Snowman Sugar Cookies Recipe

Introduction

Snowman Sugar Cookies are a festive and charming treat perfect for holiday celebrations. These buttery, soft cookies are decorated with colorful royal icing to bring each snowman to life. They’re both fun to make and delightful to share with family and friends.

Ingredients

• 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, but makes the flavor outstanding)
• Royal Icing
• Red, black, and orange gel food coloring

Instructions

1. Step 1: Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
2. Step 2: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract if using, then beat until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
3. Step 3: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. The dough will be somewhat soft. If too sticky, add 1 more tablespoon of flour.
4. Step 4: Divide the dough in two. Roll each portion between lightly floured parchment paper or silicone mats to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use extra flour if sticky.
5. Step 5: Dust one rolled dough with flour, place parchment on top, then place the second rolled dough on top. Cover with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours or up to 2 days.
6. Step 6: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheets with parchment or mats. Remove the top dough and cut shapes with a snowman cookie cutter. Re-roll scraps and continue cutting until all dough is used. Repeat with second dough piece.
7. Step 7: Arrange cookies 3 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake 11-12 minutes until edges are lightly browned. Rotate sheets halfway if needed. Cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
8. Step 8: Prepare Royal Icing. Divide into four parts: one remains white, and three portions colored red, black, and orange using gel food coloring.
9. Step 9: Using piping bags fitted with appropriate tips, pipe white icing on cookies to outline and fill, leaving space for black hats. Let icing set, refrigerate if desired to speed up the process.
10. Step 10: Pipe the red scarf, black hat, eyes, mouth, and buttons with the black icing, and the nose with orange icing once the white icing has set.
11. Step 11: Allow decorated cookies to set at room temperature for 2-3 hours before serving. Enjoy immediately or store as directed.

Tips & Variations

• Use almond extract for a subtle, enhanced flavor, but it’s optional if you prefer a pure vanilla taste.
• Chill the dough well before cutting for cleaner shapes and easier handling.
• White icing can be thickened slightly with more powdered sugar if runny, to hold decorations better.
• If you have only one piping tip for multiple colors, use a coupler to easily switch tips between colors.
• Decorate the cookies with sprinkles or edible glitter to add extra festive flair.

Storage

Store plain or decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To extend freshness, refrigerate cookies covered tightly for up to 10 days. Allow refrigerated cookies to come to room temperature before serving. If you want the icing to stay crisp, keep them separated or layered with parchment paper.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes, you can refrigerate the dough wrapped tightly for up to 2 days before rolling and cutting. This helps the dough firm up and makes it easier to handle.

What can I use if I don’t have a snowman cookie cutter?

If you don’t have a snowman-shaped cutter, you can use round cutters in three different sizes and stack the cookies when decorating, or simply use any festive shapes you like.

Snowman Sugar Cookies Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 120 reviews

These charming Snowman Sugar Cookies combine a soft, buttery sugar cookie base with festive royal icing decorations in traditional snowman colors. Perfect for holiday gatherings or gifting, they feature a delicate almond and vanilla flavored dough decorated with colorful piped royal icing to bring each snowman to life.

• Author: Clara
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 32 minutes
• Yield: About 24–30 cookies, depending on size 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

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)

Royal Icing and Decorations

• Royal Icing (quantity not specified, prepare as needed)
• Red gel food coloring
• Black gel food coloring
• Orange gel food coloring

Instructions

1. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set this mixture aside while you prepare the wet ingredients.
2. Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on high speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
3. Add Wet Ingredients: To the creamed butter and sugar, add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract if using. Beat again on high speed until fully combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
4. Combine Dry and Wet: Add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined. The dough will be soft; if it feels too sticky for rolling, add 1 additional tablespoon of flour.
5. Divide and Roll Dough: Divide the dough into two equal portions. On lightly floured parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, roll each portion out to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use additional flour as needed to prevent sticking.
6. Chill Dough: Stack the rolled dough layers with a piece of parchment paper in between, cover with plastic wrap or foil, and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours or up to 2 days. This helps firm the dough for clean cutting.
7. Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
8. Cut Cookies: Remove one portion of chilled rolled dough. If it sticks to the parchment, gently run your hand underneath to help loosen it. Use a snowman cookie cutter to cut shapes and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, spacing cookies about 3 inches apart. Re-roll scraps and continue cutting until all dough is used. Repeat with second dough portion.
9. Bake Cookies: Bake cookies for 11-12 minutes, until they are lightly browned around the edges. Rotate baking sheets halfway through baking if your oven has hot spots. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Prepare Royal Icing Colors: Spoon about 1/4 cup of royal icing into three small bowls. Leave the remaining royal icing white. Color each bowl with red, black, and orange gel food coloring respectively, adjusting shades as preferred.
11. Decorate Cookies – White Icing: Fit a piping bag with Wilton piping tip #4 or #5 and fill with white icing. Pipe a border around the edges of each cookie and fill in the center, leaving space for the hat. Allow the icing to set, refrigerating to speed up if desired.
12. Decorate Cookies – Colored Icing: Fit piping bags with Wilton tip #1 for the black and orange icing and a separate bag with tip #4 or #5 for red icing. Pipe the red scarves, black hats, eyes, mouths, and buttons, then pipe orange noses once the white icing has set.
13. Set Icing and Store: Allow the icing to dry completely at room temperature for 2-3 hours before serving or wrapping. Store decorated cookies covered tightly at room temperature for up to 5 days or refrigerate up to 10 days for longer freshness.

Notes

• If dough is too sticky to roll, add more flour little by little, but avoid over-flouring to keep cookies tender.
• Chilling the dough between layers helps achieve clean cookie shapes and prevents excess spreading during baking.
• Adjust the amount of almond extract to taste; it enhances flavor but is optional.
• Use gel food coloring for vibrant icing colors that don’t thin the royal icing consistency.
• Cookies stay soft for about 5 days at room temperature if stored properly and up to 10 days refrigerated.
• Use a coupler for piping bags if you only have one tip to easily switch colors during decoration.

Keywords: snowman sugar cookies, holiday cookies, royal icing cookies, Christmas cookies, festive cookies, sugar cookie recipe