible glitter… go wild. It’s Christmas. No rules.

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Tips and Tricks for Perfect Soft Sugar Cookies

1. Use room-temperature butter (not melted!)

Melted butter = flat cookies. We want soft, not sad.

2. Always chill the dough

Pinterest creators don’t chill because it looks faster on camera. Trust me — chill.

3. Roll dough evenly

Uneven thickness = uneven baking.

4. Underbake slightly

Soft cookies need gentle treatment.

5. Store them airtight

They stay soft up to 5 days when stored properly.

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Frosting Variations You’ll Love

Because no two cookie decorators are built the same.

1. Cream Cheese Frosting

Tangy and rich. (Not as sturdy for stacking.)

2. Buttercream

Classic, smooth, sweet. Perfect for colors.

3. Glaze Icing

Shiny, simple, dries hard.

4. Peppermint Frosting

Throw in ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract. Instant holiday magic.

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How to Store and Freeze These Cookies

Room Temperature

Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Freeze the Dough

Wrap tightly and freeze up to 2 months.

Freeze Baked Cookies

Freeze undecorated cookies up to 3 months.
Frost after thawing.