There’s something timeless about a really good sugar cookie — crisp edges, a satisfying crunch, and just enough sweetness to make you reach for another. These brown sugar holiday cookies are everything we love about seasonal baking: simple, dependable, and endlessly fun to decorate.
The dough rolls out beautifully and holds its shape in the oven, making it ideal for stars, trees, snowflakes, and all your favorite holiday cutters. Once baked, the cookies emerge lightly golden with a texture that’s crisp through the center, not soft or cakey. That crunch is what makes them so special — sturdy enough for decorating, stacking, gifting, and dunking into a cup of coffee or hot cocoa.
The frosting couldn’t be easier or more classic. A simple blend of powdered sugar, vanilla, and a splash of milk creates a smooth, glossy icing that spreads easily and sets just enough to hold sprinkles, sanding sugar, or piped details. It’s the kind of frosting that lets the cookie shine — sweet but not overpowering — and dries to a soft sheen that feels perfectly nostalgic.
What we love most about these cookies is how they bring people together. They’re perfect for holiday afternoons spent around the kitchen table, bowls of frosting in every color, fingers sticky with sugar, and laughter everywhere. Kids love decorating them, adults love sneaking bites, and everyone loves how festive and cheerful they look piled high on a platter.
These cookies are also ideal for gifting. Their crunchy texture means they travel well, making them perfect for cookie tins, neighbor gifts, and holiday swaps. Wrapped in parchment or tucked into a festive box, they feel thoughtful, homemade, and full of holiday spirit.
Whether you decorate them simply with white icing or go all out with color and sparkle, these sugar cookies are a reminder of why we bake this time of year — not just for the treats, but for the traditions, the memories, and the joy that comes with sharing something sweet.
Brown Sugar Holiday Cookies
Ingredients
Sugar Cookies
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
Icing for Decorating
- 4 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
- 2 +/- tbsp. milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla powder (can use vanilla extract, but it will change the color of the icing.)
- food coloring gels for decorating (any color you like)
- sprinkles (to match the occasion)
Instructions
Sugar Cookies
- Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a medium sized bowl.
- Cream together butter and both sugars until light and fluffy, scraping down bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add egg and beat well. Stir in vanilla.
- Add flour mixture, and beat into butter mixture on low speed.
- Prepare two pieces of parchment paper with a dusting of flour, and roll out half of the dough onto each parchment. Place the parchment paper with the dough on a baking sheet and completely cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
- When ready to cut the cookie shapes and bake them, preheat the oven to 350℉. Remove one of the parchment with dough from the refrigerator and place on the counter or a large cutting board. Place a new piece of parchment paper on the baking sheet. Cut out the cookie shapes and place them onto the prepared pan. Gather up any extra dough and re-roll to continue to cut as many cookies as possible. With the last bit of dough, I usually just make a flat round cookie!
- Bake them cookies for about 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown and dough is set. Remove from oven and cool for about 10 minutes before placing them on a rack for decorating. Repeat the process with the second batch of dough.
Icing for Decorating
- Whisk together powder sugar and vanilla powder. Slowly add milk until you get to a good icing consistency. Add whatever food coloring you have selected.
- Decorate with icing and sprinkles and allow to sit for about an hour before packing them into storage containers or bags.
