No-Roll Christmas Sugar Cookies

A quick and easy Christmas butter cookie, chewy, colorful and festive. They are just two bites big and taste like the very best sugar cookies – except without the fuss and mess of rolling! Looking for easy color for your Christmas cookie plate? Get out the butter and let's get to baking!

No-Roll Christmas Sugar Cookies ♥ KitchenParade.com, quick and easy, chewy and buttery, colorful and festive. Tastes just like the very best sugar cookies, without the fuss and mess of rolling.

Homemade Sugar Cookies, Made from Scratch. Real Food, Fresh & Family-Tested. Budget Friendly. Great for Food Gifts & Cookie Boxes.

COMPLIMENTS!
  • "" ~
  • "... almost identical to one I got ... about 30 years ago ... have made at least 10 batches a year ever since." ~ Laurie
  • "They turned out perfect, so easy." ~ Anonymous
  • "... they disappeared quick and got rave reviews!" ~ Arlene
BEST RECIPES!


Introducing the Real Food Celebrities

Forget big-name chefs and hot-shot TV-food personalities. The real food celebrities are the countless home cooks who put healthy affordable meals on the table seven days a week, 52 weeks a year.

You know, like you. YOU.

Enter Food52, the website and new cookbook (affiliate link) but most importantly, the first organization to coax the best recipes from the best home cooks in an organized fashion.

During its first year, Food52 offered two or three seasonal challenges each week.

In summer, it was “Send us your best corn chowder recipe” and in winter, “Send us your best baked ham recipe”. Home cooks did send their best recipes – responding in droves, especially as word got out.

Each week, Food52 and a growing community of contributors and followers somehow tested each challenge’s recipes and selected just one as “best”.

And then they published The Food52 Cookbook, what Food52 founders and cookbook editors Amanda Hesser (she of Cooking for Mr. Latte fame) and Merrill Stubbs call the “love child of 52 weeks of recipe contests”.

And it’s fabulous.

  • The cookbook is organized by season, just one recipe per challenge.
  • The recipes are almost always practical and often inventive.
  • They’re filled with insider tips and suggestions, the ones a friend would pass along when sharing her own recipe.

I like to think that most of these recipes would fit into Kitchen Parade like butter slides onto hot toast.

No-Roll Christmas Sugar Cookies ♥ KitchenParade.com, quick and easy, chewy and buttery, colorful and festive. Tastes just like the very best sugar cookies, without the fuss and mess of rolling.

A Secret No More.

At Food52, what I call No-Roll Christmas Sugar Cookies are called “Secret Cookies”.

  • They are so simple that I really do recommend fresh butter and even fresh flour.
  • They are unleavened, no baking powder or baking soda is required, perfect for someone who's run out and still wants to bake cookies!
  • They’re easy to mix, require no chilling before baking and add color to a cookie tray.
  • The buttery taste makes this a delicious butter cookie!
  • The pretty colored sugars make this a festive sugar cookie!
  • The chewy texture makes it my favorite kinda cookie!

DISCLOSURE Many cookies were sacrificed in order to form these opinions. Do not let their demise go unappreciated.

Kids and cousins? Grownups and grandpas? Everyone loves ‘em!

Bookmark! PIN! Share!

How do you save and share favorite recipes? recipes that fit your personal cooking style? a particular recipe your mom or daughter or best friend would just love? If these colorful butter cookies hit the mark, go ahead, save and share! I'd be honored ...


No-Roll Christmas Sugar Cookies ♥ KitchenParade.com, quick and easy, chewy and buttery, colorful and festive. Tastes just like the very best sugar cookies, without the fuss and mess of rolling.



NO-ROLL CHRISTMAS SUGAR COOKIES

Hands-on time: 45 minutes
Time to table: 1 hour
Makes 3 dozen small two-bite cookies (easily doubled but a triple batch is too much for my stand mixer)
  • 12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks, 170g) salted butter, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar (175g)
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
  • 1-3/4 cup flour, fluffed to aerate before measuring or 218g
  • Colored sugars – red, green or a mix

Heat oven to 350F/180C with the oven rack in the center-most position.

