Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Why Cream Cheese Belongs in Snickerdoodle Dough

Adding real full-fat cream cheese alongside unsalted butter transforms traditional snickerdoodles from a standard cookie into a thick, bakery-style treat. The acidity in dairy breaks down gluten strands to create an impossibly tender crumb, while retaining essential moisture so the cookies stay soft for days.

Classic vs. Cream Cheese Snickerdoodles

With cream cheese in the dough, and perfectly paired with a mug of sweet hot chocolate, this classic recipe is a tradition in our home. Our favorite Christmas cookies are these well-loved Best Sugar Cookies, but there’s always room for a variety on the holiday cookie platter.

Step-by-Step Baking & Quality Control Checklist

• Bring Dairy to Room Temp: Ensure both the butter and cream cheese are softened to room temperature so they emulsify smoothly without lumps.
• Do Not Skip the Chill: Chill the covered dough for at least 1 hour. Cold dough prevents excessive spreading and locks in that thick, puffy shape.
• Coat Just Before Baking: Roll the 2-teaspoon dough balls in the cinnamon-sugar mix right before placing them on the baking sheet so the sugar doesn’t absorb into the dough.
• Rest on the Pan: Bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes until set, then let them sit on the warm baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a wire cooling rack.

How Cream Cheese Upgrades Cookie Texture

In partnership with the American Dairy Association Mideast, using real dairy milk, butter, and full-fat cream cheese is one of the easiest ways to elevate holiday baking:

• Acidity & Tenderness: Cream cheese contains natural lactic acid, which softens gluten structure to guarantee a tender bite.
• Moisture Retention: The combination of milk fats and solids binds moisture tightly, keeping cookies soft far longer than butter alone.
• Emulsification Tip: Beat the softened butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar thoroughly on medium speed until smooth before incorporating the dry ingredients.

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Cream Cheese Snickerdoodles Recipe

These Cream Cheese Snickerdoodles deliver the classic cinnamon-sugar flavor you love in a soft, pillowy, soft-baked cookie with a subtle, delicious tang.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword christmas, cinnamon, cookie, cream cheese

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Chill Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 27 minutes minutes

Servings 36 cookies

Calories 148kcal

Author Katrina Bahl

Ingredients

Cookies

• 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cinnamon Sugar Coating

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon

Instructions

• Cream the Base: In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together the softened butter and cream cheese until completely smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until combined.
• Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the vanilla extract, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the cream cheese mixture until a dough forms.
• Chill: Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Alternatively, you can form the dough into 36 balls and chill.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. In a small bowl combine cinnamon and sugar.
• Prep & Pre-heat: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). In a small bowl, stir together the 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon.
• Roll & Coat: Scoop dough into balls using about 2 heaping teaspoons per cookie. Roll each ball generously in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
• Bake & Cool: Place on ungreased baking sheets and bake for 10–12 minutes until set. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Can I freeze Cream Cheese Snickerdoodle dough? Yes! Shape the dough into balls, freeze them on a lined baking sheet for 1 hour, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Roll the frozen dough balls in cinnamon sugar right before baking, adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time.

How should I store these cookies to keep them soft? Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week.

Why did my snickerdoodles turn out flat? Flat cookies usually occur if the butter or cream cheese was melted rather than softened, or if the dough wasn’t chilled long enough before baking.

Nutrition

Calories: 148kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 93mg | Potassium: 37mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1mg

Cookie Recipes to Try

Biscoff Stuffed Snickerdoodles

Eggnog Snickerdoodles

Cream Cheese Meltaway Cookies

For even more recipes, information about dairy nutrition, and to meet Ohio and West Virginia dairy farmers, visit Drink-Milk.com, and follow the American Dairy Association Mideast on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.

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Special Ingredients Cream Cheese Meltaway Cookies

You may remember a version of this cookie called “Melting Moments.” Our recipe varies slightly to include cream cheese baked directly into the cookie batter rather than only being topped with cream cheese frosting.

Cornstarch is the special ingredient that makes these cookies melt in your mouth! They are light and fluffy and the perfect addition to any holiday celebration.

It’s not a typo; there are no eggs in this recipe! Do you know someone with an egg allergy who might want a special Christmas cookie?

