Sharing is caring!

Have a Cup of Cheer Christmas Cookies

These “Have a Cup of Cheer” Christmas Cookies are festive, fun, and perfect for the holidays. Shaped like a holiday coffee cup—similar to a Starbucks cup—they feature a green lid, a pink iced cup, a red airbrushed stripe, and a white coffee sleeve where I piped the phrase “have a cup of cheer” in green and red icing. These cut-out cookies are as charming as they are delicious, making them a perfect treat for gifting, holiday parties, or decorating your Christmas cookie tray.

The combination of buttery sugar cookies, smooth royal icing, and colorful airbrush detailing makes these cookies stand out. The design is playful yet elegant, giving you a professional-looking cookie without complicated techniques.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Festive and cheerful – The holiday coffee cup design adds a fun twist to traditional Christmas cookies.
• Customizable – Change the cup color, stripe, or lettering to match your holiday theme.
• Delicious sugar cookies – Soft, buttery, and perfectly balanced for decorating.
• Perfect for gifting – These cookies make unique edible gifts that friends and family will love.
• Fun to decorate – Airbrushing and piping lettering add creativity without stress.

Ingredients

For the Sugar Cookies

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 ½ cups flour
• 1 tsp salt

For the Royal Icing

• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp meringue powder
• 6 tbsp water (more as needed)
• Gel food coloring: pink, red, green, white
• Airbrush with red coloring for the stripe

Instructions

1. Make the Cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
3. Add egg and vanilla, mixing until combined.
4. Add flour and salt; mix until dough forms.
5. Roll out dough to ¼ inch thick and cut into coffee cup shapes.
6. Bake 8–10 minutes or until edges are just lightly golden.
7. Cool completely before decorating.

2. Make the Royal Icing

1. Beat powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water until smooth and glossy.
2. Divide icing into bowls and color as needed: green for the lid and lettering, pink for the cup, white for the coffee sleeve, red for details.
3. Adjust consistency with a few drops of water for piping and flooding.

3. Decorate the Cookies

1. Flood the cup portion of the cookie with pink icing and let it dry slightly.
2. Use your airbrush to add a red stripe across the cup.
3. Flood the lid with green icing.
4. Flood the coffee sleeve with white icing.
5. Once the white sleeve is set, pipe “have a cup of” in green icing and “cheer” in red below it.
6. Allow all icing to dry completely before stacking or packaging.

Jennie’s Thoughts

I love these cookies because they combine festive holiday colors with a cozy, fun coffee theme. The lettering on the sleeve is playful, and the airbrushed red stripe gives the cup a professional touch. These cookies are perfect for cookie exchanges, gifting, or even just a fun holiday activity to decorate with friends and family. They’re cheerful, colorful, and sure to bring a smile to anyone who receives them.

Serving & Gifting Tips

• Package in clear bags with a ribbon for a cute edible gift.
• Pair with a mug of hot cocoa or coffee for an extra-special treat.
• Add to a holiday cookie tray for a fun mix of themed cookies.

Storage

Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Undecorated cookies can be frozen up to 2 months.