Snowflake Cookies

5 from 1 vote

These festive snowflake cookies will put you right in the holiday spirit! Not only are they beautiful but they're buttery and delicious, too!

Prep Time20

Cook Time15

Chill Time1

Total Time1 35

Course: Anytime, Christmas, Cookies, Dessert, Holidays

Cuisine: American

Servings: Cookies

Calories: 276kcal

Author: Britney

Cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix for 3 minutes, then add the egg and egg yolk and continue to mix until eggs are combined.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add vanilla extract and almond extract. Mix for another minute.
Add flour and salt and mix until just combined. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for one hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add dough to a lightly floured work surface. Use a rolling pin to roll out dough until it's about a half inch thick. Use your snowflake cookie cutters to cut out shapes in the dough. Re-roll and repeat as needed.
Place the snowflake cookies onto a baking sheet, spaced about 2 inches apart. These cookies won't spread much but still need enough space to cook. Do not overcrowd the baking sheet. I baked 8 cookies on each sheet. Bake for 13-15 minutes, until the edges of the cookies begin to turn golden brown.
Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet.

Next step, make the royal icing. In a large bowl, combine powdered sugar, meringue powder, and 7-8 tbsps of water. Whisk for about 2 minutes, until the icing becomes thick (you can use a hand mixer if the icing becomes too thick to whisk).

Time to decorate! Once the cookies have cooled completely, add the royal icing to a piping bag, fill about ½ way. Cut a tiny opening off of the bottom of bag and begin piping your favorite design on the cookies.
You can also dip the cookies into the royal icing and place them onto a wire rack. Let them dry for about 20 minutes and then pipe designs on top. Drizzle with sprinkles (optional).
Once you're finished decorating the cookies, let them sit at room temperature uncovered to dry for at least an hour.

When icing the cookies, remember that less is more. You only need a small amount of icing to create the cookie designs.
Practice on a piece of paper prior to adding your snowflake design to the cookies. It'll help map out the design in your head so that it comes out perfectly on the actual cookie.
If you don't like piping bags, you can also use a squeeze bottle when a funnel tip.