Skip to Content

Alphabet Letter Cookies

This letter cookies recipe could be made with letter cookie cutters or animal shapes for animal crackers. My intent was to recreate the cinnamon alphabet cookies that my son loves from Trader Joe’s. I hope you like them as much as we do!

Alphabet letter cookies on a marble board with list of spelling bee words aside

How to make letter cookies:

  1. Mix the cookie dough in the food processor. Refrigerate.
  2. Roll out the sugar cookie dough. Use letter cookie cutters to make letter shapes.
  3. Bake for 10 minutes.

These are fun sugar cookies to make with children at home. The dough comes together quickly in a food processor and then it is refrigerated for at least an hour. Take the dough out when your helpers are ready to roll out the dough and you’ll have an alphabet of fun in no time!

sugar cookie dough rolled out with letter cookie cutters and letters in dough

Spelling Bee treats

It is Spelling Bee time of year at many schools and my son’s elementary school held their school Bee last week. He was excited to be involved in the Bee again this year and I wanted to make him a special treat to celebrate after the stress of the competition was over (for both of us!). 

My goodness, some of the words these kids spelled were years beyond them. It was fun to watch the twelve kids spell but heartbreaking to see them miss a letter here and there. I guess that is the point of a spelling bee– not everyone gets each word correct– but it is painful when a wrong letter slips out.

Pile of letter cookies on a marble board

Schoolhouse Cookies from Trader Joe’s

These cookies are made with the Trader Joe’s schoolhouse cookies in mind. They come in a round, plastic tub and you can’t eat just one. My son is an extremely picky eater and has never had even a crumb of any baked good I’ve made at home.

I thought there was a slim chance he’d try these since they look and taste nearly the same as the bucket of letter cookies he likes from the grocery store.

Well, no luck there but that is ok, sometimes it honestly is the thought that counts and when my younger son and I made these cookies we sure were sending happy spelling thoughts with them!

The recipe comes from King Arthur Flour’s website and they called these Animal Cookies but for me, animal cookies have a bit more crunch like a cracker. I changed the recipe slightly so maybe that was the difference.

What shapes can I make these cookies for kids?

Try letters cookie cutters or animal cookie cutters and see what you think. There are few things sweeter than little hands covered in flour and baking in the kitchen. A collection of cookie cutters from Wilton does the trick. This bucket offers letters, shapes and more for your cookie creations.

Here are other cookies that are fun to bake and share with a classroom:

Pin with me!Two images of cookie dough and baked cookies for letter alphabet cookies homemade

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

little hands forming letter cookies placed on a baking sheet

Yield: 6 dozen

Alphabet Letter Cookies

Alphabet Letter Cookies

These are fun cookies to make with children at home. The dough comes together quickly in a food processor and then it is refrigerated for at least an hour. Take the dough out when your helpers are ready to roll out the dough and you'll have an alphabet of fun in no time!

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup butter, softened (12 Tablespoons)
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup almond flour

Instructions

  1. In a food processor combine the butter, sugar, honey, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, vanilla and water. Pulse 15-20 times.
  2. Add the all purpose flour and the almond flour and process until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the container.
  3. Make two flat circles with the dough and place in a zip loc bag. Refrigerate for about an hour.
  4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment.
  5. Flour your surface (I like to flour on top of a piece of parchment). Roll the dough to 1/4 inch thick. To keep the dough from sticking to the small letter cookie cutters, dip the cutters in flour each time before you press the cutters into the dough.
  6. Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes or until just starting to brown.
  7. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

Notes

Note that some letters such as "I" or "L" bake more quickly than letters like "M" or "B". You may want to place similar letters on a tray together to ensure even baking.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

36

Serving Size:

2

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 82Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 78mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 1g

This data is provided by Nutritionix and is an estimate only.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

Post originally shared in January, 2015.

EJ

Thursday 16th of July 2020

I can’t wait to try this recipe with my kids! Can I substitute almond flour with all purpose flour?

Holly Baker

Sunday 19th of July 2020

I haven't tried this recipe with almond flour, although I'd like to do so. Let me know if you give that switch a try!

Laura@Baking in Pyjamas

Sunday 25th of January 2015

That's a great idea and such a fun thing to do with your son too!

Sophie

Wednesday 21st of January 2015

What a cute cookie idea! I was in a spelling bee a few times growing up! They're super nerve wracking! I remember one time I wrote down the word correctly, but then when saying it I got my letters mixed up and was disqualified. So embarrassing. I would have loved to have these letter cookies to cheer me up! :D

Miranda @ Cookie Dough & Oven Mitt

Wednesday 21st of January 2015

and I thought I had a picky son! These cookies are absolutely adorable! My boy is only 3, but he knows all his ABC's. I think these would be perfect for him!

Holly F

Wednesday 21st of January 2015

Yes! These are such fun for children who delight in knowing their letters. My son squished together the letters to write "Elf of the Shelf". He wants his Elf to know that he is thinking of him even though we have nearly the full year to go before Christmas rolls around again!

Becca from ItsYummi.com

Wednesday 21st of January 2015

What an absolutely adorable idea!

Holly F

Wednesday 21st of January 2015

Thanks, Becca, I loved the posts this month and am motivated to make some more cookies!

Skip to Recipe