Description
These Buttercream Polar Bear Cookies are adorable, soft sugar cookies decorated with creamy buttercream frosting and charming details to resemble polar bear faces. Perfect for festive occasions or a fun bake with kids, they feature a tender cream cheese dough, a light vanilla buttercream, and playful accents of chocolate chips and colorful sprinkles.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (170g)
- ½ cup full-fat cream cheese, room temperature (113g)
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (300g)
- 1 large egg, room temperature (56g)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract (8g)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (375g)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (8g)
- ½ tsp baking powder (2g)
- ½ tsp fine salt (3g)
Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (226g)
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract (12g)
- ½ tsp fine salt (3g)
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar (454g)
- ¼ cup heavy cream (60g)
Decorations
- 1 cup white sanding sugar
- 30 large chocolate chips
- Round black sprinkles
- Round red or pink sprinkles
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
- 2 ½-inch circle cookie cutter
- ¾-inch circle cutter
- Large piping bag
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the ¾ cup of butter and ½ cup of cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Add 1 ½ cups sugar and mix until light and fluffy. Then add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Chill the Dough: Divide the dough into two portions. Wrap each in plastic wrap and flatten into rectangles about ½ inch thick. Chill in the fridge for 2 hours or 30 minutes in the freezer.
- Preheat the Oven: Set the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Roll Out the Dough: Generously flour your surface and rolling pin. Roll out chilled dough to ⅓ inch thick. Use a 2 ½-inch circle cutter to cut cookies and place them 1 inch apart on baking sheets. Use ¾-inch cutter to make smaller circles for ears, then press ears onto the top of each cookie.
- Bake: Chill cut-out cookies for 15 minutes to help retain shape. Bake at 350°F for 12-14 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Cool on pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
- Repeat: Roll out scraps, cut more cookies, and bake the second dough portion similarly.
- Make the Frosting: Beat 1 cup butter until smooth. Add vanilla extract and salt. Gradually beat in powdered sugar and heavy cream until smooth. Adjust consistency by adding more cream or powdered sugar as needed.
- Prepare to Pipe: Transfer buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a medium round tip or a 1 cm hole.
- Add Sanding Sugar: Pipe a thin layer of frosting on cooled cookies, then gently press frosted tops into white sanding sugar to coat.
- Add the Face: Pipe a small oval of frosting near the bottom of each cookie for the muzzle. Press a chocolate chip in as nose, black sprinkles for eyes, and red or pink sprinkles for ears.
- Finish and Enjoy: Repeat decorating all cookies and enjoy your delightful polar bear treats!
Notes
- Ensure all dairy ingredients are at room temperature for smooth mixing.
- Chilling the dough and cut cookies is crucial to keep the shapes intact while baking.
- Use a light hand when pressing the small circle cutter for ears to avoid distorting the cookies.
- Buttercream consistency can be adjusted by adding more cream to thin or more powdered sugar to thicken.
- Store decorated cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature.
- These cookies can be frozen after baking and cooling; freeze decorated or undecorated.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
