Christina's Cucina

An impassioned Italian Scot sharing how to cook authentically, and travel with enthusiasm.

Snow Cookies, an LA Times Top Ten Holiday Cookie Bakeoff Favorite (Winner)

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Snow cookies are made with a recipe I created to imitate the flavors of a Snow Cake my mother used to make when I was a little girl. Award winning recipe!

snow cookies stacked on a plate viewed from the side

Christmas in California takes some getting used to.

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I suppose for native Californians, 80-degree days with flowers blooming in December and dining alfresco for Christmas dinner is normal. As a non-native, I have become accustomed to the lack of “winter,” but I think it’s the only day of the entire year, when I would still like to see snow on the ground.

Another raspberry and coconut Scottish delight: Snowballs!

Scottish Snowball cookies on a plate with baubles behind

Of course, I’d want it gone by the next day, so I’m really not complaining about the lack of wintry weather (that’s why I moved here in the first place) it’s more of a lack of “feeling” or the atmosphere of what I grew up with as a child.

Growing up with Snow Cake

When I was a little girl in Scotland, my mother often made a snow cake, which had a biscuit (cookie) base, a slathering of raspberry jam, topped with a layer of cake, and crowned with white icing and shredded coconut. I have always been smitten with coconut, and I just adored this cake.

snow cake photo in an old recipe book

Making snow cookies, an adaptation of the snow cake my mother used to make, makes it feel more like the Christmas season to me–I mean, they look like beautiful snow-topped delights, don’t they? And if you think they just look lovely, you are so mistaken, because Snow Cookies actually taste even better than they look.

I’m sure it’s the combination of delicate, shortbread-like cookie, with the fruity, raspberry jam, the sweetness of the icing and coconut, all in one bite–its just a fabulous blend of flavors!

inside of a half eaten snow cookie showing oozing jam

Here’s another wonderful thing about these cookies: they last a long time (well, I should say they “keep” for a long time; that is, if your family and friends don’t finish them immediately!)

You can make a batch of snow cookies (without putting the jam in the middle) and they’ll stay fresh in a tin for weeks. Just sandwich them together right before you plan to eat them or give them away. They’re perfect for Christmas and holiday cookie wwaps, or to give to friends and family in festive paper boxes, adorned with lovely ribbons or bows.

I think it’s safe to say that most people would enjoy delicious, homemade cookies much more than many other run-of-the-mill gifts.

As for a white Christmas, I suppose I’ll tough it out in the warm sunshine with the rest of my fellow Angelenos, yet again. We may not have snow, but we can have snow cookies!

overhead shot of snow cookies on a plate

Contest Winner

I am very excited and honored that my snow cookies were chosen as one of the LA Times Top 10 Favorite Cookies in the 2012 Bakeoff! If you are interested in my tour of the test kitchen and photo shoot, you can read about it and see some photos here. The recipe was printed in the December 15th edition of the LA Times newspaper.

*Jan. 18, 2014 – I am even more excited to add that this recipe has been chosen as the Better Recipes Editor’s Choice. My snow cookies won The Best Blogger Recipe Ever: Holiday Recipe Contest, and will be featured on The Daily Dish (online) and in print in Better Homes and Gardens magazine (April issue).


Snow Cookies

an original recipe by Christina Conte
Makes about 14 2 1/2″ or 24 2″ cookies (sandwiched together)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (8 oz) good quality salted butter (I use Kerrygold), softened
  • 1/2 cup (4 oz) sugar
  • 2 cups (10 oz) good quality, sifted, all-purpose flour
  • raspberry jam (like Mackay’s or Bonne Maman – invest in good-quality jam, it will make your cookies taste better!)
  • 4 cups confectioner’s (powdered) sugar, sifted
  • 1/4 cup (2 oz) milk
  • finely shredded, unsweetened coconut (I like Let’s Do Organic brand, which is propylene glycol free)

Cream butter and sugar together, then add flour and mix until a dough forms.

cookie dough

Place half of the dough onto to a well-floured surface, and roll out to about 1/4″ thickness. Cut with a round cookie cutter (I use a 2″ or 2 1/2″ cutter.)

cutting cookies from cookie dough rolled out

Using a metal spatula or turner, lift each cookie.

cutting out cookies

Then place onto a prepared cookie sheet (I like to use a silicone sheet). Bake in a 350º F oven for 8-10 minutes.

cookies ready to be baked on a tray

They should not start to brown. (I turn my trays around halfway through baking to make sure they cook evenly.)

