Description

These festive Advent Calendar Cookies combine buttery, tender sugar cookies with colorful royal icing and holiday decorations. Perfect for counting down to Christmas, each cookie is stamped with numbers 1 to 25, making them a joyful treat to share throughout the holiday season. The recipe includes a rich dough flavored with vanilla and almond extract, baked to golden perfection, then decorated with vibrant, glossy icing and sprinkles.

Ingredients

Scale

Cookies

2 1/2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional but recommended)

Icing

1 lb. confectioners’ sugar (about 4 cups)
2 tablespoons meringue powder
5 to 6 tablespoons water
Red and green gel food coloring (optional)
Sprinkles and sanding sugars, for decorating

Equipment

Holiday-shaped cookie cutters 2 3/4″ to 3 1/2″ in diameter
Small number cutters 1 to 25
Piping bag with a small plain tip (about 1/16″ in diameter)
Parchment paper

Instructions

Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, kosher salt, and baking powder until evenly combined.
Make Cookie Dough: In a large bowl, use a handheld mixer on medium-high speed to beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is fluffy and pale, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using) and continue beating until fully incorporated. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture, beating on medium-low until no dry streaks remain and dough is homogenous.
Chill Dough: Turn the dough onto a clean surface, divide it in half, shape each half into a disc, and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight to firm up the dough, making it easier to roll and cut.
Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Roll and Cut Cookies: Working with one disc at a time on a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to between 1/8″ and 1/4″ thickness. Use assorted holiday-shaped cookie cutters to cut out shapes and place them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheets. Reroll scraps as necessary, chilling dough if it becomes too soft or sticky.
Stamp Numbers: Press the small number cutters (1–25) gently into the cookies to imprint the numbers clearly. Leave some cookies blank or repeat numbers if desired for duplicates.
Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies for 13 to 15 minutes, rotating the baking sheets top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking to ensure even cooking. Edges should be firm and lightly browned. If desired, carefully restamp numbers immediately after baking to deepen the impression, aligning with the initial stamp. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make Icing: In a large bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and meringue powder. Add 5 tablespoons water and mix with a handheld mixer on low speed until just combined. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until smooth, shiny, and very thick but able to slowly drip off a spatula, about 2 minutes. Add more water, a few drops at a time, if necessary to reach this consistency. Divide icing into bowls and add red and green gel food coloring if desired.
Decorate Cookies: Fit a piping bag with a small plain tip and fill with icing. Carefully pipe over the numbered impressions on the cookies. You can add borders, patterns, or other decorations. To cover cookies completely with icing, gradually thin the icing with small increments of water until it spreads gently on its own. While wet, sprinkle with sanding sugars or sprinkles. Allow icing to set at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
Make Ahead and Storage: Decorated cookies can be made up to 1 week in advance. Store in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain freshness and texture.

Notes

For best results, ensure the butter is just softened and not melted before mixing to achieve the right dough texture.
Chilling the dough is essential to prevent spreading and to make cutting easier.
If dough becomes too soft while working, refrigerate briefly before continuing.
Use gel food coloring for more vibrant colors that won’t thin out the icing.
When stamping numbers, be gentle to avoid distorting cookie shapes.
The icing consistency is key: it should be thick enough to hold shape but fluid enough to coat evenly when thinned.
Allow icing to fully set before stacking or storing to avoid smudging decorations.
Cookies keep well for up to a week in an airtight container at room temperature.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Holiday Cookies
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Advent calendar cookies, holiday cookies, Christmas cookies, sugar cookies, royal icing cookies, festive cookies, holiday baking