Christmas Crisps are a festive, buttery cookie perfect for the holiday season. These delicate sugar cookies are rolled thin, cut into decorative shapes, and baked until lightly golden. Their crisp texture and mild sweetness make them ideal for decorating with colored sugar or icing. This vintage recipe delivers a traditional holiday treat reminiscent of old-fashioned Christmas baking and is simple enough to customize with your favorite flavoring, such as vanilla, almond, or peppermint.
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter (softened)
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp cream
- 1 tsp flavoring of choice (vanilla, almond, or peppermint)
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare Dough
- Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Beat in egg, cream, and flavoring until smooth.
Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing until fully combined.
Step 3: Chill Dough
- Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate thoroughly, preferably overnight.
Step 4: Shape Cookies
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
- Roll chilled dough very thin on a lightly floured surface.
- Cut into star, tree, or other festive shapes.
Step 5: Bake and Decorate
- Bake cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly golden.
- Decorate with colored sugar or icing while warm or after cooling completely.
Tips
- Chill the dough thoroughly (overnight gives best shape retention and crisp texture).
- Roll dough very thin, as directed, for the classic “crisp” bite.
- Use any 1 tsp flavoring: vanilla, almond, lemon, or a mix for variety.
- Lightly flour the work surface and rolling pin to prevent sticking.
- Watch closely at 400°F; these brown quickly, edges should just turn golden.
- Decorate before baking with colored sugar or after baking with icing.
- For cleaner shapes, chill rolled dough briefly before cutting.
- Dough can be frozen (well wrapped) for up to 2 months; thaw in fridge before rolling.
- If cookies puff too much, reduce baking powder slightly next batch.
- Add citrus zest to the dough for a fragrant variation.
Nutrition
Calories: 72kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 1gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1.1gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 28mgPotassium: 15mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 120IUCalcium: 4mgIron: 0.3mg
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