Tips for Baking and Storing Soft Cookies

• Let Cream Cheese Meltaway Cookies briefly rest on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Prepare the deliciously fluffy cream cheese frosting while the cookies are cooling. However, you can dust meltaway cookies with powdered sugar if you prefer.
• Cream Cheese Meltaway cookies can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days. They can be stored in the refrigerator for 1 week or the freezer for 2-3 months.

Baking with Friends and Family

As stated earlier, you may remember “Melting Moments” from childhood. I certainly have fond memories of baking with my mother and grandmother this time of year.

It might be a special recipe representing my heritage, like Vanocka Czech Christmas Bread studded with plump raisins (and forbidden rum!) or Ice Cream Kolacky Cookies with ice cream mixed right into the batter. How meaningful to have a day in the kitchen swapping stories and making a mess together!

My friends introduced me to these Pepper Jelly Cornmeal Thumbprint Cookies. And there isn’t a December that goes by without making our Best Sugar Cookie Recipe EVER, along with the soft and tender classic Vanilla Ricotta Cookies!

Whatever you choose to bake, spend time in the kitchen making memories with those you love this season! And don’t forget a big glass of milk for Santa! He told me he wants to try our Cheesecake Stuffed Cookies this year.

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Cream Cheese Meltaway Cookies

Cream Cheese Meltaway Cookies are light, buttery cookies with the tang of cream cheese. One special ingredient makes these melt in your mouth!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cookie, cream cheese, frosting

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 22 minutes minutes

Servings 2 dozen

Ingredients

For the Cookies

• 1 cup butter softened
• 2 Tablespoons cream cheese softened
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Frosting

• 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

For the Cookies

• PREHEAT over to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, or use silicone baking mats.
• In the bowl of your mixer, CREAM together butter, cream cheese, and vanilla until smooth (approximately 2 minutes).
• ADD in the powdered sugar and continue mixing.
• In a separate bowl, COMBINE flour, cornstarch, and salt. Slowly ADD to the butter mixture until smooth and the batter pulls away from the sides of the mixer.
• DROP by rounded spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Gently FLATTEN cookies with the bottom of a glass that has been dipped into powdered sugar (to prevent sticking).
• BAKE for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool and set for a few minutes until the cookies are firm enough to move to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Frosting

• BEAT the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth and light in color.
• Slowly ADD the powdered sugar and continue mixing until smooth and fluffy.
• Add a drop of food coloring if desired.
• When cookies are completely cool, FROST cookies and add sprinkles if desired.

Video

Notes

• The cornstarch is the secret to the melt-in-your-mouth texture of these cookies.
• You may know a version of this cookie called “Melting Moments.” Our recipe varies slightly to include cream cheese baked directly into the cookie batter rather than only being topped with cream cheese frosting.
• The cookies are just as delicious unfrosted or dusted with powdered sugar! 

Connect with ADA Mideast

Dairy farms operate 365 days a year, even on Thanksgiving and Christmas. On these holidays and every day, dairy farmers are committed to providing excellent care for their cows, producing safe, healthy milk, and protecting the environment for future generations.

For more information about dairy nutrition, to find delicious new recipes and to meet Ohio and West Virginia dairy farmers, visit www.Drink-Milk.com, and follow the American Dairy Association Mideast on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

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Cheesecake Stuffed Cookies

Stuffed cookies are enjoying a surge in popularity lately, thanks partly to Crumbl Cookie stores opening their doors across the country.

The best filling is, of course, cheesecake! This is a graham cracker cookie base with graham cracker crumbs baked into the dough as well as coated on the outside before going into the oven.

How to Make Stuffed Cookies

• Prepare the filling and frosting
• Prepare the cookie dough
• Stuff the cookies
• Seal the cookies
• Coat with graham cracker crumbs
• Bake and let cool
• Drizzle with frosting and top with cherries

The soft graham cracker cookies with the creamy cheesecake filling are delicious enough to enjoy without icing. Still, you can dress them up with your favorite cheesecake toppings, like cherry or blueberry.

This recipe makes 8 large cookies.

