Description
These Easy Slice ‘n’ Bake Vanilla Bean Christmas Sugar Cookies with Whipped Buttercream are a festive holiday treat featuring soft, buttery sugar cookies infused with vanilla bean and almond extract, topped with a luscious salted caramel buttercream frosting and decorated with colorful sprinkles. Perfect for slicing from logs of chilled dough, these cookies are simple to prepare, bake quickly, and bring joy to any Christmas celebration.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookies:
- 3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, seeds removed (optional)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 2 eggs
- 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Buttercream Frosting:
- 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup homemade or store-bought salted caramel sauce
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2-4 tablespoons heavy cream
- Assorted sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
- Cream the butter and sugars: In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, vanilla bean seeds, vanilla extract, and almond extract until light and fluffy—this usually takes about 3-5 minutes.
- Add eggs and dry ingredients: Beat in the eggs until fully combined. Then add half of the flour, baking soda, and salt, mixing until incorporated. Follow with the remaining flour and mix until the dough forms a cohesive ball.
- Shape and chill dough: Divide the dough in half and shape each portion into a rounded 10-inch log. Wrap each log generously in tin foil to maintain roundness and place in the refrigerator for at least one hour or up to three days.
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheet: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Slice and arrange cookies: Remove one log from the fridge at a time and unwrap it. Using a sharp knife, slice the dough crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Turn the dough a quarter turn after each slice to keep the cookies as round as possible. Arrange the slices on the prepared baking sheet about 1/2 inch apart. If needed, shape the slices gently with your fingers for a perfect circle.
- Bake the cookies: Bake for 8 minutes to achieve soft cookies. Once done, transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat slicing and baking with the remaining dough log if desired.
- Prepare the buttercream frosting: In a stand mixer bowl or large bowl with a hand mixer, beat together the salted butter and powdered sugar until smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add vanilla extract, a pinch of salt, and the salted caramel sauce; continue beating until well combined. Add heavy cream gradually and beat an additional 3 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy. Adjust cream quantity to your preferred consistency.
- Frost and decorate: Once cookies are completely cooled, spread the whipped buttercream over the tops. For festive designs, gently press Christmas-themed cookie cutters into the center of each cookie, sprinkle the inside with sanding sugar or sprinkles, shake gently to distribute, then carefully remove the cutter.
- Store the cookies: Keep the decorated cookies covered at room temperature for up to four days to maintain freshness.
Notes
- If almond extract is not available, feel free to omit it; however, it adds a wonderful depth of flavor to these cookies.
- Wrapping the dough logs in tin foil helps prevent flat edges and keeps the dough rounded for better-shaped cookies.
- Chilling the dough for at least an hour is essential for neat slicing and better baking results.
- Use parchment paper or a silicone mat to prevent cookies from sticking during baking.
- Store cookies in an airtight container to maintain softness and freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
