Something that is so nostalgic from my childhood is making and eating Christmas Cutout Cookies. Even in today’s modern times, I see them being done every year. There’s just something about rolling out the dough and pressing a cookie cutter down to make a yummy treat.
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The History of Christmas Cutout Cookies
The tradition of using cookie cutters dates back several centuries, with origins tracing to Germany in the 19th century. German bakers began crafting intricately shaped cookies for special occasions, particularly during Christmas. The use of wood molds allowed bakers to create beautiful designs that were not only visually appealing but also became a part of holiday celebrations across Europe.
As European immigrants settled in America, they brought their customs with them—including cookie baking. By the early 20th century, cookie cutters gained popularity in American households as families embraced this delightful practice. The introduction of various shapes representing holiday symbols such as stars, angels, and Christmas trees made it easier for families to incorporate fun into their baking activities during the festive season.
Becoming Tradition
Today, ‘a cookie cutter Christmas’ represents more than just baked goods; it symbolizes family bonding and shared experiences. Many families gather together in kitchens filled with laughter as they roll out dough and press down on colorful cookie cutters to create unique treats. This hands-on activity not only fosters creativity but also creates lasting memories that are cherished year after year.
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Ingredients
Cookies
Grass-Fed Butter
Cream Cheese, Full Fat
Coconut Sugar
Eggs
Vanilla Extract
Fresh Milled Soft White Wheat Flour (other flours can be used as well – see note below)
Baking Powder
Cream of Tarter
Salt
Cream Cheese Frosting
Grass-fed Butter
Cream Cheese, Full Fat
Powdered Sugar, Preferably Organic
Vanilla Extract
Heavy Cream (I use raw cream)
Directions
Christmas Cutout Cookies
- Combine the butter, cream cheese and sugar in a mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix until creamy.
- Add the egg, yolk and vanilla, mixing until smooth.
- Now, add the baking powder, cream of tarter and salt. Mix on low until combined.
- Lastly, add the flour gradually. Start slow on the mixer and just add a cup or so at a time. Mix it all together until there are no clumps.
- Take the dough and place it on a piece of parchment paper. Using your hands, work the dough and flatten it out. The cookies will be at 1/4 inch thick so don’t flatten it any more than that thickness. I like to go between 1/2-1 inch thick. Place another piece of parchment on top of the dough. Set this on a cookie sheet in the fridge. It can go from 1 hour to the next day. I find with fresh milled flour, the dough likes to go a little longer in the fridge.
- Next, take the dough out of the fridge and roll it out onto a floured surface to 1/4 inch thick. Start using your cookie cutters. Have fun using small and large ones. Roll your scraps back out. Those are great for smaller cookie cutters.
- Bake at 350°for 9-11 minutes. They should be a light golden brown. Just watch them so they don’t burn.
- Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Combine the butter and cream cheese and mix until creamy.
- Add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth and no lumps.
- Next, add the vanilla and heavy cream. Mix on low. The frosting should be thick and creamy.
- You can frost your cookies at this point with just the vanilla buttercream frosting or divide the frosting into smaller bowls. Add 1-2 drops of food coloring (I use dye free) and stir together with a spoon.
- Now comes the fun part! Add sprinkles right after you frost them. Eat and enjoy!
Why Add Cream Cheese?
- Incredible soft & tender texture
Cream cheese adds fat and moisture in a way that keeps the cookies soft for days (even a week+), without making them cakey or crumbly. Classic butter-only cut-outs often harden quickly. This really helps when using fresh-milled flour.
- Rich, subtle tang that balances sweetness
You get a faint cheesecake-like flavor (so yummy!). It cuts through the sugar so the cookies don’t taste overly sweet. The cream cheese flavor is very light in these cookies.
- Better dough handling
The acidity and fat in cream cheese make the dough much less sticky and more forgiving. You can usually roll it out right after mixing (if using AP flour), with little to no fridge time, and it holds sharp edges beautifully when cut. Due to the bran and germ in fresh-milled flour, I still pop my dough in the fridge for 2-4 hours.
- Prevents spreading & keeps shapes crisp
Despite being softer in texture, cream cheese doughs actually spread less than all-butter versions because the proteins in the cheese help structure the cookie.
TIPS
- If you plan to use all-purpose flour, back the flour down to 3 1/2 cups.
- As all the ingredients are mixing, take your spatula and push the dough down into the bowl.
- If your powdered sugar has lumps in the bag it came in, sift it out using a flour sifter prior to adding the bowl.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely prior to frosting.
- The cream cheese frosting fits nicely in a cake decorator if you want to use different tips for extra prettiness.
Do These Christmas Cutout Cookies Freeze Well?
Yes, here is what I like to do..
- Roll out the dough into two sections. You can freeze one of these. To make it simpler for when you want to take the dough out of the freezer, roll it to a 1/2-1 inch thickness, laying flat like in a rectangle shape. Pop it in a ziplock bag and place in the freezer. It will stay fresh for 2-3 months.
- Roll out your dough and cut your cookies. Bake as per the directions. Allow to cool. Place the baked cookies in a ziplock bag. Just pull them out when you are ready to frost them.
What Kind of Shapes to Cut Out
I have collected so many cookie cutters over the years. Sometimes, I pull them all out and some years, I’ll just use a few. It just depends on what I have going on that year and if the kids are coming to decorate with me. We used to decorate cookies all the time when they were little. Now, they are starting families of their own and I’m sure they will want to create their own traditions.
