Creative Christmas Sugar Cookie Decorating Tips

Christmas is the time of year that we love baking Christmas cookies not only to eat but to give to family or friends for the holidays. The most popular Christmas cookie is sugar cookies, because they are fun to decorate. Children love to help making Christmas cookies and look forward to decorating them. Here are 10 tips on how to make beautiful creative designs on your Christmas sugar cookies that are easy enough for children to do. You will also find helpful general baking tips.

1. Chilled Cookie Dough

Before you start to cut out the cookie dough with Christmas themed cookie cutters be sure to place the cookie dough in the refrigerator for at least a half hour. This will make the cookie dough release easier from the cookie cutters and form better. Even when you begin cutting out your designs only take out a portion of the cookie dough and leave the rest in the refrigerator, that way it will be ready when you are.

2. Wax paper and Flour

Another Christmas cookie decorating tip is to cut out a large sheet of wax paper. Sprinkle flour all over the surface of the wax paper, and roll out the dough with a rolling pin. At first it will be a little slippery but once you get the dough rolled out it isn't. The wax paper is to make clean up easier when you are finished makiing the cookies.

3. Dip the Cookie Cutters in Flour

Before you start cutting out the designs using your cookie cutters dip them in flour. I usually put a pile of flour specifically for this task along side the rolled out cookie dough. Do this continuously in between each cut, it will make the dough design pop right off in one piece. Now put the cookies in the oven to bake them.

4. A Quick Way to Make Sugar Cookies

For those of us who just don't have alot of time to make Christmas cookies remember that you can buy premade sugar cookie dough from Pillsbury called Easy Bakes at your local grocery store or Walmart. You just place the precut pieces onto a cookie sheet and bake. You can decorate them once cooled.

5. Be Organized

I always have all my decorating essentials such as sprinkles, gumdrops, red hots and miniature chocolate pieces put in little plastic containers placed on the table for easy access. I generally save my butter tubs for this purpose. It makes it easier for the kids to decorate the cookies and you don't have to keep running for something you forgot.

6. Make Snowman Faces

I make these every year and they are a big hit with the kids plus they enjoy making them. First you have to put vanilla frosting on the sugar cookie with a knife. Put two miniature chocolate chip pieces for the eyes attach with a dab of frosting on the bottom of the chocolate piece. Cut a gumdrop in half and attach to the side of the cookie for earmuffs.
Flatten a gumdrop and cut a triangle out of it for the nose attach with a dab of frosting. For the mouth I just use decorating gel and draw a smile on him.

7. Holly Cookies

This is a fun cookie decorating tip. Take three red hot candies place two side by side, and one on top of the two in the center. You can find edible holly leaves at most craft or candy stores. Place two leaves on both sides of the one red hot piece on the top. If you can't find holly leaves you can draw them in using a paint brush and green food coloring.

8. Christmas Trees with lights Cookies

Cut out trees with a Christmas tree cookie cutter. Add green food coloring to the frosting before applying. Put frosting on with a knife. You can add light bulbs by using M&M's or Reeses Pieces

9. Christmas Stocking Cookies

Using a stocking cookie cutter, cut out the dough. Take some frosting and add red food coloring place the red for the bottom, and white frosting for the top. Take decorating gel in white or green and add a name to the stocking. Make a stocking cookie for everyone in your family and for friends.

10. Another Christmas Tree Cookie Idea

Take a frosting bag and zig zag back and forth with green frosting to make a Christmas tree. Start off small on top and go as if you are making the letter S, keeping the frosting lined up close together going a bit longer each time you do this 3 times and then make a base of the tree which is just a square. Add sprinkles for the lights.

Have fun baking and decorating your Christmas cookies.