Are you looking to add a little sparkle to your festive baking repertoire this year? While we hold a special place in our hearts for classic gingerbread and shortbread, the holiday season is the perfect time to introduce a treat that offers a delightful twist. We’re imagining a biscuit that feels both comforting and refreshingly new, a recipe that will have your guests coming back for more. We believe we have the perfect solution: these enchanting Twisted Christmas Cookies Almond Citrus Icing. They are designed to be the star of any biscuit tin, marrying a tender, buttery base with a lively, zesty glaze that captures the spirit of the festivities. This recipe is sure to become a cherished part of your holiday traditions.

We have carefully crafted this recipe to be a pleasure to bake and an absolute joy to savour. The dough itself is wonderfully cooperative, and the twisting method is far simpler than it appears, resulting in a charming, rustic spiral that beautifully holds pools of delicious icing. It’s an ideal activity for a cosy winter’s day, filling your kitchen with the heart-warming scents of butter, almond, and fresh citrus. Let’s pop on our aprons and begin a wonderful new tradition of Christmas Baking together!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• A Harmony of Flavours: The rich, buttery biscuit provides the perfect canvas for the dual-flavoured icing. The sweet, nutty notes of the almond icing alongside the bright, tangy kick of the citrus icing create a taste experience that is truly memorable.
• Visually Stunning: The elegant twisted form gives these biscuits a professional, artisanal appearance. They look simply magnificent on a festive platter and also make for a gorgeous, heartfelt homemade gift.
• Deceptively Simple to Create: In spite of their sophisticated appearance, the recipe is very straightforward. We clearly explain the twisting technique, making it accessible for bakers of every experience level.
• Wonderfully Tender Texture: Our secret weapon (a little cornflour!) guarantees these cookies have an incredibly soft, melt-in-the-mouth quality that stays tender for days. You won’t find any tough, dry biscuits here!
• Adaptable and Enjoyable to Decorate: Feel free to get creative with the finishing touches! A sprinkle of festive nonpareils, a little extra citrus zest, or some finely chopped nuts can be added to make these lovely cookies uniquely yours.

Ingredients

• 250g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 150g caster sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• 350g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 50g cornflour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 200g icing sugar, sifted
• 2-3 tablespoons milk or water
• 1 tablespoon fresh orange or lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon finely grated orange or lemon zest, for garnish (optional)
• Festive sprinkles (optional)

Step-by-Step Guide to Baking Your Twisted Christmas Cookies

Crafting these wonderful cookies involves two main stages: first, preparing the rich, buttery dough, and second, mixing the two distinct and delicious icings. We have organised the process into simple, clear steps to ensure your baking session is a triumphant success.

Making the Twisted Cookie Dough

1. Cream the Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat the softened butter and caster sugar on a medium-high setting. Mix for around 3–4 minutes, until the combination becomes pale, light, and airy. This aeration is vital for achieving the perfect cookie texture. For a more detailed look into this technique, the baking specialists at King Arthur Baking offer an excellent explanation on the science behind creaming.
2. Incorporate Wet Ingredients: Add the egg, along with the vanilla and almond extracts, to the creamed mixture. Beat again on a medium speed until everything is fully integrated, remembering to scrape down the sides of the bowl to catch any stray bits.
3. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the plain flour, cornflour, baking powder, and salt. This step guarantees that the leavening agent and salt are spread evenly throughout, promoting a uniform rise.
4. Form the Dough: Introduce the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two or three stages. Mix on a low speed only until the ingredients are just combined. Take care not to overwork the dough, as this can lead to a tough biscuit. The final dough should be soft and feel slightly tacky.
5. Chill the Dough: Halve the dough, shape each piece into a disc, and wrap both securely in cling film. Place them in the refrigerator for at least one hour, or for as long as 24 hours. Chilling is a crucial step; it solidifies the butter, which makes the dough easier to work with and prevents the cookies from spreading too much while baking. While your dough is chilling, it’s a great chance to plan the rest of your festive feast. A main course like our Lemon Garlic Chicken would be a wonderfully light and flavourful partner to your baking.

Shaping and Baking the Twisted Christmas Cookies

Now comes the enchanting part! The twisting method is what lends these cookies their distinctive name and delightful appearance.

