These Christmas sugar cookies have a sugary sweet buttercream topping + a soft sugar cookie texture. Decorate them as snowman cookies to make them SO cute!
Whisk the flour and baking powder together in a medium bowl and set aside.
Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth or about 2 1/2 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until fluffy, about 1 minute. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Turn the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture approximately a quarter at a time, scraping the side of the bowl after each addition. The dough will form a ball around the paddle attachment and feel soft but not sticky.
Wrap the dough ball in a piece of plastic wrap and press down to form a 1-inch thick disk. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes or store for up to 7 days tightly wrapped.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 1/4 inch thickness, using additional flour as necessary to prevent sticking. Cut out the dough with a 2 1/2 inch round cookie cutter and carefully transfer circles with a metal spatula to a nonstick baking sheet, placing the cookies about 3/4 inch apart.
Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack about 7 to 8 minutes, until puffy. Let the cookies rest for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Repeat steps 6 and 7 with the gathered scraps until all the dough has been used.
Buttercream Icing Directions
Combine the butter and shortening in the bowl of an electric mixer.
Using the paddle attachment, beat on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Add half of the confectioners’ sugar and continue beating on low speed for an additional 2 minutes or until the mixture is creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the remaining confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and heavy cream, and beat until the frosting is creamy and fluffy (about 2 minutes more). Add any food coloring, if using, and beat on low speed until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds or until the color is incorporated.
Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to one month.
Snowman Decorating Instructions
Divide icing into three sections and mix in food coloring to dye it as follows: 1/2 cup black, 1/2 cup orange, remainder undyed white.
Fit one pastry bag with the #1a decorating tip and fill with white icing. Fit one pastry bag with the #2 decorating tip and fill with the black icing. Fit one pastry bag with the #3 decorating tip and fill with orange icing.
Using the white icing, pipe a large dollop onto the cookie to cover the entire surface. If your icing ends up shaped like a chocolate kiss, gently tap the cookie on the counter to encourage the icing to settle.
Using the black icing, pipe the snowman’s eyes and mouth.
Using the orange icing, pipe a nose to resemble a carrot.
Video
Notes
Variation For Gluten Free Snowman Cookies:
Replace all-purpose flour with equal amounts of gluten-free flour such as Bob's Red Mill brand.
This buttercream icing will form a crust in about six to eight hours. Once that happens, store the cookies between layers of parchment paper in an airtight container for up to four days or freeze for up to one month.
Never refrigerate holiday sugar cookies or they will become soggy.