Joanne's Snowflake Cookies

Transform your baking into a holiday masterpiece with Joanne's Snowflake Cookies, a delightful treat that combines the buttery softness of a classic sugar cookie with the elegance of intricate royal icing designs. Perfectly spiced with a hint of almond extract, these cookies are rolled to precision and shaped into delicate snowflakes, making them a festive addition to any winter celebration. With simple yet foolproof steps, including a chilled dough for easy handling and silky royal icing made with meringue powder for professional-level decoration, this recipe is as enjoyable to craft as it is to eat. Ideal for cookie exchanges, gifting, or simply elevating your dessert table, these ornamental cookies are sure to impress. Bake, decorate, and let the snowflake magic last all season!

Nutriscore Rating: 40/100

Prep Time:30 mins

Cook Time:8 mins

Total Time:38 mins

Servings: 24

Ingredients

• 1 cup Unsalted butter
• 1 cup Granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
• 0.5 teaspoons Almond extract
• 1 Large eggs
• 2.5 cups All-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking powder
• 0.25 teaspoons Salt
• 2 cups Powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons Meringue powder
• 3 tablespoons Water
• 0 Food coloring (optional)

Directions

Step 1

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

Step 2

Mix in the vanilla extract, almond extract, and the egg, beating until fully incorporated.

Step 3

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Step 4

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a dough forms.

Step 5

Divide the dough into two portions, flatten each into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Step 6

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Step 7

Roll out one disc of dough at a time on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4-inch thickness.

Step 8

Use snowflake-shaped cookie cutters to cut out cookies and carefully transfer them to the prepared baking sheets.

Step 9

Bake for 7-8 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are just starting to turn golden. Allow cookies to cool completely on a wire rack.

Step 10

To make the royal icing, combine powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water in a bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until the icing is smooth and holds peaks.

Step 11

Divide the icing into small bowls and add food coloring, if using. Transfer each color to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip.

Step 12

Decorate the cooled cookies with the royal icing in snowflake patterns, using your piping bags. Allow icing to fully set for several hours before serving or storing.

Step 13

Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(976.0g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	3756.1

Total Fat 104.0g	0%
Saturated Fat 58.0g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
Cholesterol 434mg	0%
Sodium 1166.9mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 681.8g	0%
Dietary Fiber 8.2g	0%
Total Sugars 445.5g
Protein 39.3g	0%

Vitamin D 40IU	0%
Calcium 99.1mg	0%
Iron 15.2mg	0%
Potassium 452.4mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 24.5%

Protein: 4.1%

Carbs: 71.4%