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Easy Soft Snowflake Sugar Cookies Recipe

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3.9 from 11 reviews

These Easy Soft Snowflake Sugar Cookies feature a tender, buttery dough with a delicate crumb, topped with a fluffy homemade buttercream frosting and festive sprinkles. Perfect for holiday celebrations, the cookies are soft-centered yet slightly golden on the edges, and decorated with charming snowflake designs. Made with simple ingredients and straightforward steps, they’re an ideal treat to bake with family and friends.

  • Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes (including chilling time)
  • Yield: 24 cookies

Ingredients

Cookie Dough

  • ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 large egg (room temperature)
  • 1 large egg yolk (room temperature)
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon artificial vanilla extract (or white vanilla extract)
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 ½ cups cake flour (300g)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda

Buttercream Frosting

  • 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon artificial vanilla extract
  • 2-4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream (or milk)
  • ¼ cup sprinkles (sparkling sanding sugar and/or nonpareils)

Instructions

  1. Make Cookie Dough: In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine softened butter, granulated sugar, and sea salt. Mix on medium speed until the mixture is light, pale, and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
  2. Add Wet Ingredients: Add the egg, egg yolk, sour cream, pure vanilla extract, artificial vanilla extract, and almond extract to the butter mixture. Continue to mix until fully combined and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  3. Add Dry Ingredients: Sift together cake flour, baking powder, and baking soda, then add to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until the dough just comes together without overmixing.
  4. Chill Dough: Transfer the dough onto plastic wrap or parchment paper. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight to firm up the dough, which helps with rolling and shaping.
  5. Preheat Oven and Prepare Work Surface: When ready to bake, preheat oven to 355°F (180°C). Lightly dust a clean surface with flour.
  6. Roll Out Dough: Remove chilled dough from refrigerator. Place on floured surface, dust the top lightly with flour, and roll out to about ½ inch thickness using a rolling pin.
  7. Cut Cookies: Using a 2.5 or 3 inch cookie cutter or a round glass, cut out circles from the rolled dough. Arrange cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie to allow for puffing and spreading.
  8. Bake Cookies: Bake one sheet at a time in the center rack of the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes. The cookies are ready when the bottoms are lightly golden brown and the tops are puffed. Avoid underbaking to prevent gummy centers and overbaking to keep cookies soft.
  9. Cool Cookies: Use a spatula to carefully transfer cookies onto wire racks to cool completely. Repeat rolling, cutting, and baking with remaining dough.
  10. Prepare Buttercream Frosting: In a large bowl or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat softened butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 8 minutes, scraping the bowl frequently.
  11. Add Powdered Sugar: Gradually add powdered sugar, about half a cup at a time, mixing well after each addition until the frosting is light, fluffy, and smooth.
  12. Flavor and Adjust Consistency: Add sea salt and artificial vanilla extract. Mix to combine. Slowly add 2 to 4 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream or milk to achieve a thick, fluffy, and spreadable consistency.
  13. Decorate Cookies: Once cookies are completely cooled, pipe or spread a generous layer of buttercream on each cookie. Immediately sprinkle with sparkling sanding sugar or nonpareils for a festive sparkle.
  14. Pipe Snowflake Designs: Using a piping bag or plastic bag with the tip cut off, pipe delicate snowflake shapes over the sprinkles for decoration.
  15. Set Frosting: Allow the frosted cookies to sit at room temperature for a few hours so the buttercream can develop a crust, making them easier to stack or store.

Notes

  • Chilling the dough is essential for easier rolling and prevents excessive spreading during baking.
  • If cake flour is unavailable, substitute with all-purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons per cup, replaced with cornstarch to maintain tenderness.
  • Use room temperature eggs to ensure better mixing and texture in the dough.
  • Watch cookies closely in the oven as baking times can vary; cookies should be just lightly golden on bottoms.
  • Buttercream frosting can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator; bring to room temperature and re-whip before using.
  • For dairy-free option, substitute butter with a non-dairy stick butter and cream with coconut cream, but texture may vary.
  • Sprinkles add a festive touch but can be omitted or replaced with edible glitter or sugar crystals.
  • Author: Amelia
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 8-10 minutes per batch (total approx. 20-25 minutes)
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://recipesvibe.com/easy-soft-snowflake-sugar-cookies-recipe/