Build your own sweet snowmen in the warmth of your kitchen. These Snowflake Filled Snowman Cookies are made by stacking three cookies together. Each snowman has a clear candy belly so you can see the candy snowflakes inside.
I sent some snow in the form of these sweet Snowflake Filled Snowman Cookiesย to Los Angeles last week. Do you suppose anyone there felt a chill in the airย when these little guys arrived?
To actually send snow would have been tricky, so I had to get creative and didn't have to look further than my sprinkle drawer. Don't laugh, but I actually have 5 sprinkle drawers. I often find inspiration there.
As I picked up a jar of Wilton Snowflake Sprinkles I was having fun watching the little candies swirl around the jar as I shook it. I visualized all the fun things you can do in the snow and being my favorite snow day activity is to build a snowman, I decided that's what I should do...build some snowmen using the snowflake sprinkles.
My first thought was to make a piรฑata style cookie with the snowflake sprinkles hiding inside the cookie, like my Christmas Minion Piรฑata Cookies, Apple Piรฑata Cookies, Sombrero Piรฑata Cookies, Ladies Hat Piรฑata Cookies Cookies, or Sunshine Piรฑata Cookiesย but I thought it would be more fun to actually see the snowflake sprinkles in the snowman's belly.
To fill my snowman cookies with snowflakes, I made pinata-style cookies, but added a fun twist. This time instead of hiding my candies inside the cookies, covered by a top cookie, I created a see-through candy window so the snowflakes appear as though they are in the snowman's belly.
The top cookies are made just like stained glass cookies where you melt candy in a hole inside a flat cookie.
To make the clear candy glass window in these snowmen cookies you can use Isomalt, as I did when I made my Googly Eyed Cookiesย you can make your own clear hard candy, or you can crush and melt clear mint candies.
What is isomalt?
- Isomalt is a sugar substitute that is often used to create sugar decorations because it melts easily and it resists crystallization much better than the boiled sugar. It's available in sticks and tiny crystals.
- It is a sugar-free product that doesn't promote tooth decay, has little or no impact on blood sugar, and won't stimulate the release of insulin, however, if does often bring about gastrointestinal problems.
- You can sprinkle the isomalt crystals into the hole in these cookies and they will come out nice and clear.
Use Crystal Clean Mints instead.
- When making these cookies I opted to use Arcor's Crystal Mints. They have a really nice mint flavor and can easily be crushed and melted in these snowman cookies.
- The candy glass window made using these mints won't be quite as clear as if you use isomalt, but you can definitely see the snowflakes through the candy window and they taste better.
Snowflake Filled Snowman Cookies Video
Watch the video tutorial to see how these are made then scroll down through the pictures and instructions below to see the step-by-step photo tutorial.
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How to make Snowflake filled Snowman Cookies
Supplies Needed to make these Snowman Cookies:
- Snowman Cookie Cutter
- I used a Wilton snowman cookie cutter, but unfortunately, it's no longer available. You can use any snowman cutter you like just as long as it's large enough to cut a circle out of its belly.
- round cookie cutter that fits so that you get about a ยผ-inch wall around the hole in the bottom of the snowman
- I used a 1 ยฝ-inch round cutter.
- food processor, meat mallet, or the back ofย a heavy pan to crush the candies
- parchment paper
- baking sheets
1. Cut out snowman cookies from sugar cookie dough.
- Make the cookie dough according to the recipe below.
- Roll dough out to 3/16th inch thickness.
- Cut out 28 snowmen, re-rolling dough as needed.
Tip for helping cut-out cookies keep their shape:
- Roll out the dough on a silicone baking mat, then remove the excess dough, and freeze the cut-out cookies on the mat for about 5 minutes until they become firm.
- Peel the cookies off the mat and set them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Your cookies will look like perfectly shaped snowmen if you do this.
- You can also roll the dough out on the parchment paper and do the same. It's a little more challenging because the paper will want to wrinkle. You can tape the edge down to your counter to help with that.
