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.
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.
Table of Contents
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:
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
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.
Step 2. Get out a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Step 3. Slow stir the dry ingredients until the wet ingredients.
Step 4. Mix until well combined but do not overmix.
Step 5. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough. Then roll the dough into 1 inch balls and place on baking sheet.
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.
Step 7. Add the frosting to the cookies. Let them sit for 30-45 minutes until the icing is set.
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.
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!
Store the leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Try more easy Christmas Cookie Recipes
- Christmas Sprinkle Cookies
- Easy Christmas Pinwheel Cookies
- Christmas Wreath Cookies
- Gingerbread Kiss Cookies
- Easy Grinch Cookies Recipe
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
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 3 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter softened
- 1 Tablespoons Vanilla
- 1 Egg
- 1 Tablespoons Baking Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- For the Icing:
- 2 Egg Whites
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
For the Decorations:
- Black Writing Gel
- Mini M&Ms
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!