Dairy Farming During the Holidays

In the winter, cow care routines on dairy farms change. Wet, chilly air means bedding the cows more often. Most barns are equipped with curtains that may be manually raised or lowered to protect cows from cold weather and whipping winds. Calf jackets help calves conserve heat and stay warm, much like we put on jackets to keep us warm.

Dairy farms operate 365 days a year, even on Thanksgiving and Christmas. On these holidays and every day, dairy farmers are committed to providing excellent care for their cows, producing safe, healthy milk, and protecting the environment for future generations.

Milk is the No. 1 nutritious product requested by food banks. Each year, dairy companies work with local food banks to provide nutritious dairy foods to those in need.

The post Cheesecake Stuffed Cookies appeared first on In Katrinas Kitchen.

This is a sponsored recipe on behalf of the American Dairy Association Mideast.

Sugar Cookie Bars

Sugar cookie bars are a great option for holiday baking because they save you time by not cutting and frosting individual cookies.

You can also slice sugar cookie bars into small, bite-sized pieces for cookie trays or leave them a traditional size if serving for dessert.

Peppermint Bark Cookies and Cream Bars

These Peppermint Bark Cookies and Cream Bars are soft and thick with a delicious homemade frosting. The crushed chocolate cookies and candy canes make these bars festive and delicious!

How to Make This Festive Holiday Dessert

• Prepare the cookie dough
• Bake the cookie bars
• Prepare the frosting
• Crush chocolate cookies and candy canes
• Frost and decorate the cookie bars
• Slice and serve!

American Dairy Association Mideast

I am very proud to partner with the American Dairy Association Mideast.

Dairy farmers are committed to help nourish communities and provide wholesome, nutritious, affordable food.

In Ohio and West Virginia, cows on about 1,600 dairy farms produce about 663 million gallons of milk each year. Did you know that 95% of U.S. dairy farms are family-owned and operated?

Milk and Cookie Bars for Santa

Using milk vs. water when cooking makes recipes creamier and adds nutrition. Milk can make scrambled eggs fluffier, too! Get more ideas for easy hacks that make recipes tastier and add bone-building nutrients—simply by using milk.

And don’t forget to leave out a glass of milk and a plate of these sugar cookie bars for Santa!

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What is a Spritz Cookie?

Originated from the German word “spritzen,” these cookies translated means “to squirt.” The soft, buttery cookie dough is squirted through a cookie press or piping bag, making the classic holiday designs you know and love.

What is a Cookie Press

You will need a cookie press. Any cookie press will do, but some are better than others. We suggest avoiding those with plastic discs. Recently we switched to the OXO Cookie Press with metal discs and fell in love with spritz cookies again. We also had to grab the OXO Christmas Disc set to go along with it (Amazon Affiliates links).

Alternatively, you could use a piping bag with a large open star tip to pipe Spritz cookies. While it does work, be warned that this method can produce uneven cookies, potentially affecting baking times. With some practice, you could get the hang of it, but we suggest a cookie press for this task for consistency.

Cream Cheese Spritz

Cream cheese and butter are creamed together with sugar, an egg yolk, and peppermint extract. You’ll add a pinch of salt and flour to make a soft, tart dough. The best cookies are the simple ones!

Tip: Cube the butter before adding it to the mixing bowl, helping to evenly distribute the butter and get it nice and incorporated with the softened cream cheese.

Peppermint Bark Cookies Two Ways

We’ve included two easy cookie options for this recipe.

1. Dipped Cookies: Dip the finished spritz cookies in melted dark chocolate then press into crushed candy canes.
2. Frosted Sandwich Cookies: Using homemade or store-bought frosting, spread a bit of rich chocolate frosting between two cookies of the same shape. Squeeze the cookies just a bit and press the outsides of the sandwich cookie into crushed candy canes.

How To Crush Candy Canes

Candy canes can be a pain to crush because they are very sticky. Here is our tip:

Whether you are pounding candy canes with a mallet in a zip-top bag, using a rolling pin to crush them, or you have access to a food processor, DO THIS FIRST!

Unwrap the candy canes or peppermint discs and throw them in a zip-top bag in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. By freezing the peppermints you will be drawing out the moisture which is what makes the candy canes sticky while you are chopping them up.

