Christmas Cutout Cookies with Buttery Old-World Buttercream Icing
Nothing says the holidays like a tray of classic Christmas cutout cookies. This traditional sugar cookie recipe creates soft, sturdy cookies that hold their shape beautifully while baking — and they’re not overly sweet. The magic happens when they’re topped with a rich, buttery buttercream icing made with grass-fed butter, giving the frosting a gorgeous pale yellow, old-world white color.
These cookies are perfect for cookie exchanges, holiday parties, or a cozy afternoon of decorating with family.
Why You’ll Love These Christmas Cutout Cookies
These aren’t your average sugar cookies. Here’s what makes them special:
- Soft, tender texture that stays moist for days
- Not overly sweet, so the buttery icing really shines
- Dough rolls easily and evenly for clean cut shapes
- Holds crisp edges without spreading
- Icing dries firm so cookies can be stacked and stored
The Secret to Perfect Cutout Cookies
The trick to perfect Christmas cutout cookies is how you handle the dough.
Instead of chilling a big dough ball first, roll the dough out immediately between two large sheets of parchment paper dusted with flour. This makes the dough incredibly easy to work with and helps you achieve an even 5/8-inch thickness across the entire sheet.
You have two options:
- Chill the full rolled-out dough sheet for 2 hours, then cut shapesor
- Cut shapes right away, then chill the cutouts before baking
The key is simple: the dough must be cold when it hits the oven. If it’s warm, the cookies will spread and lose their shape.
Old-World Buttercream Icing
This icing is what truly sets these cookies apart.
Using grass-fed butter creates a soft, pale yellow icing — a warm, creamy color that feels vintage and festive. It’s rich, buttery, and not cloyingly sweet. Best of all, it dries firm over time, so you can neatly stack cookies after decorating.
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 1 ½ cups salted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For the Buttercream Icing
- 1 cup salted Kerrygold butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ½ tablespoons milk
How to Make Christmas Cutout Cookies
1. Make the Cookie Dough
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing until fully combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined.
2. Roll the Dough Immediately
Lightly dust two large sheets of parchment paper with flour. Place the dough between the sheets.
Roll the dough out right away to an even 5/8-inch thickness. This step makes the dough much easier to handle and ensures evenly baked cookies.
3. Chill the Dough (This Step Is Non-Negotiable!)
You can chill the dough in one of two ways:
- Chill the entire rolled-out sheet for at least 2 hours, then cut out shapesOR
- Cut out shapes immediately, then transfer the cut cookies to a baking sheet and chill them for at least 2 hours
No matter which method you choose, the dough must be cold before baking or the cookies will spread.
4. Bake the Cookies
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Place cookies about 1 inch apart — they don’t spread much when properly chilled.
Bake one sheet pan at a time on the center rack for best results. Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the bottoms are just lightly golden. I bake mine for 9 minutes.
Let cookies cool completely before icing.
How to Make the Buttercream Icing
In a large bowl, beat the softened Kerrygold butter until smooth and creamy.
Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until incorporated.
Add the vanilla and milk. Beat on medium-high speed until light, fluffy, and spreadable. The icing should be thick but smooth.
If it’s too thick, add a tiny splash more milk. If it’s too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar.
Decorating and Storing
Spread or pipe the icing onto completely cooled cookies. Decorate with sprinkles right away if using them.
The icing will harden as it sits, which makes these perfect for stacking and storing once fully set.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4–5 days or freeze for longer storage.
Tips for Perfect Christmas Cutout Cookies
- Roll dough before chilling for easier handling
- Always bake chilled dough
- Bake one pan at a time for even heat distribution
- Use parchment paper for easy cleanup and perfect bottoms
- Keep cookies about 1 inch apart on the pan
Final Thoughts
These Christmas cutout cookies are a holiday classic for a reason. Soft, buttery cookies paired with rich buttercream icing create the perfect balance of sweetness and flavor. The pale, old-world glow of the grass-fed buttercream gives these cookies a nostalgic, bakery-style finish that feels extra special during the holiday season.
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out!
Christmas Cutout Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 1/2 c salted butter (3 sticks) softened
- 1 1/2 c sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 3 1/2 c flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Buttercream Frosting
- 1 c Kerrygold salted butter (2 sticks) softened
- 4 c powdered sugar sifted
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 1/2 tbsp milk
Instructions
- Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.
- To a separate bowl or stand mixer cream together softened butter and sugar until fluffy.
- Add eggs and vanilla and continue beating until well incorporated.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet and beat on low until everything is incorporated.
- Place dough on a large piece of parchment paper that's been dusted with flour. Flour the top of the dough and cover with a second large piece of parchment paper. Press the dough down and then roll the dough out using a rolling pin to 1/2" thick.
- Transfer the dough while still sandwiched between parchment paper to a large sheet pan or cutting board, just something large and flat to keep the dough from splitting while you place in the refrigerator to chill for 2 hours. **You can also cut the cookies out first and chill the individual cookies in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cut out your first round of cookies if you haven't already. Use a flexible offset spatula to remove the cookies from the dough. Place the rest of the dough back in the refrigerator. Place cookies an inch apart on a parchment lined sheet pan and bake in rounds on the middle rack for 9-10 minutes. Let cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Re-roll out the extra dough and cut more cookies. Follow this process until the dough is all used up.
- While the cookies cool make the icing.
- To a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or to a bowl using a hand mixer, beat softened butter until fluffy. Slowly add half the powdered sugar. Add the vanilla and half of the milk. Continue beating, adding the rest of the powdered sugar and milk. Beat until it's well incorporated, scraping the bowl down as needed.
- Ice and decorate the cookies once they've completely cooled. Store in an air tight container.