18+ Southern Living Christmas Light Cookies Recipe Elevate Your Taste Buds!
Published on: Apr 2, 2024
Christmas is a time for festive decorations, cozy gatherings, and of course, delicious treats. One of the most beloved holiday traditions is baking and decorating Christmas cookies. While classic sugar cookies and gingerbread men are always crowd-pleasers, why not try something new this year? Southern Living has the perfect recipe for Christmas light cookies that are sure to impress your family and friends. These cookies are not only delicious but also visually stunning, making them the perfect addition to your holiday dessert spread.
Indulge in the flavors of Italy this holiday season with these delicious Italian Christmas cookies. Made with traditional Italian ingredients such as almonds, citrus zest, and spices, these cookies are sure to be a hit at any holiday gathering. Serve them with a glass of Italian wine for the perfect pairing.
Add some festive flair to your dessert table with these adorable Christmas light cupcakes. These moist and fluffy cupcakes are decorated with colorful frosting and candy lights for a fun and playful touch. Not only are they delicious, but they also make for a great activity for kids to help decorate.
If you love gooey and chewy cookies, then these Christmas gooey butter cookies are a must-try. Made with cream cheese and butter, these cookies have a soft and chewy center and a slightly crisp exterior. They are perfect for cookie exchanges and can be decorated with festive sprinkles or colored sugar.
Add some twinkle and sparkle to your cookie platter with these Christmas light cookies. Made with a buttery shortbread dough and decorated with colorful royal icing, these cookies are easy to make and are sure to impress guests. You can even use edible glitter to make them extra festive.
These Christmas thumbprint cookies are a holiday classic and for good reason. The buttery cookie base is filled with your choice of jam, jelly, or chocolate for a sweet and fruity burst of flavor. These cookies are perfect for gifting and can be decorated with a dusting of powdered sugar for a snowy effect.
These Kris Kringle Christmas cookies are festive and delicious. The soft and chewy cookies are filled with dried cranberries, white chocolate chips, and pistachios for a perfect balance of sweet and tart. They are great for parties and can be decorated with a drizzle of melted white chocolate for a snowy touch.
Nothing says Christmas like a batch of buttery and crumbly shortbread cookies. These classic cookies are easy to make and can be decorated with colored sugar, sprinkles, or chopped nuts for a festive touch. Serve them with a cup of hot cocoa for the ultimate holiday treat.
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Cranberry Christmas Cookies
Main Ingredients: Butter, White Sugar, Brown Sugar, Egg, Orange Juice
These cranberry Christmas cookies are a burst of holiday flavors in every bite. The buttery cookie dough is studded with dried cranberries and white chocolate chips for a sweet and tangy combination. They are perfect for cookie exchanges and can be packaged in festive gift boxes for a thoughtful homemade gift.
You won't be able to resist this addictive and irresistible treat known as Christmas crack. Made with saltine crackers, butter, and chocolate, this sweet and salty snack is a holiday favorite. You can even sprinkle crushed candy canes on top for a festive touch.
Upgrade your Christmas cookie game with these cream cheese Christmas cookies. The soft and tender cookies are made with cream cheese for a rich and indulgent texture. Decorate them with colored frosting and sprinkles for a festive look.
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Christmas Pinwheel Cookies
Main Ingredients: All Purpose Flour, Baking Powder, Kosher Salt, Unsalted
These Christmas pinwheel cookies are a fun and colorful addition to any holiday dessert table. The buttery and vanilla-flavored dough is rolled with red and green dough to create a festive pinwheel design. These cookies are great for gifting and can be packaged in clear bags tied with a festive ribbon.
No Christmas is complete without a batch of classic sugar cookies. These buttery and tender cookies can be cut into festive shapes and decorated with frosting and sprinkles. They are great for decorating with kids and can be personalized with names or messages for a special touch.
These Christmas lights sugar cookies are a fun twist on the classic sugar cookie. Use colored dough to create multi-colored lights and decorate with sparkling sugar for a shimmery effect. These cookies are great for parties and can be customized with different colors and designs.