Spritz Cookies Tips for Success

Do not use a greased cookie sheet or parchment paper. The pressed cookies need to adhere to the metal cookie sheet. Be sure that your cookie sheet is completely free of grease by washing thoroughly with dish soap and drying completely.

If your cookies are not adhering to the cookie sheet you can place the sheet in the refrigerator or freezer for 10-15 minutes.

This recipe does not require the dough to chill before using, however, if your kitchen is very warm or if your butter was very soft you make have issues with the cookies not adhering to the cookie sheet. Separate the dough into sections and place it in the refrigerator for a few minutes if this happens.

Since the cookies have peppermint extract in them you could skip the chocolate and crushed candy canes and opt for a simple sprinkle of colored sanding sugar before baking the cookies.

These are SMALL cookies so they bake quickly. We suggest baking for 12 minutes and checking for doneness. The cookies will continue to bake on the cookie sheet after they are removed from the oven. Use a spatula to remove the cookies to a cooling rack after no more than 5 minutes until firm enough to move without losing their shape. (more…)

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These Peppermint Bark Cookies are cut into a doughnut shape and topped with crushed candy canes for a festive holiday cookie sure to stand out on your cookie platters.

You can use any cookie cutters that you have on hand.

This cookie started my path to write a recipe for a soft chocolate cut-out cookie that did not need to be chilled before rolling and cutting.

During the summer, after many attempts, my child’s soccer team began calling me Mrs. Claus because of the copious amounts of Christmas cookies I always had on hand. Ten-year-old boys will eat anything, and they didn’t care if the flavor or texture changed discreetly week after week.

Peppermint Bark Cookies

These Peppermint Bark Cookies have 3 parts- cookie, glaze, and crushed candy canes. That’s it! They are so simple, but they are really pleasing to look at and even more delightful to eat!

Of course, you don’t need to cover them in crushed up candy canes.

You’re going to want to start with this Best Chocolate Cut Out Cookie recipe. I’m telling you it’s perfect. You don’t need to chill the cookie dough before rolling out, and it tastes just like a brownie. These chocolate cookies are so delicious on their own that you don’t even need to frost them.

But why would you deprive yourself of frosting? Top with a classic vanilla cookie glaze, or try our Three Ingredient Chocolate Glaze. It dries glossy and firm enough to stack.

If you love our Best Sugar Cookie Recipe EVER, then you will want to make this chocolate version!

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Peppermint Bark Cookies

Peppermint bark cookies are made with soft chocolate sugar cookies and a sweet chocolate glaze that dries firm. Top with crushed candy canes!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword candy canes, christmas, cookie, frosting, glaze, peppermint

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 7 minutes minutes

Servings 36 cookies

Author Katrina Bahl

Ingredients

• Best Chocolate Cut Out Cookies
• Chocolate Glaze
• 6 candy canes crushed

Instructions

• Prepare cookies and glaze as directed.
• Crush candy canes and sprinkle on top of glazed cookies while the glaze has not yet dried firm.

Notes

These Peppermint Bark Cookies combine two of our favorite recipes. Follow the links for Ingredient lists and Printable Recipe Cards.

Best Chocolate Cut Out Cookie

Three Ingredient Chocolate Glaze

 

Festive Fun Peppermint Recipes

Try these simple Peppermint Bark Rice Crispy Treats for a quick dessert.

Potato Chip Peppermint Bark is sure to get people talking. Salty and sweet- don’t knock it until you try it!

Try your hand at making Homemade Peppermint Patties. They come together surprisingly quickly.

How about Easy Peppermint Buttercream Cake Mix Cookies? No one has to know you started with a cake mix.

Peppermint Drinks

Start with our Candy Cane (Peppermint) Simple Syrup. Then use that simple syrup to make Candy Cane Steamers.

For the coffee lover on your Christmas list, give our Peppermint Mocha Sticks. Stir them into your coffee for a creamy, peppermint mocha treat.

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I have such fond memories of baking with my grandmother at Christmastime. Although I haven’t quite mastered everything that she taught me, she inspires just about everything I do in the kitchen. These classic Gingerbread Spritz cookies bring me right back to my childhood.

