The Most Festive Christmas Stocking Sugar Cookies Recipe

Sweet memories often spark when baking christmas stocking sugar cookies that remind me of childhood winters.

Delicate snowflake decorations transform ordinary treats into festive delights.

Crisp edges and soft centers promise a mouthwatering experience for everyone gathered around the kitchen.

Winter celebrations call for special desserts that capture holiday magic.

My grandmother’s secret technique involves gentle hand-rolling and precise icing techniques.

Sprinkled with sparkling sugar crystals, these cookies become edible artwork that melts hearts.

Stocking Cookies That Add Joy to the Cookie Tray

Spark Holiday Joy: Create Festive Cookies with Ease

• Craft Delightful Decorations: Design adorable Christmas stocking cookies that capture the holiday spirit with simple techniques and minimal baking skills required.
• Quick Family Bonding Project: Engage kids and adults together in a fun, creative activity that builds memories while decorating colorful, personalized sugar cookies.
• Impress Without Stress: Achieve professional-looking results with basic piping and flooding techniques that make even beginners feel like skilled pastry artists.
• Versatile Celebration Treat: Perfect for holiday parties, gift exchanges, cookie swaps, or as charming homemade presents that showcase your culinary creativity.

Christmas Stocking Sugar Cookies Ingredients

• All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure for the sugar cookies.
• Unsalted Butter: Creates rich and tender cookie texture.
• Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps with cookie browning.
• Egg: Binds ingredients and adds moisture.
• Vanilla Extract: Enhances overall flavor profile.

• Baking Powder: Helps cookies rise and become light.
• Salt: Balances and intensifies sweet flavors.

• Powdered Sugar, Meringue Powder: Base for creating smooth royal icing.
• Water: Adjusts royal icing consistency.
• Food Coloring: Adds festive colors to the cookie decoration.
• Sprinkles: Provides extra decorative touch and holiday sparkle.

How to Bake Christmas Stocking Sugar Cookies

Step 1: Whip Up the Cookie Dough

Grab your mixer and cream butter and sugar until they’re super fluffy and light. Crack in an egg and splash of vanilla, mixing until everything looks smooth and dreamy. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly blend dry ingredients into wet mixture until a perfect cookie dough forms. Split the dough, wrap it up in plastic wrap, and let it chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour to firm up.

Step 2: Roll and Shape Magical Cookies

Heat your oven to 350°F. Dust your countertop with a light sprinkle of flour and roll out the chilled dough to a ¼ inch thickness. Use a stocking-shaped cookie cutter to create adorable holiday shapes. Carefully transfer these festive cutouts onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Step 3: Bake to Golden Perfection

Slide the cookie sheet into the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. Watch for those edges to turn a beautiful light golden color. Once done, transfer cookies to a wire rack and let them cool completely before decorating.

Step 4: Craft Spectacular Royal Icing

Combine powdered sugar and meringue powder in a mixing bowl. Slowly add water, whisking until soft, dreamy peaks form. Adjust the liquid to get the perfect consistency for piping or flooding. Divide the icing into separate bowls and add food coloring to create your holiday palette.

Step 5: Decorate with Holiday Cheer

Use piping icing to outline the stocking shape and let it set for a moment. Flood the cookie with thinner icing, using a toothpick to spread it evenly across the surface. Add a fluffy white icing cuff to mimic a cozy stocking trim. While the icing is still wet, sprinkle on some festive decorations. Allow cookies to dry completely before serving or storing.

Stocking Sugar Cookie Tips That Keep Shapes Sharp

Prevent Dough Sticking: Liberally dust your work surface with flour to stop cookie dough from clinging and tearing when rolling out shapes.

Maintain Consistent Thickness: Use rolling pin guide rings or wooden dowels to ensure even ¼-inch cookie thickness for uniform baking and perfect texture.

Control Icing Consistency: Test royal icing by drawing a line – if it disappears within 10 seconds, you’ve achieved the right flooding texture for smooth cookie decoration.

Chill for Success: Refrigerate cut-out cookies for 15 minutes before baking to help them retain crisp stocking shapes and prevent spreading in the oven.

Store Smartly: Layer decorated cookies between parchment paper in an airtight container to preserve design details and maintain freshness for up to one week.

Preserve Christmas Stocking Cookies Flavor

• Store decorated cookies in an airtight container between parchment paper layers for up to 5 days. Keep at room temperature away from direct sunlight and humidity.
• Wrap undecorated cookies individually in plastic wrap, place in freezer bags, and freeze for 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature before decorating.
• Warm slightly in microwave for 5-7 seconds to restore softness. Place cookies on a microwave-safe plate and use short bursts to prevent hardening.
• If cookies become dry, place a slice of bread in the container overnight to help reintroduce moisture and maintain softness.

Christmas Stocking Cookies Pairing Ideas

Pair Christmas Craving Delights: Festive Cookie Companions

• Sip Spiced Hot Cocoa: Warm, rich hot chocolate with cinnamon and marshmallows complements the sweet sugar cookies perfectly, creating a cozy holiday moment.
• Brew Vanilla Chai Latte: Smooth, creamy chai tea with hints of vanilla and warming spices balances the buttery sweetness of the Christmas stocking cookies.
• Serve Peppermint Mocha: Rich espresso blended with chocolate and cool peppermint flavor provides a delightful contrast to the sugary cookies, enhancing the festive experience.
• Share Eggnog Cheer: Creamy, nutmeg-spiced traditional holiday drink offers a luxurious accompaniment that matches the seasonal spirit of the decorated sugar cookies.