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Cucidati Italian Christmas Fig Cookies
Main Ingredients: Unsalted Butter, Granulated Sugar, Vanilla Extract
Bring a taste of Italy to your holiday celebrations with these Cucidati Italian Christmas fig cookies. These traditional Italian cookies are filled with a sweet and nutty fig filling and are perfect for dunking in coffee or hot cocoa. They are a unique and delicious addition to any cookie platter.
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Christmas Snow Salad
Main Ingredients: Unflavored Gelatin, Cold Water, Crushed Pineapple
Add some healthy and refreshing options to your holiday menu with this Christmas snow salad. Made with spinach, cranberries, and feta cheese, this salad is festive and colorful and is perfect for balancing out all the indulgent holiday treats. Serve it with a sweet and tangy dressing for a burst of flavor.
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Christmas Fudge
Main Ingredients: Bittersweet Chocolate Chips, Unsweetened Baking
No holiday party is complete without a tray of creamy and decadent Christmas fudge. Made with sweetened condensed milk, chocolate, and your choice of mix-ins such as nuts, candy, or dried fruit, this fudge is easy to make and can be customized to your liking. Package it in festive tins for a thoughtful gift.
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Cranberry Christmas Cake
Main Ingredients: Salted Butter, Granulated Sugar, Large Eggs, Grated
Impress your guests with this festive and flavorful cranberry Christmas cake. The moist and tender cake is studded with dried cranberries and topped with a cream cheese frosting for a perfect balance of sweet and tart. Serve it with a drizzle of cranberry sauce for an extra burst of flavor.
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Christmas Wreath Pastry
Main Ingredients: Dried Cherries, Orange Liqueur, Almond Paste, Unsalted
This Christmas wreath pastry is a show-stopping dessert that will impress your guests. Made with puff pastry, cream cheese, and your choice of fruit such as berries or kiwi, this pastry is festive and delicious. It can be sliced and served for a beautiful display.
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Christmas Crab Cakes
Main Ingredients: Lump Crabmeat, Panko Breadcrumbs, Large Eggs
Add some seafood to your holiday menu with these Christmas crab cakes. Made with fresh crab meat, herbs, and spices, these savory and crispy cakes are a delightful appetizer or main course. Serve them with a dollop of tartar sauce for a refreshing and tangy accompaniment.
These Christmas tree brownies are a fun and festive dessert that everyone will love. The fudgy brownies are topped with green frosting and decorated with colorful candies to resemble a Christmas tree. They are a great dessert option for kids and can be decorated with their favorite candies.
How to Make Christmas Light Cookies
Gather Your Ingredients
The first step in making these Christmas light cookies is to gather all of your ingredients. You will need all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and food coloring. It's always a good idea to have all of your ingredients pre-measured and ready to go before you start baking.
Make the Dough
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract. Gradually add in the dry ingredients until a dough forms. Divide the dough into three equal portions and add a few drops of food coloring to each portion, kneading until the color is fully incorporated.
Roll and Cut the Dough
Roll out each portion of colored dough into a rectangle shape. Stack the rectangles on top of each other, trimming the edges to create a neat stack. Gently roll up the stack into a log and wrap it in plastic wrap. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. Once chilled, slice the dough into 1/4 inch rounds and use a small round cookie cutter to cut out the center of each round.
Bake and Decorate
Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 375°F for 8-10 minutes. Let the cookies cool completely before decorating. Use royal icing to create the string of lights on each cookie, and use a variety of colored sprinkles to represent the lights. Let the icing dry before serving and enjoying your festive and delicious Christmas light cookies.
Get Creative
While this recipe is for Christmas light cookies, feel free to get creative and use different cookie cutter shapes and colors to make these cookies for any occasion. They are also a great activity to do with kids, as they will love helping with the rolling, cutting, and decorating process. So why not add these stunning and tasty cookies to your holiday baking list this year? Your family and friends will thank you.