Description
Celebrate the holiday season with these festive Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies. Soft, buttery, and subtly flavored with vanilla and optional lemon, these cookies are perfectly complemented by a creamy, smooth cream cheese frosting. Ideal for holiday gatherings or as a fun baking project with family, these cookies are a delightful treat that bring festive joy to any table.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup softened unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 ½ tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract, optional
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 (8-ounce) block softened cream cheese
- ½ cup softened unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside to keep dry ingredients evenly combined.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In another medium bowl, whisk softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps create a tender cookie.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the egg yolks, sour cream, vanilla extract, and optional lemon extract to the butter mixture and mix until just combined to preserve texture.
- Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures: Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and gently mix until just barely combined, ensuring not to overwork the dough.
- Roll Out Dough and Cut Cookies: Divide the dough into 2-3 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece to ¼ inch thickness. Using a Christmas tree cookie cutter or other festive shapes, cut out the cookies carefully.
- Re-roll Scraps: Gather the scraps, rest them for about 5 minutes, then re-roll and cut out more cookies until all dough is used, maximizing yield.
- Arrange Cookies on Sheets: Place cookies on prepared parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them 1 ½ inches apart for even baking.
- Bake Cookies: Bake for 7-8 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through at 4 minutes to promote even baking. Cookies should have set edges, very light color, and minimal browning underneath.
- Cool Cookies: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes to set their shape before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely, preparing them for frosting.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Frosting: In a stand mixer bowl, whisk softened cream cheese and softened unsalted butter until smooth. Scrape down the sides and beat again briefly to ensure even texture.
- Add Flavorings and Sugar: Add vanilla extract, salt, and powdered sugar gradually, mixing on low at first to prevent sugar flying, then beat until smooth and creamy.
- Decorate Cookies: Optionally color the frosting, then spread or pipe it onto the cooled cookies as desired, creating festive holiday treats.
Notes
- For best texture, avoid overmixing the dough once the flour is added to prevent tough cookies.
- Resting scraps before re-rolling allows the dough to relax, making it easier to shape without cracking.
- Use parchment paper or silicone mats on baking sheets for easy cleanup and to prevent sticking.
- The lemon extract is optional but adds a nice subtle citrus note; you can omit or substitute with almond extract for variation.
- Store decorated cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator; bring to room temperature before serving for best flavor.
- These cookies can be made a day ahead; just keep frosting refrigerated until use.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 100mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
