Description

These Slice and Bake Christmas Cookies are a festive and fun holiday treat featuring a colorful pattern inside each bite. The dough is rolled, colored, and shaped into a log that is sliced and baked to golden perfection, making them perfect for gifting or enjoying with family during the holiday season.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Additional Ingredients

A few drops of food coloring (gel or natural)

Instructions

Cream Butter and Sugar: Add butter, sugar, and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl or stand mixer. Beat at medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, creating a smooth base for your cookies.
Add Eggs: Incorporate the eggs one at a time, mixing each just until combined to maintain a smooth consistency.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and kosher salt to evenly distribute the leavening agent and salt.
Mix Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in 3 to 4 batches. Stir until the dough comes together, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons more flour if the dough feels too wet, especially if using natural food coloring.
Color the Dough: Remove about 10 ounces (about one-third) of the dough into a separate bowl. Add several drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly until uniformly colored.
Chill and Shape Colored Dough: Place the colored dough in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to firm up. Then roll it into a 1/2-inch thick rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Freeze again for 30 minutes to make cutting easier.
Cut Shapes and Assemble: Using a small cookie cutter roughly 1.5 inches across, cut shapes from the colored dough. Lightly wet the floured side of each cutout with a fingertip dipped in water to help them stick when sandwiching two shapes together. Repeat until you have a log approximately 10 inches long.
Freeze the Log: Freeze the assembled log for 2 hours or until solid. This can also be done overnight.
Wrap with Plain Dough: Remove the log from the freezer and press plain cookie dough around the shapes carefully, ensuring there are no gaps. Roll the entire log into a smooth cylinder on a lightly floured surface, leaving the ends open to help maintain an even circle.
Chill Log: Wrap the log tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up before slicing.
Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Slice and Bake Cookies: Slice the chilled dough into 1/4 inch rounds, spacing them 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly golden brown.
Cool: Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheets before serving or storing.

Notes

If the dough is too sticky to work with, refrigerate it for an additional 15-20 minutes before rolling out.
Natural food coloring may require a bit more flour to maintain dough consistency.
The log can be prepared a day ahead and frozen overnight to save time on baking day.
Use a sharp knife for clean slices to maintain cookie shape.
Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
These cookies are perfect for decorating or gifting during the holidays.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Category: Dessert, Cookies, Holiday Treat
Method: Slice and bake
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cookie (approximate)
Calories: 110 kcal
Sugar: 7 g
Sodium: 65 mg
Fat: 6 g
Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 13 g
Fiber: 0.5 g
Protein: 1.2 g
Cholesterol: 25 mg

Keywords: slice and bake cookies, Christmas cookies, holiday cookies, colorful cookies, easy holiday treats, festive cookies