Description
Delightfully festive Snowman Sugar Cookies featuring a tender, buttery dough and decorated with colorful royal icing for a charming holiday treat. These cookies are perfect for gifting or serving at holiday parties, with a classic snowman shape and vibrant accents in red, black, and orange.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 2 and 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed for rolling and work surface
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
For Decorating
- Royal Icing
- red gel food coloring
- black gel food coloring
- orange gel food coloring
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients: Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on high speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Add wet ingredients: Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract (if using) and beat on high speed until the mixture is fully combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and beat again as needed.
- Combine dough: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. If the dough feels too soft and sticky for rolling, add 1 more tablespoon of flour.
- Divide and roll out: Divide the dough into two equal parts. Place each portion onto lightly floured parchment paper or silicone mats and roll each out to about 1/4-inch thickness, using more flour as needed to prevent sticking.
- Stack and chill: Lightly dust one rolled dough with flour and place parchment on top. Place the second rolled dough on top, cover with plastic wrap or foil, and refrigerate for at least 1 to 2 hours or up to 2 days.
- Preheat and prepare baking sheets: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Cut cookies: Remove the top dough layer carefully. Using a snowman cookie cutter, cut shapes and re-roll scraps to cut more cookies. Arrange cookies on baking sheets 3 inches apart.
- Bake cookies: Bake for 12 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Rotate baking sheets halfway if your oven has hot spots. Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare icing: Divide royal icing into four bowls: one plain white, and three colored with red, black, and orange gel food coloring to desired shades.
- Pipe base layer: Fit a piping bag with a Wilton #5 or #4 tip filled with white icing. Pipe a border and fill the cookie leaving room for the hat. Let the icing set, placing the baking sheet in the refrigerator to speed drying.
- Decorate details: Using piping bags with Wilton #1 tip, pipe the black hat, eyes, mouth, and buttons; then pipe the orange nose. Use the #5 or #4 tip for the red scarf.
- Allow icing to set: Let the decorated cookies dry at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours until fully set.
- Serve or store: Enjoy immediately or store covered at room temperature for up to 5 days. Refrigerate for longer storage up to 10 days.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Plain or decorated sugar cookies freeze well up to 3 months. Ensure icing is completely set before freezing layered with parchment paper in a freezer container.
- Freeze dough: Prepare dough through step 3, divide, wrap in plastic wrap, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator and bring to room temperature before rolling.
- Flavor options: Substitute almond extract with maple, coconut, lemon, peppermint extracts, or add spices like pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon for flavor variations.
- Room temperature butter and egg ensure smooth dough; butter should be cool to the touch but soft enough.
- Use a snowman cookie cutter approximately 4 inches for perfect sized cookies.
- Cookie storage: Decorated or plain cookies remain soft for 5 days when stored tightly covered.
- Use disposable or reusable piping bags and appropriate Wilton tips (#1, #4, or #5) for detailed decorating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 70 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
