Why You’ll Love These Frosted Snowflake Sugar Cookies

These frosted snowflake sugar cookies aren’t just pretty faces; they’re truly exceptional in every bite. Here’s why this recipe stands out and why you’ll fall in love with making and eating these festive treats:

1. Thick & Chewy Perfection: Forget about thin, brittle cookies! My tried-and-true sugar cookie recipe ensures these cut-out cookies are gloriously thick and wonderfully chewy, delivering that melt-in-your-mouth texture you crave. They hold their shape perfectly during baking, resulting in crisp edges and a soft interior, making them the best cut-out sugar cookies you’ve ever tasted.
2. Unmistakably Festive: These elegant snowflake cookies are the epitome of winter charm. Their delicate appearance makes them ideal for any winter-themed event – from bustling Christmas cookie exchanges and cheerful holiday celebrations to cozy birthday parties, or simply as a special treat to mark that magical first day of snow. They bring a touch of enchantment to every occasion.
3. Effortless Decorating Options: Don’t be intimidated by their beautiful look! I’ve included two straightforward decorating techniques below, allowing you to achieve stunning results regardless of your skill level. Whether you prefer the classic look of piped buttercream or the smooth finish of a dipped glaze, you’ll find an easy method to create picture-perfect snowflake designs.

Mastering the Art of Cut-Out Sugar Cookies?

If you’re looking to elevate your cut-out cookie game even further, dive into my comprehensive ultimate guide to the best sugar cookies. It offers an in-depth look at crucial techniques, from achieving the perfect dough consistency and rolling it out flawlessly, to getting the cleanest cuts with your cookie cutters, and implementing vital steps to prevent your cookies from spreading in the oven. These extra tips will ensure your snowflake cookies are absolutely perfect every time!

Essential Ingredient Notes for Perfect Snowflake Cookies

The quality and preparation of your ingredients are key to achieving these soft and chewy snowflake sugar cookies. Here’s what you need to know:

• Unsalted Butter: This is a non-negotiable! Your butter must be at true room temperature – softened, but not melted. If your butter is too warm or greasy, it will significantly affect the dough’s texture, making it difficult to roll out and almost guaranteeing that your cookies will spread excessively in the oven. I always opt for unsalted butter in my baking for better control over the salt content, but if salted is all you have, simply omit the additional salt in the recipe.
• Granulated Sugar: Unlike some traditional soft sugar cookie recipes that might use a combination of sugars, this improved recipe relies solely on granulated sugar. This helps create a dough that maintains its shape beautifully during baking, which is crucial for intricate cut-out designs like snowflakes, while still yielding a tender cookie.
• Extracts (Vanilla & Almond): The combination of vanilla extract and almond extract is what gives these cookies their distinctive and truly incredible “sugar cookie” flavor. The almond extract, in particular, adds a depth that is simply unmatched. I highly recommend against omitting it unless you have a nut allergy or a strong aversion to its taste. If that’s the case, you can substitute it with an equal amount of additional vanilla extract for a delicious, but slightly different, flavor profile.
• Baking Powder (Not Baking Soda!): Pay close attention here – this recipe specifically calls for baking powder, not baking soda. Ensure your baking powder is fresh, as its leavening power diminishes over time. A good rule of thumb is to replace it every 3-6 months. I find it helpful to write the date I opened a new can directly on the lid with a permanent marker, so I always know its freshness at a glance.
• All-Purpose Flour: For consistently excellent cookies, all-purpose flour is my go-to. Proper measurement is vital! Avoid scooping flour directly from the bag, which compacts it. Instead, use the “spoon-and-level” method: spoon flour into your measuring cup until it overflows, then level off the excess with a straight edge. Too much flour will result in dense, dry, and crumbly cookies, while too little can cause excessive spreading.
• Buttercream Frosting & Glaze: For decorating these festive snowflake sugar cookies, I offer two fantastic options. For a rich and creamy finish, I use my Christmas cookie buttercream frosting, which is perfect for piped designs, especially on round snowflake cookies. For a simpler, elegant look, especially on shaped snowflake cookies, my easy sugar cookie icing creates a beautiful, smooth glaze.

Step 1: Prepare the Dough

1. Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). For easy cleanup and to prevent sticking, lay a piece of parchment paper on your counter and lightly sprinkle it with about 1 teaspoon of all-purpose flour. This will be your workspace for rolling the dough.
2. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the softened, room-temperature unsalted butter (1 ½ cups, or 3 sticks) and granulated sugar (1 ½ cups) on medium speed. Mix for about 20-30 seconds until the mixture is light, fluffy, and well combined. This creaming process incorporates air, which contributes to the cookies’ soft texture.
3. While the mixer is still running on medium speed, gradually add in the large eggs (2), vanilla extract (1 tablespoon), and almond extract (1 teaspoon) to the butter and sugar mixture. Continue mixing until everything is fully incorporated and smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the baking powder (2 teaspoons), kosher salt (1 teaspoon), and the all-purpose flour (4 – 4 ½ cups). Add the flour about ½ cup at a time, mixing on low speed until each addition is just combined before adding the next. Mixing on low prevents over-developing the gluten and keeps the dough tender.
5. Once the mixture is combined and all the flour has just disappeared, transfer the dough onto your lightly floured parchment-lined surface. Gently press the mixture into a large ball, ensuring any loose, floury pieces are incorporated. Knead the dough lightly for just 5-10 seconds until it becomes a smooth, cohesive ball. Then, flatten it into a 2-inch thick disc. This brief kneading helps bring the dough together without making it tough.
6. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough evenly to a thickness of ⅜” to ½”. This thickness is crucial for achieving truly soft and chewy snowflake sugar cookies that won’t spread excessively. Using a rolling pin with thickness guides can be incredibly helpful here.

