Santa Hat Cookies

Nothing says holiday cheer quite like Santa Hat Cookies! These delightful treats feature buttery sugar cookies, sweet jelly filling, and adorable Santa hat designs crafted with icing. Perfect for Christmas parties, holiday gift-giving, or baking with kids, these cookies are sure to spread joy. Follow along to create these festive delights that taste as good as they look!

Ingredients You’ll Need for the Santa Hat Cookies:

For the Cookies:

• Butter: Softened butter is the base for the cookie dough, giving it a tender, chewy texture.
• Granulated sugar: Granulated sugar adds sweetness and gives a slightly crisp to the cookies.
• Egg: The egg binds the ingredients together and adds moisture to the dough.
• Vanilla extract: Vanilla enhances the flavor and balances the sweetness.
• All-purpose flour: Provides the structure for your cookies.
• Salt: Balances the sweetness and elevates the flavor.

Decorations:

• Red Currant or Strawberry Jelly: Used as the filling between the cookies and provides the red color for the Santa hat.
• Powdered Sugar: Used to make the icing for decorating the brim and pom-pom of the Santa hat.
• Unsalted Butter, softened: Adds richness and structure to the icing for piping.
• Milk or Heavy Cream: Adjusts the consistency of the icing to make it smooth and pipeable.

You’ll need the following tools for making the Santa Hat Cookies:

• Mixing Bowls: A large bowl for combining the cookie dough ingredients and a smaller one for measuring.
• Measuring Scale: To accurately measure all your ingredients in grams.
• Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer: For creaming the butter and sugars, and mixing the dough.
• Spatula: To fold in the dry ingredients and combine the mixtures.
• Baking Sheet: For baking the cookies.
• Parchment Paper: To line the baking sheet, preventing the cookies from sticking.
• Cookie Cutter: To cut out cookie dough.
• Cooling Rack: For allowing the cookies to cool evenly after baking.
• Piping Bag: To add the decoration to the cookies.
• Rolling Pin: To roll out the dough.

Here is the full Recipe:

Ingredients:

Cookie Base:

• 275 g (2 ¼ cups) all-purpose flour
• 125 g (½ cup) softened butter
• 1 medium egg
• ¼ tsp ground vanilla or ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 115 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
• 1 pinch of salt

Decorations:

• 100g (about 1/3 cup) jelly (e.g., strawberry or red currant)
• 125g (1 cup) powdered sugar
• 60g (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1–2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Directions:

Make the Cookie Dough

1. Mix the Dough: In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar using a hand or stand mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined. Gradually add the flour and salt, mixing until a soft dough forms.
2. Chill the Dough: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up.

Shape the Cookies

1. Roll Out the Dough: Lightly flour your surface and roll out the chilled dough to about 4mm (1/6 inch) thickness.
2. Cut the Base and Hat Shapes: Use a round cookie cutter (approximately 6 cm/2.5 inches) to cut out the base cookies. For the Santa hat cookies, cut out the same round shape and use a small heart cutter to make a “hat” shape. Round off the pointed top of the heart cutout to create the base of Santa’s hat.
3. Bake the Cookies: Place the cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 175°C (350°F) for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly (!) golden.
4. Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack before assembling.

Add the Jelly Filling

1. Spread the Jelly: Spread a thin, even layer of jelly onto the solid round cookies.
2. Sandwich the Cookies: Gently place the Santa hat-shaped cookies on top, aligning them with the round base cookies. Press lightly to secure them together with the jelly.

Prepare and Apply the Icing

1. Make the Icing: In a bowl, beat the powdered sugar and butter together until smooth. Add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, to achieve a thick, pipeable consistency.
2. Optionally, divide the icing and mix a portion with red food coloring for festive flair.
3. Decorate the Hats: Use a piping bag with a small round or star tip to outline the brim of the Santa hat and pipe a fluffy “pom-pom” at the tip.
4. Optional Decorations: Sprinkle with edible glitter or sanding sugar for a festive touch.

Let the Cookies Set

1. Allow the cookies to sit at room temperature for the icing to fully set before serving or storing.

Tips & Tricks:

Tips for the Cookies:

• Chill the Dough: Cold dough makes for cleaner cuts and cookies that don’t spread too much while baking.
• Neat Shapes: Dip your cookie cutters in flour before cutting the dough to ensure precise shapes.
• Icing Consistency: Your icing should be thick enough to hold its shape but still pipe easily. Add powdered sugar to thicken or a splash of milk to thin it out.

Storage and Gifting Ideas

• Storage: Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to a week. If they’re iced, make sure to layer them with parchment paper to prevent smudging.
• Gifting: Place the cookies in decorative boxes or tins lined with tissue paper for a thoughtful holiday gift.

Santa Hat Cookies are the perfect combination of charm and flavor. The buttery sugar cookie base is a classic favorite, while the sweet jelly filling and fluffy icing add a delightful twist. They’re as fun to make as they are to eat, making them an ideal choice for the holiday season.

More Christmas Baking Ideas:

• Marbled Chocolate Christmas Cookies – Elegant and easy, these buttery cookies are decorated with swirls of white and dark chocolate for a dazzling holiday treat.
• Cinnamon Stars (Zimtsterne) – A German Christmas classic, these star-shaped cookies are made with almonds, hazelnuts, and a sweet glaze, delivering a taste of tradition with every bite.
• Melted Snowman Cookies – Creative and delicious, these cookies feature melted marshmallows and charming decorations for a frosty holiday vibe.
• Roasted Matcha Cookies – With their unique roasted matcha flavor and creamy topping, these cookies bring a modern twist to your holiday treats.
• Grinch Crinkle Cookies – These bright green cookies are fun, festive, and finished with a sweet sugar heart, making them the perfect treat to spread Christmas cheer.

Watch the recipe video here. Let’s get to baking! Here’s the full recipe: