Royal icing Christmas cookies are a timeless holiday treat. They’re festive, elegant, and perfect for gifting or decorating your dessert table.
The crisp cookie base pairs beautifully with smooth, glossy icing that hardens into a delicate shell.
Each cookie becomes a little piece of art — colorful, joyful, and delicious. Whether you’re a baking beginner or a seasoned decorator, these cookies bring out the spirit of the season.
Below are 11 beautiful ideas for royal icing Christmas cookies, each with its own flavor and style.
1. Classic Snowflake Cookies
These cookies shine with delicate patterns and wintery colors. The snowflake design symbolizes the beauty of the season, making it a favorite for many.
Ingredients:
- Sugar cookie dough
- Royal icing (white and light blue)
- Silver sprinkles
Instructions:
Bake cookies in snowflake shapes until golden. Once cool, flood them with white royal icing. Pipe thin blue lines and dots to mimic icy snowflake patterns. Add silver sprinkles to the tips for a frosty sparkle. Let them dry overnight for a perfect, crisp finish.
2. Gingerbread Men with Royal Icing Outlines
A classic that never fades. The warm spice of gingerbread pairs perfectly with crisp, sweet icing.
Ingredients:
- Gingerbread dough
- White royal icing
- Mini candies for decoration
Instructions:
Bake the gingerbread men until firm but soft inside. Outline their bodies with royal icing. Add buttons and smiles using icing or small candies. Allow each detail to dry before adding another layer for clean designs.
3. Christmas Tree Cookies
Green, gold, and cheerful — these tree cookies brighten up any cookie platter.
Ingredients:
- Sugar cookie dough
- Green and yellow royal icing
- Gold dust or edible glitter
Instructions:
Cut dough into tree shapes and bake. Cover each with green icing, starting from the bottom and working upward in zigzag lines. Use yellow icing for a star at the top and sprinkle with edible glitter for a glowing tree effect.
4. Ornament Ball Cookies
These cookies mimic shiny Christmas ornaments and can be customized with endless designs.
Ingredients:
- Round sugar cookies
- Various colors of royal icing
- Edible pearls or metallic paint
Instructions:
Flood the cookies with bright royal icing. Once dry, add intricate swirls, dots, or geometric patterns in contrasting colors. Use metallic paint or pearls to give a 3D ornament look.
5. Santa Face Cookies
These are playful and detailed, perfect for kids and family decorating sessions.
Ingredients:
- Round cookies
- Red, white, and peach royal icing
- Mini chocolate chips (for eyes)
Instructions:
Outline half the cookie with red icing for Santa’s hat. Fill the rest with peach for the face and white for the beard. Add small chocolate chips as eyes and pipe a fluffy white mustache. Finish with a red nose and let it set completely.
6. Candy Cane Cookies
Sweet and simple, these cookies bring a touch of peppermint magic to your table.
Ingredients:
- Candy cane–shaped cookies
- Red and white royal icing
Instructions:
Alternate stripes of red and white icing along the shape of the candy cane. Use a small brush to blend slightly for a realistic swirled look. Dry completely before stacking or wrapping.
7. Reindeer Cookies
Adorable and festive, reindeer cookies are a hit with children and guests alike.
Ingredients:
- Gingerbread or sugar cookie dough
- Brown, white, and red royal icing
- Mini pretzels (optional for antlers)
Instructions:
Use brown icing to flood the face. Pipe white icing for the eyes and red for Rudolph’s famous nose. Attach pretzels as antlers before the icing dries. Draw tiny smiles to complete their cheerful faces.
8. Snowman Cookies
Soft pastel colors and a friendly design make these cookies heartwarming.
Ingredients:
- Round cookies
- White, black, orange, and blue royal icing
Instructions:
Flood the cookie with white icing and let it dry. Use black icing for eyes and buttons, orange for the carrot nose, and blue for a scarf. Add shimmer dust for a frosty effect if desired.
9. Christmas Wreath Cookies
Elegant and timeless, wreath cookies add charm to any cookie box.
Ingredients:
- Round cookies with a hole in the center
- Green and red royal icing
- Small candy pearls
Instructions:
Flood the ring with green icing. While wet, pipe small leaf patterns around the circle. Add red dots as berries and press small candy pearls on top. Once dry, tie a small ribbon through the hole for decoration.
10. Gift Box Cookies
These square cookies look like tiny wrapped presents, perfect for gifting.
Ingredients:
- Square cookies
- Red, green, and white royal icing
- Edible gold paint
Instructions:
Flood cookies with a base color. Once dry, pipe lines to mimic ribbons crossing in the center. Add small bows on top using contrasting icing or gold paint for a festive finish.
11. Star Cookies with Golden Edges
Simple yet stunning, these cookies shine with elegance.
Ingredients:
- Star-shaped cookies
- White royal icing
- Edible gold dust or paint
Instructions:
Cover each star with smooth white icing and let it dry. Use a fine brush to paint gold along the edges. The result is a clean, classic cookie with a touch of luxury.
Conclusion
Royal icing Christmas cookies turn a simple baking day into a joyful creative activity. They’re not just delicious — they’re edible decorations that capture the holiday spirit.
Each cookie tells a story of warmth, care, and celebration. With patience and imagination, you can create cookies that look as magical as they taste.
So, gather your icing bags and cookie cutters, and let this Christmas be filled with color, sweetness, and sparkle.