Step 2: Cut Out the Cookies

1. Using your preferred snowflake cookie cutter or a simple round cookie cutter, begin cutting out your cookie shapes from the rolled-out dough.
2. Carefully transfer the cut-out cookies to a parchment-lined baking sheet. To do this without distorting the shapes, gently pull away the excess dough around the cut cookies. Then, use a thin offset spatula to delicately lift each cut cookie. As you lift, support the bottom of the cookie with your other hand to prevent it from breaking or stretching, and then gently slide it onto the baking sheet. Repeat until all dough is used.

Step 3: Bake the Cookies

1. Once all your snowflake sugar cookies are cut and carefully arranged on the prepared baking sheets, bake them in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 8-10 minutes. The most important rule here is: do not overbake! Cookies, especially cut-out sugar cookies, can look slightly underdone at 10-11 minutes, but it’s crucial to remove them from the oven before you see any browning along the edges. Overbaked cookies will be hard and dry, losing that desirable soft and chewy texture.
2. After baking, remove the pan from the oven and immediately place it on a cooling rack. Resist the urge to remove the cookies from the hot pan right away. Allowing them to rest on the hot pan for about 10-15 minutes will enable them to continue “carry-over baking” gently, firming up without over-browning. This is a secret to their perfect texture.
3. After this resting period, carefully transfer the baked cookies from the pan to a separate cooling rack to cool completely. Ensure they are fully cooled before attempting to frost them; warm cookies will melt your beautiful frosting.

Step 4: Prepare Frosting & Decorate Your Snowflake Cookies

Now for the fun part – decorating your beautiful snowflake sugar cookies! I’ve provided two delightful frosting recipes and decorating methods to choose from, catering to both classic piped designs and smooth dipped finishes:

Decorating Round Sugar Cookies (with Buttercream):

For your round sugar cookies, fill a piping bag fitted with a #5 round piping tip with a batch of my blue Christmas cookie buttercream frosting. Pipe elegant blue lines to create a simple yet striking snowflake pattern, as demonstrated in this video guide. Finish by sprinkling immediately with white sparkling sugar for a dazzling, frosty effect that truly captures the essence of a winter wonderland.

Decorating Dipped Snowflake-Shaped Cookies (with Glaze):

1. First, prepare a vibrant blue glaze. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together powdered sugar (2 cups), lukewarm water or milk (2 tablespoons), and vanilla extract (1 teaspoon) until completely smooth. Adjust the consistency by adding a few more drops of water for a thinner glaze or a bit more powdered sugar for a thicker one. Dip each snowflake-shaped sugar cookie into the blue glaze, allowing the excess to drip off, then place them on a cooling rack to set.
2. While the blue layer of glaze is still wet, prepare your white icing. In a separate bowl, combine powdered sugar (2 cups), vanilla extract (1 teaspoon), and milk (4 tablespoons) to create a slightly thicker white icing. Fill a piping bag with a #2 piping tip (or a fine writing tip). Carefully draw delicate interior lines on the blue-dipped snowflakes to create intricate patterns, as shown in the images below. The wet blue glaze will allow the white lines to meld slightly, creating a beautiful, seamless effect.

Expert Tips & Creative Variations for Your Snowflake Sugar Cookies

Achieving bakery-quality cut-out cookies is easier than you think with these insider tips:

• Master Dough Rolling: The way you handle and roll your dough is critical. Over-kneading or over-rolling can warm the butter too much (from the heat of your hands), leading to more spreading during baking. For a detailed guide and to save yourself frustration, check out my post on how to roll sugar cookies perfectly.
• Roll Them Thick for Softness: For truly fool-proof, thick, and wonderfully soft cut-out sugar cookies, aim for a dough thickness of ⅜” to ½”. This specific thickness is what yields the ultimate softest texture. I highly recommend investing in a rolling pin equipped with thickness guides; my favorite rolling pin goes up to ⅜”, which I use most often. For extra impressive holiday gifts, I sometimes use the ½” guides from this guide set, which can be attached to your existing rolling pin.
• Never Overbake: This is perhaps the most important tip for soft cookies! You must pull your cookies from the oven before you see any browning on the edges. The secret to moist and chewy cut-out sugar cookies lies in ever-so-slightly underbaking them. They will finish baking on the hot baking sheet outside of the oven, resulting in that perfect soft center.
• Food Coloring Gel for Vibrant Hues: For intensely rich and vibrant colors in your frosting, especially for a beautiful blue snowflake, I highly recommend using gel food coloring. The Wilton Color Right Set is my top choice, but any good quality gel food coloring will yield much better results than liquid dyes.
• No Cookie Cutter? No Problem!: Don’t have a snowflake cookie cutter? No worries! You can easily create charming round sugar cookies without a specific cutter. Simply use the rim of a drinking glass, a mason jar lid, or even the top of an empty aluminum soup can to cut out perfect circles. Then, use the round sugar cookie frosting technique mentioned above to pipe your exquisite snowflake pattern onto your circular canvas. Creativity knows no bounds!

Storage & Freezing Instructions

Plan ahead with these storage and freezing tips for your snowflake sugar cookies:

• Storage: To keep these delightful cookies fresh, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They will remain wonderfully soft and delicious for 2-3 days, though they often stay enjoyable for up to 4-5 days.
• Freezing Iced Cookies: If you’re looking to freeze your frosted snowflake sugar cookies, ensure the icing has completely hardened before packing them. Layer the cookies between pieces of parchment paper in an airtight freezer-safe container. When you’re ready to serve, remove them from the freezer and immediately lay them out in a single layer on a cookie sheet to thaw at room temperature. It’s worth noting that buttercream frosting tends to freeze and thaw better than glaze icing, as the glaze has more moisture and can become a bit sticky upon thawing.

Frequently Asked Questions: