These beautiful Christmas butter cookies are soft, buttery, delicate and melt-in-your-mouth delicious! Decorated with rich chocolate, optional white chocolate and festive red, green and white sprinkles, they’re perfect for holiday celebrations, cookie exchanges and homemade gifts.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Chilling time: 30 minutes
Baking time: 12–15 minutes
Total time: Approximately 1 hour
Yield: 30–36 cookies
1. Ingredients
For the butter cookies
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 2½ cups |
| Unsalted butter, softened | 1 cup (225 g) |
| Powdered sugar | ¾ cup |
| Granulated sugar | ¼ cup |
| Large egg | 1 |
| Vanilla extract | 2 tsp |
For decoration
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Chocolate chips | 1 cup |
| White chocolate chips (optional) | ½ cup |
| Christmas sprinkles | As needed |
2. Step-by-step instructions
Step 1 – Prepare the oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2 – Cream the butter and sugars
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, powdered sugar and granulated sugar together for 2–3 minutes until light, fluffy and creamy.
Step 3 – Add the egg and vanilla
Add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat again until fully combined and smooth.
Step 4 – Add the flour
Gradually add the all-purpose flour, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms. Avoid overmixing.
The dough should be soft enough to pipe but firm enough to hold its shape.
Step 5 – Shape the cookies
Transfer the dough into a piping bag fitted with a large open-star tip.
Pipe small rosettes or swirls onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving approximately 2 inches between each cookie.
If the dough feels too soft, refrigerate it for 15–20 minutes before piping.
Step 6 – Chill the cookies
Place the baking sheets in the refrigerator for approximately 20–30 minutes. This helps the cookies maintain their beautiful piped shape during baking.
Step 7 – Bake
Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn lightly golden.
The centers should remain pale. Avoid overbaking.
Step 8 – Cool completely
Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before decorating.
Step 9 – Melt the chocolate
Place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl.
Microwave in 20–30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until completely melted and smooth.
If using white chocolate, melt it separately in the same way.
Step 10 – Decorate the cookies
Dip half of each cooled cookie into the melted chocolate.
Place on parchment paper and immediately add Christmas sprinkles while the chocolate is still wet.
For extra decoration, drizzle melted white chocolate over some of the cookies.
Step 11 – Let the chocolate set
Allow the decorated cookies to rest at room temperature until the chocolate has completely hardened.
Your beautiful Christmas butter cookies are ready!
3. Tips for perfect butter cookies
- Use room-temperature butter, but make sure it isn’t melted.
- Use powdered sugar for a delicate, tender texture.
- Don’t add too much flour, or the cookies may become dry.
- Use a large piping tip to make piping easier.
- Chill the piped cookies before baking to help preserve their shape.
- Let the cookies cool completely before dipping them in chocolate.
- Decorate immediately after dipping so the sprinkles stick.
4. Storage instructions
- Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 5–7 days.
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
- Freezer: Freeze undecorated cookies for up to 2 months for best quality.
5. Perfect for Christmas gifting 🎁
- Arrange cookies in decorative Christmas tins.
- Place them in clear gift bags with festive ribbons.
- Mix dark and white chocolate decorations for a beautiful presentation.
- Serve with hot chocolate, coffee or tea.