Easy to make Christmas Donut Cookies recipe. Each sugar cookie is decorated with icing and sprinkles to look like a donut. If you’re looking for the cutest homemade Christmas cookie recipe – this is it!
These are really some of the cutest Christmas cookies I’ve ever seen. Each vanilla sugar cookie is decorated with red and green icing and then holiday sprinkles are added on top.
They look just like Christmas donuts but in cookie form. These cookies make a major WOW factor when decorated and they’re surprisingly simple to make. I admit I’m not very good at decorating cookies, so I was pleasantly surprised by how great these turned out, so these are perfect for beginners and cookie decorating pros!
How to Make Video
Sugar Cookies Ingredients
You probably already have all the ingredients to make these Sugar Christmas Cookies. Here’s what you need:
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup powdered confectioners sugar
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
For the sugar icing you’ll need:
- 1 cup powdered confectioners sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 4 teaspoons light corn syrup
- red and green food coloring
- sprinkles, festive colors
How to Make Donut Cookies
In a large bowl mix together oil, melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, salt, baking powder and confectioners sugar until creamy and smooth. Add the flour and continue mixing until smooth.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. You can also refrigerate it overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Scoop a tablespoon ball from the dough and roll it into a ball. I like to do them all at once. 
Roll the balls into ropes, about 4 inches long and 1/2 inch in diameter. Shape the dough into circles, connecting the 2 ends with a gentle push. There should be a small hole remaining in the middle of the dough to make them resemble a donut.
Place the cookies on the baking sheets, about 1 inch apart as they will expand. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until they turn golden color on top. Aren’t they so cute?
How to Make Icing for Sugar Cookies
Time to make the icing for the cookies!
Put 1/2 cup of confectioners sugar into 2 small bowls. Add 1 tablespoon milk and 2 teaspoons corn syrup to each bowl. Stir until you have a soft icing that will spread. If it’s not easy to spread, add a little bit more milk. Add a couple drops of food color to each bowl, stirring until the color you want appears. If the color isn’t as intense as you would like add a couple more drops of food coloring.
Dip the top of each cookie into the icing, or I find that using the back of a spoon is easier to ice the cookies. Immediately add sprinkles on top.
Allow the icing to harden before storing in an airtight container, this takes a few minutes.
These are one of my favorite cookies to make during Christmas time. I make some for my daughter’s teachers, some for cookie exchange presents and some for Santa. Santa told me he really really really likes these cookies. And at 60 calories a piece, Santa doesn’t feel too guilty for eating a plate full of them!
I also make a batch for our family to have in the kitchen during Christmas too. If you don’t have a big box of cookies in your kitchen during the entire holiday season then this is the year to change that! The cookies tend to go quick, with big and little hands sneaking a few away at a time.
I hope you and your family love these Christmas cookies as much as we do!
More Christmas cookies you’ll like:
Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies
Peanut Butter Blossoms
Chocolate Pretzel Cookies
Snowball Cookies
Christmas Cut Out Sugar Cookies
Gingerbread Cookies
Bread Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
Peanut Butter Sugar Cookies
Soft Gingerbread Cookies
Homemade Sugar Cookies
Pin for later:
Christmas Donut Cookies
PrintIngredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup powdered confectioners sugar
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
Sugar Icing
- 1 cup powdered confectioners sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 4 teaspoons light corn syrup
- food coloring red and green
- sprinkles festive colors
Instructions
- In a large bowl mix together oil, melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, salt, baking powder and confectioners sugar.
- Add the flour and continue mixing until smooth.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. You can also refrigerate it overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Scoop a tablespoon ball from the dough. Roll the balls into ropes, about 4 inches long and 1/2 inch in diameter. Shape the dough into circles, connecting the 2 ends with a gentle push. There should be a small hole remaining in the middle of the dough, to make them resemble a donut.
- Place the cookies on the baking sheets, about 1 inch apart as they will expand. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until they turn golden color on top. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
- Time to make the icing for the cookies! Put 1/2 cup of confectioners sugar into 2 small bowls. Add 1 tablespoon milk and 2 teaspoons corn syrup to each bowl. Stir until you have a soft icing that will spread. If it’s not easy to spread, add a little bit more milk. Add a couple drops of food color to each bowl, stirring until the color you want appears.
- Dip the top of each cookie into the icing , or I find that using the back of a spoon is easier to ice the cookies. Immediately add sprinkles on top. Allow the icing to harden before storing in airtight container, this takes a few minutes.
Leave a Comment