Snowman Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-08-05 · Updated 2026-08-05

Soft sugar cookies shaped like snowmen, decorated with vibrant royal icing to recreate the cheerful look of a winter snowman, perfect for holiday treats. This recipe, ready in about 40 minutes, layers all-purpose flour, baking powder, unsalted butter into a dessert worth slowing down for — great for weekend baking, holiday tables, or any time you want a sweet payoff at the end of a meal. Each serving lands at about 150 calories and feeds 24, so it slots into a weekend bake or a special-occasion dessert tray. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup (2 sticks), softened unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp meringue powder
• 6 tbsp water
• as needed food coloring gel (black, orange, blue)

The bakeware we’d bake this in → Best Bakeware Sets in 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1 tsp baking powder.
2. Step 2: In a large bowl, beat 1 cup softened unsalted butter and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add 2 large eggs and 1 tsp vanilla extract, mixing until combined.
3. Step 3: Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed until a smooth dough forms.
4. Step 4: Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Use a snowman-shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes and place on ungreased baking sheets 1 inch apart.
5. Step 5: Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Let cool completely on wire racks.
6. Step 6: To prepare royal icing, beat 4 cups powdered sugar, 3 tbsp meringue powder, and 6 tbsp water in a large bowl on high speed for 5-7 minutes until stiff peaks form.
7. Step 7: Divide icing into bowls, tint with food coloring gel to create black for eyes and buttons, orange for carrot nose, and blue for scarf details.
8. Step 8: Using piping bags fitted with small round tips, decorate cookies with snowman faces, buttons, and scarves. Let icing dry at room temperature for at least 4 hours before serving.