Description
Celebrate the holiday season with these festive Christmas Light Cookies. Soft, buttery sugar cookies shaped like light bulbs and decorated with colorful icing bring a cheerful touch to any holiday gathering. Perfect for baking with family or gifting to friends, these cookies combine classic flavors with playful presentation.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- Food coloring (various colors)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, creating a smooth base for the cookies. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then stir in the vanilla extract for flavor.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and baking powder to evenly distribute the leavening agent, which helps the cookies rise during baking.
- Mix Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring until the dough comes together into a smooth, cohesive mass.
- Chill the Dough: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or place it in a covered container and chill in the refrigerator for about one hour. This step firms up the dough, making it easier to roll out and helping the cookies maintain their shape while baking.
- Roll Out Dough and Cut Shapes: Lightly flour a clean surface and roll out the chilled dough to approximately ¼ inch thickness. Use light bulb cookie cutters to cut out festive shapes, gathering and rerolling scraps as needed.
- Bake the Cookies: Place the shaped dough pieces on the prepared baking sheets and bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden, indicating they are perfectly baked.
- Cool and Decorate: Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before decorating. Prepare the icing by mixing powdered sugar with a small amount of water or milk until smooth and tint with food coloring as desired. Use the colorful icing to decorate each cookie to resemble bright Christmas light bulbs.
Notes
- Ensure butter is softened, not melted, to achieve the right dough texture.
- Chilling the dough is important for clean cookie shapes and preventing spreading.
- You can substitute powdered sugar icing with royal icing for a firmer finish.
- Store decorated cookies in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
- These cookies freeze well both before and after baking.
