Festive Star-Shaped Cookies Recipe
With their buttery vanilla aroma and sparkling decorations, Festive Star-Shaped Cookies are my absolute go-to for brightening holiday trays and cheering up dreary winter days. These classic cookies are everything you love about sugar cookies: melt-in-your-mouth tender, rich with a subtle hint of vanilla, and just waiting for you to unleash your inner decorator. They’re so much fun to make, so eye-catching on the plate, and so universally loved that I bake them all season long for gifts, parties, and cozy afternoons with the family.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Gathering the ingredients for Festive Star-Shaped Cookies is a breeze, and it’s amazing how each element plays a special part in the final result. The recipe is simple, relying on pantry staples and a handful of decorating touches to create cookies that are both showstopping and delicious.
- Unsalted Butter: Softened butter lends these cookies their signature tender crumb and buttery flavor, so don’t skimp on quality if you can.
- Granulated Sugar: Provides just the right amount of sweetness and helps achieve that delicate, golden finish.
- Large Egg: This contributes both richness and structure, ensuring your cookies hold their beautiful star shape.
- Vanilla Extract: A good vanilla extract rounds out the flavor and elevates the cookie with sweet, comforting notes.
- All-Purpose Flour: The absolute backbone of the dough, giving the cookies enough body to roll out and cut into perfect stars.
- Baking Powder: A small amount keeps the cookies tender but not puffy, ensuring nice, clean edges.
- Salt: Just a pinch sharpens the flavors and keeps the sweetness in balance.
- Colored Sanding Sugar or Royal Icing for Decorating: This is where you get to unleash your creativity—sugars add sparkle before baking, while royal icing lets you decorate the cooled cookies in endless festive ways afterward.
How to Make Festive Star-Shaped Cookies
Step 1: Cream the Butter and Sugar
Start by adding your softened butter and granulated sugar to a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the two together for about 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture is light, fluffy, and slightly paler in color. This is what gives the Festive Star-Shaped Cookies their melt-in-your-mouth texture, so don’t cut this step short!
Step 2: Add Egg and Vanilla
Crack in the egg and pour in the vanilla extract. Beat again, making sure everything’s beautifully combined. At this stage, the dough will look silky and smell incredible—like the holidays in a bowl!
Step 3: Mix Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. This helps distribute the baking powder and salt evenly throughout the dough, preventing any pockets of uneven flavor.
Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry
Gradually add the dry ingredients into the butter-egg mixture, mixing just until a soft dough forms. Be careful not to overmix; you want the cookies soft and tender, not tough.
Step 5: Chill the Dough
Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disc, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chilling for at least an hour is crucial—this step firms up the butter and makes the dough much easier to roll and cut into perfect star shapes later on.
Step 6: Roll and Cut Out the Stars
Once chilled, preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about ¼-inch thick—thicker for soft cookies, a tad thinner for crispier edges. Grab your star cutter and have fun stamping out as many stars as you can, rerolling scraps as needed.
Step 7: Decorate Before Baking (Optional)
If you’re using colored sanding sugar, sprinkle it on now so it bakes right into the surface for a glittery finish. Leave them plain if you plan to decorate with royal icing later—the smooth canvas makes for perfect icing designs.
Step 8: Bake and Cool
Place the stars about an inch apart on your prepared pans. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, watching for the edges to just barely turn golden. Let the cookies sit on the pan for 2 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating with icing.
How to Serve Festive Star-Shaped Cookies
Garnishes
Enhance your Festive Star-Shaped Cookies by adorning them with shimmering sanding sugars, edible pearls, or a simple dusting of powdered sugar from a fine sieve. If you’ve opted for royal icing, colored sprinkles or edible glitter make every cookie shine a little brighter and feel that much more magical.
Side Dishes
These cookies make a wonderful pairing with warm drinks like hot cocoa, mulled wine, or a comforting mug of spiced tea. Arrange them alongside a platter of sliced citrus, mixed nuts, or even a bowl of fresh berries for a more festive spread that balances the sweetness perfectly.
Creative Ways to Present
Presenting Festive Star-Shaped Cookies can be half the fun! Layer them in a tin between sheets of parchment, string them onto ribbon for edible garlands, or package in clear cellophane bags tied with a bow for easy, heartfelt gifts. For parties, arrange in concentric circles on a platter for an eye-catching centerpiece.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Store your Festive Star-Shaped Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, where they’ll stay fresh and delicious for up to a week. If you’ve decorated with royal icing, let it dry completely before stacking between sheets of parchment.
Freezing
You can either freeze the baked cookies or the dough discs. To freeze dough, wrap each disc tightly and store for up to 3 months—just thaw in the fridge before rolling out. Baked cookies also freeze well in airtight containers, perfect for making ahead of time for celebrations.
Reheating
If your cookies have been frozen, let them thaw at room temperature. For that fresh-from-the-oven warmth, place a few on a baking sheet and heat in a low oven (about 250°F) for 3 to 5 minutes. This will perk them right up and restore some of that original tenderness and aroma.
FAQs
Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted?
Yes, but you’ll want to reduce or omit the added salt in the recipe. Unsalted butter lets you control the seasoning more precisely, but if all you have is salted, your Festive Star-Shaped Cookies will still absolutely work and taste delicious.
How do I make the cookies extra crispy?
Simply roll the dough a little thinner than the suggested ¼-inch, and bake an extra minute or two until the edges turn well-golden. Just watch closely—since the cookies are small, they can brown quickly!
Can I add different flavors?
Absolutely! Try swapping ½ teaspoon of the vanilla extract for almond, or mixing in a little lemon or orange zest for a subtle citrus kick. Festive Star-Shaped Cookies are the perfect canvas for a range of flavors.
What’s the best way to decorate with royal icing?
Make sure the cookies have cooled completely first. Pipe simple outlines or flood the centers for a pretty, glossy finish. Kids love to join in, so set up an icing and sprinkle station for maximum holiday fun!
Can I double the recipe?
Definitely! This recipe doubles beautifully. Just be sure to chill the dough in batches and bake the cookies in batches as well, to keep them uniform and tender every time.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a cheerful, foolproof treat to bake and share, these Festive Star-Shaped Cookies will make your kitchen feel like the happiest spot in the house. Whip up a batch and watch them disappear—these stars are sure to become a treasured part of your holiday traditions!
Print
Festive Star-Shaped Cookies Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes (including chilling)
- Yield: 36 cookies 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Festive Star-Shaped Cookies are perfect for holiday gatherings and Christmas celebrations. With a buttery, vanilla-infused dough, these cookies are both delicious and visually appealing, making them a delightful addition to any dessert table.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Decoration:
- Colored sanding sugar or royal icing for decorating
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until a soft dough forms.
- Chill the Dough: Divide the dough in half, flatten into discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat and Roll: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Roll out the dough on a floured surface, cut into star shapes, and place on baking sheets.
- Bake: Bake for 8–10 minutes until lightly golden. Cool on a wire rack.
- Decorate: Decorate with colored sugar before baking or use royal icing after cooling.
Notes
- For crispier cookies, roll the dough slightly thinner.
- Freeze dough discs for up to 3 months.
- Add ½ teaspoon lemon or orange zest for a citrus flavor.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 40mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
