Christmas Cookies for Kids
Every year when the holidays are in sight, we make at least one batch of cut-out cookies. (Okay, usually we make a few batches!) And this recipe, which doesn’t require a hand held mixer or stand mixer, is our favorite recipe to make together. I love that the dough is forgiving and is hard to mess up, and that it rolls out easily without a ton of chilling (or any if you want to just fast forward the recipe a little). Plus, you can add an easy icing and some sprinkles to really am up the festive factor if you want to. They’re a seriously delicious sugar cookie meant for the holidays!
Easy Cut Out Cookies
My goal with any recipe meant to bake with kids is to make the process of making the dough and rolling out the cookies doable. Having little kids on hand in the kitchen is often fairly unpredictable (and messy!) so this cut-out cookie dough keeps that in mind. I like to roll this out between sheets of parchment to help reduce any potential sticking, though a little flour also works. There are a lot of photos in this post because I wanted to be sure to include all of the info—it’s very straight-forward though, promise.
Ingredients You Need
To make this holiday recipe, you’ll need a few basic pantry staples:
All-purpose flourUnsalted butter: You’ll want this to be softened at room temperature, so plan to leave it out for at least an hour.Milk: I use whole milk, but you can use low fat if that’s what you have on hand.SugarVanilla extractBaking powderSalt
TIP: The recipe is easy to adjust for allergies and is already egg-free. See the Notes at the bottom of the recipe for all of the info.
Ingredient Substitutions
Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 style of gluten-free baking mix in place of the all-purpose. Dairy-Free: Use plain unsweetened nondairy milk in place of dairy milk. Use coconut oil, just softened (so not totally liquid, but softer than when it comes out of the jar at room temp). I tested it with about 10 seconds in the microwave in a heat-safe bowl.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a look at the process for making the cookies. Scroll down to the bottom of this post for the full recipe. TIP: If the cookies are different sizes or thicknesses, they may bake at a slightly different rate. You can pull smaller or thinner ones out of the oven sooner than larger, thicker ones.
Tips for Frosting the Cookies
To decorate these cookies, you’ll want to: TIP: The icing will harden as it sits, so add any sprinkles right after applying it to ensure they stay put.
How to Store
You can store these fully cooled Christmas Cookies for Kids in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also freeze unfrosted cookies in a freezer bag, with as much air removed as possible, for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before frosting.
Best Tips for Success
If the dough sticks after you initially chill the dough and roll it out, cut out the shapes and put it back into the fridge without trying to get the shapes out so it firms up more. Let the sheet pan chill for 10 minutes, then use a flat knife to pop up the shapes.If the dough is a little crumbly, be sure that it’s throughly combined and then if it’s still crumbly, add 1/2-1 tablespoon additional liquid until it comes together.You can use whole-wheat pastry flour, white whole wheat flour, or half all-purpose and half whole-wheat. The cookies will be darker in color, but the results will otherwise be the same.To make this dough ahead: Store it in the fridge wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 24 hours. It will need to sit at room temperature for about an hour to soften up, or you can remove it from the plastic, put it onto a plate, and microwave for 5-10 seconds.Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 style of gluten-free flour mix.Dairy-Free: Use plain unsweetened nondairy milk in place of dairy milk. Use coconut oil, just softened (so not totally liquid, but softer than when it comes out of the jar at room temp). I tested it with about 10 seconds in the microwave in a heat-safe bowl.Lower sugar option: Reduce sugar to ¼ or ⅓ cup if desired.You may also like Salt Dough Ornaments, Easy Sugar Cookies, and more of my Favorite Christmas Cookies.
I’d love to hear your feedback on this recipe if you try it, so please comment and rate it below!
