Looking for the ultimate, classic Christmas cookie? These Shortbread Christmas Cookies with Icing are perfect to make with your family this holiday season.
Festive Christmas Shortbread Cookies
Growing up, my three sisters and I would have a cookie baking day. We spent all day in the kitchen making ALL kinds of cookies, danced to Christmas music in our matching pajamas, and watched Christmas movies for the rest of the day. These memories are so incredibly special to me.
My younger sister Emily used to make these delicious Shortbread Christmas Cookies with Icing each year. The recipe came from her high school basketball coach’s wife. Emily would ask and ask for the recipe and finally (although reluctantly), she shared it. My other sisters and I would try to help, but Emily was known for making them “the best.” They’re always a favorite at Christmas time for our family. Sometimes they feel like a labor of love to make, but I promise—they’re worth it!
Keep in mind that this isn’t a sugar cookie. It’s a shortbread cookie with really delicious icing! The sweetness actually comes from the icing, so if you’re just looking for the shortbread cut-out, this is a great foundation to make your own shortbread cookie! You can decorate them however you’d like: with cookie cutters, colored icing, festive sprinkles, and more!
This cookie recipe is in honor of my sister, Emily, who is my heavenly angel. Em, you are missed beyond measure and forever will make these cookies “the best.” Thank you for sharing this recipe with us. In her memory, I am also naming these cookies Emmy’s Angel Cookies. ❤️️
I pray that each of you following this blog are comforted by those who love you and seek light from those who are shining angels above this holiday season.
Recipe Ingredients
What you’ll need for the cookies:
- Butter: We’ll need to let the butter come to room temperature (but not melted!) for this cookie recipe. It gets creamed with the sugar.
- Sugar: Use cane sugar and ensure there aren’t any chunks.
- Almond Extract and Vanilla Extract: Together, these flavors shine to create a far from ‘plain’, plain cookie. I use almond extract in these Cherry Chip Cookies, too for the perfect fruity flavor.
- Flour: I used all purpose flour. I have not tried any other flours and texture is key for these rolled cookies, so substitute with caution.
What you’ll need for the icing:
- Powdered Sugar: The base of our frosting. It’s fluffy texture mixed with water will create the perfect consistency for decorating.
- Meringue Powder: This will help stabilize our icing so it hardens on top of the cookies.
- Almond and Lemon Extract: Give our frosting flavor. The result is neither lemony nor almond-y but rather the perfect fruity icing.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements. If you love shortbread, check out these Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies, too!
Serving suggestions
Enjoy a shortbread cookie with your morning Coffee Smoothie. During the holiday season, I can get overwhelmed with the sweets in my house. I love having warm, healthy meals like this Spaghetti Squash Bake on hand.
How to Make This Recipe
1. In a KitchenAid standing mixer, mix together ROOM TEMPERATURE butter and cane sugar for 5-8 minutes or until combined.
2. Still mixing, add room temperature eggs, almond extract, and vanilla extract.
3. Stop the mixer. Then, add flour, baking soda, and salt. Let the cookie dough mix until everything is combined. Then, chill the dough for 1 hour.
4. Next, flour a flat surface. Use a rolling pin to flatten chilled cookie dough, rolling until it’s about ⅛” – ¼” thick. It’s important to make sure the dough is even for the best bake.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F. Then, using festive cookie cutters, cut out cookies and place them on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. NOTE: Baking times may vary depending on your oven and cookie sheet. Keep a close eye on the cookies so they don’t burn.
6. Remove baking sheet from the oven. Then, remove cookies and set on a plate. They should be firm enough to slide off the pan with a little assistance from a flat spatula. Allow the cookies to chill for 15-20 minutes in the fridge or outside. (Keep them away from animals!)
7. While the cookies cool, let’s make the icing (this is where a KitchenAid standing mixer is REALLY helpful. However, you can use an electric hand mixer, too). Add powdered sugar, warm water, meringue powder, and almond and lemon extract to the bowl of your standing mixer. Mix for 7-10 minutes or until very fluffy.
8. Then, place icing into piping bags. NOTE: If you want to add food coloring to the icing, do it before adding to the piping bags.
9. Now, it’s finally time to ice the cookies! Have fun with it! Add as much or as little to each cookie as you’d like. There will be enough icing to cover at least 50% of each cookie. Enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
I like to store these in the refrigerator, but they can also be kept in the pantry. If it gets cold where you live, you can also store them in an airtight container and leave in the basement or closed garage.
These cookies freeze well and ship well, too! If you put them in plastic bags and also pad the box with some tissue paper, they arrive nicely.
Follow the recipe EXACTLY as shared above! This is SO important to achieve the best cookies. My biggest tip is to chill the dough before to rolling it out and cutting. It is VERY helpful!
Yes. It makes a HUGE difference by allowing the icing to harden so you don’t get smudgy cookies. I’ve read that you can substitute egg whites, but I haven’t tried it myself. I use meringue powder in the frosting of my Football Sugar Cookies, too!
You really should use some kind of electric mixer to make these cookies. Preparing this dough by hand would be too difficult and would also take the joy out of making them. A standing mixer is best, but an electric hand mixer would work, too.
More Recipes You’ll Love
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating and comment in the recipe card below. Thanks for visiting!
