You don’t need royal icing or piping bags to make stunning holiday cookies. These easy sugar cookies rely on just one base dough and a couple of cookie cutters to create an eye-catching design. By pairing chocolate cut-outs with vanilla cookies (and vice versa), you’ll make two-tone, two-flavor cookies that will satisfy (almost) everyone. What’s more, their sturdy shortbread-like texture makes them perfect to ship to faraway friends and family.
Prevent your screen from going dark as you follow along.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater attachment or working in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.
Beat in the egg and vanilla until well combined, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed to form a stiff dough, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed.
Transfer half of the dough (about 1 1/2 cups or 420g) to a sheet of parchment. Place a second sheet of parchment on top and press to flatten the dough slightly. Roll the dough 1/4" thick, making about a 10" round.
Add the cocoa to the remaining dough in the bowl and mix on low speed until well combined, 30 to 60 seconds, scraping the bowl as needed.
Transfer the chocolate dough to a separate sheet of parchment. Place another sheet of parchment on top and press to flatten the dough slightly. Roll the dough to 1/4" thick, to make about a 10" round.
Transfer the doughs, still sandwiched between parchment to a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and as long as overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center.
Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator. Peel off the top sheets of parchment and use them to line 2 baking sheets.
Use a 2 1/2" round cutter to cut out rounds from each sheet of dough. Use a 1 3/4" mini cookie cutter to cut out shapes from the center of the rounds. Insert the cut-out shapes from the vanilla rounds into the negative space in the chocolate rounds, and vice versa.
Use a small offset spatula to transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly apart, up to 12 cookies per tray. If desired, sprinkle the cookies with sparkling sugar.
Bake the sugar cookies for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the edges of the vanilla cookies are just barely beginning to brown. Cookie dough that was refrigerated overnight might require a couple extra minutes to bake.
Remove the sugar cookies from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.
While the first tray of sugar cookies is baking, gather and reroll the scraps of vanilla dough and chocolate dough. Refrigerate for a few minutes, as needed, to make the dough easier to work with, then repeat the process for cutting out and inlaying the cookies. Repeat until all the dough is used; bake as directed.
Store the sugar cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days; freeze for longer storage.
Tips from our Bakers
Be aware: Some of your baking ingredients can be a hidden source of gluten. Learn more at our blog post: For gluten-free baking, think beyond just flour. For additional information on King Arthur-produced products, read the complete details of our allergen program, including our contact-prevention practices.
If you don’t have any black cocoa powder on hand, substitute an equal amount of your favorite cocoa powder in a pinch. Note that the cookies won’t have the same dark chocolate intensity in flavor or appearance.
