Christmas Cake Cookies

  3.9 – 59 reviews  • Christmas
Level: Easy
Total: 11 hr
Active: 30 min
Yield: 24 cookies

Ingredients

  1. 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for flouring
  2. 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  3. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  4. 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  5. 1 cup granulated sugar
  6. 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) salted butter, softened
  7. 1/4 cup shortening, softened
  8. 2 large eggs
  9. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  10. Seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean
  11. 3/4 cup sour cream
  12. 8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter, softened
  13. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  14. 2 cups powdered sugar
  15. Pinch of kosher salt
  16. 2 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream
  17. 18 drops green gel paste
  18. 72 cinnamon imperials, for topping

Instructions

  1. For the cookie: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the granulated sugar, butter and shortening. Add the eggs 1 at a time, mixing well between additions. Add the vanilla extract and vanilla seeds and mix well. Add the sour cream and mix until just combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat on low until just mixed through; the dough will be sticky. Shape into a rectangle and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
  3. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or silicone baking mats.
  4. Roll out the dough on a generously floured piece of parchment to about 1/4 inch thick and cut into 2 1/2-inch rounds. Place the rounds on the prepared baking sheets. If the dough becomes too sticky and hard to work with, move it to the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to firm up, then continue rolling and cutting. Bake until the cookies are puffed and cooked through but have not taken on any color, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove the cookies to a wire rack to cool.
  5. For the frosting: When ready to decorate, make the frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and vanilla extract until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar and salt and beat on medium until smooth and fluffy. Add the heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time until the frosting is fairly thick. Add the gel paste and stir to evenly combine.
  6. Use a butter knife to spread the frosting on the cookies, then decorate with 3 cinnamon imperials in the center of each cookie. Leave overnight to set.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 of 24 servings
Calories 244
Total Fat 11 g
Saturated Fat 6 g
Carbohydrates 37 g
Dietary Fiber 5 g
Sugar 19 g
Protein 3 g
Cholesterol 37 mg
Sodium 115 mg

Reviews

Monica Murphy
The cookie is dry and lacks taste. I love the frosting but it did not save the cookie.
Anthony Jones
Made these just yesterday. Easy and delicious. I followed the recipe exactly as written and had no issues. Will make again!
Victoria Flores
Pioneer woman is my “go to” for any recipe and I am 100% satisfied…except this time. Reading the reviews I should have known to add more of a flavor or try another recipe. Yes, the dough was wet and I did roll into balls and flatten (that worked). Cookie was nice and cake-like sort of like the black/white cookies…but no flavor at all. I always add more vanilla but even that didn’t help. When iced/frosted it was too sweet but without was just blah.
Scott Evans
These are very yummy and easy to make
Stephanie Brown
Context: we didn’t have shortening and subbed with butter; also used lactose free sour cream

They taste phenomenal but with our substitutions were VERY sticky.. a little too sticky to roll out and cut, so instead we rolled the dough into 2 inch balls and hand-flattened them before setting on the baking sheet. So if you had your heart set on perfect circles… don’t recommend following suit.

Brianna Bradley
only cookies my family & grands love !! oh yes my picky baby brother (lol) he’s in his 60’s will eat .
Tina Hall
This is one of my all-time FAVORITES. I’m super surprised so many other people don’t like it as much as I do. I’ve never had any issues with this recipe & people love them. Thanks, Ree!
Tabitha Collins
Dough was way too sticky. You have to work fast if you want a perfect round shaped cookies. Once dough heats up, its over with.
Brenda Rogers
This recipe is not good at all for cutouts so sticky, even for normal round cookies it’s just meh. . . My moms cookies are 100% better, total let down
Robert Martinez
Good recipe

 

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