Description
These Christmas Santa Suit Sugar Cookie Cutouts are as festive as they are delicious. With a classic sugar cookie base and decorated with vibrant red and white royal icing, these cookies bring Santa’s suit to life in cookie form! They’re perfect for holiday gatherings, gift-giving, or leaving out for Santa on Christmas Eve. Fun to make and decorate, they’ll bring joy to both kids and adults alike!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Sugar Cookies:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the Royal Icing:
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons meringue powder
- 4–5 tablespoons water (adjust for consistency)
- Red gel food coloring
For Decoration:
- Red sanding sugar
- White sanding sugar
- Pink and black nonpareils (for cheeks and eyes)
- Small red candies or mini M&Ms (for Santa’s nose)
- Piping bags and small round piping tips
Instructions
- Make the Sugar Cookies:
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using), and mix until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing until a dough forms. Avoid overmixing.
- Divide the dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Roll and Cut the Cookies:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4-inch thickness.
- Use a Santa face or round cookie cutter to cut out shapes and place them on prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are just lightly golden. Cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.
- Prepare the Royal Icing:
- In a mixing bowl, combine the powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water. Mix on low speed until the icing reaches a smooth, pipeable consistency.
- Separate the icing into two portions. Tint one portion with red gel food coloring for Santa’s hat.
- Transfer the white and red icings to piping bags fitted with small round tips.
- Decorate the Cookies:
- Outline and Flood Santa’s Hat: Use the red icing to outline and fill the top section of each cookie for Santa’s hat. Immediately sprinkle red sanding sugar over the wet icing to cover the hat completely. Shake off any excess and let it set.
- Add Santa’s Beard and Hat Trim: Use the white icing to outline and fill the bottom half of the cookie for Santa’s beard and the trim of the hat. While the icing is still wet, sprinkle white sanding sugar on the beard and hat trim. Let it set.
- Create Santa’s Face: Leave a small section between the beard and hat un-iced for Santa’s face. Once the icing has set, use a small dot of white icing to attach pink nonpareils for cheeks, black nonpareils for eyes, and a red candy or mini M&M for Santa’s nose.
- Add Final Details: If desired, use a small amount of white icing to pipe a smile below the nose. Let the cookies sit until all the icing is completely dry.
Notes
- For best results, ensure all ingredients for the dough are at room temperature.
- Use gel food coloring to achieve vibrant colors without thinning the icing.
- If the icing is too thick, add water a few drops at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.
- For easy cleanup, use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat when decorating.
- If you’re short on time, store-bought sugar cookies can be used as a base.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20mg