Sugar Cookie Mitten Cookies are a charming and festive holiday treat. These buttery sugar cookies are shaped like cozy mittens and decorated with colorful icing and sprinkles, making them perfect for cookie exchanges, gifting, or adding a personal touch to your holiday celebrations.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft and buttery sugar cookies with a perfect balance of sweetness.
- Easy to customize with icing colors and decorations.
- Great for baking with kids and creating festive memories.
- Perfect for holiday parties, gifting, or cookie platters.
Ingredients
(Tip: You’ll find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.)
For the Cookies:
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Granulated sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- Almond extract (optional)
For the Royal Icing (Optional):
- Powdered sugar
- Meringue powder
- Water
- Food coloring
- Sprinkles or edible glitter for decoration
Directions
Make the Cookies
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract, mixing well.
- Combine Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms.
- Roll Out the Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about ¼-inch thickness. Use a mitten-shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake: Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Decorate the Cookies
- Prepare Royal Icing: In a bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. Divide the icing into bowls and tint with food coloring.
- Decorate: Use piping bags or zip-top bags with the corner snipped to decorate the cookies. Add sprinkles, edible glitter, or additional details while the icing is wet.
- Dry: Allow the icing to set completely before serving or storing.
Servings and Timing
- Servings: Makes 24–30 cookies (depending on cutter size)
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chill Time: 30 minutes (optional)
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
Variations
- Spiced Mitten Cookies: Add cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger to the dough for a warm, spiced flavor.
- Chocolate Mitten Cookies: Dip the bottoms of the cookies in melted chocolate for a rich addition.
- Gluten-Free: Substitute with a gluten-free flour blend for a gluten-free version.
- Flavored Icing: Add a drop of peppermint or almond extract to the royal icing for an extra festive touch.
Storage/Reheating
- Storage: Store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- Freezing: Freeze undecorated cookies for up to 2 months. Thaw, then decorate before serving.
- Reheating: These cookies are best served at room temperature and do not require reheating.
FAQs
1. Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes, the dough can be made and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before rolling out.
2. Do I need a mitten cookie cutter?
A mitten cookie cutter is ideal, but you can hand-cut shapes with a stencil or use another festive cutter.
3. Can I skip the royal icing?
Yes, you can decorate with a simple glaze, sprinkles, or leave them plain for a more traditional look.
4. How do I prevent the cookies from spreading?
Chill the dough for 30 minutes before rolling and cutting to help the cookies maintain their shape.
5. What consistency should the royal icing be?
For outlining, the icing should be thick but pipeable. For flooding, thin the icing slightly with water.
6. Can I use store-bought icing?
Yes, store-bought icing can save time, but royal icing gives the cookies a polished look.
7. Can I make these cookies dairy-free?
Use a plant-based butter substitute to make the cookies dairy-free.
8. How can I add texture to the mittens?
Use a small piping tip to create “knit” patterns or add sanding sugar for sparkle.
9. Are these cookies good for gifting?
Yes, they’re perfect for gifting. Pack them in a decorative tin or cellophane bags for a festive presentation.
10. Can I double the recipe?
Yes, this recipe doubles easily to make a larger batch.
Conclusion
Sugar Cookie Mitten Cookies are a festive and fun holiday baking project that’s as delightful to make as they are to eat. With their buttery base and endless decorating possibilities, they’re perfect for bringing holiday cheer to your cookie trays or gifting to loved ones. Gather your family, grab your icing bags, and let the creativity flow with these adorable mitten cookies!
PrintSugar Cookie Mitten Cookies
These adorable mitten-shaped sugar cookies are perfect for the holiday season. Soft, buttery, and beautifully decorated with royal icing, they’re a festive treat for cookie exchanges or holiday parties.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Chill Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 42 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 2 ¾ cups (350 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
For the royal icing:
- 3 cups (375 g) powdered sugar
- 2 large egg whites or 4 tablespoons meringue powder + 4 tablespoons water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
- Food coloring (red, white, and festive colors)
Instructions
For the cookies:
- Prepare the dough:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using). Mix until combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until the dough comes together.
- Chill the dough:
- Divide the dough into two disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Roll and cut:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to about ¼-inch thickness. Use a mitten-shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes and place them on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake:
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are just starting to turn golden. Let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the royal icing:
- Make the icing:
- In a large bowl, beat the powdered sugar, egg whites (or meringue powder + water), and vanilla extract until the icing is thick and glossy. Add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, to reach your desired consistency for piping or flooding.
- Decorate:
- Divide the icing into bowls and tint with food coloring as desired.
- Use a piping bag with a fine tip to outline the mittens, then flood the inside with thinned icing. Decorate with festive patterns like snowflakes, polka dots, or stripes.
Notes
- Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Decorated cookies should be allowed to dry completely before stacking.
- To save time, pre-made icing or decorating pens can be used.