These adorable Christmas Light Cookies are a blast to make with royal icing and candy topping. This recipe for easy Christmas cookies with light strands will be a hit without much work.

Christmas Light Cookies stacked on a platter.
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This kid friendly cookie recipe is so much fun to make. The total time is minimum but they turn out so fancy. They are the perfect Christmas dessert for parties, movie night and all season long.

I have been making these with the kids since they were little. They pair perfectly with Christmas Cut Out Sugar Cookies, Grinch Brownies and Snowman Cookies for a great dessert tray. Try Christmas Crunch Recipe for a fun movie snack.

We have also been making 55 Christmas Cookie Recipes with Few Ingredients for years.

Why you will love this recipe

  • Gorgeous seasonal treat. The cookies look stunning.
  • Delicious Christmas Cookies. Each bite is delicious.
  • Easy Step by Step Directions. Anyone can make these cookies with simple steps.

Ingredients: 

Ingredients for Christmas Light Cookies- flour, butter, vanilla, eggs, powdered sugar, cream of tarter, gel icing, M&M's.

For the Cookies: 

  • All Purpose Flour 
  • Unsalted Butter (softened) 
  • Vanilla 
  • Egg  

For the Icing: 

  • Egg Whites 
  • Powdered Sugar 
  • Cream of Tartar 

Decorations: 

  • Black Writing Gel 
  • Mini M&M

Jump to the bottom and find the complete ingredient list in the recipe card.

Substitutions and Additions

  • Black Frosting. You can use black frosting in a piping bag instead of black writing gel. However, I do think the gel is easier to get a thin line.
  • Almond Extract. Try using almond extract in this recipe.

How to make Christmas Light Cookies

Mixing bowl with bugger and sugar being creamed and egg added to the mixture.

Step 1. First cream together the butter and sugar with a hand held mixer or stand mixer until combined. Then add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until combined. 

Separate mixing bowl with dry ingredients.

Step 2. Get out a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. 

Mixing bowl with wet and dry ingredients combined.

Step 3. Slow stir the dry ingredients until the wet ingredients.

Mixing bowl with a spatula in dough.

Step 4. Mix until well combined but do not overmix.

Baking sheet with dough balls.

Step 5. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough. Then roll the dough into 1 inch balls and place on baking sheet.

Mixing bowl with icing ingredients combined.

Step 6. While the cookies are cooling on a wire cooling rack, make the frosting. Combine the icing ingredients together in a small bowl on medium high speed for 4 minutes until well combined. 

You might need to add more powdered sugar if the icing is not thick enough. 

Icing spread on cookies on baking sheet.

Step 7. Add the frosting to the cookies. Let them sit for 30-45 minutes until the icing is set.  

Black gel on cookies for the strings and M&M's on the cookies for lights.

Step 8. From the lines back and forth with the black writing gel so that it resembles strings for the lights.

Place the mini M&Ms on the cookies (sideways) so that they appear like lights on the cookies. 

Christmas Light Cookies stacked on a red platter.

Pro Tips

  • Adjust the powdered sugar in the icing. You may need to add more powdered sugar to get the desired consistency.
  • Don’t overmix the dough. The cookies will be tough if you mix the batter too much.

Frequently Asked Questions

Got questions? Check Here!

How to store the cookies?

Store the leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

I am so excited for you to make these fun cookies. Don’t forget to come back and leave a comment once you make them.

Christmas Light Cookies

5 from 1 vote
These adorable Christmas Light Cookies are a blast to make with royal icing and candy topping. This recipe for easy Christmas cookies with light strands will be a hit without much work.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
For the Icing & Decorations: 15 minutes
Total Time 37 minutes
Servings 24
Cuisine American
Course Dessert
Calories 150

Ingredients

For the Cookies:

For the Decorations:

  • Black Writing Gel
  • Mini M&Ms
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Instructions

For the Cookies:

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Beat together the butter with the sugar with a hand held mixer or stand up mixer until creamy and combined.
  • Add in the egg and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
  • Slow stir the dry ingredients until the wet ingredients until combined.
  • Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Roll the cookie dough into 1 inch balls and place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges of the cookies start to brown slightly.
  • Remove from the oven.  Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.  Then move them to wire racks to cool completely.

For the Icing:

  • Mix the icing ingredients together in a small bowl on medium high speed for 4 minutes until well combined.  Add more powdered sugar if the icing is not thick enough.
  • Frost the cookies with the white icing and then let them sit for 30-45 minutes until the icing is set.
  • Use the black writing gel to make lines back and forth across the cookies to resemble the strings for the lights.
  • Then place the mini M&Ms on the cookies (sideways) so that they appear like lights on the cookies.
  • Once all the frosting is set, the cookies are ready to serve and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Store the leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 150kcal, Carbohydrates 17g, Protein 2g, Fat 8g, Saturated Fat 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fat 2g, Trans Fat 0.3g, Cholesterol 27mg, Sodium 86mg, Potassium 37mg, Fiber 0.4g, Sugar 5g, Vitamin A 246IU, Calcium 35mg, Iron 1mg

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Carrie. Welcome to Desserts on a Dime!

I’m on a mission to help you create delicious desserts on a budget and do not require a ton of time. Together, we are going to make something sweet that the entire family will love!

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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