Classic Christmas Cut-Outs Cookies
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Classic Christmas cut-out cookies that hold their shape, with cornstarch in the dough for a tender bite and crisp edges. Roll, cut into festive shapes, bake golden, and decorate with icing.
YIELD
72 servingsPREP
5 minCOOK
0 minREADY
15 minThese are the cookies that make a holiday kitchen feel like one: rolled thin, cut into trees, stars, and snowmen, and decorated however you like.
The secret ingredient is cornstarch. Mixed into the flour, it tenderizes the crumb and helps the cookies hold crisp, clean edges so your cookie-cutter shapes don’t spread into blobs in the oven.
There’s one rule that matters most: don’t overmix. You beat the dough just until it clumps together, about 18 to 20 seconds, because over-working develops gluten and turns the cookies tough.
The dough is forgiving and make-ahead friendly, keeping for days in the fridge or months in the freezer, which makes it ideal for big holiday baking sessions.
Once baked to a pale gold and cooled completely, they’re a blank canvas for icing, sprinkles, and decorating with the kids.
Pro Tips
- Mix the dough just until it comes together; over-mixing makes tough cookies.
- Roll to an even one-eighth inch so every cookie bakes at the same rate.
- Work with a quarter of the dough at a time and keep the rest cool so it stays easy to handle.
- Cool completely before icing, or the decoration will slide and melt.
Variations
- Add citrus zest, almond extract, or a little cinnamon to the dough.
- Decorate with royal icing for crisp designs, or a simple glaze for shine.
- Sandwich two with jam or buttercream for filled cookies.
Ingredients
Directions
Mix flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
Mix egg, milk, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl or a measuring cup.
Cream sugar with butter until lightened and smooth.
Beat egg mixture into creamed butter until just combined.
Add dry ingredients and beat until mixture begins to clump together, 18 to 20 seconds on lowest speed of electric mixer. Do not over mix. Or you can use hand to finish this step as well.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead gently to shape into a soft dough.
It can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to 6 months.
Working with ¼ of the dough at a time, roll to about ⅛ inch thick on a well-floured work surface.
Use cookie cutter of your choice to cut out shapes.
Using a spatula, transfer cut-outs to prepared baking sheets, placing about 1-inch apart.
Bake at 350℉ (180℃) degrees until golden, 10 to 12 minutes.
Repeat with remaining dough.
Transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature.
Decorate cookies with your favorite icing if desired.
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