Every December, my grocery store stacks those holiday dough tubes right by the eggs, each one with a little tree or snowman pressed into the middle.
I bought them for years.
They were fast, and the kids in my family loved peeling the wrapper off and watching the shapes appear.
But the cookies always tasted a bit like the wrapper smelled.
So one Sunday after Thanksgiving, I made my own version of that log, and I haven't bought a tube since.
These slice and bake Christmas sugar cookies give you the same easy trick: a log of dough waiting in the fridge, no rolling pin, no cutters, no flour all over the counter.
The difference is real butter, a splash of vanilla and almond, and a crunchy red and green sprinkle edge on every single slice.
My wife calls the log in our fridge "the emergency cookies."
Surprise guests? I slice off eight and they're out of the oven in about 12 minutes.
The dough takes about 15 minutes of hands-on work, and you can bake six cookies tonight and thirty more next week.
It keeps for 3 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer, which makes December a whole lot calmer.
Make them once and you'll see why I stopped buying the tubes.
Why You'll Love These Slice and Bake Sugar Cookies
This is the low-stress Christmas cookie I make every single year. It looks like you fussed, and you really didn't.
- No rolling, no cutters. You shape the dough into two logs with your hands and a sheet of parchment. That's it, no dough sticking to the counter and no scraps to reroll.
- Made ahead on your schedule. The logs wait in the fridge for 3 days or the freezer for 3 months, so the mixing and the baking can happen on different days.
- Bake 6 or bake 36. Slice only what you need. Fresh, warm cookies on a Tuesday night take about 15 minutes start to finish.
- Festive without decorating. The sprinkle coating gives every cookie a bright red and green border, so they look right at home on a Christmas cookie tray.
- A texture people love. They're crisp at the edge and tender in the middle, somewhere between a soft sugar cookie and shortbread.
Ingredients for Christmas Sugar Cookie Dough
You only need pantry basics and a jar of holiday sprinkles. The exact amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom, but here's why each one matters.
- Unsalted butter (1 cup). Softened to room temperature, so it dents easily when you press it but doesn't look greasy. Butter is the whole flavor here, so use a good one.
- Powdered sugar (¾ cup). This is my secret to that melt-in-your-mouth centre. Powdered sugar contains a little cornstarch, which keeps the crumb tender and helps the slices hold their round shape.
- Granulated sugar (¼ cup). Just enough to give the edges a little crunch and some golden color. All powdered sugar tastes a bit flat to me; all granulated spreads more.
- Egg (1 large). Room temperature, so it blends straight into the butter instead of curdling it.
- Vanilla extract (1 ½ teaspoons). Pure vanilla, please. You'll taste the difference in a cookie this simple.
- Almond extract (½ teaspoon). This is what makes them taste like a bakery sugar cookie. If you aren't an almond fan, swap in more vanilla.
- All-purpose flour (2 ½ cups). Spoon it into the cup and level it off. Scooping straight from the bag packs in too much flour and gives you a crumbly log.
- Baking powder (¼ teaspoon). A tiny amount for a little lift. More than that and the slices puff and lose their crisp edges.
- Salt (½ teaspoon). Balances all that sugar.
- Red and green sprinkles (½ cup). Jimmies, sanding sugar, or a Christmas mix all work. I'll explain below why I skip tiny nonpareils.
Only have granulated sugar? Use ¾ cup granulated in place of both sugars. The cookies spread a little more and come out crisper and less tender.
Substitutions: Salted butter works if you drop the added salt to a pinch. For a gluten-free version, a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour with xanthan gum holds the log together well, though the cookies come out a touch more delicate.
How to Make Slice and Bake Christmas Sugar Cookies
The method is simple: mix, shape, chill, slice. The chill time is the only part that needs patience.
Step 1: Make the Dough
Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl and set it aside. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter on medium speed for 1 minute until it looks smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and granulated sugar and beat for another 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
Beat in the egg, vanilla and almond extract, then scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the flour mixture on low speed and mix just until no dry streaks remain. The dough should feel soft and a little tacky, like play dough.
Pro tip: Stop mixing the second the flour disappears. Overmixing makes a tougher cookie.
Step 2: Shape and Roll the Log in Sprinkles
Divide the dough in half. Set each half on a sheet of parchment and use the paper to roll it into a log about 2 inches wide and 6 inches long. Roll it back and forth a few times to smooth out any lumps.
Pour the sprinkles onto a rimmed baking sheet. Unwrap each log, roll it through the sprinkles, and press gently so they stick all over. Wrap the logs tightly in the parchment, then a layer of plastic wrap, and twist the ends like a candy wrapper.
Sticky fingers? Totally normal at this stage.
Step 3: Chill Until Firm
Chill the logs for at least 2 hours, or overnight if you have the time. The dough needs to be firm all the way through, or it squashes when you slice it.
To keep the logs perfectly round, slide each wrapped log into an empty paper towel tube that you've cut open lengthwise. The cardboard cradle stops the bottom from going flat against the fridge shelf.
Step 4: Slice and Bake
Heat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment. Unwrap one log and use a sharp, thin knife to cut it into slices about ⅓ inch thick, giving the log a quarter turn after every cut. You'll get about 18 cookies per log.
Place the slices 2 inches apart on the sheet. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are just set and barely golden but the tops still look pale. Let them rest on the sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack.
