Description
Delightful Snowman Sugar Cookies made from a buttery, soft dough flavored with vanilla and almond extract, rolled to perfect thickness, baked to golden edges, and beautifully decorated with colorful royal icing to create festive snowman designs. These cookies stay soft for days and are perfect for holiday gifting or celebrations.
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
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional, but makes the flavor outstanding)
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 and set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar. In a large bowl using a handheld or stand 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 extract, and almond extract if using, then beat on high speed until fully combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed.
- Combine Wet and Dry. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. If dough is too soft and sticky for rolling, add 1 tablespoon more flour.
- Divide and Roll Dough. Divide dough into two equal parts. Place each portion on lightly floured parchment paper or silicone mat. Roll out each to about 1/4-inch thickness using a lightly floured rolling pin.
- Stack and Chill Dough. Lightly dust one rolled-out dough with flour, place parchment on top, then the second rolled-out dough on top. Cover with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours or up to 2 days.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Cut Cookies. Remove top dough from refrigerator carefully. Using a snowman cookie cutter, cut shapes. Re-roll scraps and continue cutting until all dough is used. Repeat with second dough portion.
- Bake Cookies. Place cookies on baking sheets 3 inches apart. Bake for 12 minutes until edges are lightly browned. Rotate sheet halfway if oven has hot spots. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Colored Icing. Divide royal icing into four portions: leave one white; color three with red, black, and orange gel food coloring in separate small bowls.
- Pipe White Icing. Fit piping bag with Wilton tip #5 or #4, fill with white icing, and pipe a border and fill each cookie, leaving space for the black hat. Chill cookies to set icing faster.
- Pipe Colored Details. Fill piping bags with red, black, and orange icing using Wilton tips #1, #4, or #5 as needed. Once white icing is set, pipe red scarves, black hats, eyes, mouth, and buttons, and orange noses.
- Let Icing Set. Allow icing to set completely for 2 to 3 hours at room temperature before serving or gifting.
Notes
- Freezing: Freeze plain or decorated cookies up to 3 months after icing sets, layered between parchment in a freezer container. Thaw in refrigerator or room temperature.
- Dough Freeze: Freeze dough disks wrapped in plastic for up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator then bring to room temperature before rolling and chilling.
- Flavor Variations: Substitute almond extract with maple, coconut, lemon, or peppermint extract; or add 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon. Add 1 tablespoon lemon zest if using lemon extract.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Butter should be cool to the touch (not melted); egg at room temperature ensures even mixing.
- Use recommended piping tips and couplers for easy decorating and color changes.
- Cookies remain soft up to 5 days covered tightly at room temperature; refrigerate for up to 10 days for longer freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 75 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
