Description
These Christmas Cookie Sparkles are super soft and creamy cream cheese sugar cookies rolled in colorful sprinkles. Perfectly festive with a tender texture and a light almond and vanilla flavor, they make delightful holiday treats that stay fresh for a week.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (375g), spooned and leveled
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (16 Tbsp; 226g), softened to room temperature
- 2 ounces full-fat brick cream cheese (57g), softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Toppings
- 3/4 cup sprinkles (150g) including sanding sugar, nonpareils, and/or jimmies
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set this mixture aside for later use.
- Cream Butter and Cheese: In a large bowl, use a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment to beat the softened butter and cream cheese on high speed until relatively smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Add Sugar and Eggs: Add the granulated sugar to the butter and cream cheese mixture and beat until creamy and combined. Then add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract, beating on high speed until everything is fully incorporated, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until combined. The dough will be thick at this stage.
- Chill Dough: Cover the dough tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 3-4 days. If chilling more than 2-3 hours, let dough sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling to soften.
- Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats for best results and set aside.
- Shape and Coat Cookies: Pour sanding sugar and/or sprinkles into shallow bowls. Roll the dough into 1 tablespoon-sized balls, then roll each ball thoroughly in the sprinkles to coat. Place each dough ball 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Gently press down each ball slightly using the back of a measuring cup or drinking glass to flatten.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 12-13 minutes, or until the edges are very lightly browned.
- Cool: Remove cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving or storing.
- Store: Store cookies covered at room temperature, and they will stay fresh for up to 1 week.
Notes
- For best results, use full-fat brick cream cheese and soften it to room temperature before mixing.
- Chilling the dough helps to prevent spreading and enhances flavor, but if chilled too long without warming, the dough can be hard to roll.
- Use a variety of colorful sprinkles to make these cookies extra festive.
- Always line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet briefly before transferring to a wire rack to avoid breaking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 100 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
