Colored Sugar Pillow Cookies for the Holidays

By Bree Hester /

With the holidays quickly approaching, you can be sure of one thing – there will be plenty of cookies to eat!

I love baking with my kids, and now that they are getting older, I am in more of a supervisory position. It is very nice to be able to sit back and have them delight me with their homemade cookies. (They also make a great cup of coffee that goes perfectly with a few of these sugary little pillows.)

When you pick a simple recipe, they are more than capable of baking them all on their own. You would be surprised at how accomplished they become in a short amount of time.

The key to having great young bakers is to teach them the correct way to do things early on.

What do I mean by that? Teach them how to correctly measure, what room temperature butter is supposed to feel like, or how to fold without losing air. These are just a few examples, modeling good cooking and baking practices goes a long way in cultivating good cooks and bakers. Get in the kitchen with your kids, let them learn from you.

These Colored Sugar Pillows are a great cookie to start with. It is a very simple cookie dough that they can make themselves. They can measure ingredients, mix, roll, decorate, and even bake (adults should be close by) by themselves. My kids love making these cookies and it is the recipe that they always ask to bake.

We used colored sanding sugars to make these, but you can use colored jimmies or nonpareils if you like. Use whatever color you like. Red, green, and white sugars are perfect for Christmas, but the multicolored sugars are perfect for New Year celebrations too.

These cookies are as delicious as they are beautiful.

Colored Sugar Pillows

Makes 4 dozen cookies.

  • 1 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 3 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • colored sanding sugars or sprinkles

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer. Beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and extracts and beat for another minute.

3. Add flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix until combined. Chill for 1 hour or overnight.

4. Using a small scoop (1 Tablespoon) roll the cookies into a ball shape. Roll into sugar, coating completely.

5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the cookies have puffed, but are set. Let cool for 5 minutes, then let cool completely on a wire rack.

About the Author

Bree Hester is the blogger, photographer, and videographer behind BakedBree.com. Baked Bree is a place where you will find great recipes and inspiration for your next family adventure. Follow along with all of her adventures on Instagram @BreeHester

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