She didn’t bake them often (I think she hated cleaning her cookie press), but I was always allowed to dump on as many sprinkles as I wanted when she did. We only had a limited amount of cinnamon candies to use, and those were my favorite to place on top of the gingerbread spritz cookies before they went into the oven.

Gingerbread Spritz Cookies

You will need a cookie press. I had an old Pampered Chef cookie press that I would swear every time I tried to use it; I never had any luck with those plastic discs. Recently I switched to the OXO Cookie Press with metal discs, and I fell in love with spritz cookies again. I also had to grab the OXO Christmas Disc set to go along with it. This recipe is not sponsored, although those are Amazon Affiliate links.

Key Gingerbread Spritz Ingredients

Coincidentally there was a recipe included in a booklet that is similar to my grandmother’s! There were a few minor differences, one of them being that our family always adds white pepper to our gingerbread cookies. It goes along nicely with the classic gingerbread spices of nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger.

You’ll need molasses, butter, brown sugar, flour, salt, vanilla, and an egg. 

You won’t need a leavening agent such as baking powder, baking soda, or cream of tartar. You can pile these cookies pretty closely together on the baking sheet because they do not rise or spread very much.

To chill or not to chill?

We prefer chilling the gingerbread spritz dough for at least 30 minutes before pressing into cookie shapes because of the molasses in this recipe. Spoon the dough out in two log shapes onto plastic wrap. Wrap tightly and chill.

Unwrap and place a chilled dough log into your cookie press when ready to bake. Leave the rest of the dough in the refrigerator until ready to use. Note: if your cookie press has plastic discs, you may not want to chill the dough.

You will experience the most success when pressing spritz cookies onto a very cold, ungreased baking sheet (also, do not use parchment paper or a silicone mat). For this reason, we suggest using sturdy cookie sheets, not flimsy ones.

How to decorate Gingerbread Spritz Cookies

These flavorful cookies can be left plain and simple. If using sprinkles or candies, then place them before baking.

You can frost or dip them with a simple icing glaze when cooled completely. Try our popular Three Ingredient Chocolate Glaze.

Spritz cookies can also be dusted with powdered sugar after cooled and when ready to serve. Lots of options!

Can I freeze Gingerbread Spritz Cookies?

You can freeze fully baked and cooled gingerbread spritz cookies and store them for up to three months.

We prefer stacking the cookies in cupcake liners and freezing in an airtight container with a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap on top to lock out any moisture.

Bring to room temperature before freezing. Do not re-freeze once thawed. (more…)

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You don’t even need to get your mixer out for this quick chocolate glaze!

Just like everybody needs a little black dress, every kitchen needs a quick chocolate frosting- actually a quick, versatile chocolate glaze.

This three-ingredient glaze comes together in just a few minutes. You don’t need a mixer, and it dries firm. Pour it over doughnuts, cupcakes, a Bundt cake, or spread it over cookies.

Three Ingredient Chocolate Glaze

The recipe couldn’t be easier! Melt the chocolate, then whisk in the butter and corn syrup. The result is a beautifully glossy chocolate glaze.  What you need:

• chocolate chunks (or chips)
• butter
• corn syrup

We have the best results with corn syrup, but if you are completely against using it, some substitutes for corn syrup are- agave, honey, or maple syrup. Let us know in the comment section if you have another secret success story!

The Best Chocolate

Chocolate is the superstar here, so be sure to pick a good quality one. Our suggestions are a semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate bar or chunks like Ghirardelli and Callebaut. Bakers Chocolate is also a good grocery store brand. But this chocolate glaze doesn’t have to be fancy; no problems using chocolate chips…even the ones in the classic yellow bag. Use what you have!

We love using it on our Best Chocolate Cut Out Cookie.

Also, what is it about crushed candy canes that makes everything so festive? These Peppermint Bark Cookies are a fun doughnut shape that we want to make every season. Our family has a birthday morning Donut Cake tradition, so maybe we’ll make every birthday Donut Day with themed desserts throughout!

How to Store Chocolate Glaze

The chocolate glaze is best used right away; however, if you have any leftover glaze that you don’t want to go to waste, you can store it in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Use within one week.

