Description
These Soft Christmas Cookies are a festive and delightful treat perfect for holiday celebrations. Featuring a tender crumb enriched with warm spices and sour cream, they are topped with a sweet, colorful icing and sprinkles to brighten any cookie platter. Ideal for sharing with family and friends, these cookies stay soft for days when stored properly.
Ingredients
Scale
Dried Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Icing and Decoration
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Holiday sprinkles or colored sugar, 1/2 cup
- Food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prepare for baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves until well combined to evenly distribute the spices.
- Cream Fats and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter, shortening, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar together until the mixture is fluffy and light in texture, which helps create a tender cookie.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add vanilla extract, stirring until fully incorporated to develop a smooth batter.
- Incorporate Sour Cream: Stir in the sour cream carefully to keep the batter smooth and moist, which will contribute to a soft cookie texture.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined to avoid overworking the dough and maintain softness.
- Shape Cookies: Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing each about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading during baking.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookies are set but still soft to the touch, giving them a delicate chew.
- Cool: Remove the cookies from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool completely to prepare for icing.
- Prepare Icing: In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk (starting with 2 tablespoons), and vanilla extract until smooth, adding more milk if necessary to reach spreading consistency. Add food coloring if desired for festive appearance.
- Ice and Decorate: Spread the icing onto the cooled cookies and immediately decorate with holiday sprinkles or colored sugar to create a festive look.
Notes
- For extra festive flair, divide the icing into multiple small bowls and tint each with different holiday colors before decorating.
- Store cookies in an airtight container to keep them soft for several days.
