Marty Jean-Louis
Every year around the second week of December, our kitchen starts to smell like cinnamon, sugar, and butter. It’s a signal that Christmas is coming and that it’s time to make our favorite cookies again.
There are always new recipes to try. Fancy ones with imported spices or elaborate decorations. But somehow, we always come back to the same simple sugar cookie recipe. The one passed down from a neighbor years ago. The one written in slightly faded handwriting on a recipe card tucked inside a stained folder.
It’s not complicated. The ingredients are basic and easy to find. But when we mix that dough and roll it out on a floured countertop, something special happens. We slow down. We talk more. We laugh when the reindeer cookie comes out looking more like a cat. We let the kids go heavy on the sprinkles even though we know it’s going to be a mess.
It’s not just about the cookies. It’s about the moments created around them.
If you’ve never tried making homemade sugar cookies, this is the year to start. They don’t need to be perfect. They don’t need to win awards. They just need to come from your kitchen, shared with someone you love.
Here’s the simple recipe we use year after year.
Classic Christmas Sugar Cookies
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture until combined. Divide dough into two balls, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out dough on a floured surface and cut into shapes. Bake for 8–10 minutes or until edges are just golden. Let cool completely before decorating.
You can decorate with icing, sprinkles, or just a dusting of powdered sugar. But honestly, they’re just as good plain.
This recipe isn’t fancy. But it’s full of memories.
And sometimes, that’s exactly what makes it taste like Christmas.
