Twisted Christmas Cookies – Soft, Festive & Perfect for the Holidays!
These buttery holiday cookies are twisted with red, green, and vanilla dough for a soft, colorful treat. Perfect for gifting, cookie swaps, or Christmas baking with kids.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Approx. 24 cookies
- Category: Cookies / Christmas
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American / Holiday
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 large egg
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp almond extract (optional)
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
Red food coloring
Green food coloring
Optional: sanding sugar for decoration
Instructions
Cream Butter & Sugar:
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
Add Egg & Extracts:
Mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using) until fully incorporated.
Mix Dry Ingredients:
Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt until a soft, pliable dough forms.
Divide & Color Dough:
Divide dough into three equal parts:
Leave one plain
Color one with red food coloring
Color one with green food coloring
Shape the Cookies:
Roll small ropes of each color and gently twist them together. Shape into sticks or mini wreaths.
Bake:
Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 8–10 minutes, until set but not browned.
Add Sparkle:
While cookies are still warm, sprinkle with sanding sugar if desired.
Notes
Almond extract adds a delicious festive flavor—highly recommended!
Don’t overbake—the cookies should stay soft and pale.
Let the dough chill for 15–30 minutes if it becomes too soft to handle.
Kids love helping with the twisting!
