Crumbl Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe delivers thick, soft sugar cookies with a buttery crumb, a hint of almond, and creamy frosting piled high with festive sprinkles. This batch suits busy holiday hosts, cookie-swap champs, and anyone who wants bakery-style cookies at home in about 45 minutes. I baked a double batch after my kid swiped the first cookie straight off the cooling rack.
Why Crumbl Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe Is Worth It
Crumbl Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe gives you giant, tender cookies with that signature melt-in-your-mouth center and plush frosting. You mix simple pantry staples, scoop big portions, and bake just until puffy. The result looks impressive on a platter and tastes even better with cocoa.
Buttery, thick, and frosted to the nines, these cookies taste like a holiday bakery run without leaving the couch ★★★★★
Ingredients You Need
- Unsalted butter: 1 cup, room temp. I like Land O Lakes for consistent water content. Use high-quality butter for the best flavor.
- Granulated sugar: 1 cup. You can use organic cane sugar, but it may darken the color slightly.
- Powdered sugar: 1/4 cup. This helps a soft bite without a gritty finish.
- Large egg: 1, room temp. Swap with 3 tablespoons aquafaba for egg-free.
- Vanilla extract: 2 teaspoons. Nielsen-Massey gives a strong, clean flavor.
- Almond extract: 1/2 teaspoon. Go light if kids are sensitive to almond.
- All-purpose flour: 2 3/4 cups. King Arthur flour runs strong; if you use it, level carefully to avoid a dry dough.
- Cornstarch: 1 tablespoon for extra tenderness.
- Baking powder: 1 teaspoon.
- Baking soda: 1/2 teaspoon.
- Fine sea salt: 1/2 teaspoon.
Frosting and decor:
- Unsalted butter: 1/2 cup, room temp.
- Powdered sugar: 2 1/2 to 3 cups, to taste.
- Heavy cream or milk: 2 to 3 tablespoons, to loosen.
- Vanilla extract: 1 teaspoon.
- Almond extract: 1/2 teaspoon.
- Pinch of salt.
- Gel food color: a drop or two of red or green.
- Holiday sprinkles or sanding sugar.
Pantry shortcuts:
- Use a sugar cookie mix in a pinch. Add almond extract and roll thicker to mimic the bakery style.
- Tint a tub of vanilla frosting with gel color and whip it with a splash of cream for fluff.
Substitutions:
- Gluten-free: use a 1:1 baking flour blend. Add 1 extra teaspoon milk if the dough feels crumbly.
- Dairy-free: use plant butter sticks and dairy-free milk in the frosting.
- No almond extract: use all vanilla and a tiny splash of lemon juice for brightness.
Equipment:
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Mixing bowls
- 3 tablespoon or 1/4 cup cookie scoop
- Baking sheets, parchment paper
- Cooling rack
- Small offset spatula for frosting
Quick Tips & substitutions
- Measure flour with the spoon-and-level method so the dough stays soft.
- Cream butter and sugars until fluffy and pale to trap air and get that tender crumb.
- Keep the dough slightly tacky; if it looks dry, mix in 1 teaspoon milk.
- Scoop big cookies, then press into 1/2-inch pucks for even baking.
- Pull cookies when pale and just set; they finish on the sheet and stay soft.
- Chill portioned dough 10 minutes if your kitchen runs warm to keep puffy edges.
- Frost cooled cookies only; warm cookies will melt the frosting.
- No time for frosting? Dust warm cookies with powdered sugar and crushed candy canes.
How to Make Crumbl Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Preheat and prep
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Set butter for the frosting on the counter so it softens while cookies bake.
Step 2: Cream butter and sugars
- Beat 1 cup butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Scrape the bowl so everything mixes evenly.
Step 3: Add egg and extracts
- Mix in the egg, vanilla, and almond extract until smooth and glossy.
Step 4: Mix dry ingredients
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Step 5: Bring the dough together
- Add dry ingredients to the mixer in two additions on low speed.
- Stop when no dry streaks remain. The dough should feel soft and slightly tacky.
