Snowflake Cookies
User Reviews
5
Snowflake Cookies
Description
This recipe creates classic sugar cookies with a buttery base, cream sugar, egg, and vanilla. The dough is enriched with baking powder and a small amount of salt, rolled out to 1/8-inch thickness, and cut with snowflake-shaped cookie cutters. Baking at 350°F results in cookies that are dry to the touch with minimal browning, maintaining the snowflake design.
The royal icing is applied after the cookies cool completely to prevent melting and to allow the icing to harden over several hours, making them suitable for decoration ahead of time. Tips included suggest flouring cutters before cutting and transferring cookies carefully to maintain shape. The use of proper flour measurement avoids dense cookies, ensuring the right texture for cutting detailed shapes.
Additional decorating advice includes techniques for smooth piping lines and manageable sprinkle application, enhancing the delicate snowflake aesthetic. The cookies are well-suited to holiday occasions or celebrations where shaped and decorated sugar cookies are desired.
Ingredients
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour (420g)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 cup butter softened (227g, unsalted
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- 1 egg large
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- royal icing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until well combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add in the flour beating just until combined. Turn out on a lightly floured surface and divide in half. Shape each half into a square. Roll each square on a sheet of lightly floured parchment paper to 1/8-inch thickness. Carefully remove the top sheet of parchment and cut out the cookies using snowflake cookie cutters. (It may help to dip the cutters in flour before cutting the dough.) Use a spatula to help transfer the cookies to unlined and ungreased baking sheets, placing 1 inch apart on the sheet.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the cookies appear dry and are lightly golden on the bottom. Immediately transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate with royal icing and let stand on the wire rack until the icing is hardened. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Customize the cookie dough flavor by adding extracts, citrus zest, or sprinkles as desired before baking.
- To achieve smooth straight icing lines, start the piping bag flow before touching the cookie, then pull steadily for clean lines.
- Use tweezers for precise placement of sprinkles like pearls on the royal icing.
- Cool cookies completely before applying royal icing to prevent melting the decoration.
- Allow several hours for royal icing to harden fully before handling or storing decorated cookies.
- Do not overmix the dough to avoid incorporating excess air, which leads to spreading and loss of cookie shape during baking.
- Measure flour accurately with a scale or fluff and level if using measuring cups to prevent dense cookies.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 32servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 137 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 137kcal | 7% |
| Carbohydrates | 18g | 6% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 6g | 9% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 21mg | 7% |
| Sodium | 51mg | 2% |
| Potassium | 20mg | 0% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 186IU | 4% |
| Calcium | 8mg | 1% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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