No-Sugar Butter Cookies: A Fun and Festive Holiday Treat for Kids
The holidays are the perfect time to bond with your kids over baking, and what better way than with a batch of no-sugar butter cookies? These cookies are a healthier alternative to traditional sugary treats while still being delicious and fun to decorate. With their buttery texture and simple sweetness from natural ingredients, they’re the ideal blank canvas for kids to unleash their creativity with festive decorations. You can cut out any fun shapes you and your kids enjoy, I used some fun Hannukah ones like dreidels and menorahs or cute Christmas ones like snowflakes, gingerbread men and Christmas trees.
Why No-Sugar Butter Cookies?
-These cookies are so simple and easy to make, made with just 5 ingredients that you probably have in your kitchen right now.
-They are made with no refined sugar, making it a healthier, kid-friendly dessert option for kids of all ages.
-The recipe uses wholesome ingredients like butter, flour, and eggs, providing a rich and satisfying base. Butter gives the cookies their signature melt-in-your-mouth texture, while eggs add structure and protein.
-Kids enjoy rolling out dough, cutting shapes, and decorating cookies because it feels like a craft project. It’s also an excellent way to teach them basic kitchen skills and the value of healthier ingredients. For younger kids, this hands-on activity improves fine motor skills, while older ones can learn about measuring, mixing, and baking.
Decorating Time: Get Creative!
Letting kids decorate their own cookies encourages creativity and makes the experience even more memorable. Plus, they’ll take pride in their edible masterpieces, making holiday gatherings extra special. Set up a cookie decorating station with some of the following ingredients:
Cookie Cutter Shapes: This gives the kids a fun base to start off with, you can use holiday shapes or any type of shapes you and your kids prefer.
Icing: For my 6 year old I made a simple sugar icing with 3 tbsp of powdered sugar and 2 tbsp milk. For my 1 year old I did some plain yogurt with a little maple syrup and let him dip the cookie in it. You can also make a cream cheese icing, by whipping cream cheese, maple syrup and vanilla.
Dye-Free Sprinkles: The kids love to add some sprinkles to the cookie, giving them color and making them pop! I added 2-3 different sprinkle colors to different bowls and had the kids decorate with whichever color they liked.
Drizzle of dark chocolate: You can also add a bowl of melted chocolate for a nice drizzle. This option is only for 2 years old & up.
Why Kids Love It?
Kids enjoy rolling out dough, cutting shapes, and decorating cookies because it feels like a craft project. It’s also an excellent way to teach them basic kitchen skills and the value of healthier ingredients. For younger kids, this hands-on activity improves fine motor skills, while older ones can learn about measuring, mixing, and baking.
A Holiday Tradition Worth Keeping:
No-sugar butter cookies aren’t just a healthier alternative; they’re a way to create lasting memories with your kids. Whether you’re making a batch for a holiday party, gifting them to neighbors, or simply enjoying them with hot cocoa, these cookies bring joy without the sugar crash.
This holiday season, swap out traditional sugary treats for no-sugar butter cookies and enjoy a festive, fun, and wholesome baking tradition with your kids. They’re proof that you can have your (decorated) cookie and eat it too!
What you need:
Cookie cutters- I used Hannukah and Christmas ones
If you enjoyed this recipe, here are a few more kid-friendly desserts you can check out:
Gingerbread Cake (No Molasses)
No-Sugar Butter Cookies
Ingredients
Directions
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Add softened butter with maple syrup, vanilla and mix with electric mixer till creamy
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Add room temperature egg and continue to mix
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Add flour and continue to mix until dough forms
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Leave in mixing bowl, cover and let chill in refrigerator for 25 minutes
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Once chilled the dough will be easier to work with. Take 1 sheet of parchment paper and add a little flour to it, add the chilled dough and put an additional piece of parchment paper. Begin rolling the dough out between the 2 pieces of parchment paper. Do not make the dough too thin, you want about 4 in thickness
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Use cookie shapes to cut out pieces and add to another baking tray with parchment paper Within this time if you have extra cookie dough you can put in fridge until ready to use again, or if dough begins to soften too much, add to fridge for 15 minutes
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Bake for 8-10 minutes on 350F
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Let cool for 10 minutes and begin setting up your cookie decorating station with sprinkles and icing
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Have fun, get creative and make your cookies!
I just took them out of the oven and they are perfect, I’m surprising the kids with the decorating cookie station today!