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Officially kicking off the holiday season with these easy Easy Vanilla Bean Christmas Lights Cookies. Made with nutty brown butter, double the vanilla, and a little bit of chocolate. These cookies are soft, buttery, and perfectly sweet with the best vanilla flavor. They’re generously glazed with a sweet, thick, and creamy vanilla bean glaze. And decorated with sweet chocolate and delicious holiday M&M’s for truly some of the best sugar cookies around. The secret is all in the combination of brown butter and real vanilla beans, which keep these cookies incredibly flavorful. Fun to bake, delicious to eat. These make for a great homemade gift, and a festive addition to your holiday cookie box!
This is the year I’m focusing on ALL of the Christmas cookies. I have so many ideas and not enough days to share…picking the best cookies has been hard!
These were an easy choice though. They actually started out a little differently, but as soon as I had the idea to do Christmas lights, I was excited.
My goal this year is fun holiday desserts – but easy. Nothing too time-consuming and no big scary decorating projects. Just delicious, easy, cute, and extra festive. These cookies are all of those things.
My hang-up with basic sugar cookies is that they’re often flavorless and the frosting is even worse. They just taste like sugar, and I’m definitely not into that.
With these cookies, I wanted to add flavor with brown butter and real vanilla bean. The chocolate on top, just makes them even better.
Ingredients
- salted butter, at room temperature
- granulated sugar
- vanilla bean powder or vanilla extract
- hazelnut liquor (optional)
- 1 egg
- all-purpose flour, plus an additional 2-4 tablespoons, if needed
- baking soda
- kosher salt
VANILLA ICING
- powdered sugar
- maple syrup
- vanilla extract
- chocolate chips, melted
- mini holiday M&M’s and vanilla sugar for decorating
The details
Brown the butter, then let it cool off in the freezer a bit. Once it’s cooled (you only need 15 minutes), you can start mixing and baking.
Beat the butter with the sugar and vanilla bean powder. You’ll want to beat for at least a minute to really infuse the butter with the vanilla flavor. Next, add an egg and all the dry ingredients, then roll, cut, and bake. There’s absolutely nothing fancy here.
Whenever I make any kind of cut-out cookie, I always like to roll out the dough, cut the cookies, and then freeze the cut cookies on a baking sheet for a few minutes. This ensures that the cookies hold their shape. To cut my cookies, I used a simple circle cookie cutter and a holiday tree.
If you want to skip the rolling – simply slice n’ bake
I LOVE slice-n-bake cookies, and you can easily slice-n-bake with this dough!
Just divide the dough in half as directed, then roll each piece of dough into a log and chill in the fridge until totally solid.
If you have an almost empty roll of wrapping paper around, cut the roll and fit it around each log, this will prevent the dough from forming a straight edge in the fridge!
And when ready to bake, simply slice-n-bake!
Decorating is easy
I kept the icing simple, since I wanted the color to remain white but still have a nice flavor for these vanilla bean sugar cookies. I added a small amount of maple syrup and lots of vanilla.
It’s simple, but with the chocolate on top, perfect!
When it comes to cookies, I try to keep the decorating as easy as can be, and this is EASY. I used melted chocolate to draw on the cords for the lights, then used mini holiday M&M’s for the lights.
Doesn’t get easier, but looks so cute once finished!
Asher wasn’t around when I made these, so I can’t wait to make these again soon with her. She’s going to love them! They’re the perfect Christmas cookie to make with kids and for your next Christmas cookie exchange.
Looking for other Christmas cookies? Here are my favorites:
Vanilla Ginger Shortbread Wreaths
Lastly, if you make these Easy Vanilla Bean Christmas Lights Cookies, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Easy Vanilla Bean Christmas Lights Cookies
Servings: 22 cookies
Calories Per Serving: 206 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) salted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder, or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon hazelnut liquor (optional)
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus an additional 2-4 tablespoons, if needed
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Vanilla Icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips, melted
- mini holiday M&M’s and vanilla sugar for decorating
Instructions
- 1. Add 6 tablespoons butter to a small saucepan set over medium heat, cooking until the butter begins to brown, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a heatproof bowl. Stick in the freezer to chill, 10 minutes, but no longer.2. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.3. In a mixing bowl, beat together the remaining 6 tablespoons butter, the cooled browned butter, sugar, and vanilla bean powder until combined. Add the egg and mix until combined. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, beat until combined and the dough forms a ball. If the dough feels too wet to roll out, add 2-4 tablespoons additional flour.4. Divide the dough in half. Roll out the dough on a floured piece of parchment paper to 1/4 inch thickness. Make sure you're using enough flour or your dough will stick. Cut out the cookies using circle and Christmas tree cutters. Transfer the cookies to a parchment-lined baking sheet. I recommend using a floured spatula to lift the cookies. Cover the baking sheet and place in the freezer until firm, 15 minutes. Roll out the leftover scraps, and repeat with the remaining dough.5. Bake the cookies on the middle rack of the oven for 8-10 minutes or until just lightly golden. Let cool. 6. Meanwhile, make the icing. In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon water until smooth and drizzly. If needed, thin the glaze by adding water – 1 tablespoon at a time, until drizzly. 7. Spoon the icing onto each cookie, spreading it to the edges. Let sit to dry. Add the melted chocolate to a sandwich bag and cut a small portion of the corner off. Draw 2 lines onto each round cookie and then a squiggly line up the trees. Press mini M&Ms into the chocolate as "lights" (look through the photos for examples).
