Denise's Darling Christmas Sugar Cookie Recipe

 

Happy holidays, friends! This year, I was invited by Tule Publishing to share one of my favorite Christmas recipes with readers. I chose my "Denise's Darling Christmas Sugar Cookies," which are absolutely delicious. 

Keep reading for more on how I celebrate the holidays with my family, ways that baking influenced my novel LOVE AT THE ICICLE CAFE, and the cookie recipe! 🍪

The Christmas season is by far my favorite time of the year as I love spending it with family. We gather together to share fond memories while preparing delicious recipes. For me, that’s my beloved sugar cookies.

My joy of baking inspired Love at the Icicle Café. The book is centered around a cozy café known for its savory dishes and delicious desserts. I grew up with a mother who also loves to bake, so writing a story filled with vivid descriptions of yummy treats was an absolute pleasure.

Today I’ll be sharing details on how to prepare these buttercream frosted lemon sugar cookies, topped with red and green sparkling sugar. For this recipe, you’ll need:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature 
• 2 cups of sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon extract
• 1 tablespoon of lemon zest
• 3 cups of flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• Sparkling red and green sugar

How to prepare:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar for 4 minutes until light and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla, lemon extract, and lemon zest. Stir to combine.
3. Stir in flour, baking powder baking soda, and salt. Mix just until combined.
4. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least an hour
5. Roll the dough to 1/4 inch thick, cut with holiday-shaped cookie cutters
6. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet, then place cookies on top
7. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until edges are lightly browned

While the cookies are baking, prepare the frosting. Below are the ingredients and instructions:

• 2 cups of confectionery sugar
• 1/2 stick of salted butter, room temperature 
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons of milk 

1. Mix the ingredients together with a beater until light and fluffy 
2. Ready to use!

Once your cookies have cooled, ice them, sprinkle the sugar on top, and enjoy!

I do hope that you’ll try this recipe during the holiday season and enjoy spending time with your loved ones. As always, thanks for stopping by, and I'll see you in the new year! XO