1. Preheat and Prepare: Set your oven to 180°C (160°C Fan/Gas Mark 4). Line a pair of large baking sheets with baking parchment.
2. Roll the Dough: Remove one disc of chilled dough from the refrigerator. On a surface lightly dusted with flour, roll it out to a thickness of approximately 1 cm (just under half an inch).
3. Cut into Strips: With a sharp knife or a pizza wheel, slice the rolled-out dough into long strips that are about 2 cm wide and 12 cm long.
4. Create the Twist: Carefully lift one strip of dough. Holding it at both ends, twist them in opposite directions two or three times to form a spiral. Don’t worry about perfection—their rustic quality is a key part of their charm!
5. Arrange and Bake: Position the twisted dough strips on your prepared baking sheets, ensuring there is a small gap between each one. Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the edges are a pale golden-brown. The centres should remain light in colour.
6. Cool Completely: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes before gently moving them to a wire rack to finish cooling. It is essential that the cookies are completely cold before you begin icing, or the glaze will simply melt and run off.

Crafting the Perfect Almond & Citrus Icing

The dual-flavour glaze is the crowning glory of this Twisted Christmas Cookies Almond Citrus Icing recipe. We will prepare a single icing base and then divide it to create both the nutty almond and the vibrant citrus toppings.

Creating the Dual-Flavour Icing

1. Make the Base: In a medium-sized bowl, mix the sifted icing sugar with 2 tablespoons of milk. Whisk thoroughly until you achieve a smooth consistency that is thick yet still pourable. If it seems too stiff, add a tiny drop more milk. If it’s too runny, add a little more sifted icing sugar.
2. Divide the Icing: Transfer half of this base icing into a second small bowl.
3. Flavour the Icings:
   • Into the first bowl, stir the ½ teaspoon of almond extract until well combined. This is your Almond Icing.
   • Into the second bowl, add the 1 tablespoon of fresh citrus juice and stir until smooth to create your zesty Citrus Icing.
4. Decorate the Cookies: When your Twisted Christmas Cookies have cooled down completely, it’s time to add the finishing touch. You can drizzle both icings over the cookies with a spoon for a free-form look, or use a piping bag for more precise lines. Let the icing fall in zig-zags across the twists. While the icing is still wet, feel free to add optional garnishes like finely grated citrus zest or some festive sprinkles.
5. Let it Set: Allow the icing to dry and set completely at room temperature, which should take about 30–60 minutes, before you stack or store the cookies.

FAQ

A New Christmas Tradition

And so, you have it—a complete walkthrough for making what we hope will be the most unforgettable treat of your festive season. These Twisted Christmas Cookies Almond Citrus Icing are more than just a sweet; they represent a new tradition just waiting to begin in your home. They beautifully blend the comforting taste of a classic biscuit with an exciting, contemporary flair that is guaranteed to please your family and friends.

We truly hope you’ll head to the kitchen, turn up the festive tunes, and immerse yourself in the wonderfully calming process of baking. When you’re finished, you might even feel inspired to plan an entire meal. Our Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta Recipe is another firm favourite that is perfect for a relaxed evening. We would love for you to leave a comment below sharing how your cookies turned out, and please don’t forget to tag us in your beautiful photos on social media. Happy baking!

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Discover how to bake the ultimate festive delight with our Twisted Christmas Cookies Almond Citrus Icing recipe! This guide teaches you to create soft, buttery, beautifully twisted cookies with a stunning dual-flavour glaze. A must-have for your holiday baking!

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Prep: 30 mins (+ 1 hour chill)
Cook: 15 mins
Yield: 24 cookies

Ingredients

• 250g unsalted butter, softened
• 150g caster sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp almond extract
• 350g plain flour
• 50g cornflour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 200g icing sugar, sifted
• 2-3 tbsp milk or water
• 1 tbsp fresh orange or lemon juice
• Finely grated citrus zest & festive sprinkles, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Make Dough: Cream butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and extracts. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornflour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry mix to the wet mix until just combined.
2. Chill Dough: Halve the dough, form into discs, wrap in cling film, and chill for at least 1 hour.
3. Shape & Bake: Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C Fan). On a floured surface, roll dough to 1cm thickness. Cut into 12cm x 2cm strips. Twist each strip and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
4. Bake: Bake for 12-15 minutes, until edges are pale golden. Cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Make Icings: Whisk icing sugar with 2 tbsp milk for a thick, pourable base. Divide into two bowls. Stir ½ tsp almond extract into one bowl, and 1 tbsp citrus juice into the other.
6. Decorate: Drizzle both icings over cooled cookies. Add optional zest or sprinkles while wet. Let the icing set completely before storing.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: N/A, Carbs: N/A, Protein: N/A, Fat: N/A