Description
These Twisted Christmas Cookies are a festive and delightful treat perfect for holiday celebrations. Soft and buttery with a hint of almond and orange zest, these cookies are beautifully decorated with colorful royal icing and festive toppings like sprinkles and crushed candy canes. Easy to make and fun to decorate, they bring holiday cheer with every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cookies:
- 1 cup white sugar
- 14 oz (400g) butter, softened
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- Zest of 1 orange (optional)
- 6 cups plain flour
For the Icing:
- 6 tbsp meringue powder
- 8 tbsp water
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 7 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- Extra water (for thinning)
- Gel food coloring (red, green, gold, white)
- Sprinkles, edible glitter, or crushed candy canes (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper to prepare for baking the cookies.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and white sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps create a tender cookie texture.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the eggs, vanilla extract, almond extract, and orange zest until the mixture is smooth and well combined, adding a festive flavor to the dough.
- Mix in Flour: Gradually add the plain flour, mixing until a dough forms. If the dough feels too dry or crumbly, add a tablespoon of milk to help it come together smoothly.
- Roll and Cut Dough: Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about ¼-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters in festive shapes like trees, stars, and mittens to cut out your cookies.
- Chill Cookies: Place the cut cookies on the lined baking sheets and chill them in the refrigerator for 10–15 minutes to help them hold their shape while baking.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies for 10–12 minutes or until the edges are just golden. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely on the baking sheets.
- Prepare Icing: In a bowl, whisk together the meringue powder, lemon juice, and 8 tablespoons of water. Gradually beat in the sifted powdered sugar until the icing is glossy and thick. Thin with extra water if necessary to achieve the desired consistency for decorating.
- Color and Decorate: Divide the icing into separate bowls and add gel food coloring to create festive colors such as red, green, gold, and white. Decorate the cooled cookies using the icing and sprinkle with edible glitter, sprinkles, or crushed candy canes for extra holiday flair.
- Set Icing: Allow the decorated cookies to sit at room temperature until the icing is fully set and firm before serving or packaging.
Notes
- Chilling the dough before baking helps maintain sharp cookie edges and prevents spreading.
- Use high-quality extracts and fresh orange zest for the best flavor impact.
- Adjust icing consistency with water carefully; too thin icing will run off the cookies.
- Store decorated cookies in an airtight container to keep them fresh.
- These cookies can be made ahead and decorated a few days before your event.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (approx. 30g)
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 65mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
