Once baked in the oven, these Santa Claus sugar cookies turn out soft and buttery with lightly golden edges. The dough mixes in one bowl, rolls cleanly, and decorates into festive red-hatted Santas.
Yield: 12 cookies | Prep: 20 min | Bake: 10 to 12 min | Total: 1 hr 15 min, including cooling
Santa Claus Sugar Cookies Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened — Let it sit on the counter until it gives slightly when pressed, but is not greasy or melted.
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar — Creams with the butter to make the cookies light and tender while still holding their shape.
- 1 large egg — The egg holds the dough together and makes the crumb richer.
- 1 tsp vanilla extract — Gives the classic warm sugar cookie flavor.
- 1 3/4 cups (219 g) all-purpose flour — Spoon the flour lightly into the cup and level it so the dough stays soft enough to roll.
- 1/2 tsp baking powder — Provides just enough lift so the cookies don’t spread into thin discs.
- 1/4 tsp salt — A small pinch that balances the sweetness.
For Decorating
- 2 tbsp white nonpareils — Used for the fur trim along the edge of each red hat. Keep them in a small bowl within reach before you start piping.
- 1 cup red royal icing — Piped as the hats. I like to keep the dough covered so the surface doesn’t dry out while you work.
- 1 1/2 cups white buttercream — Piped as the fluffy beards. Keep it soft so the swirls hold a full texture.
- 24 mini black candy pearls — Used for the eyes. Set them out in a small bowl for easy placing.
- 12 small pink candy pearls — Used for the cheeks, one on each cookie side. Set them out in a small bowl alongside the black pearls.
Substitutions And Additions
Unsalted Butter
I’d use salted butter only in a pinch, and I’d cut the salt in the dough to a light pinch since it already brings seasoning. The cookies will taste slightly saltier and may spread a little more.
All-Purpose Flour
Cake flour can replace all-purpose flour, but the dough will be softer and harder to roll cleanly. If you switch, chill the dough longer before rolling. Expect a more tender cookie with a slightly paler color.
White Buttercream
Store-bought vanilla frosting can stand in for homemade buttercream when you’re short on time. It pipes well but tends to be sweeter and softer. Add a spoonful of powdered sugar if it looks loose.
How To Make This Santa Claus Sugar Cookies Recipe
- Preheat and cream the butter and sugar. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment. In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar with a mixer for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and creamy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until the dough turns smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl so no streaks of butter hide at the bottom. Creaming well is what gives the cookies a tender texture.
- Stir the flour, baking powder, and salt together, then bring the dough together. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt so they’re evenly distributed. Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients gradually, mixing on low speed or by hand, until a soft dough forms. Keep mixing until the flour is fully blended and no streaks remain. Beating the dough too long toughens the cookies by building up gluten.
- Chill if needed, then roll and cut. If the dough feels too soft to roll, wrap it and refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes. Cold dough holds its edges and keeps the cookies from spreading. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut it into 12 round cookies and place them on the parchment-lined sheet, leaving space between each one. Re-roll the scraps once, gently, to avoid tough cookies. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are just golden and the centers look set. The cookies firm as they cool, so pull them as soon as the edges turn golden. Overbaked cookies turn dry and crumbly and are harder to decorate.
- Cool completely. Let the cookies rest on the sheet for 2 minutes, then move them to a wire rack. Wait until they are fully cool before decorating, or the icing will slide off and melt into the surface. Pipe red royal icing onto the top portion of each cookie to shape the hat. Keep the icing covered between cookies so it doesn’t crust over. While the red icing is still wet, sprinkle white nonpareils along the lower edge of each hat to form the fur trim. Let the hats set for a few minutes so the trim stays in place. Pipe the beards and place the faces. Pipe fluffy white buttercream along the lower half of each cookie to form the beard. Keep the swirls soft and slightly rounded so they look full rather than flat. While the buttercream is still soft, press two mini black candy pearls into it for the eyes, and set a pink candy pearl on each side for the cheeks. Do this before the buttercream sets so the pearls stick. Set the decorated cookies aside until the icing is firm before stacking or packing them. This prevents smudged hats and beards.
How To Serve And Store
Serve these on a holiday plate with a glass of cold milk or a cup of hot cocoa. They also fit well on a cookie tray with other decorated sugar cookies.
In The Fridge
Store decorated cookies in a single layer in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let them come to room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving so the buttercream softens slightly.
In The Freezer
Freeze undecorated, cooled cookies in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature, then decorate. Decorated cookies are best eaten fresh rather than frozen, since the buttercream can lose its shape.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make these cookies ahead?
Yes. Bake the undecorated cookies up to a day or two ahead and store them in an airtight container. For best results, decorate them shortly before serving.
How do I know when the cookies are done?
They’re done when the edges are just golden after 10 to 12 minutes at 350°F. The centers should look set rather than wet.
Why did my royal icing run off the cookies?
The cookies were probably not fully cool, or the icing was too thin. Let the cookies cool completely and keep the icing thick enough to hold its shape.
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Santa Claus Sugar Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment. Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually mix into the wet ingredients until a soft dough forms, stopping as soon as no dry streaks remain. Chill 15 to 20 minutes if too soft to roll.
- Roll the dough to 1/4-inch thickness, cut into 12 round cookies, and bake on the parchment-lined sheet for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are just golden and the centers look set.
- Cool the cookies completely on a wire rack before decorating. Pipe red royal icing hats, then sprinkle white nonpareils along the lower edge for trim. Let the hats set for a few minutes. Pipe fluffy white buttercream beards on the lower half of each cookie. While the buttercream is soft, press two mini black candy pearls into it for eyes and place a pink candy pearl on each side for cheeks. Set the decorated cookies aside until the icing is firm before stacking.
