Name: Snowman Sugar Cookies Recipe
Prep time: 2 h 30 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 4 h 45 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 and 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed for rolling and work surface; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature; 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar; 1 large egg, at room temperature; 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract; 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional, but makes the flavor outstanding); Royal Icing; red gel food coloring; black gel food coloring; orange gel food coloring

There’s something downright magical about biting into a soft, buttery cookie shaped like a cheerful snowman. The Snowman Sugar Cookies Recipe I’m sharing today is not just a treat for the taste buds but a fun holiday tradition that brings out everyone’s creativity in decorating. Let me tell you, these cookies aren’t just cute — they’re downright delicious!

The image shows seven snowman-shaped cookies stacked on a white plate with detailed lace-like edges, all placed on a white marbled surface. Each cookie has three layers: a smooth white icing base covering the whole snowman shape, a black hat on top with a slightly raised texture, and a bright red scarf wrapped around the neck. The faces have small black dots for eyes and mouths and an orange carrot-shaped nose. Three small black dots in the middle resemble buttons. Around the plate, there are a few snowflake-shaped cookies with white icing and light blue sugar decorations and a round cookie with white icing. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients & Why They Work
Make It Your Way
Step-by-Step: How I Make Snowman Sugar Cookies Recipe
Top Tip
How to Serve Snowman Sugar Cookies Recipe
Make Ahead and Storage
Frequently Asked Questions:
Final Thoughts
Snowman Sugar Cookies Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

This Snowman Sugar Cookies Recipe quickly became a go-to in my kitchen because it balances flavor, fun, and ease all in one batch. The dough is simple enough to make with the kids, yet the decorating lets you channel your inner artist. Plus, the almond extract twist? Game changer!

Delicious Flavor: The combo of vanilla with a hint of almond extract boosts these cookies from ordinary to outstanding.
Perfect Soft Texture: Unlike crunchy sugar cookies, these stay soft and tender, making every bite enjoyable.
Creative Decorating Fun: The royal icing and colorful details give you endless ways to customize snowmen with hats, scarves, buttons, and cheesy carrot noses.
Great for Gifting or Parties: Once the icing sets, they’re sturdy enough to package nicely or bring to celebrations.

The image shows decorated cookies on a white marbled surface. There are two types of cookies: snowmen and snowflakes. The snowman cookies have a light golden base with a smooth white icing covering their whole bodies, three black buttons down the middle, small black dots for eyes and mouth, an orange carrot-shaped nose, a bright red scarf, and a black hat on top. The snowflake cookies have a similarly light golden base decorated with intricate white icing patterns and some sparkling sugar crystals with a shiny blue bead in the center. The cookies are spread out randomly but some overlap slightly, showing detail and texture clearly. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Ingredients & Why They Work

Each ingredient in this Snowman Sugar Cookies Recipe plays a role in achieving that perfect buttery, soft cookie base that’s easy to handle and decorate. Here’s a quick rundown of what makes these ingredients shine together.

Flat lay of a small mound of all-purpose flour on a simple white ceramic plate, a small white ceramic bowl of baking powder powder, a small white ceramic bowl of salt, a softened whole stick of unsalted butter resting on the edge of a white ceramic dish, a small white ceramic bowl filled with granulated sugar, one whole uncracked brown egg, a small white ceramic bowl of clear vanilla extract, a small white ceramic bowl of clear almond extract, three small white ceramic bowls each filled with thick royal icing colored bright red, deep blackish gray, and vibrant orange, all placed neatly in perfect symmetry, fresh and natural ingredients, placed on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p m7354615311229779997

All-Purpose Flour: The foundation for structure — spooned and leveled for accuracy to keep dough from getting too tough.
Baking Powder: Adds just a little lift so cookies stay soft and don’t flatten excessively while baking.
Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances all the buttery, vanilla flavors in the dough.
Unsalted Butter: Softened but cool to the touch for the best creaming with sugar, which makes dough fluffy and tender.
Granulated Sugar: Sweetens and helps create that light texture when creamed with butter.
Egg: Binds everything together and adds richness, plus helps with the dough’s pliability.
Pure Vanilla Extract: The classic flavor boost that forms the backbone of these sugar cookies.
Almond Extract (Optional): A small dash perks things up with a warm, nutty note — totally optional but I swear by it!
Royal Icing & Gel Food Coloring: For the magic touch — letting your snowmen come to life with bright hats, eyes, buttons, noses, and scarves.

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Note: You'll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Make It Your Way

This recipe is super flexible in flavor and decorating style — that’s what makes it so fun to make year after year. I love swapping the almond extract for peppermint around Christmas or adding a sprinkle of cinnamon for a warm twist. And decorating with colored sugar crystals instead of icing is a fun shortcut too.