2. Cut holes for the candy window.
- Use the round cookie cutter to cut the bellies out of those 28 snowmen cookies.
- Re-roll the remaining dough and cut out 14 more snowmen. Do not cut the bellies out of those cookies.
- Refrigerate cookies for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Crush clear candies.
- Meanwhile, unwrap the mints and crush them into fine crumbs.
- I used my food processor, but you can put them in a heavy-duty zip-top bag and whack them with a meat mallet or the back of a heavy pan.
- You want to crush these to almost a powder so a food processor will be the easiest choice.
4. Bake the cookies and fill the bellies with candy.
- Pop one pan of cookies in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Remove and immediately sprinkle crushed mints into the holes in each cookie, filling each about ยพ full.
- Put the snowman cookies back in the oven for about 3 minutes.
- Keep an eye on the cookies. You just want the candy to melt.
- If left in the oven too long, the candy will bubble and then your candy windows will be full of bubbles.
- If needed, rotate the pan midway through this cycle so that the candy evenly melts in all the cookies.
- You'll want to fill 14 of your cookies with the mints and leave 14 with holes.
5. Bake.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely before removing them from the baking sheet.
- Bake the remaining cookies for 11-13 minutes.
- You don't want them to brown, but they should look set.
6. Decorate snowman cookies.
- Heat the Bright White Candy Melts on high in the microwave for 30 seconds, stir, 30 seconds, stir, then 15-second increments, stirring after each until melted.
- Pour candy melts into a squeeze bottle with a small opening. I use a Squeezit Mold painter which comes with pastry tips and I use a round tip with a small opening (a #3 pastry tip.)
- Pipe white chocolate over the head of a snowman cookie with a candy belly. Immediately add two black pearl eyes and one orange candy-coated sunflower seed nose.
- Next, pipe on the middle snowball, adding 3 black pearls.
- If you don't want to use sugar pearls you can pipe the black dots on using either black candy melts or dark cocoa candy melts.
- Then pipe a thick line around the bottom snowball.
- NOTE: For shiny cookies, decorate one cookie at a time, then pop it in the freezer for 3-5 minutes.
7. Assemble the cookies and fill them with snowflake sprinkles.
- Pipe some white candy melts on the backside of a cookie with a hole in it. Set it on top of a solid cookie. Sprinkle snowflakes in the hole.
- Pipe some candy melts on the backside of a cookie with the candy belly, Set it over the snowflake-filled cookie.
- Allow the cookies to dry for 10 minutes before moving.
How to store these cookies.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Metal cookie tins keep your cookies freshest longest, about 2 weeks.
- Rubbermaid or Tupperware will work well too and should last a little over a week.
- If you store the cookies in zip-top bags, they will keep for 5-7 days.
If you prefer, you can decorate your cookies using royal icing. I just like working with candy melts or chocolate better.
You can find supplies needed to create this recipe on Amazon. I earn a small commission when you use the sales links in this post to make a purchase at no extra cost to you.
I found my Wilton Two Piece Snowman Cutter at Kroger this year (2014) but couldn't find it on Amazon, so I added a link to a similar cutter. The original plastic cutter came with a top hat attached to the snowman. Any snowman cutter should work for this project.
I also added a link to some cute snowman cookie boxes that would be perfect for these cookies.
4.75" Primitive Tinplate Sn...Shop on Amazon
Cambie - Arcor Crystal Mint...Shop on Amazon
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Printable Recipe
- 4 - 4 ยผ cups all purpose flour; I start with 4 cups, then add more if needed
- ยพ teaspoon salt
- ยพ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup butter, softened slightly
- 1 ยฝ cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ยฝ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ยพ teaspoon almond or peppermint extract
- 15-20 clear mint candies; I used Arcor candies, crushed to a fine powder
- 1 bag Wilton Bright White Candy Melts
- 14 orange candy-coated sunflower seeds
- 70 black sugar pearls
- 1 jar Wilton Snowflake Sprinkles
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Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder together in a bowl.
