Spread holiday cheer with this Christmas lights sugar cookie pizza

Name: Spread holiday cheer with this Christmas lights sugar cookie pizza
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 7 min
Total time: 262 min
Yield: 2 cookie pizzas
Ingredients: 1½ cup powdered sugar (180 grams); 1 cup salted butter (2 sticks); 1 unit large egg; 1 tsp pure vanilla extract; ¾ tsp pure almond extract; 2½ cup all-purpose flour (300 grams); 1 tsp baking soda; 1 tsp cream of tartar; 1 unit bag (10 oz.) M&Ms Minis for Baking; 2 cup salted butter (4 sticks), softened; 2 lb powdered sugar; 2 tsp clear vanilla extract (or pure vanilla); 2 tsp pure almond extract; 6 tbsp whole milk (or half & half)

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Kim Galeaz

Living Well

Indiana • WXIN

Prep Time: 45 mins

Cook Time: 7 mins

Additional Time: 3h 30m (Refrigeration)

Total Time: 4h 22m

Yields: 2 cookie pizzas

Level: Medium

American Bake Comfort Food Holidays & Celebrations Oven Vegetarian Winter

About this recipe

Instead of spending time cutting out cookies this holiday season, consider making one large shareable cookie pizza.

“I have no patience for cutout cookies and decorating them,” Dietitian Kim Galeaz said.

Galeaz shares her recipe for a sugar cookie pizza decorated with mini M&Ms to resemble Christmas lights. The inclusion of almond extract in both the cookie and buttercream frosting adds an extra special touch.

Copycat recipe: The Tom Cruise Coconut Cake

To keep the buttercream icing white, use clear vanilla, as regular vanilla will turn it an off-white color.

This is the third in a series of holiday cookie recipes. Click here for red velvet cream cheese sandwich cookies and here for chocolate-covered cherry cookies.

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Ingredients

Yields: 2 cookie pizzas

Sugar Cookie Dough

1½ cup powdered sugar (180 grams)
1 cup salted butter (2 sticks)
1 large egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
¾ tsp pure almond extract
2½ cup all-purpose flour (300 grams)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 bag (10 oz.) M&Ms Minis for Baking

Kim’s Buttercream Frosting

2 cup salted butter (4 sticks), softened
2 lb powdered sugar
2 tsp clear vanilla extract (or pure vanilla)
2 tsp pure almond extract
6 tbsp whole milk (or half & half)

Directions

Sugar Cookie Dough

In a large bowl, mix powdered sugar and butter until blended. Start on low speed to avoid sugar flying, then increase speed.
Add egg, vanilla and almond extract; blend well on medium-high speed.
In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and cream of tartar.
Add flour mixture gradually to butter mixture, mixing well until blended.
Divide dough into two equal parts, flatten into discs, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
TIP: Can refrigerate overnight or up to a couple of days.
When ready to bake, let discs sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to soften.
Heat oven to 350°F. Prepare a 12-inch parchment circle and lightly spray pizza pan.
Place one disc on parchment and roll/pat to ¼-inch thick, about 11 inches in diameter.
Bake for 6–7 minutes until delicately golden on bottom and done in the middle.
TIP: Bake one cookie pizza at a time for even cooking.
Cool on wire rack. Ice once cooled, then decorate with M&Ms to resemble holiday lights.

Kim’s Buttercream Frosting

Cream butter until smooth (about 3 minutes).
Gradually add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
Mix in vanilla and almond extracts, plus milk 1 tablespoon at a time, until blended.
TIP: Use clear vanilla if you need the icing to stay white.
Tint 1½ to 2 cups frosting green or brown for holiday light string.

Published: December 14, 2025

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Recipes by culinary registered dietitian nutritionist Kim Galeaz, RDN, LD with inspiration from bettycrocker.com and numerous similar online recipes.