Description
Delightfully festive Snowman Face Cookies made from a simple white cake mix dough, topped with creamy buttercream frosting and decorated with colorful candies to create charming snowman faces. Perfect for holiday celebrations and winter parties.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookies
- 1 (15.25 ounce) box white cake mix
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup canola oil
Buttercream
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1-2 tablespoons milk or cream
Decoration
- 1/2 cup white sanding sugar
- 18 orange Dot candies for noses
- 36 regular brown M&Ms for eyes
- 90 mini brown M&Ms for mouths
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Prepare dough: In a large bowl, combine the white cake mix, eggs, and canola oil until a uniform dough forms, making sure all ingredients are thoroughly blended.
- Portion cookies: Use a medium cookie scoop to portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart to allow room for spreading.
- Bake cookies: Bake the cookies for 11 minutes or until the edges are set and lightly golden; then remove from oven and allow them to cool for a few minutes on the sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make buttercream: In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and 1 tablespoon of milk or cream, mixing until smooth and spreadable. Add the additional tablespoon of milk if needed to adjust the consistency.
- Frost cookies: Using a knife or small offset spatula, spread a layer of buttercream evenly on each cooled cookie to act as the base for decoration.
- Add sanding sugar: Immediately sprinkle white sanding sugar over the frosted cookies to give a frosty, snowy effect.
- Decorate faces: Place one orange Dot candy in the center of each cookie as the snowman’s nose, add two regular brown M&Ms for the eyes above the nose, and arrange mini brown M&Ms in a curved line below to create a smiling mouth.
- Set frosting: Allow the frosting to set at room temperature before serving or storing the cookies to ensure decorations stay intact.
Notes
- Store the decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days to maintain freshness.
- Undecorated cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container or freezer bag; thaw at room temperature before decorating and serving.
- Use parchment paper on baking sheets to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
- You can substitute canola oil with vegetable oil or melted butter if preferred.
- For a dairy-free version, use a vegan butter substitute and plant-based milk in the buttercream.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