Notes
To Slice n’ Bake: divide the dough in half as directed, then roll each piece of dough into a log about 5 inches long and wrap in parchment paper. Chill in the fridge 4 hours or until ready to bake. Alternately, you can freeze 45 minutes if in a hurry. Slice the logs into 1/4 inch rounds and bake as directed.
Tip: If you have an almost empty roll of wrapping paper around, cut the roll down the center, then fit it around each log, this will prevent the dough from forming a straight edge in the fridge.
This post was originally published on November 30, 2021
Where can I find that holiday cookie cutter? Thanks!
Hi Cynthia,
I do not have a link for the cutter as I drew it by hand:) xTieghan
Where did you find that wonderful Christmas tree cookie cutter? It is beautiful!
Hi Kay,
Sorry, I drew the stencil for the cutter:) Please let me know if you give the recipe a try! xTieghan
I love this tree cookie. Can you please tell me where to get the cookie cutter? I so much appreciate your ideas and guidelines on how to pack cookies to ship…bubble wrap would be a great buffer. Thank You for so many great recipes and beautiful photographs! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Hi Pat,
Sorry, I don’t have a link for the tree cookie, I drew the stencil:) Please let me know if you give the recipe a try! xTieghan
I found some great options for “whimsical Christmas tree cookie cutter” on Amazon! Here’s one I ended up purchasing which is similar vibes to Tieghans for those looking: Whimsical Christmas Tree Copper… https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DHQS8S5?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Thanks for sharing Kathleen!
I made these with my 3 year old yesterday and they were so easy/fun to make and sooo delicious! I didn’t do the fancy decorations, just the icing and sprinkles. But they’re still so cute and yummy.
Hi Hannah,
Awesome! It’s so great to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Have the best weekend❄️ xTieghan
Do you remember where you got the tree cookie cutter?
I have the same question!
She created the shape and cut it by hand (at least that was what was on the Ig story)
Sorry Katie, I drew the stencil for the tree:)
Hi Jil,
Sorry, I do not have a link for the cutter, I drew the stencil for the tree. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try! xTieghan
Delicious and very easy recipe. Thank you!
Hey Jen,
Awesome! It’s so great to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Have the best weekend❄️ xTieghan
Please can you do a Christmas cookbook, that would be a great Christmas gift. I have both your cookbook and I enjoy your recipes.
Awe thanks so much Christine!
Am I blind?! I don’t see the chocolate on the outside of the cookie?!
I think you’re looking for the chocolate that’s used for the wire of the light strings, which is what the M&Ms are sitting on top of 🙂
Hi Macie,
It is the “string” used for the M&M’s on the cookie:) xTieghan
If I want to make them for Christmas is it to soon to make now?
Hi June,
You could make the dough and freeze it, but yes definitely too soon to fully bake and make the cookies for Christmas. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Can you freeze these cookies?
Hi Roz,
I think freezing the dough would work best for you! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I noticed vanilla sugar is included as an icing ingredient. There was nothing about using it in the icing directions. Perhaps I missed it! Please let me know!
Hey Deb,
I just mix some vanilla bean seeds with sugar:) Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
I think the question was how do you use the vanilla sugar in the recipe? Do you sprinkle it on top of the icing? I don’t see it the photo, or did you actually mix it into the icing?
Hi Cari,
Yes, just sprinkle on top of the cookies:) xTieghan
So you think I can make the dough the night before and refrigerated until the morning? Should I let it come to room temp before rolling out?
Hey Jill,
Yes, that will work well for you! I would allow it to sit for a little bit, but it doesn’t need to come to room temp, honestly the colder the better so they keep their form. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Where can I find the Christmas tree cookie cutter?. If I missed the source in the article, I apologize.
Hi Phyllis,
There is no link to the cutter, I drew the stencil for it:) xTieghan
Well then Ms. Tieghan, your talents know no bounds! The tree cookie stencil is awesome. Maybe you should design a cutter to sell? You’d have at least one eager customer and I am sure thousands more!
Awe thanks so much Phyllis!!
Can I make the dough the day before, refrigerate it overnight and let the grandgirls help roll, bake and decortate the next day?
Hey Jane,
You bet! That will work well for you. I hope you enjoy the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
What would you recommend substituting for butter , shortening ? Or what ? (For a dairy allergy) thanks!
Hey Lauren,
I’ve not tested this recipe with shortening, but I think that would probably be your best option. Let me know if you give it a try! I hope you love the cookies! xTieghan