No Chill Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe for Busy Bakers

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Cutouts that keep their shape. Smooth edges. No long chill time. These No Chill Christmas Sugar Cookies roll cleanly, bake up soft, and are ready for icing fast. If you want crisp outlines for trees, stars, or snowmen without any dough drama, this is the recipe format you’ll want on the counter.

Looking for even more cookie inspiration? Grab my 65 Best Christmas Cookies Cookbook for a full collection of festive favorites you’ll actually want to bake and share.

Why You’ll LOVE these Christmas Rolled Sugar Cookies!

• The dough starts with cool butter and cold eggs. That simple move keeps cutouts from spreading.
• Low-speed mixing limits air. Less puff. Cleaner edges on every snowflake and stocking.
• Roll cookies thick (about 3/8 inch) for soft cut out sugar cookies that stay tender after decorating.
• No chill needed for most kitchens. You can mix, roll, cut, and bake in one session.
• Decorate your way with your favorite cookie cutters. Easy sugar cookie icing or quick bottle icing both work great on these .

Ingredients You Need

Instructions How to Make No Chill Cut Out Sugar Cookies

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

Instructions How to Make The Sugar Cookie Dough 

1. In a mixing bowl, add your cool unsalted butter, sugar, and salt. The butter should still be cool, not cold, but not room temperature as well. This helps the cookies hold shape. Unsalted and salted butter have different water contents. Salted butter can cause spreading.
2. Turn the mixer to the lowest speed so you do not incorporate air. Air encourages spreading. Mix just until combined.
3. Add 2 cold eggs and the vanilla. Beat on low until just incorporated. Keep scraping the bowl. The mixture may look a little lumpy. That is fine. Make sure there are no big butter pieces.
4. Add flour. Mix on low until the dough comes together. It happens quickly. Press a finger into the dough. If you leave a clean imprint with no sticking, it is ready to roll.
5. Turn the dough out. Form a ball. Split it in half for easier rolling. Lightly flour the work surface, your hands, and the rolling pin.
6. Flatten the dough and roll to about 3/8 inch thick. Measure for accuracy so you get soft cut out sugar cookies after baking.
7. Lightly dust cookie cutters with flour. Cut shapes close together to maximize dough.
8. Place cutouts on prepared sheets and place in fridge for 15 minutes if dough gets soft or warm. Otherwise, bake 10 to 14 minutes depending on size. Do not overbake. They should look set with pale edges.
9. Let cookies rest on the sheet 2 to 4 minutes.
10. Move to a wire rack and cool completely before icing.

How to Make Sugar Cookie Icing 

1. In a mixing bowl, using a mixer, combine powdered sugar with 1/4 cup milk. Mix until smooth. Add corn syrup and almond extract. Add more milk a tablespoon at a time until smooth and pourable. Mix about 5 minutes. Corn syrup helps the icing set and adds shine.

How To Decorate Your No Chill Sugar Cut Out Cookies With Cookie Icing

1. Use two consistencies. Outline icing should be like toothpaste. Flood icing should be like corn syrup. Tint with food coloring gel one drop at a time.
2. Pro tip: Set a piping bag in a tall glass. Fold the top over the rim. Fill without mess. Keep unused icing covered.
3. You can start with outline icing, then thin the same batch with milk to create flood icing. Leave a tiny border when flooding. It will settle to the edges.
4. Use a toothpick to nudge icing into corners. A gentle tap helps it level out.
5. Pop air bubbles with a toothpick.
6. Let cookies dry completely before stacking. Plan for 6 to 8 hours.
7. Store on sheets, tented with foil, so the bottoms do not dry out.

I used white Wilton Cookie Icing on the snowmen and stars instead of making icing like I did with these cookies. It is fast, easy, less mess, and tastes really good.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

1. Using mixer on medium, cream butter until smooth and lightened in color. About 3 minutes.
2. Add confectioner’s sugar 1/2 cup at a time. After each cup, whip briefly on high about 10 seconds to lighten.
3. Mix in vanilla and a pinch of salt.
4. Add heavy cream until you reach your preferred spreading consistency.
5. For firmer frosting, add more confectioner’s sugar 1/4 cup at a time.
6. For a softer frosting, add more milk or cream a tablespoon at a time.

I used the Vanilla Buttercream on the trees using a large star tube for piping onto the trees.

Tips for Soft Cut Out Sugar Cookies

• Thickness matters. Roll to 3/8 inch for soft centers and even thickness. Thinner cookies bake faster and firm up more.
• Cool butter. Cold eggs. Low mixing speed. These three keep No Chill Christmas Sugar Cookies from spreading.
• Bake to set, not brown. Pull when edges look matte. They finish baking on the sheet.
• Use two sheets. Load the next tray while one bakes to keep things moving.
• Let cookies cool fully before icing. Warm cookies melt icing and blur details.

How to Store Christmas Sugar Cookies

• Undecorated: Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months.
• Iced: Let them dry 6 to 8 hours. Layer with parchment in a tin. Store at room temperature up to 4 days.
• Buttercream topped: Refrigerate in a covered container up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.

FAQs: No Chill Christmas Sugar Cookies

Do I really not need to chill this?

• For most kitchens, no. Cool butter and eggs plus low-speed mixing control spread. If your kitchen is warm, chill cutouts in the fridge 10 minutes on the sheet before baking.

Can I make the Christmas rolled sugar cookie dough ahead?