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Set aside.
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Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
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Stir in eggs, vanilla, and almond extract.
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Add dry ingredients and stir just until it's mixed in.
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Roll out dough to 3/16 of an inch. Cut 28 snowman cookies.
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Cut circles out of 14 of those cookies.
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Roll remaining dough out to 1/16 of an inch thickness.
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Cut out 14 more snowmen.
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Freeze cookies for 30 minutes until firm.
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.ย
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Set chilled cookies on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
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Bake the whole cookies and 14 of the cookies with holes for 11-14 minutes until set.
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Bake the remaining trays of 14 cookies with holes for 10 minutes.
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Remove and spoon in the crushed candy filling the hole ยพ's full.
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Return to oven and melt for about 3 minutes.
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Allow all cookies to cool completely.
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Decorate the candy belly cookies using white candy melts, sunflower seeds, and black sugar pearls.
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Freeze for a few minutes until the candy melts harden.
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Attach one cookie with a hole to a whole cookie using candy melts.
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Fill the hole with candy sprinkles.
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Attach a decorated snowman cookie on top using candy melts.
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Let dry.
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Repeat.
This post was originally published on December 16, 2014.
You can package each snowman cookie in its own clear cellophane bag then snuggle them down into a festive box or tin to give as Christmas gifts.
This is how my snowmen traveled to Los Angeles.
Be sure to check out all my fun Christmas Recipesย and all these fun 3-D Pinata Style Cookies...
ย Mason Jar Cookies with Candy Glass
Christmas Present Cookies filled with candyย
3D Candy Filled Graduation Cap Cookies
ย
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Mary D-S
These are so cute! You are very creative.
Beth
Thanks, I'm glad you like them!
Cat
These look amazing!! I'm a snowman freak, and will definitely be trying these. Having said that, is there anything else we can use for the window that isn't mint? Quite a few people that will be eating these are not fans of mint. Thanks!
Beth Klosterboer
Thanks, Cat! You can use any clear candy but I've only seen mint candies that are clear. You can also use Isomalt which is clear and flavorless or you can make homemade hard candy. I've used Isomalt to make candy widows for other cookies. See how here - https://hungryhappenings.com/mason-jar-cookies-with-candy-glass/ You could also get some light blue candy. It won't be as clear but it would look pretty too.
Have fun!
Kim
I love your cookies, they look so nice !!
And the step by step explanation are so nice !
Beth
Thanks, I'm happy you found the tutorial helpful. I hope you enjoy making your snowmen.
Beth
I've only tried pinata cookies once, and they didn't turn out to be the same size. I think cutting the center out made the middle cookie change size. Do you have any hints to keep them the same size? I'd really love to make these for our library's annual cookie sale. If mine could turn out like yours (or even close), they'd raise some dough ๐ for the library.
Thanks for posting such complete directions with pictures. It makes it seem like I could do it!
Beth
Hi Beth,
The best way to keep the cookies the same size is to cut out the snowman cookies on a silicone mat (preferably) or parchment paper. Remove the excess. Put the silicone mat in the freezer and allow the cookies to firm up for about 10 minutes. Then remove them, and either peel them off the mat and place on your parchment paper lined baking sheet or cut out the center and place them back in the freezer for another 10 minutes before peeling them off and placing them on a baking sheet. This way, you wont stretch your cookies out at all. They will all be similar in size. I know it adds extra steps, but it's the best way to get uniform cookies. Good luck raising dough!
Beth
I do usually move my cookies from where I'm rolling to the silicone mat. Thanks for the advice. I'll roll right on the mat and to the freezer. I wasn't able to find the mints, but I think I'll make a Karo syrup/sugar/water mixture (like a sucker) and boil to 300 degrees. I can add flavoring, but not coloring. Then it will cool on silicone. After it hardens, I can crush it like you did the mints. I'm thinking it will work out okay. Again, thanks for posting the idea and answering my question!