Step 6: Scoop and shape
- Use a 3 tablespoon or 1/4 cup scoop to portion dough. Roll into balls, then press to 1/2-inch thick pucks.
- Space 2 inches apart. Chill the sheet 10 minutes if your dough feels warm.
Step 7: Bake
- Bake 9 to 11 minutes until edges look set and tops look puffy and pale. Do not wait for browning.
- Keep them on the hot sheet 5 minutes, then move to a rack to cool.
Step 8: Make the frosting
- Beat 1/2 cup butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, almond extract, salt, and 2 tablespoons cream.
- Whip 2 to 3 minutes until thick and fluffy. Add a tiny drop of gel color and mix. Adjust with more cream for spreadable frosting.
Step 9: Frost and decorate
- Frost fully cooled cookies with a generous swoop. Top with sprinkles or sanding sugar.
- Let the frosting set 20 minutes so the tops firm up for stacking.
Variations
- Peppermint twist: swap almond extract in the frosting for 1/2 teaspoon peppermint and top with crushed candy canes.
- Chocolate sugar cookies: replace 1/3 cup flour with Dutch cocoa and add 1 extra tablespoon milk if needed.
- Eggnog frosting: use 1/4 teaspoon rum extract, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, a dash of nutmeg, and eggnog in place of milk.
- Funfetti holiday: fold 1/2 cup red and green jimmies into the dough.
- Gluten-free bakery style: use a 1:1 GF blend and add 1 extra teaspoon vanilla for flavor.
Ways to Serve
- Pile on a platter with hot cocoa, coffee, or cold milk.
- Sandwich two cookies with vanilla ice cream and roll edges in sprinkles.
- Crumble over peppermint ice cream for a quick dessert.
- Pack in gift tins with parchment dividers for neighbors and teachers.
Storage
Keep frosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Layer with parchment so frosting stays neat. Refrigerate up to 1 week to extend freshness, then bring to room temp before serving for the best texture. Freeze baked cookies or dough balls for up to 2 months and thaw on the counter before baking or frosting.
Crumbl Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe
Crumbl Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe delivers thick, soft sugar cookies with a buttery crumb, a hint of almond, and creamy frosting piled high with festive sprinkles.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set the butter for the frosting out to soften while the cookies bake.
- In a large bowl, beat 1 cup butter, granulated sugar, and 1/4 cup powdered sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Mix in the egg, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in two additions on low speed, mixing just until no dry streaks remain. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky.
- Use a 3-tablespoon or 1/4-cup scoop to portion the dough. Roll each portion into a ball, then gently press into 1/2-inch thick pucks. Arrange 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. If the dough feels warm, chill the shaped cookies on the sheet for about 10 minutes.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges look set and the tops are puffy and pale but not browned. Leave the cookies on the hot baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- For the frosting, beat 1/2 cup softened butter until creamy. Add 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, vanilla, almond extract, salt, and 2 tablespoons cream or milk. Whip for 2 to 3 minutes until thick and fluffy, adding a little more cream or powdered sugar as needed for a spreadable consistency. Tint with a drop or two of gel food color and mix until evenly colored.
- Once the cookies are completely cool, generously frost each cookie and top with holiday sprinkles or sanding sugar. Let the frosting set for about 20 minutes before stacking or storing.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Approximate per 1 cookie (1 of 12): 380 calories; fat 19 g; saturated fat 12 g; carbohydrates 50 g; fiber 0 g; sugars 33 g; protein 3 g; sodium 170 mg. Values will vary based on specific ingredients, brands, and portion size. Storage: Keep frosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, layering with parchment. Refrigerate up to 1 week and bring to room temperature before serving, or freeze baked cookies or dough balls for up to 2 months.
Approximate per 1 cookie (1 of 12): 380 calories; fat 19 g; saturated fat 12 g; carbohydrates 50 g; fiber 0 g; sugars 33 g; protein 3 g; sodium 170 mg. Values will vary based on specific ingredients, brands, and portion size. Storage: Keep frosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, layering with parchment. Refrigerate up to 1 week and bring to room temperature before serving, or freeze baked cookies or dough balls for up to 2 months.