I’ve been making these cookies for years now and it’s the perfect reminder of holiday tradition, my fond time as a cake decorator and just holiday festivities as a whole. They’re a smaller 2-bite size cookie and lightly decorated so they’re ‘not too sweet’. Hope this becomes a tradition in your family too!
Inspired by this Canadian Living recipe. I put my own spin on it with adding a lot less sugar to make it more appealing to my Asian palette.
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Snowflake Cookies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Soften buttered
- 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
- 1/4 cup White Sugar
- 1 ea Egg
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 1 tsp Lemon Zest
- 1 tsp Orange Zest
- 2 1/2 cup White Flour
- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt
Instructions
- In a mixer, start by beating together room-temperature butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until everything is light and fluffy. Mix in the freshly grated lemon and orange zest, one egg and vanilla.
- Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well then stir into butter mixture until well combined.
- Divide dough into 3, wrap in plastic wrap and chill. inthe fridge for one hour or overnight.
- Once the dough is chilled, roll it out to about a quarter-inch thickness. Use the plastic wrap with the rolling pin to keep the dough smooth and easy to work with. If it’s being stubborn, gently rock the rolling pin from side to side to help it come together.
- Cut out the snowflakes with your favourite cookie cutters and repeat until all the dough is used up. If the dough gets too soft, just pop it back into the fridge for a few minutes.
- Bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are just slightly golden. Let them cool completely before icing.
Notes
I’ve experimented with different types of shapes and cookie cutters and this one is my favourite
Snowflake Cookies: Royal Icing & Decorating (Part 2)
If you’ve already baked your snowflake cookies, this is where the real magic happens. In this second part of my Snowflake Cookie Series, I’m sharing how I make a simple royal icing and decorate classic snowflake cookies using an easy piping technique that anyone can do – no fancy tools or prior decorating experience required.
This is my favourite part of holiday baking. It’s calm, creative, and honestly a little therapeutic.
This royal icing recipe is inspired by a classic Canadian Living method, with a few small tweaks that work best for how I decorate cookies at home.
Royal Icing
Ingredients
- 3 ea egg whites
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- 4 cups icing suga
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites on high speed until frothy.
- Add the cream of tartar and continue mixing until soft peaks begin to form.
- Gradually sift in the icing sugar while mixing.
- Continue beating until the icing becomes thick, glossy, and forms stiff peaks.
- Your icing should hold its shape but still be smooth enough to pipe easily.
Notes
How to Fill Icing Bags (The Easy Way)
I’m using icing bags from Costco Business, but a simple Ziploc bag works just as well.- Insert a coupler into the bottom of your icing bag.
- Place the bag inside a tall glass and fold the edges over the rim.
- Spoon about 1/3 cup of icing into the bag (this is the perfect amount if you have small hands).
- Twist the top to tighten and keep the icing secure while piping.
Decorating Snowflake Cookies
I decorate my cookies using a number 2 piping tip and draw a simple snowflake pattern — straight lines from the center with small details added as you go. There’s no wrong way to do this, which is part of the fun.
To finish, I sprinkle a little white sugar over the icing while it’s still wet. It adds just the right amount of sparkle and makes the cookies feel extra festive.
A Simple Holiday Tradition
These snowflake cookies are perfect for holiday baking days, cookie swaps, or quiet afternoons decorating with family. I love how something so simple can feel so special year after year.
If you haven’t already, be sure to check out Part 1 of the Snowflake Cookie Series, where I share the cookie dough recipe and baking steps.
Thanks so much for baking along with me – I hope these cookies find their way into your own holiday traditions.
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