Mini Sugar Cookies + Video
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These Mini Sugar Cookies are a tinier version of our best sugar cookie recipe but just as soft and tender. They’re especially fun for classroom treats or to package up for holiday gifts. Make these sugar cookie bites in just 30 minutes, then decorate however you’d like!
Mini Sugar Cookies
These are the perfect tiny treats for bake sales, goody bags, or holiday parties. Plus, their size makes them so incredibly cute!
Mini frosted sugar cookies taste just like my full-size cut-out cookies, thanks to a combo of vanilla and almond extracts. I use a little almond extract in the icing too.
Each batch will give you about 12 dozen cookie bites — that’s 12 x 12 for 144 total! Plenty for snacking and sharing, though I will warn you… these disappear pretty fast.
Recipe Video
To see us make this mini sugar cookies recipe from start to finish, watch the video in this post!
Try our other Holiday recipes like Christmas cookie bars, Christmas Tree Cake Dip, or this fabulous Candy Cane Fudge.
For something a little more indulgent, make my Caramel Apple Pie Bombs! Spiced apple filling is tucked inside fluffy dough for the most delicious pull-apart bread.
Or try Banana Cookie Cake Bites as a healthy alternative to all the sugary treats. Plus, it’s a great way to use up ripe bananas if you aren’t in the mood for banana bread!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Unsalted Butter – Since every brand of butter contains different amounts of salt, I like to have complete control over the amount in my baking recipes!
If salted sticks are all you have, then omit the added salt. - Eggs – Let these warm on the counter, along with the butter, for 30-45 minutes before starting the dough.
They’ll incorporate better into the other ingredients and give you a better overall texture. - Vanilla & Almond Extract – I love the flavor this combo provides. You can use imitation almond instead if nut allergies are a concern, or leave out the almond extract entirely.
- Sugar – Use granulated sugar for the dough and powdered sugar for the icing.
- Milk & Corn Syrup – Both help create the icing, but the corn syrup is what gives it that glossy finish!
Tips and Tricks to Make Mini Frosted Sugar Cookies
- Avoid overmixing.
Use a lower speed and mix just until there are no more streaks of flour, especially if you need to add more afterward.
Overmixing produces more gluten, which will cause your mini sugar cookies to be flat, dense, and dry.
- Dough too sticky?
Add more flour, about a tablespoon at a time, until the dough no longer sticks to your fingers when you press it and pull away.
- Roll out and slice for evenly sized bites.
On a floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle about ¼ inch thick. It helps to rotate the dough as you roll to get the correct shape and to keep it from sticking to the counter.
If dough is sticking to your rolling pin, sprinkle some more flour over the top and rub a little on the pin as well.
Then, cut into even squares and place on lined baking sheets. You can place them fairly close together since they won’t spread much in the oven.
- Make drizzling easier.
Instead of using a spoon, transfer the icing to a Ziploc bag and snip off the bottom corner to make a homemade piping bag!
Prep Ahead
- Bring butter and eggs to room temp
- Line baking sheets
- Preheat oven to 375°F
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Baking Sheets lined with Parchment Paper or Silpat Mats
- Stand Mixer or large mixing bowl with Hand Mixer for mixing the dough
- Rolling Pin for rolling out the dough to an even thickness. A wine bottle works too!
- Pastry Wheel – This helps make clean, even strips of dough but a pizza cutter or sharp knife will work in a pinch.
- Cooling Racks – Cool a large batch of treats without taking up a lot of counter space.
Serving Suggestions
Because these Christmas sugar cookie bites are so small, they only take a few minutes to bake. Use that time to mix together the icing ingredients until smooth!
Once they’ve cooled (on a wire rack is best), drizzle the icing over the top and decorate with your favorite sprinkles!
You can use red, white, and green Christmas nonpareils as seen in the photos, or use tiny holiday-shaped sprinkles like snowflakes, candy canes, trees, and more!
And for a more elegant look, dip half of the mini sugar cookies into the icing (either straight down or at an angle) instead of drizzling. This works with melted chocolate too!
Christmas Sugar Cookie Bites FAQ
Yes, and it’s really simple to do. Replace the almond extract with a different flavor, or add some citrus zest to the dough.
As far as coloring dough, stick with powdered dyes or gel food coloring so the dough doesn’t become too wet.
The edges will start to brown, but the middle will still be a little soft to the touch. And because of their small size, they bake in about 5 minutes!
Leave them on the baking sheets for another 5 after removing them from the oven. The heat from the pans will continue to cook the center for perfectly tender cookie bites.
You bet! Once the dough is cut into squares, sprinkle a little sanding sugar over the top of your mini sugar cookies.
It adds a bit of sparkle and crunch without being as sweet as icing!
Storing and Freezing Sugar Cookie Bites
Keep mini frosted sugar cookies in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
To freeze, stack them between layers of parchment or wax paper and store for up to 6 months.
Thaw sugar cookie bites on the counter before serving. Since they’re so tiny, they’ll soften in minutes!
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Mini Sugar Cookies + Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, 2 sticks, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, divided
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- Christmas nonpareils, round sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Prepare 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat mats. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter and sugar, on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
- Add the eggs, vanilla and 1 teaspoon of the almond extract. Beat until combined.
- Add the salt and 3 cups of flour; beat until you have a smooth dough. If the dough is sticky (meaning when you touch it and pull your fingers away the dough sticks to you), add more flour a tablespoon at a time until it comes together.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured clean counter top or cutting board. Roll dough into a rectangle with a thickness of 1/4 inch. (Keep turning the dough as you roll, making sure the dough does not stick to the counter.) Add more flour as necessary.
- Use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter to cut dough into 1” squares.
- Note: If you are not going to glaze the baked cookies, you can sprinkle the unbaked cookies with sanding sugar at this point.
- Place cookie bites on a baking sheet about 1” apart (they should not spread too much).
- Bake the cookies for about 3-5 minutes (depending on size) or until the edges are just starting to brown.
- Remove from the oven and let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile: prepare the icing. In a medium bowl combine powdered sugar, milk, corn syrup, and 1/4 teaspoon of remaining almond extract. Mix with an electric mixer or whisk until smooth and creamy.
- Drizzle the icing over the cookies and add sprinkles.
- Use a spatula to place cookies on a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Serve and enjoy!
Video
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published December 2020, updated and republished November 2024
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Do you use 3 cups of flour or 4??
In step #4 you add 3 cups and then add the 4th cup 1 Tablespoon at a time. Hope this helps "add more flour a tablespoon at a time until it comes together"
Yes that clears it up thanks for the help enjoy the holidays and happy New Year…I love your post and recipes.
Ingredients say 4 cups of flour, but in the instructions # 4 says 3 cups not sure what to do?
Tablespoon at a time. Hope this helps "add more flour a tablespoon at a time until it comes together"
Can you 1/2 this recipe?
My little once can’t ever finish a sugar cookie, these are so cute and the perfect size for them! They are delicious!
Can you use small cookie cutters for different shapes?