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Christmas Lights Cookies

Christmas Light Cookies

These Christmas lights cookies combine flour, baking powder, butter, sugar, egg yolk, vanilla, almond extract, royal icing, black writing icing, and mini M&Ms in one small batch. You chill the cut-out cookies for 10 minutes, bake them at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes, frost them with royal icing, and decorate them with black icing strings and mini M&Ms. Make these Christmas lights cookies for a cookie exchange, holiday party, or Christmas movie night when you need an easy festive christmas cookie idea.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 12 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Cookies and Bars
Cuisine: American
Calories: 180
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • 3/4 cup flour plus extra for rolling
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 large egg white
  • 1 small tube of black icing for writing
  • handful mini M&Ms

Equipment

  • Electric mixer
  • Rolling Pin
  • Offset spatula
  • Baking sheet
  • Small tube of black icing

Method
 

  1. Make the Dough
    In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat until everything is well incorporated.
    Gradually add the flour mixture in two additions, beating gently after each. Stop mixing as soon as no dry flour streaks remain. Avoid overmixing, as this can make the cookies tough.
  2. Roll and Cut
    Lightly flour your work surface and transfer the dough onto it. Gather the dough into a ball, then press it into a disk about ½ inch thick. Lightly flour your rolling pin and roll out the dough until it is large enough to cut approximately 8 shapes. Cut out the cookies using your preferred cookie cutter and carefully transfer them to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Gather the dough scraps, gently press them together, and reroll the dough to cut 4 more shapes. You should have about 12 cookies in total.
  3. Chill the Cookies
    Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes while you preheat the oven to 350°F. Chilling the cutouts helps the cookies hold their shape and prevents excessive spreading during baking.
  4. Bake
    Bake the chilled cookies for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges just begin to turn golden brown. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes so they can firm up. Transfer them to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely before decorating.
  5. Make the Royal Icing
    In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice. In a separate small bowl, beat the egg white briefly to loosen it. Measure out 2 tablespoons and add them to the powdered sugar mixture. Whisk slowly until the ingredients begin to combine. The mixture will initially look thick and paste-like, but continue whisking until the icing becomes smooth and thick. Avoid adding extra liquid too soon. Give the ingredients time to combine fully before adjusting the consistency.
  6. Frost the Cookies
    Once the cookies are completely cool, spoon a small amount of royal icing onto each one. Use an offset spatula or the back of a small spoon to spread the icing evenly, taking it almost to the edges. Let the icing dry completely before decorating. This can take 1–2 hours, depending on the thickness of the icing and the humidity.
  7. Decorate
    Use the tube of black icing to pipe two thin lines across each cookie to create the wires for the Christmas lights. Press mini M&M candies sideways onto the black lines to resemble colorful holiday lights. Let children help with this fun decorating step, making the cookies a festive activity for the whole family.