I found this box of cookie cutters and a frosting decorator this year and I’m loving it. The plaid box is adorable. I used 2-3 inch cookie cutters in this recipe with a combination of a tree, bell, snowflake, mitten and stocking.
Why Use Fresh-Milled Flour?
Whole Grain Benefits
- Whole grains offer a “complete package” of health benefits, unlike refined grains, which are stripped of valuable nutrients in the refining process.
- As stated above, all whole grain kernels contain three parts: the bran, germ, and endosperm. Each section houses health-promoting nutrients. The bran is the fiber-rich outer layer that supplies B vitamins, iron, copper, zinc, magnesium, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are natural chemical compounds in plants that have been researched for their role in disease prevention. The germ is the core of the seed where growth occurs; it is rich in healthy fats, vitamin E, B vitamins, phytochemicals, and antioxidants. The endosperm is the interior layer that holds carbohydrates, protein, and small amounts of some B vitamins and minerals.
These components have various effects on our bodies:
- Bran and fiber slow the breakdown of starch into glucose—thus maintaining a steady blood sugar rather than causing sharp spikes.
- Fiber helps lower cholesterol as well as move waste through the digestive tract.
- Fiber may also help prevent the formation of small blood clots that can trigger heart attacks or strokes.
- Phytochemicals and essential minerals such as magnesium, selenium and copper found in whole grains may protect against some cancers.
Other Christmas Treats
Fresh-Milled Flour Butter Cookies
Old-Fashioned Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge
What Makes Christmas Cutout Cookies So Special?
Families all over the world are making dough, rolling it out, and pushing down cookie cutters. it’s a fun time for all ages. I think as kids it’s fun because we get to see the shape come to life once we press it down in the dough. Once the cookies come out, we get to watch them cool on the rack. Then, the fun part comes by decorating the cookies. Every cookie is uniquely done by those that are gathered around in the kitchen. Lot’s of laughs, watching Christmas movies and just being with the ones we love. That’s what makes these cookies so special!
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See my full disclosure here.
EXTRA TIP:
The quantity of cookies you receive will be determined on what size cookie cutters you use.
How to Color the Frosting
I don’t eat a lot of sweets but when Christmas comes around, I’m indulging in some good clean treats. I gave up food dyes over 15+ years ago so I use plant based food coloring and sprinkles. These natural dyes are derived from flowers, fruits, vegetables and botanical sources. They are non-gmo, non-staining as well. These colors are free from synthetic chemicals and additives, making them a popular choice for those with sensitivities or dietary restrictions. The frosting does not taste like fruits or vegetables.
Beginner’s Guide: Learn How to Mill Your Own Flour
Here is everything you need to get started milling your own flour. Enjoy the health benefits from wheat, straight from the field. Together with the bran, germ and endosperm, you’ll receive all the nutrition.
Items Used in This Recipe
Resources
www.wholegrainscouncil.org
https://www.resilience.org/stories/2011-01-25/history-and-processes-milling/
www.consumerresearch.com/kitchen-exploring-history-tradition-cookie-cutter-christmas-celebration
Christmas Cutout Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Combine the butter, cream cheese and sugar in a mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix untilcreamy.
- Add the egg, yolk and vanilla, mixing until smooth.
- Now, add the baking powder, cream of tarter and salt. Mix on low until combined.
- Lastly, add the flour gradually. Start slow on the mixer and just add a cup or so at a time. Mix it all together until there are no clumps.
- Take the dough and place it on a piece of parchment paper. Using your hands, work the dough and flatten it out. The cookies will be it at 1/4 inch thick so don't flatten it any more than that thickness. I like to go between 1/2-1 inch thick. Place another piece of parchment on top of the dough. Set this on a cookie sheet in the fridge. It can go from 1 hour to the next day. I find with fresh milled flour, the dough likes to go a little longer in the fridge.
- Next, take the dough out of the fridge and roll it out onto a floured surface to 1/4 inch thick. Start using your cookie cutters. Have fun using small and large ones. Roll your scraps back out. Those are great for smaller cookie cutters.
- Bake at 350° for 9-11 minutes. They should be a light golden brown. Just watch them so they don't burn.
- Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes.
- Combine the butter and cream cheese and mix until creamy.
- Add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth and no lumps.
- Next, add the vanilla and heavy cream. Mix on low. The frosting should be thick and creamy.
- You can frost your cookies at this point with just the vanilla buttercream frosting or divide the frosting into smaller bowls. Add 1-2 drops of food coloring (I use dye free) and stir together with aspoon.
- Now comes the fun part! Add sprinkles or other decorations right after you frost them. Eat and enjoy!
Notes
- Cookie quantity will be determined on what size cookie cutters you use.
- If you plan to use all-purpose flour, back the flour down to 3 1/2 cups.
- As all the ingredients are mixing, take your spatula and push the dough down into the bowl.
- If your powdered sugar has lumps in the bag it came in, sift it out using a flour sifter prior to adding the bowl.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely prior to frosting.
- The cream cheese frosting fits nicely in a cake decorator if you want to use different tips for extra prettiness.
I don’t claim to be an artist lol but I do have fun decorating cookies. I love a good buttercream frosting and it’s perfect for these Christmas Cutout Cookies. If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to share it over on Pinterest or on Instagram.
Wendy Lea Walker, NTP
Nutritional Therapy Practitioner
I’m Wendy. A wife, empty-nester mama, homemaker, homebaker, gardener and small-time farmer. I love sharing wisdom and mistakes I’ve learned along the way. Anyone can garden or homestead, no matter where you live. It’s a mindset. You just have to start somewhere. I believe food is medicine. Feed the body real whole foods and healing will begin.
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