Christmas Lights Sugar Cookies Recipe

I’m so excited to share my favorite Christmas Lights Sugar Cookies Recipe with you—these cookies are a sweet holiday tradition that’s just bursting with charm and flavor. Whether you’re baking with kids, hosting a cookie exchange, or just craving that perfect festive treat, this recipe will quickly become your go-to. I absolutely love how the dough feels silky yet sturdy enough to hold those classic Christmas light shapes. Plus, the royal icing? It’s just the right balance of creamy and smooth for decorating. Stick with me here, and I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to get these beauties from your kitchen to your Christmas tree!

this Recipe

Ingredients You’ll Need

To get the best Christmas lights sugar cookies, I always start with quality basics. Each ingredient plays its part, especially the butter for richness and the right texture, and the meringue powder in the icing to ensure a smooth, glossy finish that hardens well. I recommend measuring your flour by weight if possible—that little trick goes a long way in cookies!

• All-purpose flour: Using the right amount is key here; weighing it helps avoid dry or dense cookies.
• Baking powder: Adds just enough lift to keep your cookies from being flat.
• Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances flavor.
• Unsalted butter: Softened is best—room temperature butter creams nicely with sugar for a tender crumb.
• Granulated sugar: Sweetness and help with structure.
• Eggs: Room temperature eggs blend in to bind the dough just right.
• Vanilla extract: A splash of pure vanilla elevates the overall flavor beautifully.
• Powdered sugar: The secret to ultra-smooth royal icing texture.
• Meringue powder: Helps your icing set perfectly without cracking or becoming dull.
• Water: Added gradually to get the icing consistency just right.
• Food coloring: I love using gel colors for vivid, non-watery hues.

Variations

I’ve played around with different takes on this Christmas Lights Sugar Cookies Recipe over the years, and you can have a lot of fun making it your own. Depending on your taste or dietary needs, tweaking the frosting or the shapes makes a festive difference. Don’t be shy about experimenting!

• Gluten-Free Version: I swapped out regular flour for a gluten-free blend once and still got good texture—just mind the measurements, as it can vary.
• Vegan Option: I haven’t tried this personally yet, but you can replace butter with vegan margarine and eggs with flax eggs—just expect a slight change in texture.
• Flavored Icing: Adding peppermint or almond extract to the royal icing gives a tasty twist that my family loved at last year’s Christmas party.
• Alternate Shapes: While the Christmas light bulbs are classic, I sometimes make stars or candy canes with the same dough to mix up the platter.

How to Make Christmas Lights Sugar Cookies Recipe

Step 1: Mix the Dry Ingredients

Start by whisking together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. I love using a whisk here because it breaks up lumps and ensures even distribution of the rising agents and salt—this makes a smoother dough and consistent cookies.

Step 2: Cream Butter and Sugar

In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy. When I first tried rushing this step, the cookies turned out dense. This slow creaming traps air, so your cookies get that lovely tender crumb.

Step 3: Add Eggs and Vanilla

Mix in the eggs one at a time, then add vanilla extract. Make sure your eggs are room temperature—they incorporate better and prevent the butter from seizing up.

Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry

With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Stop mixing once the dough starts pulling away from the sides—that’s your sign it’s ready. Overmixing here can make the cookies tough.

Step 5: Chill and Roll Out

Take the dough out, knead gently on parchment paper, then divide and wrap each portion in parchment. Chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Chilling is key—it stiffens the dough, making your shapes crisper and less likely to spread while baking.

Step 6: Cut and Bake

Roll the dough between two parchment sheets to ⅛”–¼” thickness. I find this makes cutting easier and keeps the dough from sticking. Use your Christmas light cookie cutters (or shape by hand if you’re creative!). Don’t move the cutouts after placing on the cookie sheet—that helps keep the shapes perfect. Bake at 350°F for 10–13 minutes until the edges are just golden.

Step 7: Prepare the Royal Icing

Beat powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water on low for 6 minutes until thick and fluffy. Add 4–5 tablespoons more water to get a toothpaste-like consistency for outlining. Take half of that, add 1–2 tablespoons more water for a flood consistency that flows like glue. Color your icings with gels and you’re ready to decorate!

Step 8: Decorate Your Cookies

Pipe an outline with the medium icing first to keep your colors from spreading. Then flood in the thinner icing to fill in. I like to pour flood icing into squeeze bottles, which makes filling shapes quicker, but piping bags work just fine. Let the icing dry about an hour before adding details with medium consistency icing. The layering really brings those Christmas lights to life!

How to Serve Christmas Lights Sugar Cookies Recipe

Garnishes

I usually keep the garnishes simple—a sprinkle of edible glitter or tiny sugar pearls to mimic the sparkle of real Christmas lights. Sometimes, I even add a touch of shimmer dust on the icing after it dries for a magical effect that beautifully catches the light at holiday parties.

Side Dishes

These cookies pair perfectly with a warm mug of spiced hot chocolate or classic eggnog. For a brunch or dessert table, I like to serve them alongside peppermint bark or cinnamon-spiced nuts—it really brings together that festive flavor profile everyone loves.

Creative Ways to Present

Try arranging these cookies on a bright red or green platter shaped like a Christmas tree, or package a handful in cellophane bags tied with twine and mini ornaments for lovely edible gifts. One year, I even made a cookie garland threaded on ribbon for our fireplace—it was a showstopper!

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

I store leftover cookies in an airtight container layered with parchment paper to keep them from sticking. Kept at room temperature, they stay fresh for a week—though in my house, they usually disappear way sooner!

Freezing

If I’m making these ahead for a party, I freeze the undecorated cookies after baking and cooling. I wrap them tightly in parchment and place them in airtight bags. When I’m ready to decorate, I let them thaw completely at room temp before icing.

Reheating

While these cookies are best enjoyed at room temperature, if you want to warm them slightly, pop them in a 300°F oven for 3–4 minutes—just enough to soften them without melting the icing. I rarely do this, but it’s nice when serving fresh from the oven feel.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

This Christmas Lights Sugar Cookies Recipe holds a special place in my heart—it’s one of those cozy homemade treats that instantly fills the kitchen with joy and the bright colors just bring smiles all around. I honestly think once you make these, you’ll understand why my family looks forward to them every year. So grab your rolling pin, dust off those cookie cutters, and dive in—you’ll be basking in the glow of these adorable, delicious cookies before you know it. Happy baking and Merry Christmas!

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