In years past I assembled boxes full of sweets for all our friends, neighbors, and co-workers: several types of cookies, toffee, truffles, mint patties, buckeye balls, fudge, shortcake, caramels… I think the sugar went to my head! This year I scaled back to our very favorites: sugar cookies, peppermint patties, and buckeye balls.

After I shared my cookies on Instagram earlier this week I had a few friends ask for my recipe and tips so I am sharing that today.

The Cookie Recipe:

My favorite cutout cookie recipe is found on The Kitchn. I used to feel sugar cookies were only a vessel for frosting, but I will happily eat these ones plain! I love the blend of almond and lemon. (I tend to go heavier on the lemon than this recipe indicates.) Or if you prefer more of a spice flavor I think this could be easily altered by leaving out the lemon and adding cinnamon and nutmeg.

View the full recipe here.

Best Cut-Out Sugar Cookies from The Kitchn

2 to 3 dozen cookies, depending on size. Bake at 350.

1 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature for 1 hour
2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoons milk
• 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

I tripled this recipe and divided it into 6 colors – white, dark blue, light blue, green, red, and yellow/orange. I scoop the icing into a sandwich bag and snip off a teeny-tiny corner of the bag and pipe them by hand. Instead of icing one cookie at a time I do one color at a time. For example: I take the white frosting and do all the snowflakes, all the Santa beards, then all the white candy cane stripes. Then I let it set and come back with another color. When I’m done icing I stick them in the freezer (or out on our porch!) to set for 30 minutes or so.

To make the process as enjoyable as possible (that is the point, after all) I bake the cookies on one day and keep them in the freezer until I have time to decorate them. I usually end up doing a late-night icing session and do about 100 cookies in 2 hours or so. I keep adding details until my hand cramps up – then I call it a day!