Description
Soft and chewy classic Christmas cookies made with cream cheese and festive sanding sugar. Easy to make ahead, freeze, and share for the holidays.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 stick salted butter, softened
- 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1½ cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Red & Green Sanding Sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add butter, cream cheese, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and almond extract. Beat with a hand mixer until light and fluffy (4-5 minutes).
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low speed until a soft dough forms.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll dough into balls and place on the baking sheet, 1 inch apart.
- Press a fork lightly into each ball to make a criss-cross pattern.
- Sprinkle with red or green sanding sugar.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes until soft (edges should not brown).
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
- Do not overbake—cookies should look slightly undercooked when removed from the oven.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 97 kcal
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 80mg
- Fat: 3g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 18mg