Holiday Sugar Cookies & Frosting

Written By Ethan Headley

A beloved family recipe shared by Pastry Chef, Caydee Jackson

Sugar Cookie Dough

Ingredients

  • 1 cup salted or unsalted butter

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 1 tbsp vanilla

  • 1 tsp almond extract

  • ½ tsp kosher salt (if using salted butter)

  • 1 ½ tsp kosher salt (if using unsalted butter)

  • 1 egg, room temperature

  • 2 tsp baking powder

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

  1. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

  2. Add in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Mix until fully incorporated and pale yellow.

  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder.

  4. In a separate bowl, measure in your flour, salt & baking powder. Add into your butter mixture. Your dough will start coming together and look a little crumbly. 

  5. Keep mixing until your dough comes all together. I like to pour it on a clean lightly floured surface and knead it by hand when it gets to the crumbly stage.

  6. Roll out the dough right away and cut into your favorite shapes.

  7. Bake at 350°F for 12–15 minutes. You still want the cookies to be light in color, a little golden brown around the edges is great.

Vanilla–Almond Buttercream

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs unsalted butter

  • 1 lb powdered sugar

  • 1 tsp kosher salt

  • 2 tbsp vanilla

  • ¼ tsp almond extract

Instructions

  1. Place all the butter in a mixing bowl and beat on low until light and creamy.

  2. Slowly add in your powdered sugar a little at a time until it’s all gone. 

  3. Add the salt, vanilla, and almond extract.

  4. Mix on medium-low until the buttercream becomes perfectly smooth and white.

  5. Add in food coloring to decorate if so desired!

This makes a generous batch—perfect for cookie-decorating parties, cakes, or cupcakes.

"This sugar-cookie recipe has been part of my family for over 10 years. Now I’m making it with my kids and the people I love most. I hope it becomes a joyful holiday tradition for you, too!”

Pastry Chef, Caydee Jackson

Wine Pairings from the Dundee Hills AVA

2023 Purple Hands “Dundee Reserve” Chardonnay

The wine’s creamy warmth and lifted citrus echo the cookie’s flavors without overwhelming them. 

A cozy holiday classic and such an elegant, dreamy match for sugar cookies:

Its silky texture mirrors the buttery richness of the cookies.Notes of ripe pear, lemon curd, and gentle oak complement vanilla and almond beautifully.A soft, balanced acidity refreshes the palate between sweet bites.

2022 Argyle Brut 

Sparkling wine is dessert’s best friend — and the Brut’s clean, refreshing finish balances sweetness effortlessly.

A festive sparkling wine that turns cookie-decorating into a celebration:Crisp bubbles cut through the richness of buttercream.Flavors of green apple, citrus, and brioche play perfectly with vanilla and sugar.Its lively acidity keeps each bite feeling light and bright.

Ethan Headley