In a mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to blend the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the yolk and extract and combine well. Add the flour and combine well but just until fully mixed, you're not adding air to the dough.

Roll the cookie dough into balls (for one-inch balls, that's 12 grams, for two-bite cookies, make larger balls for larger cookies) and arrange quite close together (they spread just a little) to fill an ungreased baking sheet.

Hunt through the cupboards and china cabinet to find a glass with a patterned bottom – here, my grandmother’s sugar bowl worked perfectly. A smooth-bottomed glass also works but a pattern helps hold the sugar and if you’re really lucky (I wasn’t) the sugar will impress the pattern into the dough.

Rub the bottom of the glass with a little butter. Place the colored sugars on small plates, one color per plate. Dip the bottom of the glass into a colored sugar, then gently and evenly press the glass to flatten the cookie until, well, it’s flatter and squatter (like a thick button) but neither thin nor flat.

Bake for about 10 - 15 minutes or until the cookies are baked clear through and the bottoms are crisp and golden. Let cool for five minutes, transfer to paper towels on the counter to cool completely. Transfer to a storage container.

Delicious immediately but over a few days, the buttery flavor and chewy texture continue to develop.

BAKING SHEETS These cookies were tested bare and baked perfectly in 13 minutes on my favorite thirty-year old non-stick baking sheet (sorry, no one is sorrier than I that it’s no longer available since I've misplaced one) and Airbake cookie sheets, also on a metal baking sheet topped with a silicone mat. The Airbakes took several additional minutes to bake and even then, the bottoms were pale. This is why I recommend baking these cookies on ungreased baking sheets, this lets the bottoms turn crisp and golden instead of staying pale and pallid.
SHIPPING I think these cookies would be a good candidate for shipping. First, they're small and sturdy, unlikely to break, but just as importantly, the flavors continue to develop over a few days.
ALANNA's TIPS What? No baking powder or baking soda? That's right. These cookies are unleavened. If you want sugar on all sides, roll each ball in colored sugar, then flatten. Dark-colored sugars show up best; yellow, say, doesn’t contrast enough. I don't recommend making this dough ahead of time. Either refrigerated or left out, the texture changes somehow and the dough is harder to work with and the cookies lack the crisp definition that make them so special. Is this cookie a Scandinavian butter cookie in disguise? Made with almond extract instead of vanilla, No-Roll Christmas Sugar Cookies remind me of a simple unleavened butter cookie that I learned to bake in a home ec class while living in Finland.

FOR MORE INFO If you "skipped straight to the recipe," please scroll back to the top of this page for ingredient information, ingredient substitutions, tips and more. If you print this recipe, you'll want to check the recipe online for even more tips and extra information about ingredient substitutions, best results and more. See https://www.kitchenparade.com/2011/12/no-roll-christmas-sugar-cookies.html .
NUTRITION INFORMATION Per Cookie: 82 Calories; 4g Tot Fat; 2g Sat Fat; 15mg Cholesterol; 27mg Sodium; 11g Carb; 0g Fiber; 6g Sugar; 1g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS Old Points 2 & PointsPlus 2 & SmartPoints 4 & Freestyle 4 & myWW green 4 & blue 4 & purple 4 & future WW points
Adapted from the fabulous Food52 Cookbook, a curated collection of "best of my best" recipes from home cooks, it's The Food52 Cookbook: 140 Winning Recipes from Exceptional Home Cooks (affiliate link) by Amanda Hesser, Merrill Stubbs & the Food52 Community. DISCLOSURE The good folks at Harper Collins sent a complimentary copy of The Food52 Cookbook and provided a giveaway copy for Kitchen Parade readers in 2011. The opinions, as always, are my own. My Disclosure Promise

Seasonal Cooking: Anyone Else Up to the Elbows in Sugar and Flour?