Fair warning: they smell like a bakery and they will disappear from the rack faster than you expect!
Festive Variations
One base dough, a whole cookie tray of options. These are the swaps I rotate through every December.
- Green tree centre. Tint one third of the dough green with gel coloring, roll it into a thin rope, and wrap the plain dough around it before chilling. Every slice gets a little green dot in the middle.
- Peppermint. Swap the almond extract for ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract and roll the log in crushed candy canes mixed with sanding sugar.
- Orange zest. Add the zest of 1 orange to the butter and sugar. It's a bright, fresh twist that tastes great next to chocolate cookies.
- Mini chocolate chips. Fold in ½ cup at the end of mixing. Use mini chips only; regular chips tear the slices.
- Half-dipped. Dip cooled cookies halfway into melted white or dark chocolate and add a few more sprinkles before it sets.
- Frosted. Spread a thin layer of vanilla buttercream on top and finish with sanding sugar for a softer, sweeter cookie.
Tips for Perfectly Round Slice and Bake Cookies
Flat-sided, lopsided slices are the number one complaint with this kind of cookie. These fixes solve almost all of it.
- Turn the log every cut. A quarter turn after each slice spreads the knife pressure evenly, so no single side gets squashed.
- Reshape as you go. If the log starts to flatten, roll it on the counter for a few seconds, or press the slices back into rounds with your fingertips before baking.
- Use a thin, sharp knife. A thick chef's knife pushes the dough down. A thin blade glides through.
- Keep the dough COLD. If the log gets soft while you work, put it back in the freezer for 10 minutes. Cold dough also spreads less in the oven.
- Cool the baking sheet between batches. Slices placed on a hot sheet start melting before they ever reach the oven.
- Skip nonpareils. Those tiny round balls bleed color into the dough and leave pink streaks. Jimmies and sanding sugar hold their color much better.
- Fix a cracking log. If the dough crumbles under the knife, it's too cold or a little dry. Let it rest on the counter for 5 minutes, and next time spoon and level the flour.
- Pick your thickness. About ⅓ inch gives a tender centre and crisp edge. Thinner slices bake faster and come out crunchier, so start checking at 9 minutes.
- Pull them early. The cookies keep cooking on the hot sheet. If the edges are light golden, they're done.
Why did my cookies spread? Usually the butter was too soft, the dough was too warm, or the flour was under-measured.
Make Ahead and Storage
This is the cookie built for planning ahead. Here's how long everything keeps.
- Dough logs in the fridge. Wrapped tightly, they keep for up to 3 days. Roll them in the sprinkles right before slicing if you want the brightest color.
- Dough logs in the freezer. Double-wrap in plastic and slide into a freezer bag. They keep for 3 months. Write the date on the bag, because December blurs together.
- Baking from frozen. Let the log sit on the counter for 10 minutes, slice, and bake. Add 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time.
- Baked cookies. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. A slice of sandwich bread in the tin keeps them soft.
- Freezing baked cookies. Freeze in a single layer, then move to a container with parchment between layers. They keep for 3 months and thaw in about 20 minutes.
A Make-Ahead Christmas Baking Timeline
Here's the schedule I use when I'm baking for a party or cookie exchange. It spreads the work out so nothing happens in a panic.
- Up to 3 months ahead. Mix a double batch, shape four logs, and freeze them.
- The night before. Move the logs you need from the freezer to the fridge.
- Party day. Slice and bake about 2 hours before guests arrive, so the cookies are fully cool and ready to stack.
- Leftover log. Keep it in the fridge for fresh cookies through the week. My family calls this the best part of the plan!
What to Serve with Christmas Sugar Cookies
These buttery rounds are the friendly middle of any cookie tray. They balance stronger flavors beautifully.
- Hot cocoa or coffee. The almond and vanilla notes pair perfectly with a mug of something warm.
- Spiced cookies. Set them next to gingerbread or molasses cookies for a nice contrast.
- Chocolate treats. Fudge or chocolate crinkles make the plain buttery flavor shine.
- A glass of cold milk. Who doesn't love the classic? It's the Santa plate standard for a reason.
Recipe
Slice and Bake Christmas Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Coating
- ½ cup red and green sprinkles jimmies or sanding sugar
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl and set aside.
- Beat the softened butter on medium speed for 1 minute until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and granulated sugar and beat 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg, vanilla extract and almond extract, scraping down the bowl.
- Add the flour mixture on low speed and mix just until no dry streaks remain.
Shape and Chill
- Divide the dough in half. Use parchment to roll each half into a log about 2 inches wide and 6 inches long.
- Spread the sprinkles on a rimmed baking sheet. Roll each log in the sprinkles, pressing gently so they stick.
- Wrap the logs tightly in parchment and plastic wrap. Chill at least 2 hours or overnight until firm.
Slice and Bake
- Heat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Slice the log into ⅓ inch rounds with a sharp, thin knife, turning the log a quarter turn after each cut. Place 2 inches apart on the sheet.
- Bake 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are just set and barely golden.
- Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Make ahead: Wrapped dough logs keep 3 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. Let frozen logs sit 10 minutes before slicing and add 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time.
- Round slices: Turn the log a quarter turn after every cut and re-chill if the dough softens.
- Sprinkles: Use jimmies or sanding sugar. Nonpareils tend to bleed color into the dough.
- Storage: Keep baked cookies airtight at room temperature up to 5 days, or freeze up to 3 months.