Variation: One year, I tried maple extract instead of almond — it gave the cookies a rich, comforting fall vibe that was unexpectedly delightful.
Dietary Options: You can easily swap butter for vegan butter and use egg replacer to make these dairy-free and egg-free.
Seasonal Switches: Try lemon extract with fresh lemon zest for a bright spring-themed snowman cookie.

Step-by-Step: How I Make Snowman Sugar Cookies Recipe

Step 1: Cream Butter and Sugar Until Silky Smooth

I usually start by beating the softened butter and sugar on high speed using my stand mixer. The key is to keep mixing until the mixture looks light, fluffy, and totally creamy — about 2 minutes is perfect. This step is what gives the cookies their lovely soft texture. Scrape down the bowl a few times so nothing gets left behind, then add the egg and extracts and beat again until everything is well mixed.

Step 2: Add Dry Ingredients and Chill the Dough

Next, mix your whisked flour, baking powder, and salt into the wet mixture. The dough will be soft but not too sticky — if it feels overly sticky, toss in a tablespoon more flour. Divide it into two portions, roll each out between parchment papers, then stack and chill in the fridge for at least an hour. I’ve found chilling really helps the dough firm up, making it easier to cut perfect snowmen shapes.

Step 3: Cut and Bake Your Snowmen

Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Use your snowman cookie cutter on the chilled dough, re-rolling scraps as you go. I always get more cookies than expected because of those little scraps! Bake for about 11-12 minutes until the edges just start turning golden. Let them rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.

Step 4: Decorate with Royal Icing

Once the cookies are fully cool, it’s time to let your creativity shine. Prepare your royal icing in white and color small bowls with red, black, and orange gels for scarves, hats, eyes, noses, and buttons. I pipe the white icing first for a clean base, then let it set before adding the fun details. Keeping a piping tip coupler handy lets me easily switch colors without fuss. Patience here pays off—let the icing dry for a couple of hours before handling.

Top Tip

From my many baking sessions, mastering the dough's chill time and the icing setup really makes all the difference between so-so and stunning cookies. Here are my favorite tips to help you nail the Snowman Sugar Cookies Recipe every time.

Chill Twice: Don’t skip chilling the dough both before cutting and after rolling it out — it keeps shapes sharp and makes it manageable.
Room Temperature Butter: Make sure butter is soft but not melted; it should feel cool. This helps with creaminess without making dough greasy or sticky.
Use a Coupler for Piping Tips: Switching icing colors is a breeze with a coupler, no need for multiple tips.
Let Icing Fully Set: Patience on drying the royal icing means clean designs that won’t smudge when packaging or serving.

How to Serve Snowman Sugar Cookies Recipe

snowman sugar cookies - Serving Suggestion

Garnishes

For garnishes, I love sprinkling edible glitter over the white icing once it’s just set to add a little magical sparkle — it really makes those snowmen come to life! You can also add tiny candy eyes or mini chocolate chips for texture and fun.

Side Dishes

These cookies pair wonderfully with a mug of hot cocoa topped with marshmallows or a cup of spiced chai tea. I’ve enjoyed serving these alongside warm apple cider for cozy winter gatherings too.

Creative Ways to Present

For holiday parties, I like arranging decorated snowman cookies on a platter with pine sprigs and cranberries for a festive look. Another favorite trick is layering them in clear cellophane bags tied with colorful ribbons to give as cheerful edible gifts.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Store your snowman cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, and they’ll stay soft and tasty for up to five days — perfect if you make a big batch. I usually keep them layered between parchment paper to prevent sticking.

Freezing

I’ve frozen both the plain cookie dough and decorated cookies with great success. For dough, I shape into disks, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. When freezing decorated cookies, make sure the icing is fully set, then layer with parchment in airtight containers before freezing.

Reheating

Since these cookies are soft, you don’t really need to reheat them. But if you want them a bit warmer, I gently warm in the microwave for 10-15 seconds wrapped in a paper towel to keep moisture. Just be careful not to melt the icing.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I use different cookie cutters for this recipe?

Absolutely! While the snowman shape is festive and fun, any cookie cutter will work since the dough rolls out beautifully and keeps its shape well.

How long does it take for the royal icing to set?

Typically, royal icing sets firm in about 2-3 hours at room temperature. If you want to speed things up, placing the cookies in the refrigerator for 30 minutes helps the drying process.

Can I make these cookies gluten-free?

Yes! Substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend that includes xanthan gum for best results. The texture might be slightly different but still delicious.

Do I have to use almond extract?

Nope! Almond extract adds a lovely warm flavor, but it’s optional. You can swap it out for other extracts like peppermint, maple, or lemon, or simply skip it entirely.

Final Thoughts

This Snowman Sugar Cookies Recipe is one of those sweet little kitchen traditions that make winter holidays feel extra special. Whether you’re baking with family or looking for a festive gift, these cookies bring warmth, smiles, and that perfect bite of buttery goodness every time. Trust me, once you try them, you’ll be reaching for this recipe year after year — just like I do!