Santa Hat Cookies
Soft from-scratch sugar cookies topped with a ring of vanilla buttercream, a fresh strawberry hat and a frosting pom-pom. An easy Christmas cookie that kids can decorate.
Servings 24 cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon milk
For the Buttercream
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract clear vanilla for the whitest frosting
- 1-2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- 1 pinch salt
For the Hats
- 24 small strawberries about 1 ¼ inches tall, similar size
Instructions
Make and Bake the Cookies
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.
- Beat the butter and sugar on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and milk.
- Add the dry ingredients on low speed and mix just until combined. Chill for 15 minutes if the dough is too soft to roll.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment. Roll the dough into 24 balls, about 1 ½ tablespoons each, and space them 2 inches apart.
- Press each ball to about ½ inch thick with the bottom of a glass.
- Bake for 10 to 11 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops are pale. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then cool completely on a rack.
Make the Buttercream
- Beat the butter for 1 minute until creamy. Add the powdered sugar on low, then the vanilla and salt.
- Add milk a little at a time and beat on high for 2 minutes until fluffy and stiff enough to hold a peak. Transfer to a piping bag.
Assemble the Hats
- Rinse and thoroughly dry the strawberries. Slice off the tops straight across to make a flat base and let them rest cut-side down on paper towels for 10 minutes.
- Pipe a ring of buttercream on top of each cooled cookie.
- Set a strawberry cut-side down in the center of each ring and press gently so the frosting forms a brim.
- Pipe a small dot of buttercream on the tip of each strawberry. Serve within 4 to 6 hours or refrigerate loosely covered.
Notes
- Dry the berries: Wet strawberries slide and turn the white brim pink.
- Make ahead: Bake the cookies up to 3 days ahead or freeze up to 3 months. Buttercream keeps 1 week refrigerated.
- Storage: Refrigerate assembled cookies loosely covered and serve within 24 hours. Do not freeze assembled cookies.
- Shortcut: Refrigerated sugar cookie dough and store-bought vanilla frosting both work.