Melted Snowman Cookies

Today’s Best Recipe is Melted Snowman Cookies.

Kids of all ages will love making these cute cookies to set the holiday spirit.

This recipe uses marshmallows and frosting (or fondant) to transform classic sugar cookies into adorable melting snowman cookies.

You can follow the recipe for sugar cookies from scratch or whip up a batch from a sugar cookie mix for your annual cookie swap or next family baking session with your kids!

They are so much fun to make and even more fun to admire and eat!

Ingredients 

If you want speedy or convenience, you can skip this part and use a sugar cookie mix to make the sugar cookie dough.

• 1 1/3 cup butter
• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla, divided
• 4 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

Icing

• 4 cups powdered icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 6 tablespoons water
• 24-30 medium-sized marshmallows
• Naturally colored fondant* for decorating in various colors (black, red, yellow, blue, green)

How to Make Melted Snowman Cookies

Cookies

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes until fluffy.

Add the eggs and 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and mix until combined.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.

Slowly add the flour mixture to a large mixing bowl or the stand mixer bowl and beat until the dough comes together.

Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface using a floured rolling pin until the dough is ¼-inch thick.

Using a round 3-inch cookie cutter, cut out rounds from the dough and place them in a single layer on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, leaving 1 inch of space between each cookie. Re-roll the trimmings and cut out more rounds until all the dough has been used.

Place the baking trays in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

While the dough is chilling, heat oven to 350°F.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and bake on the baking sheet for 10-12 minutes or until the edges turn golden.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Cookie Tips:

Try using powdered sugar instead of flour for rolling out the sugar cookie dough. It still works at preventing the cookies from sticking to the work area, but the powdered sugar dissolves into the cookie when baking, unlike flour. 

I recommend not re-rolling the cookie dough more than three times.

More than this, the cookie texture and softness are compromised. Re-rolled too much, and the cookies become tough. 

Too much flour will make your cookies dry and crumbly.

Too much sugar and butter can spread sugar cookies and lose their shape when baked.

Cut out the cookies on parchment paper; this prevents you from having to try and keep their shape when scraping off the counter or transitioning to the baking sheet.

You can move the entire sheet of parchment with the cookies right on it to your baking sheet.

How To Make Melting Snowman Cupcakes:

Go from cookies to melted snowman cupcakes!

Use any cupcake recipe to whip up a batch of cupcakes.

Top the cupcakes with cream cheese frosting or use the same icing as above, and then finish decorating following the directions in this recipe. 

You may want to size up and use large marshmallows.

Icing and Decoration

Make the icing:

Sift the powdered sugar into a small bowl.

Add one teaspoon of vanilla and water, one tablespoon at a time, and stir until the mixture is thick–it should not be easy to stir. The consistency should be enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Spoon icing onto each cookie, starting in the middle and going outwards towards the edges to form the melted snowman body. Place a marshmallow, flat side down, on each cookie.

You can make American Buttercream Frosting, divide it into small bowls, and color your icing.

You will need orange icing (for the carrot nose), black icing for the eyes, buttons, and mouth, and red, blue, green, and yellow for the scarf.

Once you have your color, spoon the icing into a piping bag and use a Wilton tip 2.

Or Use Fondant:

Roll the colored fondant into thin strings and decorate the snowmen.

For the snowman faces:

Use black for the eyes, mouth, and arms

Red, blue, green, and yellow for the scarf and buttons.

Knead together red and yellow to make orange for the carrot nose.

Dip the eyes, nose, and mouth in the icing mixture to stick them onto the marshmallow. (Use tweezers if you are a perfectionist)

Place the scarf, button, and hands on the cookie’s top, then the marshmallow.

Tips:

Allow the icing and fondant to set before serving.

I find it easier to decorate the marshmallow face before I place marshmallows on the cookies. You can make the marshmallow head while the cookies bake.

Substitutions:

Use 1 teaspoon of almond extract instead of vanilla in the cookie dough.

Try peppermint extract in place of vanilla in the icing directions.

Clear vanilla extract will keep snowy white icing

skip making icing and use Betty Crocker cookie Icing

Use mini chocolate chips or mini m&m for eyes

You can use Food Markers to draw on the face and details once the cookie frosting dries.

Storage:

Keep cookies in an airtight container for up to one week,

You can store unused icing in airtight containers, place piping bags in Ziploc bags, and place them in the refrigerator to reuse; allow icing to come to room temperature, and stir or knead the piping bag.

Fondant Tips:

Fondant should be in the baking aisle of most grocery stores, or at a party and craft supply store, like JoAnn’s or Michaels.

• Roll the fondant around and knead fondant, working with it to make sure it is pliable before rolling it into shapes.
• Sprinkle your work surface with powdered sugar to prevent the fondant from sticking.
• If the fondant begins to dry and crack, work in a small amount of shortening into the cracks until they disappear.
• Colored Fondant is easy, but you can also knead a small amount of gel food coloring into white fondant. Avoid using water-based food coloring, as this will break down the fondant.

More Great Cookie Recipes:

Strawberry Cream Cheese Cookies (From a Cake Mix)
Gummy Bear Thumbprint Cookies
Skinny Chunky Monkey Cookies
Peanut Butter Spider Cookies.
Peanut Butter Cookies (the best ever!) Recipe
The Best Sugar Cookie Recipe
4 Ingredient Butterfinger Cookie Bars

Classic Meringue cookies
Easy No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies
Classic Chocolate Chip cookies
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies