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Soft Christmas cookies decorated with festive icing on a baking tray

Best Soft Christmas Cookies

Thick, soft sugar cookies with festive sprinkles that stay soft for days, thanks to a little cornstarch and a slightly underdone centre.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chill Time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 30 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 345 g — spoon it into the cup and level it off; packing flour in makes dry cookies
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch the softness trick, do not skip it
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder adds a little lift so the cookies are pillowy, not flat
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter 226 g, softened — soft enough to leave a dent when pressed, not melted
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar 250 g
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar 50 g, packed
  • 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract optional — classic bakery sugar-cookie flavour
  • 1/3 cup holiday sprinkles plus extra for the tops — use jimmies; nonpareils can bleed colour

Equipment

  • baking sheet parchment-lined

Method
 

  1. Whisk the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  2. Cream the butter and sugars. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar together for 2–3 minutes, until pale, fluffy and lighter in colour.
  3. Add the eggs and extracts. Beat in the egg, then the extra yolk, then the vanilla and almond extract, mixing just until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once.
  4. Combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix on low (or stir by hand) just until no dry flour streaks remain.
  5. Fold in the sprinkles. Gently fold in the 1/3 cup of sprinkles with a spatula.
  6. Chill the dough for 30 minutes. Cover the bowl and refrigerate.
  7. Scoop. Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon balls and place them 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Press a few extra sprinkles onto the tops.
  8. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 9–11 minutes. Bake until the edges look set and very lightly golden, while the centres are still pale and look slightly underdone.
  9. Rest on the tray for 10 minutes. Leave the cookies on the hot baking sheet for a full 10 minutes, then move to a wire rack.