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Snowman Melting Sugar Cookies

Snowman melting sugar cookies are cut-out sugar cookies topped with thick vanilla icing that drips over the edges. Marshmallow snowmen, chocolate features, orange icing noses, and pretzel arms make each cookie a festive decorated treat.
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
chilling 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 2 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 220

Ingredients
  

For the cookies
  • 2.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.25 tsp fine salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg large, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the icing and decorations
  • 3 cup powdered sugar
  • 6 tbsp whole milk
  • 1 tbsp light corn syrup
  • 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
  • 12 marshmallows large, halved crosswise
  • 24 pretzel sticks
  • 0.25 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 1 tube (0.67 oz) orange decorating icing

Equipment

  • 1 electric mixer
  • 2 13x18-inch baking sheets
  • 1 3-inch round cookie cutter

Method
 

Make the cookies
  1. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.
  2. Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.
  3. Beat the egg and vanilla into the butter mixture until combined.
  4. Mix in the flour mixture on low speed just until the dough comes together.
  5. Divide the dough into 2 disks and wrap them.
  6. Refrigerate the wrapped dough for 1 hour.
  7. Heat the oven to 350°F.
  8. Line two 13x18-inch baking sheets with parchment paper.
  9. Roll each dough disk between sheets of parchment to 1/4-inch thickness.
  10. Cut 3-inch rounds and reroll the scraps.
  11. Arrange the cookies about 1 inch apart on the prepared sheets.
  12. Bake the sheets one at a time for 9–11 minutes, until the edges are just lightly golden and the centers are set.
  13. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes.
  14. Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
Make the icing and decorate
  1. Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth and thick but spoonable.
  2. Working with one cooled cookie at a time, spoon about 1 tablespoon icing over it.
  3. Nudge the icing into drips at the edges.
  4. Immediately place a marshmallow half cut-side down near one edge.
  5. Add 2 mini chocolate chips for eyes and 1 for a button.
  6. Pipe on an orange nose with the orange decorating icing.
  7. Insert 2 pretzel halves at the sides for arms.

Notes

For neat icing drips, decorate one cooled cookie at a time and add the marshmallow and decorations immediately. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days; freeze undecorated cookies if desired. For a dairy-free swap, use dairy-free butter and milk.