Merry Sugar Cookies

These holiday sugar cookies get their festive look from rainbow chocolate morsels mixed into the dough and pressed into the tops of each ball before baking. The colors pop against the golden cookie, making them a natural pick for Christmas cookie trays and holiday swaps without any decorating or icing required.

The dough is a straightforward creamed butter base that comes together stiff, which is exactly what you want. Stiff dough holds the ball shape in the oven and keeps the pressed-on morsels in place instead of spreading flat. Roll each portion between your palms and press 3-4 extra morsels into the top so they’re visible after baking.

Pull them when the edges are just lightly browned and the centers still look slightly underdone. They firm up during the two-minute rest on the hot baking sheet. Overbaking turns these dry and crumbly.

Kitchen Tips

• Use real butter, not margarine. The higher water content in margarine causes more spread and you lose the ball shape.
• Chill the dough for 15 minutes if your kitchen is warm. Soft dough won’t hold the round shape or keep the morsels in place.
• Press the morsels gently into the top, just enough to stick. Pushing too hard flattens the cookie before it even hits the oven.
• Space cookies an inch apart. They spread less than a typical cookie, so you can fit more per sheet.

Variations

• Use holiday-colored M&Ms instead of rainbow morsels for a different look.
• Add ½ teaspoon almond extract alongside the vanilla for a more complex flavor.
• Roll the dough balls in coarse sugar before baking for a sparkly, crunchy exterior.