For a satiny smooth finish, it is not suggested to freeze cookies or cakes with glaze. There is nothing wrong with freezing desserts with glaze, but you will have the smoothest finish when serving at room temperature.  (more…)

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Santa’s favorite cookie just got a sweet, chocolate update! Our favorite Best Sugar Cookie Recipe EVER goes viral every year for a reason- there is no need to chill the dough before rolling, and the cookies do not spread when you bake them.

We have been working on the Best Chocolate Cut Out Cookie recipe for years, trying to bring you the best, no-fuss chocolate dough with the same no-chill, no-spread qualities that taste like a rich chocolate brownie. We are happy to report that we’ve finally nailed it!

Chocolate Cut Out Cookie Recipe

These cookies are so delicious that you can enjoy them plain or iced. It’s hard not to sneak pieces of dough while rolling them out! They can go by many different names; what do you call them?

Brownie Cut Out Cookies, Brownie Sugar Cookies, Chocolate Sugar Cookies, Chocolate Cut Out Cookies, Chocolate Roll-Out Cookies, or something else?

No-chill, No-spread Cookie Recipe

Many have suggested that you swap out a cup of flour in traditional cut out sugar cookies for an equal amount of cocoa powder. In our experience, that strategy resulted in a bland cookie. Other chocolate variations resulted in a sticky dough that needed to be chilled or that spread while baking.

Our Best Chocolate Cut Out Cookie recipe uses a combination of unsweetened cocoa and unsweetened dark chocolate cocoa. The most widely available is HERSHEY’S Unsweetened Cocoa Powder along with HERSHEY’S Special Dark Baking Cocoa Powder. You can use one or the other, but for the best results, we suggest using 1/3 cup of each.

This recipe also uses a combination of unsalted butter (not margarine) and vegetable shortening (like Crisco), an extra egg for moisture, and espresso powder for a depth of flavor. Your cookies will not taste like coffee. Espresso powder brings out the chocolate flavor in baked goods.

Chocolate Cut Out Cookie Troubleshooting and FAQ

My cookies are still spreading; what did I do wrong?

The recipe calls for room temperature butter (not necessarily softened butter). You should be able to dent the butter slightly by pressing your finger to it. Your finger should not be able to make a significant mark into the butter or press through to the bottom. See this butter visual from Bridget Edwards on the Pioneer Woman website.

We suggest removing your butter from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before baking. Chop the butter into chunks or cubes. During this time, you can gather and measure your other ingredients, and then your butter should be ready to use.

More cookie spreading troubleshooting:

Invest in a small kitchen scale. To get the most consistent results, it truly is imperative that you measure your flour by weight. One cup of all-purpose flour weighs 120 grams. By scooping and leveling flour with a standard US measuring cup, you can average up to 150 grams. Times that by 3 or 4, and you are talking a significant difference from what a recipe calls for.

The dough is ready when it pulls away from the sides of your mixer. This may take an extra 30 seconds to 1 minute of mixing than you initially think is necessary. The dough should be a Play-Doh consistency. When prepared correctly, it will not even stick to the rolling pin when rolling out the dough. Feel free to use flour or cocoa to dust your work surface if desired.

Be sure your baking powder is not expired- an easy fix!

Make sure that your house is not too warm. Especially on days when you are doing a lot of holiday baking for many hours, your house can get pretty warm/humid. Open a window if possible.

One of our favorite chocolate cookies is the Lila Loa Chocolate Cookie recipe. Georganne also has a helpful post about how to stop cookie spread that she is allowing us to share with you.

Can the cookies or cookie dough be frozen?

Chocolate Cut Out Cookies can be stored at room temperature in an air-tight container for 7-10 days.

You can freeze this cookie dough for up to 6 months.

Baked cookies can be frozen for 6 months as well. For best results, freeze them unfrosted, wrapped in an air-tight container.

Can I prepare the dough in advance and chill it?

This is a no-chill recipe; however, you can wrap it tightly with plastic wrap in two discs and chill for up to 2-3 days. Bring the dough close to room temperature for 15-20 minutes when ready to cut out cookies. If you plan on preparing the dough in advance, we suggest reducing the amount of flour to 3 cups (360 grams).

