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Old fashioned butter cookies for Christmas decorated with royal icing on a plate

Easy Christmas Butter Cookies with Royal Icing

Easy Christmas butter cookies made with 6 pantry ingredients, cut into trees and presents and decorated with royal icing.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chill and icing set 7 hours
Total Time 7 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 30 cookies
Course: Dessert
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dough
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour 240 g
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened, 227 g
  • ½ cup granulated sugar 100 g
  • 1 egg
  • ½ teaspoon salt 3 g
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 5 mL
Royal icing
  • 3 egg whites
  • 1 pound confectioners' sugar 450 g
  • water-based red gel food coloring
  • water-based green gel food coloring

Equipment

  • Christmas tree cookie cutter
  • Knife
  • Piping bags
  • Parchment paper

Method
 

  1. Cream the butter, salt and sugar with a stand mixer (paddle attachment) or hand mixer until light and fluffy.
  2. Add the egg and vanilla while mixing. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  3. Add the flour and mix until incorporated.
  4. Shape the dough into a disc, wrap it and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  5. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about ⅛ inch thick. Cut out trees with the cookie cutter and cut rectangles with a knife for presents.
  6. Place the cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges just turn golden brown. Cool completely.
  7. For the icing, beat the egg whites and confectioners' sugar until glossy. Divide among small bowls and tint with the gel food coloring. Keep any icing not in use covered with plastic wrap.
  8. Transfer the icing to piping bags and decorate. Let the cookies sit 6 to 8 hours or overnight until the icing sets.

Notes

  • Yield is about 30 cookies with a 3-inch cutter.
  • Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Ovens vary, so start checking at 10.
  • Chill the dough at least 1 hour, then let the icing set 6 to 8 hours or overnight.
  • Use gel coloring so the icing doesn't get watery.
  • Dough keeps in the fridge up to 2 days or the freezer up to 1 month.
  • Store decorated cookies airtight at room temperature up to 5 days. Freeze plain cookies up to 2 months and thaw before icing.