Gingerbread Cake Style Variants

• Gluten-Free Festive Stockings: Replace wheat flour with a blend of almond and rice flour for a celiac-friendly cookie that maintains a delicate texture and rich flavor.
• Vegan Holiday Treats: Swap butter with coconut oil, use a flax egg instead of traditional egg, and ensure all decorating ingredients are plant-based for an animal-product-free version.
• Low-Sugar Christmas Cookies: Substitute sugar with monk fruit sweetener or stevia, and use sugar-free royal icing made with alternative sweeteners to create a diabetic-friendly option.
• Dairy-Free Winter Delight: Use dairy-free margarine or vegetable shortening instead of butter, and select non-dairy milk alternatives to create a cookie suitable for lactose-intolerant bakers.

FAQs

• What ingredients do I need to make these Christmas Stocking Sugar Cookies?

You’ll need basic baking ingredients like butter, sugar, egg, vanilla extract, flour, baking powder, salt, powdered sugar, meringue powder, and optional food coloring and sprinkles.

• Do I really need to chill the cookie dough?

Yes, chilling the dough is crucial. It helps prevent spreading during baking and makes the dough easier to roll out. Cold dough maintains the cookie’s shape and creates a better texture.

• How can I prevent my cookies from getting too hard or too soft?

Use room temperature butter, measure ingredients precisely, and avoid overbaking. Check cookies at the 8-minute mark and remove when edges are just lightly golden. They’ll continue firming up while cooling.

• What's the secret to getting smooth royal icing?

Start by whisking powdered sugar and meringue powder thoroughly. Add water gradually and mix until you achieve soft peaks. Adjust consistency by adding more water or sugar, and use a toothpick to help spread icing evenly.

Christmas Stocking Sugar Cookies Recipe

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• Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
• Yield: 24 1x

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Description

Santa’s favorite Christmas stocking sugar cookies bring festive cheer to holiday gatherings with delightful sweetness. Crisp edges, rich vanilla flavor, and charming stocking shapes will charm guests and create magical memories for all.

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Ingredients

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Main Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Sweeteners:

• 1 cup granulated sugar

Flavor Enhancers and Stabilizers:

• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or almond extract)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

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Instructions

1. Create a smooth, homogeneous butter and sugar mixture by vigorously combining until the texture becomes airy and pale, approximately 2-3 minutes of consistent mixing.
2. Incorporate the egg and vanilla extract, blending thoroughly until the mixture achieves a uniform consistency.
3. In a separate mixing vessel, thoroughly combine flour, baking powder, and salt using a whisk to eliminate potential lumps.
4. Gradually integrate dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until a cohesive dough forms, ensuring no dry patches remain.
5. Segment the dough into manageable portions, encase each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a minimum of 60 minutes to enhance flavor development and facilitate easier handling.
6. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C), preparing a baking surface with parchment paper.
7. On a lightly dusted work surface, roll the chilled dough to a quarter-inch thickness, using gentle, even pressure to maintain consistency.
8. Utilize a stocking-shaped cookie cutter to precisely cut festive cookie silhouettes, transferring each carefully to the prepared baking sheet.
9. Bake for 8-10 minutes, watching for delicate golden edges as an indication of perfect doneness.
10. Transfer cookies to a wire cooling rack, allowing them to reach room temperature before embellishment.
11. Prepare royal icing by combining powdered sugar and meringue powder, gradually introducing water until the mixture develops soft, pillowy peaks.
12. Divide the icing into separate containers, introducing food coloring to create desired hues.
13. Using piping icing, meticulously outline the stocking’s shape, permitting the initial layer to set.
14. Apply a more fluid icing layer, using a toothpick to spread evenly and eliminate air bubbles.
15. Enhance the cookie’s cuff with white icing to simulate a plush, wintery texture.
16. While the icing remains wet, sprinkle decorative elements for a festive, whimsical finish.
17. Allow cookies to dry completely, ensuring the decorations set firmly before handling or storing.

Notes

• Chill dough thoroughly to prevent spreading and maintain crisp stocking shape during baking.
• Use room temperature butter for smoother creaming and better cookie texture.
• Rotate baking sheet halfway through cooking to ensure even golden-brown edges.
• For gluten-free option, substitute all-purpose flour with almond or gluten-free flour blend, adding xanthan gum for better binding.
• Work quickly when rolling dough to keep it cold and prevent sticking.
• Store decorated cookies in single layers between parchment paper to preserve delicate icing designs.
• Adjust royal icing consistency by adding tiny amounts of water or powdered sugar for perfect piping and flooding.

• Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 24
• Calories: 150
• Sugar: 6 g
• Sodium: 60 mg
• Fat: 7 g
• Saturated Fat: 4 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 21 g
• Fiber: 0 g
• Protein: 1 g
• Cholesterol: 20 mg