What frosting should I use for Chocolate Cut Out Cookies?

These chocolate cookies truly do taste like a brownie, so feel free to leave them plain.

We prefer a “crisping American buttercream” when frosting these cookies. Try our famous Christmas Cookie Frosting.

We also suggest Small Batch Royal Icing or a simple chocolate glaze.

Are these cookies soft or crispy?

Baking these Chocolate Sugar Cookies at 375 degrees F for 7-9 minutes will result in soft cookies.

Baking these Chocolate Sugar Cookies at 375 degrees F for 9-11 minutes will result in crispy cookies.

All bake times presume rolling cookie dough to 1/4 thickness and using standard, medium-sized cookie cutters (about 2-3 inches width).

Can these cookies be made gluten-free?

Yes, these cookies can be made gluten-free. Be sure to cross-check all of your ingredients. We like to use cup-for-cup King Arthur gluten-free flour.

(more…)

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If you know me at all, you know that sugar cookies are kind of my thing. My friends and I started making the BEST Sugar Cookies ever over 25 years ago. They have become a baking tradition for thousands more of you every year, and I’m so very grateful!

As much as I love my cut-out sugar cookie recipe, I know that sometimes you don’t want to sit down to cut out and frost sugar cookies- especially for a large group.

That’s why you’re going to want to grab my recipe for these delightfully easy and wonderfully delicious Ugly Christmas Sweater Sugar Cookie Bars. With a few tips (and a few shortcuts), you can make these bars for a crowd in about an hour.

Tips for Making Ugly Christmas Sweater Sugar Cookie Bars

• To pipe the frosting, you will need piping bags and cake decorating tips. In some recipes, you can get away with substituting zip-top bags for piping bags, but I would not recommend that for this frosting since it is thick. Piping bags are more durable than zip-top bags and will not break when you apply pressure to squeeze out the frosting.
• Have fun piping a sweater design or spread the frosting. I applied the frosting with a small offset spatula.

These icing decorations are so festive and easy! They come in many designs.

For the reindeer, I took a little inspiration from my Reindeer Pretzel recipe because they are adorable, and I love that sweet and salty combination.

If you’re going to cut mini pretzels, do it fast to avoid breaking. You may be tempted to try to slice the pretzels slowly, but a swift cut straight down does the trick. Be sure to keep your fingers out of the way!

The suggested serving size is 24 slices, but you can cut them even smaller since these are sweet, chewy cookies piled high with frosting and candies.

Everyone will be coming back for more!

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Ugly Christmas Sweater Sugar Cookie Bars

Ugly Christmas Sweater Sugar Cookie Bars are the quickest way to make soft frosted sugar cookies for a crowd. No chilling, no cutting, no mess!

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 24 bars

Calories 282kcal

Ingredients

Cookies

• 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract see notes
• 3 cups flour all purpose
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• candies for decorating

Frosting

• 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract see notes
• 1/4 cup milk or whipping cream

Instructions

For the Cookies

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish (or use parchment paper), set aside.
• In the bowl of your mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the butter and sugar for 2 minutes.
• Add the eggs, vanilla, and almond extract.
• In a separate bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add to wet ingredients 1 cup at a time until incorporated. A dough will form and pull away from the sides of the mixer bowl when ready.
• Drop by heaping tablespoons onto a greased baking dish, and press down with your fingers to flatten evenly.
• Bake for 20 minutes until golden in color. Remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Frosting

• In the bowl of your mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter for 2 minutes. Slowly add powdered sugar, salt, and extracts. Use milk or cream (more or less) to thin the frosting to the desired consistency.
• Separate any frosting you would like to color (I only used a small amount of green in this design).
• Pipe over cooled sugar cookie bars in different patterns.
• Decorate with sprinkles, sugar transfers, etc.

Notes

• For the cookie bars, you can omit the almond extract. Substitute with vanilla if desired.
• For the frosting, vanilla extract will give a slight tint to the frosting so use clear vanilla if you want a brighter frosting.

Nutrition

Calories: 282kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Calcium: 22mg

Looking for More Christmas Recipes

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Grab our frosting recipe- it truly is The Best Christmas Cookie Frosting.

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Items Used in This Post

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