Cutouts are a good cookie to make ahead. I used “The Best Sugar Cookie” recipe from Our Best Bites – https://ourbestbites.com/sugar-cookies/ These cookies are Delicious! I baked the cookies but froze them undecorated. My husband and I will decorate them together during a weekend just before Christmas when we finalize all our cookies and make up the gift plates.

If you have children, you can still make up the cookies in advance and then decorate later as a craft project near Christmas. I used to do this with my nieces and loved it. Sadly, they have moved away so this tradition is no longer possible. But they do get to enjoy the cookies when they visit over the holidays 🙂

If you want to decorate them now, you can. I recommend glace Icing as it sets up well. Buttercream will stay soft and not freeze well (especially if stacking). I use the glace recipe from Our Best Bites – https://ourbestbites.com/tutorial-cookie-decorating-with-glace-icing/ It sets up and tastes really good (which is hard to find). The only note I will mention is, if you freeze decorated, the glace will go from a shiny to a matte finish. But the taste is the same. If you are decorating with kids, think about how old they are. I recommend butter cream for younger children and glace for older children.

Quick story: I have three wonderful nieces: Zoe, Piper, and Wrigley. When they were young, my brother and sister-in-law dropped them off to decorate cookies while they did Christmas shopping. The youngest, Wrigley, was probably only 2 or 3 years old. I gave her a plate of some butter cream frosting and a cookie to decorate, and she sat there and used the cookie as a spoon to eat all the frosting. I, of course, let the other two girls eat all the cookies they wanted as well. We had very few finished cookies when were done but we had so much fun. I was also very satisfied giving my brother back his girls full of sugar 😀

Notice that I only cut out 4 designs. We learned a while back it is easier to decorate assembly line style than to try to do all sort of different things. (Note: if doing with kids, definitely do all sorts of different things). When we give out plates of cookies, people only see a couple so if they all look the same, it is okay.

I was able to double the recipe and make 80 cookies. There were more but they had to be taste tested. My husband says that is the most important part! There will be no judgment had if you listen to Christmas music while baking cookies, it helps get into the mood.