• Yes. Wrap well and refrigerate up to 48 hours. Let it rest on the counter a few minutes until rollable.

What icing should I use on these Christmas rolled sugar cookies?

• Easy sugar cookie icing sets with a light shine. Bottle icing like Wilton is the quickest route on busy decorating days. You could also use a royal icing on what is to soon be your favorite sugar cookie recipe.

How do I keep edges sharp?

• Dust cutters lightly. Press straight down. Do not twist. Lift scraps and freeze the cut-out cookies 10 minutes before rerolling if they warm up.

Optional Variations: Christmas Rolled Sugar Cookies

• Flavor switch: Add almond extract, birthday cake extract or vanilla bean paste for a bakery-style note.
• Glitter look: Finish flood icing with fine sanding sugar while wet. Gorgeous!
• Chocolate outline: Pipe thin cocoa buttercream accents on fully dried icing.

These No Chill Christmas Sugar Cookies give you clean shapes, soft centers, and a decorating canvas that behaves. Mix the dough, roll thick, bake just to set, then finish with easy sugar cookie icing or buttercream. Box them up for gifts or set out a platter and watch them disappear.

Keep the Holiday Fun Going with some of my Favorites!

• Ugly Sweater Christmas Cookies
• M&M Christmas Cookies
• Christmas Cowboy Cookies
• Santa’s Christmas Trash Cookies
• Santa’s Reindeer Puppy Chow
• Delish Fudgy Chocolate Turtle Cookies
• Milk Chocolate Hershey Peppermint Kiss Cookies
• Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies

Let’s Stay Connected

Want more holiday baking ideas? Come hang out on follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook for new recipes.

Christmas Rolled Sugar Cookies

Kim Lange

No Chill Christmas Sugar Cookies that stay soft, thick, and hold their shape beautifully. The dough rolls easily, bakes evenly, and gives you clean-edged cutouts that are perfect for decorating. No chilling required, so you can go straight from mixing to baking.

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Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 37 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 24 cookies

Calories 280 kcal

Ingredients

  

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No Chill Sugar Cookie Dough

• 1 cup unsalted butter cool (not room temperature)
• 1 cup Domino granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs cold
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour

Sugar Cookie Icing (or use Wilton White Cookie Icing)

• 2 cups Domino powdered sugar
• ¼ to ½ cup whole milk add more for thinner icing
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• Gel food coloring any colors you like
• Wilton Sprinkles or colored sugars optional

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (optional)

• ½ cup unsalted butter softened
• 2 cups Domino powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• Pinch of salt
• 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream to desired consistency

Instructions

 

Make the Sugar Cookie Dough

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
• In a mixing bowl, beat cool butter, sugar, and salt on low speed just until combined (avoid adding air).
• Add cold eggs and vanilla. Mix on low until combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
• Add flour and mix on low until a dough forms.
• Press the dough with your finger. If it leaves an imprint without sticking, it’s ready to roll.
• Divide dough in half. Lightly flour your surface and rolling pin. Roll dough to 3/8 inch thickness.
• Cut shapes with floured cookie cutters and place on prepared sheets.
• Place cutouts in fridge for 15 minutes if dough gets soft or warm. Otherwise, bake 10 to 14 minutes depending on size. Do not overbake. They should look set with pale edges. Let cookies rest on the sheet 2 to 4 minutes.
• Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2–4 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Sugar Cookie Icing OR buy it online

• In a mixing bowl, combine powdered sugar with ¼ cup milk. Mix until smooth.
• Add corn syrup and almond extract. Add more milk as needed (1 tablespoon at a time) until the icing is pourable but not runny.
• Mix 5 minutes for a smooth texture. Corn syrup helps the icing shine and set firmly.
• Tint with gel food coloring and decorate as desired.

Decorate the Cookies with Sugar Cookie Icing

• Use thicker icing for outlines and thinner icing for flooding.
• Pro tip: Set a piping bag in a tall glass with the tip you want to use. Fold the top over the rim. Fill bag with frosting without the mess. Keep unused icing covered.
• Add sprinkles or colored sugar before icing sets.
• Let cookies dry 6–8 hours before stacking or storing.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (optional) or buy it online

• Beat butter on medium speed until light and smooth, about 3 minutes.
• Add powdered sugar ½ cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Mix in vanilla and salt.
• Add cream until frosting reaches your preferred spreading consistency.
• Adjust with more sugar for firmness or more cream for softness.

Decorate the Cookies with Buttercream Icing

• If tinting your buttercream other colors, it's best to divide any frosting you need now and add food coloring. I used mainly white frosting, made black and teal frosting for the eyes, mouth and scarf.
• Pro tip: Set a piping bag in a tall glass with the tip you want to use. Fold the top over the rim. Fill bag with frosting without the mess. Keep unused icing covered.
• Frost cookies as desired.
• Add any candies, sprinkles, glitter or whatever to decorate your cookies. It's fun to come up with new ideas!
• Let cookies dry 6–8 hours before stacking or storing.

Notes

notes

• Roll cookies to about 3/8 inch for the softest texture.
• Cool butter, cold eggs, and low-speed mixing prevent spreading.
• For crisp details, press cookie cutters straight down (don’t twist).

Nutrition

Calories: 280kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 2gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 53mgPotassium: 27mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 29gVitamin A: 389IUVitamin C: 0.004mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 1mg

Keyword christmas cookies, easy cookies, holiday baking, sugar cookies

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