Santa Sugar Cookies

Christmas just isn’t Christmas without delicious Santa Sugar Cookies. Our family is full of sugar cookie junkies.

Our cute mom saw some Santa sugar cookies at a local restaurant and decided that she could easily make her own. These cookies were a huge hit at our party and if you need a darling cookie for a cookie exchange, this is your go-to cookie.

Recipe Ingredient Notes

To make Santa Sugar Cookies, you will need the following ingredients:

Sugar Cookies

• Butter
• Sugar
• Eggs
• Baking Powder
• Vanilla
• Baking Soda
• Salt
• Sour Cream
• Flour

Frosting

• Butter
• Shortening
• Vanilla
• Powdered Sugar
• Milk

Santa Cookie Decorations

• Red Decorating Sugar, for the hat
• Chocolate Chips, for eyes
• Cinnamon Candies, for nose
• Mini Marshmallows, for the hat
• Shredded Coconut, for the beard

Equipment Needed

For this recipe, you only need a few simple kitchen tools. We recommend using the following equipment:

• 2 Mixing Bowl
• Mixer (Hand)
• Sheet Pan (Quarter)

How to make Santa Sugar Cookies

1. Mix butter, sugar, and eggs until well blended. 
2. Add baking powder, vanilla, baking soda, salt, and sour cream and stir well.
3. Add flour and gently combine.  If too sticky, add just a little more flour and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. 
4. Roll out dough on a floured surface and cut with a circle cookie cutter (I used a 2 ¾ – 3 inch diameter circle cookie cutter). 
5. Bake at 350 ℉ for about 9 minutes (you don’t want to overcook them!).

Frosting

1. Combine all ingredients and mix well.  If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar and if it’s too thick, add a little more milk.

Assemble the Cookies

1. Frost the cookie and immediately after add the sprinkles to the top third of the cookie with red sugar crystals (we held the edge of a little bowl to cover the rest of the cookie while we sprinkled the crystals on and it gave the hat a rounded edge).
2. Next, sprinkle the bottom third of the cookie with coconut (and come a little up each edge to meet the hat) to make Santa’s beard. If your frosting dried quickly, you can put a drop of water on your finger and spread it on the frosting- the coconut should stick perfectly after that.
3. Place a marshmallow on the end of the hat, the chocolate chips for the eyes, and the red hot for Santa’s nose.

Storing and Other Tips

If you manage to not eat the whole tray of cookies immediately, these Santa Sugar Cookies store well. Once cookies have completely cooled, here is how you can store them:

• Counter: Store in an airtight container in a single layer for up to 4 days at room temperature. If you want to try and get the cookies to last even longer without becoming crumbly cookies, add a slice of bread into the container of cookies. The bread will give the cookies something to draw moisture from.
• Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in a single layer for up to 7 days in a refrigerator.

What could I use if I don’t have a circle cookie cutter for Santa sugar cookies?

We used a circle cookie cutter that was about 3 inches in diameter. If you don’t have a circular cookie cutter, that is a simple fix.

The top of a glass from your kitchen cupboard works great. You want it to be thin. We used a glass cup and it gives it a clean and sharp cut.

A glass that is smooth on all sides could also double as a rolling pin if you don’t have one.

What could I use instead of coconut for Santa’s beard?

We love coconut, but  understand that it isn’t for everyone. If you are looking for a coconut substitute, we have a few ideas for you.

• Piped frosting –This may take a little more time, but you could pipe on the white frosting just for the beard, so it looks different from the rest of the cookie. His beard will look as realistic as you desire, depending on what you use to pipe it.
• Grated white chocolate – Grate a white chocolate bar with a cheese grater. It will make a great Santa beard.
• White cotton candy – Cotton candy is sometimes difficult to find, but is often on the candy aisle. Also on Amazon.
• White sprinkles –  White sprinkles are probably the fastest alternative, next to coconut shreds. I like to use the long skinny white ones. But any white sprinkle will work.

Enjoy More Delicious Christmas Recipes

There’s nothing like homemade cookies that the whole family will love. Check out our comprehensive collection of cookie recipes here.

• Cake Mix Christmas Cookies
• Andes Mint Grinch Cookies
• Chocolate Reindeer Cookies
• Cornflake Christmas Wreath Cookies

Santa Sugar Cookies

5 from 8 votes

Christmas just isn't Christmas without yummy Santa Sugar cookies! These easy Santa cookies are perfect for the holiday and so cute!

ServingServing: 40 Cookies

Prep Time 50 minutes minutes

Cook Time 9 minutes minutes

Total Time 59 minutes minutes

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Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup butter, softened
• ▢ 1 ¼ cups sugar
• ▢ 2 eggs
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ cup sour cream
• ▢ 4 cups flour

Frosting

• ▢ ½ cup butter, softened
• ▢ 3 Tablespoons shortening
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ▢ 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon milk

Santa Cookie Decorations

• ▢ ½ cup red decorating sugar, for the hat
• ▢ ½ cup chocolate chips, for eyes
• ▢ 40 cinnamon candies, for nose
• ▢ 40 mini marshmallows, for the hat
• ▢ 1 cup shredded coconut, for the beard

Equipment

• 2 Mixing Bowl
• Mixer (Hand)
• Sheet Pan (Quarter)

Instructions

1. Mix butter, sugar, and eggs until well blended. 
2. Add baking powder, vanilla, baking soda, salt, and sour cream and stir well.
3. Add flour and gently combine.  If too sticky, add just a little more flour and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. 
4. Roll out dough on a floured surface and cut with a circle cookie cutter (I used a 2 ¾ – 3 inch diameter circle cookie cutter). 
5. Bake at 350 ℉ for about 9 minutes (you don't want to overcook them!).

Frosting

1. Combine all ingredients and mix well.  If it's too thin, add more powdered sugar and if it's too thick, add a little more milk.

Assemble the Cookies

1. Frost the cookie and immediately after add the sprinkles to the top third of the cookie with red sugar crystals (we held the edge of a little bowl to cover the rest of the cookie while we sprinkled the crystals on and it gave the hat a rounded edge).
2. Next, sprinkle the bottom third of the cookie with coconut (and come a little up each edge to meet the hat) to make Santa's beard. If your frosting dried quickly, you can put a drop of water on your finger and spread it on the frosting- the coconut should stick perfectly after that.
3. Place a marshmallow on the end of the hat, the chocolate chips for the eyes, and the red hot for Santa's nose.

Notes

We used a circle cookie cutter that was about 3 inches in diameter. If you don’t have a circular cookie cutter, that is a simple fix.

The top of a glass from your kitchen cupboard works great. You want it to be thin. We used a glass cup and it gives it a clean and sharp cut.

A glass that is smooth on all sides could also double as a rolling pin if you don’t have one.

Nutrition

Calories: 204 kcal · Carbohydrates: 28 g · Protein: 2 g · Fat: 10 g · Saturated Fat: 6 g · Cholesterol: 28 mg · Sodium: 140 mg · Potassium: 29 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 16 g · Vitamin A: 243 IU · Vitamin C: 1 mg · Calcium: 15 mg · Iron: 1 mg

Cuisine: American

Cost: $8

Author: Steph Loaiza

Course: Dessert

Did You Make This Recipe?We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review or a question in the comment section below the post.