Beth
It will definitely help to keep them on the mat. Good luck with the candy. I'd love to hear how it turns out. I have a hard time getting my handmade hard candy crystal clear. That's why I chose to use the mints. I'm sure someone skilled at making hard candy would do great with it. Have fun.
Sarah
I have a friend that moved from the Northeast to the Southwest. I've never tried pinata style cookies before, but think I may just need to try these for her next Christmas ๐
Roxanne
These cookies are AWESOME!!! I can't wait to try them and give them out for next years Christmas party!!!!!
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Trish Shamp
wow, I am so impressed! These are unbelievable - I have to get the courage to try something this cool!
beth
Thanks, Trish, but really these aren't any harder to make than any decorated cookie. You can do it!
Anonymous
I had a question about the layering of the cookies. Is it necessary to have 3 layers? Could I just sandwich the sprinkles between one non hole layer and the clear mint window layer? So basically a sandwich cookie? Thanks!
beth
The only way to to it with two cookies is to turn the cookies with the holes in them upside down before sprinkling in the crushed candy. You wont get nearly as nice a window as you will if you keep them flat. I tried that but didn't like how they looked. With this method the clear window would touch the bottom cookie so there's no room for sprinkles. If you try it with two cookies, you may need to make the top cookies a bit thicker to give you enough room for the sprinkles.
Michelle Nahom
You are seriously a creative genius! These are amazing. I am in awe. Pinning, stumbling, and I'll be sharing them on my Facebook page this weekend. Thanks so much for sharing them with us at Foodie Fridays!
beth
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I appreciate your nice comment and all the shares.
Sugartown Sweets
Oh my goodness..these snowman cookies are so darned cute! I just bought a package of the beautiful blue and white snowflake sprinkles and i love how you used them! I'm sure you've been hearing the word genius..because you really are. Love this edible craft.
I got so excited when I saw you used these clear mints. I've been trying to find something that will melt clear and having never worked with isomalt. Thank you Beth for always providing us with so much inspiration!
beth
Thank you! You are so sweet. I was so excited to find the clear mints. I'm sure I will use them for many projects to come.
Jessica Yoder-Jones
Woa. SO amazing!!! These are wonderful
beth
Thank you, Jessica.
Vanessa @Vanessa Baked
Beth, these are gorgeous cookies! Love them!
beth
Thanks so much, Vanessa:)
Sue
You are such a creative genius, Beth! I LOVE these!
beth
That's so nice of you to say. Thanks, Sue.
Marilyn *Pink Martinis and Pearls*
Very, very cute Beth! You're so creative! ๐
beth
Thanks so much, Marilyn
Georganne (LilaLoa)
Beth!!! These are SOOO cool! I love them!!
beth
Thanks, Georganne.
We Are Not Martha
These are one of the most genius ideas ever!! I love them!!
Sues
beth
Thanks, that's so nice to hear!
Danielle Doerr
These are SO CUTE!! Making the candy glass window is something I never would have thought to do! Nicely done, Beth!
beth
Thanks so much Danielle.
carla
you are a consistent innovator. always inspiring. incredible! just wow!
beth
Thanks, Carla:) I do love to challenge myself to create something new and different.
The Partiologist
Beth, these are just so cute, I love how they jiggle with snowflakes! Really, I don't think a surprise inside gets any cuter! ๐
beth
Thanks, it is so fun to actually be able to see the snowflakes jiggling around in the snowman's belly.
Brenda @ SweetSimpleStuff
So very cute ... snowman with a belly full of snowflakes! I like the way the clear layer turned out ... looks like ice! I'm sure Ericka will love them ๐
beth
Thanks, Brenda I was really happy with how nice the bellies looked too and it was pretty easy to do.