Christmas cookie decorating ideas – baking tutorials to try with your family

When it comes to the Christmas holiday, there are many preparations and traditions, which need to be considered. Decorating your house, putting up your Christmas tree, preparing Christmas dinner, buying presents. All of these things are a must for the holiday and can sometimes feel overwhelming. They become a responsibility, rather than something that brings joy. There is, however, one thing, which is a part of the Christmas Day and can bring so much fun moments with your family – baking cookies. First of all, baking cookies is soo much fun, especially when you do it with your kids, for example. Second of all, decorating them is super creative. And, thirdly, need I remind you that you have to eat them afterwards. Is there anything better than that? So, we’ve gathered the best Christmas cookie decorating ideas and baking tutorials you can try with the whole family.

Christmas cookie decorating ideas to try with your family

While the cookies can be different, the icing needs to be well-made, so it’s easier to create your decorations. So, let’s start with a couple of icing recipes.

How to make icing for cookies?

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar
• 2-3 tbsp milk or heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Whisk everything together in a bowl and you are all set.

With great icing comes great responsibility – to create the best looking cookies in the neighbourhood

How to make royal icing for cookies?

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp meringue powder
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 6 tbsp warm water
• 1 tsp vanilla

In a bowl whisk the meringue and sugar, gradually add the water and vanilla on medium-low. Increase the speed and beat until peaks form.

Christmas cookie decorating ideas – beautiful shortbread Christmas tree cookies

Ingredients:

For the cookies:

• 8oz. very soft butter
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 3/4 all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup cornstarch

For the glaze:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 4-5 tbsp milk
• 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
• 2 colors of green gel food dye

Step by step DIY tutorial how to recreate the decoration

Instructions:

For the cookies:

1. In a bowl, whisk the butter until smooth, add the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix well.
2. Add the flour and cornstarch and stir until fully incorporated. Flour a surface and gather the dough into a bowl on top of it.
3. Knead a few times until smooth. Flatten the dough to a flat disk and coat both sides with flour.
4. Roll out the dough, cut out the trees and transfer to paper lined pans. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
5. Bake at 180 degrees for 12-14 minutes. Let cool.

For the icing:

1. Mix powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and peppermint extract until smooth.
2. To decorate repeat the steps on the picture above.

The final result is beautiful

Don’t be afraid to get as creative as possible with cookie decorations

Gingerbread cookies – another Christmas staple

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup softened butter
• 1 egg
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup molasses
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1-1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1-1/2tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt

You can cut your gingerbread cookies into any shape you want

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, whisk butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and molasses
2. In another bowl, mix flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt.
3. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter and mix well. Refrigerate for about 5 hours.
4. Roll the dough and cut out your desired shapes. Bake for about 8-10 minutes at 200 degrees.

Don’t forget to have fun!

Simple, yet gorgeous cookies

Cheesecake cookies

Ingredients:

• 8oz. cream cheese
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• red and green food coloring
• 1/2 tsp peppermint extract

Colorful Christmas cookies

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven at 200 degrees.
2. In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until fluffy and smooth. Add sugar, beat until fully incorporated. Beat in the eggs and vanilla next.
3. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter micture and stir until fully incorporated.
4. Separate the dough into three bowls and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
5. Add the food coloring to each bowl and incorporate into the dough. Add the peppermint extract to the dough with the green food coloring.
6. Take 1/2 tbsp of each dough into your hands and roll together. Place on paper lined pan.
7. Bake at 200 degrees for 10-11 minutes. Let cool.

They are also super delicious

The Grinch is one of the most famous Christmas characters

No bake Christmas wreath cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 stick butter
• 1 bag of mini marshmallows
• green food coloring
• 5 cups corn flakes cereal
• mini red M&Ms
• Twizzler’s pull and peels

Instructions:

1. First make the small red bows from the Twizzler’s and let them sit.
2. In a pot melt the butter and marshmallows while stirring. Add the green food coloring and stir well.
3. Pour the marshmallows mixture over the cereal and mix well.
4. Oil your hands and grab a small bowl of the mixture. Flatten it into a circle and poke a hole in the middle with your finger.
5. Place on baking sheet and add the mini M&Ms and the small red bow until the mixture is still sticky. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.

Stained glass cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 package hard candies

Instructions:

For the dough:

1. In a bowl, mix the flour, salt and baking powder.
2. In another bowl beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well. Then, reduce the speed and gradually add the dry ingredients.
3. Roll out the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and form a thick, flat disc. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

For the candies:

1. Separate the candies by color and, using a food processor, pulverize them separately until they reach a salt-like consistency.

To assemble the cookies:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
2. Take 1/4 of the dough and roll it out. Cut out the desired shapes and place them on a sheet lined pan.
3. Make a small hole in the top with the blunt end of a wooden skewer and refrigerate while you do the same with the next 1/4 of dough.
4. Take the cookies out of the fridge and cut out the shapes for where the stained glass would be. Fill each hole with the crushed candy. Refrigerate for another 15 minutes.
5. Bake for 7-10 minutes until the candy has melted. Let cool.

Christmas truffles

Ingredients:

• 12 sugar cookies
• 4 tbsp cream cheese
• 2 cups white chocolate chips
• red, green and white sprinkles

Instructions:

1. Place the sugar cookies in a food processor and process until they turn into fine crumbs. Add cream cheese and process again until well combined.
2. Shape the mixture into balls and place on baking sheet. Freeze for 15-20 minutes.
3. In a bowl melt the chocolate.
4. Dip the balls into the chocolate and top with sprinkles immediately. Refrigerate.

Meringue Christmas tree cookies

Ingredients:

• 4 egg whites
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• pinch cream of tartar
• 1/8 tsp almond extract
• green gel food coloring
• star sprinkles
• multi color sprinkles

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 100 degrees.
2. In a bowl mix the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar. Place over boiling water and whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add in the extract.
3. Whisk the ingredients until eggs are white but still runny. Add the food coloring and beat to form stiff peaks.
4. Transfer mixture to pipping bag with large star tip. Pipe the cookies onto a paper lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with the multi color sprinkles.
5. Bake for 2 hours. After 2 hours, turn off the oven, open it and let the cookies sit additional 2 hours.
6. Attach the star sprinkles to the top with a bit of frosting.

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