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Snowflake Sugar Cookies Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 73 reviews

Delightfully festive Snowflake Sugar Cookies perfect for the holiday season. These soft yet sturdy cookies are cut out in beautiful snowflake shapes, baked to golden edges, and adorned with smooth vanilla frosting. Ideal for gifting or enjoying with a warm drink, this recipe offers various frosting options including a light vanilla whipped cream, classic buttercream, or store-bought frosting to suit your preference and occasion.

Ingredients

Scale

Cookies

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 5 tablespoons whole milk, as needed

Vanilla Frosting Options*

  • Vanilla whipped cream frosting (from Christmas Tree Cupcakes recipe)
  • Vanilla buttercream frosting (from Patriotic Cupcakes recipe)
  • Store-bought vanilla frosting

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat 1 cup softened unsalted butter on high speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl sides.
  2. Add Sugar: Sift in 1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar, begin mixing on low speed to prevent sugar from flying, then increase to high speed and beat until very light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape bowl again.
  3. Incorporate Vanilla: Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix briefly. Scrape down the sides.
  4. Mix Dry Ingredients: Add 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Beat just until combined; do not overmix as dough will be very thick.
  5. Add Milk: Gradually add up to 5 tablespoons whole milk, one tablespoon at a time, mixing briefly after each addition until a smooth, thick dough forms. You may not need all the milk.
  6. Chill Dough: Remove dough from mixer, divide roughly in half, shape into thick discs, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight to chill and firm up.
  7. Preheat Oven & Prepare Surface: When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously flour a clean surface to prevent sticking.
  8. Roll Out Dough: Take dough out of fridge, allow about 15 minutes at room temperature if chilled overnight. Roll dough out to 1/8 inch thickness.
  9. Cut Cookies: Using snowflake cookie cutters, cut dough shapes closely to preserve dough. Reroll scraps once if needed for additional cookies.
  10. Bake Cookies: Place cut cookies on parchment or Silpat-lined baking sheets. Bake one tray at a time on center rack for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges just start to turn golden. Rotate tray halfway through baking for even cooking.
  11. Cool Cookies: Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
  12. Frost Cookies: Choose your frosting option. For homemade frostings, spread or pipe a thin layer of frosting over each cookie using a butter knife, spatula, or pastry bag. Optionally, add sprinkles for decoration.
  13. Store Properly: Store frosted cookies airtight. Vanilla whipped cream frosting requires refrigeration and lasts 3 to 4 days; buttercream frosting can be kept at room temp for 4 to 5 days or refrigerated for 1 week; store-bought frosting cookies last up to 1 week at room temperature.

Notes

  • You may not need all 5 tablespoons of milk; add just enough to bring dough together smoothly without overhydrating.
  • Do not over-measure flour to avoid dry, crumbly dough.
  • After chilling, if dough is too firm to roll, let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before rolling.
  • Only reroll dough scraps once to avoid tough cookies; later scraps can be made into basic round cookies.
  • Use colored frosting and festive sprinkles to personalize your cookies.
  • Three frosting options: vanilla whipped cream (light, refrigeration required), vanilla buttercream (sturdy, room temp storage), and store-bought tub frosting (easy and quick but cannot be piped).
  • Cookies baked on a single tray at the center rack with rotation bake more evenly.
  • Cookies continue to firm and darken slightly after removal from oven; avoid overbaking.

Keywords: snowflake sugar cookies, holiday cookies, Christmas cookies, vanilla sugar cookies, festive cookies, cut-out cookies, vanilla frosting cookies

Find it online: https://topreci.com/snowflake-sugar-cookies-recipe/