The Best Snow Globe Sugar Cookies
Experience winter magic with these darling Snow Globe Sugar Cookies. Easy to decorate and delicious, each bite captures the enchantment of the season.
These charming treats not only taste heavenly but also capture the whimsical beauty of a snowy scene within the confines of a delectable cookie.
Follow this step-by-step guide to create your own edible winter wonderland that will leave everyone in awe.
Too busy to make this right away? Pin it for later! Pin this easy recipe to your favorite board on Pinterest and it will be waiting there when you’re ready.
Snow Globe Sugar Cookies!
Making your own sugar cookies is easy! You can even start with a sugar cookie mix base but today I’m sharing my grandma’s classic recipe that makes perfect, buttery sugar cookies every time.
Sugar cookie dough is super versatile and easy to make with only a handful of ingredients from the grocery store. You will need simple ingredients like butter, granulated sugar and all purpose flour.
These Snow Globe Sugar Cookies are not only a treat for the taste buds but also a feast for the eyes. Perfect for winter gatherings, holiday parties, or as a heartfelt gift, these cookies bring the magic of the season to life on your dessert table.
Be sure to set aside enough time to decorate the cookies, you may even want to spread it out over a few days. When adding details it’s important to wait until the layer of flooded icing is completely dry otherwise the icing may crack and the colors will bleed.
Before you get started make sure that you have everything that you need to make and decorate these cookies. I found our cookie cutters and icing bottles at Michaels but you can also order them from Amazon below.
This post contains affiliate links.
Sugar cookie supplies:
- KitchenAid Stand Mixer
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Rolling pin
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- 2″ Circle cookie cutter
- Icing bottles
- Wire cooling rack
- Cookie scribe or toothpick
This is my grandma’s classic sugar cookie recipe – time tested and delicious. The only thing that I have changed over the years is swapped out shortening for butter.
Snow globe cookie recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 large egg
- 4 Tbsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
Tip: Pre-made sugar cookie dough can be used to create these cookies as well. Simply add 1/4 cup of flour to the dough, combine well and roll as directed. You could also use premade cookies and simply decorate them with your own royal icing.
Directions:
1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl with an electric mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, combine dry ingredients. Add butter, egg, milk and extract. Mix on medium speed until a soft dough forms.
3. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least one hour. This helps to prevent the dough from spreading when baked.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
5. Dust your surface with flour and use a rolling pin to roll the dough to 1/4″ thickness on the floured surface.
6. Use cookie cutter to cut shapes from the dough. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet.
7. Bake until the cookies are lightly brown around the edges, about 7 minutes.
8. Place the cookies on a wire rack to cool.
This recipe will make about 40 circle shaped cookies.
Use my Easy Royal Icing Recipe to make your own icing for these cookies! You will need blue, brown, green and white royal icing that has been tinted with food coloring. You’ll also need white sprinkles.
INGREDIENTS
- 4 cups confectioners powdered sugar
- 3 Tbsp meringue powder
- 8-12 Tbsp room temperature water
- 1 tsp clear vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- Gel food coloring
Instructions:
1. In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, combine sugar, cream of tartar and meringue powder.
2. Add 8 tablespoons of water, the vanilla and beat for 1 minute on low.
3. Continue to add water one tablespoon at a time until the icing slowly drizzles from the whisk when lifted.
4. Separate the icing into small mixing bowls and add gel food coloring to reach the desired color.
5. Mix well and pour into icing bottles.
I prefer to use icing bottles over a piping bag because I find them easier to handle.
My royal icing tips:
- If the icing is too hard, add more water one drop at a time.
- If the icing is too soft, add more powdered sugar one teaspoon at a time.
- Icing can be stored at room temperature in a an airtight container for up to two weeks.
- To use, mix the royal icing with a hand mixer so that it becomes smooth and shiny again.
- Flood consistency is reached when a spoonful dropped onto a flat surface takes 10 – 15 seconds to become completely smooth.
These instructions will show you how to decorate snow globe cookies like these ones. In the process shots I used a lightbulb shaped cookie cutter for example.
You can really get creative though and have fun with the process! There is no right or wrong way to decorate pretty holiday cookies.
How to decorate these cookies:
1. Create a snow globe outline in blue around the outside of the cookie.
2. Flood the outline with blue icing and dust with white sprinkles.
3. Allow the blue to dry and then add a white base of snow (top with more sprinkles if desired).
4. Add 2-3 brown tree trunks above the snow.
5. Allow the white and brown icing to dry.
6. Add green icing squiggles to each of the tree trunks to create a tree shape.
These darling snow globe cookies turned out to be simply adorable! Far easier to create than you would think, all you need is a little patience and practise.
These easy holiday sugar cookies make a delicious treat! Enjoy the enchantment!
Recipe notes:
Allow the icing to completely harden for at least four hours before packaging or storing the cookies. You can cover them in plastic wrap or place them in a single layer between a piece of parchment paper.
These look amazing wrapped in cellophane or packed up in a cookie box.
Be sure to check out these 20+ snowman cookie decorating ideas for more inspiration and hours of fun!
If you love these snow globe sugar cookies, please share them on Facebook or Pinterest so that others can enjoy them too!
Ingredients
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup butter room temperature
- 1 large egg
- 4 Tbsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- 1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- 2. In a large bowl with an electric mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, combine dry ingredients. Add butter, egg, milk and extract. Mix on medium speed until a soft dough forms.
- 3. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least one hour. This helps to prevent the dough from spreading when baked.
- 4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
5. Dust your surface with flour and use a rolling pin to roll the dough to 1/4" thickness on the floured surface.
6. Use cookie cutter to cut shapes from the dough. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet. - 7. Bake until the cookies are lightly brown around the edges, about 7 minutes.
- 8. Place the cookies on a wire rack to cool.
- 9. Decorate as directed in the blog post.
