If you’re searching for charming Christmas cookie ideas, these Christmas Lights Cookies are ideal. Soft, melt-in-your-mouth Lofthouse-style sugar cookies are frosted and decorated to look like a string of Christmas lights using a quick-drying royal icing and mini M&Ms. They’re simple and fun to make with kids, great for cookie exchanges, bake sales, or as a homemade gift.
Christmas Lights Cookies
I used to feel intimidated by decorated cookies, but these Christmas Lights Cookies are surprisingly easy and enjoyable to decorate. They capture the classic look of Lofthouse cookies—thick, soft, and almost cake-like—yet are quick to prepare and decorate.
They’re perfect for making memories in the kitchen, whether you’re planning a holiday party, a cookie swap, or a quiet moment of baking alone.
Why These Christmas Lights Cookies Work So Well
These cookies take advantage of a Lofthouse-style sugar cookie base. That texture is ideal for transforming into adorable M&M string lights because the cookies are thick, soft, and hold their shape. Key benefits:
- Thick, cake-like texture that practically melts in your mouth.
- Minimal spreading during baking, so round cookies form without cutters.
- Combination of butter and shortening gives flavor and an extra-soft crumb.
- Simple ingredients and sturdy cookies make this a kid-friendly baking project.
- The cookies are decorated with a quick-drying royal icing that sets fast, so decorating is efficient.
To make these Christmas Lights Cookies, you’ll need common baking staples: cake flour and all-purpose flour for the right texture and structure; sugar, butter, and shortening for sweetness and tenderness; eggs for structure; baking powder, cream of tartar, salt, and extracts for rise and flavor; plus powdered sugar, lemon juice, and an egg white for the fast-drying royal icing. Mini M&Ms and black decorating icing finish the look.
How to Make Christmas Light Cookies
Start by creaming together butter, sugar, and shortening until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and almond extract, then mix in the whole egg and an egg white until combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and cream of tartar. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until just combined. Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
After chilling, preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Scoop dough into roughly 2-inch balls, lightly roll each ball in all-purpose flour, and place on the baking sheet. Press each ball flat with the bottom of a glass or flat surface to about 1/4 inch thick. Bake 10–12 minutes until just set and slightly golden on the bottom. Let cool briefly on the sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once cookies are completely cool, prepare the quick-drying royal icing.
Quick-Drying Royal Icing Recipe
This royal icing sets faster than traditional recipes and is perfect for these cookies. In a small bowl, sift 1½ cups powdered sugar and add 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice. Lightly whisk one egg white and measure about 2 tablespoons; add that to the sugar mixture and whisk until combined. The icing will be thick at first but will loosen as you continue to whisk.
Spoon a small amount of the icing onto each cooled cookie and spread toward the edges with the back of a spoon. The icing sets quickly—by the time you finish frosting the last cookie, the first ones should be firm. Once hardened, pipe thin black lines to mimic the string, then press mini M&Ms sideways into the icing to resemble bulbs. Avoid using brown M&Ms for the best color pop.
Tips for Easy Decorating
For the black string lines, an easy option is to use ready-to-use black decorating icing from the cake-decorating aisle. It’s less messy and reliable for piping thin lines. Mini M&Ms make the cutest bulbs; regular M&Ms work too if minis aren’t available.
Keep a few practical tips in mind:
- Feel free to adjust the almond and vanilla extract amounts to suit your taste.
- Chill the dough so cookies stay thick and don’t spread.
- Watch baking time carefully; these cookies can go from soft to overbaked quickly.
- Always let cookies cool completely before applying icing to avoid melting.
- Sift powdered sugar for a smooth, lump-free royal icing.
- Practice piping on a test cookie first; the royal icing is intentionally thick.
- This recipe yields about 12 cookies when forming 2-inch dough balls.
- After the icing dries and you pipe the black lines, gently press mini M&Ms into the icing; they’ll hold without much pressure.
- Store finished Lofthouse-style cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days.
More Easy Christmas Cookie Ideas
- Christmas Seven Layer Magic Bars
- Peanut Butter Buckeyes
- Copycat Lofthouse Sugar Cookies
- Green Christmas Crinkle Cookies
- Soft Baked Orange Sugar Cookies
Enjoy these festive cookies and the fun of decorating them with family and friends.
Did You Make These Cookies?
If you tried this recipe, please leave a rating and a comment to share how they turned out!
Christmas Lights Cookies
Heather
Ingredients
Lofthouse Cookies
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/4 cup shortening
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg white
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp almond extract
Royal Icing
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 large egg white, whisked (use about 2 tbsp)
Extras
- Black cookie decorating icing
- 10 oz bag mini M&Ms
Instructions
- Cream butter, sugar, and shortening until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and almond extracts, then mix in the egg and egg white.
- Whisk cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and cream of tartar. Gradually add to wet ingredients and combine.
- Cover and chill dough for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375°F when ready to bake.
- Scoop 2-inch dough balls, gently roll in flour, place on parchment-lined sheet, and flatten to about 1/4 inch thick. Bake 10–12 minutes. Cool on a rack.
- For the royal icing, sift powdered sugar and whisk with lemon juice. Add about 2 tablespoons of whisked egg white, and whisk until smooth. Spread a small amount on each cooled cookie and let harden.
- Pipe thin black lines for the string and gently press mini M&Ms sideways into the icing to form the bulbs.
Notes
Pro Tips for Perfect Christmas Light Cookies
- Adjust almond and vanilla extract to taste.
- Chill the dough to prevent spreading and keep cookies thick.
- Watch baking time closely so cookies remain tender.
- Cool completely before frosting to avoid melting the icing.
- Sift powdered sugar to prevent lumps in the icing.
- Practice piping on a test cookie before decorating the whole batch.
- The recipe yields about 12 cookies when using 2-inch dough balls.
- After the icing dries, press mini M&Ms gently into the hardened icing; they’ll stay in place.
- Store in an airtight container for 3–4 days at room temperature.
Update Notes: This post was originally published in December 2019 and updated with a revised recipe, new photos, step-by-step instructions, and tips in December 2023.