Soft Christmas Cutout Cookies have buttery flavor, tender centers, and festive shapes that are easy to decorate. A little sour cream keeps the dough soft without making it too sweet. Chilling the rolled dough helps the trees and stars keep their edges. Red and green sugar sprinkles give them a simple Christmas finish without any frosting.
Why I Love This Recipe
There is something cheerful about a tray of simple Christmas shapes. This dough uses everyday baking staples, and the decorating stays easy. You get a soft cookie with enough structure to lift from the tray once it has cooled.
- Soft centers: Sour cream and a short bake keep the middle tender.
- Clear shapes: Rolling before chilling makes the dough easier to handle.
- Simple finish: Colored sugar adds crunch and color without a frosting step.
- Make-ahead friendly: The dough and baked cookies both freeze well.
What You’ll Need
- Servings: About 30 cookies; 1 cookie per serving
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Chill Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 20 minutes, for two batches
- Cooling Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
- Oven Temperature: 350°F (175°C)
- Pan Size: Two 13×18-inch rimmed baking sheets
Ingredients:
- 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened but not melted
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60 g) full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons (24 g) red and green sugar sprinkles, divided
Tools You Need
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric hand mixer
- Large and medium mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons or a kitchen scale
- Rubber spatula and whisk
- Rolling pin and parchment paper
- Christmas tree and star cookie cutters, about 3 inches across
- Two 13×18-inch rimmed baking sheets
- Cooling rack and thin cookie spatula
How to Make Soft Christmas Cutout Cookies
Roll the dough before chilling, then work with one cold sheet at a time.
Step 1: Mix the Dry Ingredients
Whisk 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt in a medium bowl until evenly combined.
Step 2: Cream the Butter and Add the Wet Ingredients
Beat 1 cup (227 g) softened unsalted butter with 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar on medium speed for 2 minutes, until creamy and slightly fluffy.
Beat in 1 large egg, 1/4 cup (60 g) full-fat sour cream, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract on low speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl so no streaks of butter remain.
Step 3: Finish the Dough and Chill
Add the full dry mixture from Step 1 to the wet mixture in Step 2 in two additions, mixing on low just until no dry flour remains. Scrape the bowl between additions and stop as soon as the dough comes together.
Divide the dough in half and roll each half between sheets of parchment to an even 1/4-inch thickness. Keep the parchment in place and slide each slab onto a baking sheet.
Refrigerate both slabs for 1 hour, until firm enough to peel away from the parchment cleanly.
Step 4: Cut and Decorate
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line both 13×18-inch rimmed baking sheets with fresh parchment after lifting off the chilled slabs.
Remove the top parchment from one slab and cut out trees and stars with 3-inch cutters. Transfer the shapes to one prepared sheet, leaving 1 1/2 inches between cookies.
Repeat with the other slab. Gather scraps gently, reroll between parchment to 1/4 inch thick, and chill for 10 minutes if soft before cutting again. Aim for about 30 cookies total, depending on the cutters.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon (12 g) red and green sugar sprinkles over each tray, using 2 tablespoons (24 g) total, and press gently so they stick. Keep the second tray refrigerated while the first bakes.
Step 5: Bake Until Just Set
Bake one tray at a time on the middle rack for 9–11 minutes, rotating the tray once if your oven browns unevenly.
Remove the tray when the tops look matte and set and the bottom edges are barely golden. The centers should still feel soft, but they should not look wet or shiny. Do not wait for the tops to turn brown.
Bake the second tray the same way. Allow about 20 minutes total oven time for both batches.
Step 6: Cool and Serve
Let each batch rest on its baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move the cookies carefully to a rack for about 15 minutes, until fully cool.
Arrange the cooled cookies on a serving plate and serve them on their own. Keep the rest covered once completely cool so the centers stay soft.
Why This Recipe Works (Quick Science)
Butter gives these cookies their rich taste. Sour cream adds moisture and a little acidity, which helps make a tender crumb. Baking powder provides a small lift without turning the shapes into thick, puffy cakes.
Chilling firms the butter before it reaches the oven. That slows spreading and helps the cut edges stay clear. Rolling to an even thickness also keeps thin points from browning before the centers set. A short bake leaves more moisture in the middle; the cookies finish setting on the sheet as they cool.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Adding extra flour: Weigh the flour, or spoon it into the cup and level it. Packing it into the cup can make the cookies dry.
- Using melted butter: Soft butter should hold its shape and give slightly when pressed. Melted butter can cause spreading.
- Skipping the chill: Soft dough sticks to cutters and loses detail in the oven.
- Rolling thin points: Keep the whole dough sheet 1/4 inch thick, including the tips of the trees and stars.
- Overworking scraps: Gather and reroll gently. Repeated rolling can make the last cookies tougher.
- Waiting for brown tops: The cookies should be pale on top with only barely golden bottom edges.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Keep completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days. Separate layers with parchment to protect the sprinkles.
Refrigerate the rolled dough, wrapped well, for up to 2 days. If it becomes too stiff to cut cleanly, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes.
Freeze baked, cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the closed container at room temperature. You can also freeze the unbaked cutouts in a single layer, then transfer them to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes and checking the same doneness cues.
Macros Information
Estimated per cookie, based on a yield of 30 cookies. Values will vary with the size of the cutters and the brands used.
- Calories: 140
- Protein: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Fiber: 0.4 g
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 60 mg
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Do I need to chill the dough?
A: Yes. The dough is soft after mixing. Chilling makes it easier to cut and helps the shapes hold in the oven.
Q: Can I use salted butter?
A: Yes. Use the same amount of salted butter and reduce the added fine salt to 1/4 teaspoon. Salt levels vary by brand.
Q: Can I replace the sour cream?
A: Plain full-fat Greek yogurt is a useful swap in the same amount. Choose thick yogurt without added sugar or flavoring; the texture may differ slightly.
Q: Why are my cookies spreading?
A: The dough may be too warm, the butter may have been melted, or the flour may have been undermeasured. Chill soft cutouts before baking and always use a cool baking sheet.
Q: How do I know the cookies are done?
A: Look for matte tops, set edges, and just a hint of gold along the bottom edge. A wet-looking center needs a little longer, even if the timer has finished.
Q: Can I use smaller cutters?
A: Yes. Keep the dough thickness the same, begin checking at 7 minutes, and expect a larger yield. Very narrow shapes may brown sooner.
Q: Can I leave off the sprinkles?
A: Yes. Leave them out for plain vanilla cutouts. The dough and bake time stay the same.
Q: Will these cookies be crisp?
A: They are meant to have soft centers and lightly set edges. Rolling thinner or baking longer makes them firmer and crisper.
Q: Can I double the recipe?
A: Yes, if your mixer can handle the dough. Otherwise, make separate batches so the ingredients combine evenly without overmixing.
Final Thoughts
Soft Christmas Cutout Cookies bring buttery flavor and a little festive sparkle to the cookie plate. Keep the dough cold, roll it evenly, and watch for those barely golden bottom edges. Leave a comment with your favorite Christmas cookie shape.
Happy cooking!