Snowman Cookies

4.80 from 34 ratings

These adorable snowman cookies bake up perfectly soft and chewy and are decorated with the most delicious homemade buttercream. A dusting of sanding sugar gives them a wonderful pop of texture, and they come together in a flash because they're decorated with sprinkles! These are very kid-friendly and sure to be a holiday favorite.

Prep Time20

Cook Time12

Additional Time1 30

Total Time2 2

Course: Cookies

Cuisine: American

Servings: 24

Calories: 265kcal

Author: Chelsey White

Equipment

Ingredients

Soft-Batch Cream Cheese Cookies

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 170g
1/2 cup (4 oz) full fat cream cheese, room temp 113g
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 300g
1 large egg, room temperature 56g
2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 8g
3 cups all-purpose flour 375g
1 Tbsp cornstarch 8g
1/2 tsp baking powder 2g
1/2 tsp fine salt 3g

Buttercream Frosting for Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 226g
1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 12g
1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar 454g or 1 lb. box
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 60g
orange gel food coloring - to be added later

Decorations

Instructions

Soft-Batch Cream Cheese Cookies

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat 3/4 cup butter and 1/2 cup cream cheese on medium speed with a hand mixer or whisk attachment until smooth.
Next, add in 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar and mix on a medium-high speed for a couple of minutes, until the mixture becomes lighter in color.
Add in 1 egg and 2 tsp vanilla extract. Mix on a medium speed until incorporated.
In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 cups flour, 1 Tbsp cornstarch, 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt.
Add the flour mixture into the butter mixture in two additions, mixing on a low speed until it is JUST incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula between additions.
At this point, the dough should still be pretty sticky. Divide the dough in half and wrap each portion of dough in a piece of plastic wrap. I like to flatten the dough out into a rectangle that's about 1/2 inch tall to make it easier to roll out once it's chilled.
Chill the dough in the fridge for about 2 hours, in the freezer for 30 minutes, or in the fridge overnight. If you chill the dough overnight, let it sit out at room temperature for about 10 minutes before trying to roll it out. This will make it easier to roll out!
Turn on the oven to 350°F/175°C about 30 minutes before you plan to roll out the dough, and line two large baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Set aside.
Take one piece of dough out of the fridge, leaving the other in there to continue to chill. Unwrap the cookie dough and lay the plastic wrap out flat on your counter. We will be rolling out the cookie dough on the plastic wrap to make cleanup a breeze and to make it easier to cut out the cookies. Dust both sides of the cookie dough and your rolling pin with flour.
Roll the chilled dough to be 1/3 inch thick and cut out 2 1/2 inch circles with a flour-dusted cookie cutter. If you don't have a circle cutter that size, use a mason jar lid or round glass that's similar in size. Use a kitchen brush to brush any excess flour off the cookies and place them on the prepared baking sheets. The cookies don't spread much as they bake, so you can place them about 1 inch apart.
Chill the cut-out cookies one more time in the fridge for 15 minutes or the freezer for 5 minutes to help them keep their shape as they bake.
Bake one sheet of cookies at a time. Bake for 12-14 minutes on the top rack of your oven (bake time can vary based on the size of the cookies). Rotate the tray halfway through to help the cookies bake evenly. Keep a close eye on the cookies and be sure to pull them out before the edges start to brown.
Let the baked cookies cool on the pan for about 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
While the first batch bakes and cools, knead together the cookie dough scraps and rewrap them in plastic wrap. Pop them back in the fridge to chill.
Pull out the 2nd chilled portion of dough and repeat steps 9-12. Then repeat with the chilled dough scraps.

Buttercream Frosting

Beat 1 cup of butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment, until smooth.
Mix in 1 Tbsp vanilla paste or vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp salt on a low speed.
Gradually mix in 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 1/4 cup of heavy cream. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula. Beat on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached. If the frosting seems too thick, add in additional cream (1 Tbsp at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar (a quarter of a cup at a time).
Scoop 1/4 cup of frosting into a small bowl and color it orange with gel food coloring. Put the orange frosting into a small piping bag fitted with a small round tip like a Wilton 10 or snip a small opening at the base of the bag (about 1/4 inch). Seal the top of the bag with a rubber band or clip and set aside.
Place the remaining uncolored frosting into a large piping bag fitted with a large round piping tip (like a Wilton 1A) and seal the top with a large rubber band. If you don't have piping bags, you can also use freezer ziploc bags! And if you don't have that type of piping tip, you can just cut a 1/2-inch opening at the base of the piping bag. Set aside.

Decorating These Snowman Cookies

Pour about 1 cup of white sanding sugar or granulated sugar into a small bowl. Set aside.
Once the cookies have fully cooled, pipe a thin layer of frosting on top of one of the cookies.
Gently press the cookie into the sanding sugar until the entire top is covered. This should even out the frosting.
Use small black sprinkles to add eyes and a mouth. If you don't have black sprinkles, you can also use mini chocolate chips (flip them upside down so that the flat side faces up) or color a little bit of frosting black.
If desired, add red or pink sprinkles to look like cheeks. Then use the orange frosting to pipe on a carrot nose. Repeat with the remaining cookies, then enjoy!

Video

Notes

How Many Cookies Does This Recipe Make?

This recipe can be used to make about 24, 2 1/2-inch circular cookies. The yield and bake time will vary based on the size of the cookie cutter you use and the thickness of the dough.

This recipe can be halved to make fewer cookies (use half a scrambled egg in the dough), but I don't recommend doubling it unless you have a commercial (8 qt.) stand mixer.

Making These Snowman Cookies in Advance and Storage Tips

You can store frosted cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature, up to 5 days in the fridge, or for up to a month in the freezer.

If you want to stack the cookies on top of one another, I recommend chilling them thoroughly before doing so and adding a layer of parchment paper between them. The buttercream will firm up when it's chilled, but won't set hard like royal icing.

This cookie dough can also be frozen for up to 1 month if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored in an airtight container. I like to move the cookie dough to the fridge the night before I plan to roll it out and bake the cookies.

Baked, unfrosted cookies can also be frozen! These cookies last for up to a month if frozen in an airtight container. I recommend waiting to decorate them until they’ve thawed to room temperature.

Move them to the fridge the day before you plan to eat them, then let them sit out at room temperature for a few hours before frosting them.

Tips for Making the Best Snowman Cookies

Really cream together the butter, cream cheese, and granulated sugar in the first step of this recipe. It helps incorporate air into the dough, which makes fluffy and soft cookies.
Don’t overwork the cookie dough! It can overwork the gluten and result in tough, dense cookies.
Roll the cookie dough out to a consistent thickness of 1/3 inch. If some are thicker or thinner than others, they may over- or under-bake in the oven.
Take the time to chill the cookie dough. It helps prevent your cookies from spreading while they bake and helps them bake up with a soft texture.
Liberally flour your counter before you roll out the cookie dough, and move the dough around while you roll and cut the cookies.
Don’t overbake your cookies. Err on the side of underbaking your cookies, and remember that the cookies continue to bake for a few minutes once they’re out of the oven.
Feel free to get creative with what you use to make the snowman's face and work with what you've got! You can also use fondant, black frosting, or mini chocolate chips in place of the black sprinkles if needed.

Nutrition