Shortbread Christmas Cookies with Icing
Equipment
- Standing or hand mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Baking sheets
- Piping bags and tips
- Festive cookie cutters
- Rolling Pin
- Flat spatula
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 1½ cups butter, room temperature
- 1½ cups cane sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1½ tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 4½ cups all purpose flour
For the icing
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 5 tbsp warm water
- 3 tbsp meringue powder
- ½ tsp almond extract
- ½ tsp lemon extract
Instructions
- In a KitchenAid standing mixer, mix together ROOM TEMPERATURE butter and cane sugar for 5-8 minutes or until combined.
- Still mixing, add room temperature eggs, almond extract, and vanilla extract.
- Stop the mixer. Then, add flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Let the cookie dough mix until everything is combined. Then, chill for 1 hour.
- Next, flour a flat surface. Use a rolling pin to flatten chilled cookie dough, rolling until it's about ⅛” – ¼” thick. It's important to make sure the dough is even for the best bake.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Using festive cookie cutters, cut out cookies. Then, place them on an ungreased baking sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. NOTE: Baking times may vary depending on your oven and cookie sheet. Keep a close eye on the cookies so they don't burn.
- Remove baking sheet from the oven. Then, transfer cookies to a plate, cooling rack, or another baking sheet. They should be firm enough to slide off the pan with a little assistance from a flat spatula.
- Allow the cookies to chill for 15-20 minutes in the fridge or outside. (Keep them away from animals! )
- While the cookies cool, make the icing. This is where a KitchenAid standing mixer is REALLY helpful.
- Add powdered sugar, warm water, meringue powder, and almond and lemon extract to the bowl of your standing mixer. Mix for 7-10 minutes or until very fluffy.
- Place icing into piping bags. NOTE: If you want to add food coloring to the icing, do it before adding to the piping bags.
- Now it's time to ice the cookies! Have fun with it! Add as much or as little to each cookie as you'd like. There will be enough icing to cover at least 50% of each cookie. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
Looking for this in MyFitnessPal?
If you’re using MyFitnessPal, search ‘A Paige Of Positivity’ and find EMMY’S ANGEL COOKIES calories and nutrition facts. Disclaimer: for most accurate macronutrients and caloric breakdown, it is recommended that you input each ingredient into your MyFitnessPal food diary.
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. It’s my passion to create dishes that can be shared with others. Tell me something you loved or just say hi!
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Love how these look like sugar cookies but have twist. It’s a nice change from the typically sugar cookies that are often made for the holidays! Thanks so much for sharing, it sounds like you have incredible memories of baking with your sisters— thanks for letting us all in on this recipe—Especially a recipe as special as this one💗
This recipe is a family staple in our house. These are the most coveted cookies in the cookie box. They are so delicious and very fun to decorate.
Love shortbread!!! I too lost my baby sister 2 years ago…making these in honor of her💗
These cookies were very simple but they did not disappoint. My favorite thing about this recipe is the lemon in the icing, I think it takes the cookies to another level without it being overpowering. I will be using this recipe for years to come and hope to improve my icing skills over time lol.
I love seeing this – thank you so very much!
these cookies blew everyone away. the lemon in the icing was a highly loved touch and they were just overall so good with the perfect consistency. the story and meaning behind these cookies makes them that much better and we made these with lost angels in mind ❤️
A labor of love in the best way possible.Thanks for sharing, court. We miss you em <3
My most treasured cookie recipe – thank you, sweet Emily, for years of memories – especially in the kitchen while making these together. You’re loved and missed beyond belief.
Thank you so much for this recipe, the cookies came out perfect and the icing was great, just the right amount of sweetness for a special tea day with my family.
I made this with my daughter and not only did it taste good, but it was a great mom-and-daughter bonding experience for us. Thanks for sharing!
I love the flavor and texture of these sugar cookies and my kids love cutting them into different shapes and decorating them with the icing. I think we’ll make a tradition of making these!
I made these shortbread cookies with my kids last Christmas, and it was so memorable! We love how these cookies turned out, plus it was great bonding with my kids. For sure, we will be making this again this year!
I wanted to test this recipe before Christmas season, so I made a batch today! So so good. Loved how easy it was to work with the dough. They also tasted amazing.
Excited to make these cookies for the holidays but the ingredient list says baking powder but the instructions say baking soda. Help! Which is correct?
Hi Kelly! It’s baking powder. The recipe is updated to reflect it correctly. Happy baking 🙂
These cookies are AMAZING. I couldn’t stop eating them. I will definitely be making these again.
Just wondering what you can use instead of lemon extract? ☺️ lemon juice? Will the icing be too runny? Thank you!
Is the butter salted or unsalted? ☺️☺️
Hi there! If you don’t have lemon extract, we recommend you use orange extract, vanilla extract or almond extract. Lemon juice will be to much liquid in this recipe. For the butter, salted or unsalted is will both work. We used unsalted, then add salt to the recipe. Enjoy!
I’m not a cook by no means but I wanted to make some cookies since the kids start Christmas Break tomorrow. The directions were easy and the end result was great! A little piece of Emily lives on in our household fir years to come. Merry Christmas!
Daniel, thank you for sharing this lovely review. I shared it with my family and we were all very touched. Merry Christmas!