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Assorted snowflake-shaped cookies decorated with white and pink icing are arranged on a wooden surface. One cookie features a small pink pearl at its center.
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5 from 1 vote

Snowflake Cookies Recipe | How to Decorate Sugar Cookies

Prep Time1 hour 30 minutes
WORK TIME30 minutes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 24 yields

Ingredients

For the sugar cookies:

  • 1 cup 230g Butter, softened
  • 1 cup 200g Sugar
  • 1 Egg
  • 1-2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
  • 3 cups 375g Flour
  • ¼ teaspoon Baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon Salt

For the icing:

  • 2 ⅓ cups 290 Icing sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon Vanilla extract optional
  • 4 tablespoons Milk/water
  • Gel food coloring optional

Instructions

  • DIRECTIONS
    1. Make the cookies: In a large or in a bowl of a stand mixer, beat softened butter and sugar. Beat until combined and creamy.
    2. Add egg, vanilla extract and mix until combined.
    3. Using a flour sifter, sift in flour, baking soda and salt. Mix until incorporated.
    4. Chill the dough for 30 minutes.
    5. Preheat oven to 350F (180C).
    6. On a silicone pastry mat or on a parchment paper, roll the chilled dough out to 1/4-inch (1/2cm) thick, using a cookie cutter, cut into desired shapes.
    7. Place on a baking tray, lined with parchment paper (at this stage, if the dough is too soft, transfer to the freezer for about 10 minutes). Combine leftover dough and roll out again, if too soft, let chill in the fridge.
    8. Refrigerate the cookies for 30 minutes. Bake for about 10-12 minutes, depending on the shape/size of the cookie. Allow to cool completely before decorating.
    9. Make the icing: in a bowl, mix icing sugar, vanilla extract, water/milk and gel food coloring if desired. Mix until combined and smooth.
    10. Transfer the icing into a pastry bag fitted with a very small round tip. You also can use a squeeze bottle. If desired divide the icing in two, and add food coloring to one part.
    11. Pipe and decorate as desired. Watch the video to see few t
    12. Allow to dry completely before storing in air tight container.
     
    How to decorate sugar cookies?
    There are many ways to decorate sugar cookies. In this recipe I used 3 simple techniques that anyone can make.
    First method (check out the video):
    Second method (check out the video):
    Third method (check out the video):
    How to store snowflake cookies?
    First, let the cookies dry completely after decorating, then place then in an airtight container and store them in fridge, up to 5 days.
    Can we make sugar cookies ahead of time?
    You can make the dough, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for up to 2 days. Then roll it out, cut desired shapes and bake as descried in the recipe. You also can make the dough, freeze for up to 2 months. Then, thaw in the fridge overnight, roll out, cut desired shapes and bake.
    More cookie recipes:

Video