Frosty Christmas Trees Homemade Microwave Caramel Corn Gourmet Chocolate Mocha Cookies Graham Cracker Toffee Cranberry-Mac Morsels Butter Tart Bars Perfect M&M Cookies Sesame Candy Fresh Cranberry Drop Cookies Chocolate Ginger Crinkle Cookies Colored Roll-Out Sugar Cookies Holiday Baking Tips from a Certifiable Cookie-Baking Fiend No-Roll Christmas Sugar Cookies Bourbon Pralines Slice 'n' Bake Coffee Cookies with Chocolate-Covered Espresso Beans Fresh Cranberry Cake Chocolate-Almond Shortbread Cookies Christmas Banana Bread Fresh Cranberry Bars Old-Fashioned Chocolate Chip Cookies Family Shortbread Cranberry Walnut Bread


This Week, Elsewhere

~ Veritas Vegetable Soup ~
from Veritas Gateway to Food & Wine
~ more St. Louis Restaurant Recipes ~
My Weekly Column in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

More Cookies for Christmas Cookie Plates

~ Holiday Baking Tips ~
from a Certifiable Cookie-Baking Fiend

more
~ Christmas recipes ~
Frosty Christmas Trees ♥ KitchenParade.com, my long-time favorite cut-out cookie, with an easy-to-handle dough, lovely gingerbread flavor and just a touch of chocolate.

Perfect M&M Cookies ♥ KitchenParade.com, classic Tollhouse cookie recipe with M&Ms, perfected by my friend Kathy.

No-Chill Cutout Sugar Cookies ♥ KitchenParade.com, just mix and roll, no need to wait. Mix and bake in under an hour.

Shop Your Pantry First

(helping home cooks save money on groceries)

~ leftover egg whites ~
~ leftover egg yolks ~

~ All Recipes, By Ingredient ~
~ How to Save Money on Groceries ~

Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Quick Suppers are Kitchen Parade favorites and feature recipes easy on the budget, the clock, the waistline and the dishwasher. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail, you'll find my current address in the FAQs. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. If you like Kitchen Parade, for more scratch cooking recipes using whole, healthful ingredients, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. If you make this recipe, I'd love to know your results! Just leave a comment below.

© Copyright Kitchen Parade
2011, 2021 & 2022

Alanna Kellogg
Alanna Kellogg

A Veggie Venture is home of "veggie evangelist" Alanna Kellogg and the famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.

Comments

  1. When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies, I look forward to it all year! When time allows, I set aside an entire day to mix, roll, cut, spread and sprinkle. The kitchen becomes a disaster area, but the results are completely worth it!
    decklededgesblog at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  2. When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies, you'll know right away that I value taste over looks! I'm not very good with icing or sprinkles.

    onehotstove AT gmail DOT com

    These look lovely and easy- hate rolling out cookies.

    ReplyDelete
  3. sherlocklabs@msn.com

    "When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies, ... I go the easy "sprinkle" route most of the time...will frost or "paint" on occasion.

    ReplyDelete
  4. sherlocklabs@msn.com

    I subscribe to your email

    ReplyDelete
  5. shelocklabs@msn.com

    I "liked" on FB :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Laurie Blackshear12/07/2011

    "When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies, ... . I'm kind of stuck in a rut! This recipe has me interested. Not only does it sound like a good holiday recipe but a year-round one as well. Thank you for sharing!

    sbb_lrcb@sprynet.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous12/07/2011

    When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies, I believe decadent is the only way to go! One of my favorite things in life, baking fabulous cookies and giving them to friends and family. I usually bake around 80 dozen and ship them off. The recipe for NO FUSS - NO MESS NO-ROLL CHRISTMAS SUGAR COOKIES is MY FAVORITE COOKIE RECIPE EVER! TASTES FABULOUS, WAY better than most bakery sugar cookies, and SUPER EASY! The recipe is almost identical to one I got from the Chicago Tribune about 30 years ago. The recipe was from the Senn High School kitchen, and I have made at least 10 batches a year ever since. I use it as my "beginner" cookie that I make with toddler grandchildren (even 2 years olds can help mix and roll into balls, and LOVE to roll them in the sprinkles - be prepared to have multicolored fingers for a while!). LOVE IT!!! Thank you for sharing it again.
    lauriecross@comcast.net

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous12/07/2011

    When is comes to decorating Christmas cookies my children and I relive so manny memories over the years. We are making memories for when they are parents and carry on the tradition! Looking forward to making your no roll sugar Christmas cookies. Joan our email address is: k-jmyers@juno.com Have a very Merry Christmas

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous12/07/2011

    I've been a Veggie Venture subscriber for a long while. In fact, we've just finished a batch of Savory Pudding with Chard, Butternut & Cheddar -- actually much more like a souffle, I think, than a pudding.

    Just joined Kitchen Parade and am already looking forward to trying those recipes, especially these easy sugar cookies.

    Please enter me in the drawing for the cookbook. I'll keep my fingers crossed, when I'm not cooking....

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous12/07/2011

    "When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies, grandchildren are a requirement. As they grow older we decorate fewer cookies so this new to us will fit right in.

    carolagregg@me.com

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous12/07/2011

    When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies, I think "simple" is the way to go. I'll add a candied fruit, a nut, a sprinkle of colored sugar, or best yet, leave it plain! The cookie itself is the best part for me; therefore, the recipe must be FABULOUS. Looks like this 'NO FUSS - NO MESS NO-ROLL CHRISTMAS SUGAR COOKIE'
    just made my list!

    masmah@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  12. When is comes to decorating Christmas cookies, we usually opt for spinkles and/or coloring the dough itself.

    ReplyDelete
  13. When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies, you will discover that my cookies always taste better than they look! I'm going to work harder at making attractive cookies this year, because I plan to bake most of my gifts.

    I'm also a long time subscriber of Kitchen Parade and Veggie Venture.

    ReplyDelete
  14. When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies, I always am reminded of the fun of doing this as a child with my siblings, fighting over the bowls of colored frosting and sprinkles and making a mess of the kitchen. That's what keeps me doing it with my own family every year.

    ReplyDelete
  15. When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies, my 6 and 4-year old grands are all about the sprinkles! We have sprinkles in every color, for every holiday. I'm sure they will work on this recipe - can't wait to try.
    daustin55 at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  16. I've heard this is a great cookbook When it comes to baking Christmas cookies I like to make a lot and then spread the cheer by giving them away to family and friends.

    I already signed up to receive your blog posts for both blogs by email. Unfortunately I don't always have time to reply.

    ReplyDelete
  17. When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies, I always do the simplest!! I actually prefer any other Christmas cookies but decorating.... to time consuming!!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Anonymous12/07/2011

    When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies, I think the best way to do it is to have an assembly line where one person does one color and another person does the sprinkles and yet another person does the baking. Make it a family affair!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous12/07/2011

    When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies, I'm a rookie. But I am determined to go semi-pro this year! ;)
    guthriewife@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  20. When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies, I love all the different colored sprinkles and decorations.

    ReplyDelete
  21. When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies, I generally go the lazy route. When the kids were little we went all-out with colored frosting and sprinkles, but it's not as much fun to do by yourself. My granddaughter will be old enough to help in a few years and we'll have to get back to making a wonderful mess!

    ReplyDelete
  22. "When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies.........I am terrible." rgtmom_79@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  23. OK, I facebooked you! rgtmom_79@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous12/09/2011

    When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies...I always make sure to have the undecoarad batchess frozen late November or early December so I don't have to rush during holiday times. Thank you for putting the weight of the flour, by the way!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous12/09/2011

    When it comes to decorating Christmas Cookies, I'm grateful to have a hubby who cleans up after me! jlmfly3@earthlink.net

    ReplyDelete
  26. When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies, I use colored sprinkles, chocolate chips, and press patterns into cookies, all depending on cookie type. pattilou 1952 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  27. When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies, I believe less is more--very minimal decorating!

    jeoxner@nstu.ca

    ReplyDelete
  28. Anonymous12/10/2011

    When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies I'll make these NO FUSS - NO MESS NO-ROLL CHRISTMAS SUGAR COOKIES...

    ReplyDelete
  29. When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies,I just have no patience! But I love making the cookies and make loads of them. Then I invite over lots of artistic friends who DO like to decorate them. We all share the finished cookies. I love seeing everyone's different takes on how to decorate the same basic shapes.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Anonymous12/11/2011

    "When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies, I use basic ingredients because they are tradition to our family. I love using almond flavoring to sugar cookies, they give it a homey-taste.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Anonymous12/13/2011

    When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies, the more icing and "bling" the better.

    ReplyDelete
  32. When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies, I like to use lemon extract in the frosting and also the cookie to add a special touch to the sugar cookie.
    vicki.gensini@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  33. When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies, I can use all the help I can get!

    ReplyDelete
  34. I signed up for a free subscription to Kitchen Parade.
    vicki.gensini@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  35. I posted this on Facebook.
    vicki.gensini@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  36. When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies it is with my grandchildren who like to go all out in the designs. I have taken pictures of some of them they are so special!

    ReplyDelete
  37. Emily38012/13/2011

    When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies, I tend to keep it simple because my family eats them too quickly to appreciate miniature works of art...

    Emily380 at insightbb dot com

    ReplyDelete
  38. When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies I am the annoying sister/girlfriend/daughter that likes steady hands and neat lines. What? I'm a perfectionist!

    ReplyDelete
  39. When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies, I'm too excited to eat the cookies to actually decorate!

    ReplyDelete
  40. "When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies, ... . it's most fun to decorate with my sister.
    raidergirl3 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  41. When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies, these were the easiest and most delicious I've ever made! I LOVED THEM! Thank you so much for providing the great recipe. I was skeptical that they'd turn out well without chilling first, but they waaaaay exceeded my expectations. I happened to have some extra chopped nuts and rolled some of the cookies in them before baking -- it's a great addition! Merry Christmas!

    alipsah at hotmail dot dot com

    ReplyDelete
  42. Cathleen12/14/2011

    sugar sprinkles is as far as I usually go. I want them to be delicious natural beauties - make-up is optional.
    chf385 at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  43. Anonymous12/14/2011

    When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies, I don't mind making mistakes because I get to KEEP all of the ones not pretty enough for friends and family!
    kat0412 at gmail dot com.
    - kat

    ReplyDelete
  44. When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies, I usually put the icing in a ziploc, cut a tiny end off and proceed to zig-zag lines across the cooled cookies while they sit on a rack. Then, before the icing hardens, I "plant" silver dragees in the lines of icing. They look elegant but are so simple. vivian twenty two at telus dot net.

    ReplyDelete
  45. When it comes to decorating Christmas cookies, my son does it best! He just loves it and I get so happy seeing him using his imagination and I love to see his creations

    ReplyDelete
  46. I already get your emails - and my email is in my profile!

    ReplyDelete
  47. I tweeted
    https://twitter.com/#!/frugalohio44/status/147041887717564416

    my email is in my profile

    ReplyDelete
  48. Anonymous12/15/2011

    When it comes to decoration Christmas cookies, I let someone else do it because I suck at it.
    sarash55 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  49. Anonymous12/18/2011

    When it comes to decorating Christmas Cookies the ideas are endless.

    ReplyDelete
  50. When it comes to decorating (oatmeal) cookies, Don't forget the kosher salt and turbinado sugar

    ReplyDelete
  51. Anonymous12/09/2012

    Just finished my first batch! They turned out perfect, so easy. I took your advice and went to my crystal cabinet and used the bottom of a bud vase that my mom brought back from Czechoslovakia to imprint the colored sugar. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  52. Arlene2/24/2020

    Just a note to let you know that I enjoy your Seasonal Sundays. Love the stories & great recipes. [Over Christmas] I made your No Roll Christmas sugar cookies And Frosty Trees. Needless to say they disappeared quick and got rave reviews! Nothing like homemade cookies!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Arlene ~ So glad you liked the recipes! There’s so much cookie competition at Christmas, it’s good to know these get rave reviews! Thanks for letting me know!

      Delete

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Thank you for taking a moment to write! I read each and every comment, for each and every recipe. If you have a specific question, it's nearly always answered quick-quick. But I also love hearing your reactions, your curiosity, even your concerns! When you've made a recipe, I especially love to know how it turned out, what variations you made, what you'll do differently the next time. ~ Alanna