Remove the tray from the oven and set aside for a few minutes before transferring cookies onto a cooling rack. Repeat with remaining dough.

Allow to cool completely, then pair off similar shaped cookies together, placing the smoothest cookie on top.

undecorated cookies on a rack

Prepare the icing

Mix together confectioner’s sugar and milk. The icing should be the consistency of Elmer’s Glue (it will look like it too!)

pouring icing into a bottle

Next, spread or pipe some icing on each top cookie only; do not ice all of them. I love to use a condiment style bottle to do the outline, then fill in the center. It’s really fun, and easy enough for kids to do!

Decorate the cookies

icing a cookie

Don’t worry about getting it perfect, because once finished, they will look great!

freshly iced cookie

Immediately sprinkle with coconut, and set aside with its mate. I usually let these dry overnight; they need at least 6 hours for the icing to set.

dropping coconut on the icing

Snow Cookies ready to be filled

When the icing is dry, sandwich the cookies together with some raspberry jam. Place a few on a festive plate, or box them up for a lovely holiday gift! This is another great foodie gift.

Award winning Snow Cookies LA Times Holiday Cookie winner recipe

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Snow Cookies ready to be filled

Snow Cookies

Yield: 24 2" cookies (double)
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Additional Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

A shortbread biscuit sandwiched with raspberry jam, topped with icing and coconut. Perfect for the holidays.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (8 oz) good quality salted butter (I use Kerrygold), softened
  • 1/2 cup (4 oz) sugar
  • 2 cups (10 oz) good quality, sifted, all-purpose flour
  • raspberry jam (like Mackay's or Bonne Maman - invest in good-quality jam, it will make your cookies taste better!)
  • 4 cups confectioner's (powdered) sugar, sifted
  • 1/4 cup (2 oz) milk
  • finely shredded, unsweetened coconut (I like Let's Do Organic brand, which is propylene glycol free)

Instructions

    1. Cream butter and sugar together, then add flour and mix until a dough forms.
    2. Place half of the dough onto to a well-floured surface, and roll out to about 1/4" thickness. Cut with a round cookie cutter (I use a 2" or 2 1/2" cutter.)
    3. Using a metal spatula or turner, lift each cookie then place onto a prepared cookie sheet (I like to use a silicone sheet) and bake in a 350º F oven for 8-10 minutes.
    4. They should not start to brown. (I turn my trays around halfway through baking to make sure they cook evenly.)
    5. Remove the tray from the oven and set aside for a few minutes before transferring cookies onto a cooling rack. Repeat with remaining dough.
    6. Allow to cool completely, then pair off similar shaped cookies together, placing the smoothest cookie on top.

Prepare the icing:

  1. Mix together confectioner's sugar and milk; the icing should be the consistency of Elmer's Glue (it will look like it too!) Color it into pastel colors of your choice.
  2. Spread or pipe some icing on each top cookie only; do not ice all of them. I love to use a condiment style bottle to do the outline, then fill in the center. Sprinkle with coconut.
  3. Set aside with its mate and let these dry overnight; they need at least 6 hours for the icing to set.
  4. When the icing is dry, sandwich the cookies together with some raspberry jam. Place a few on a festive plate, or box them up for a lovely gift!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 31Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 5mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 1g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a review by clicking on the 5 stars above, in the purple header (a form will appear) or tag me on Instagram! 😍

© Christina Conte
Cuisine: British, Scottish / Category: Bread, Cookies & Pastries

Christina’s Cucina is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees. This is done by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

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Reader Interactions

72 Responses

  1. Hello Christina! I am a huge fan! I am italian and have been writing a cookbook for my kids that I plan to give to them as wedding presents ( 3 kids and the oldest is 8 but I want to make sure I find as many authentic italian recipes as possible lol). Your website has been a god send! I made the Sicilian whole orange cake and my kiddos and husband went nuts for it, so thank you! I was wondering if you have the original recipe you grew up with that you adapted this cookie from with the cake layer, I would love to try it as well. Thanks again you are officially my go to when I bake something new!

    Reply

    • This is such a lovely message to wake up to, Shannon! Thank you so much, your trust in my recipes is very much appreciated. I love the cookbook idea, so useful and memorable! And yes, I do have the recipe for the Snow Cake! Here you go! Enjoy! CC

      Reply

  6. Hi Christina,
    Would these cookies be okay to bring to an Easter dinner, as a dessert treat?
    I’ll make them n the Wednesday, for the Sunday?
    Please let me know or I have my mother in law’s Easter cookies?

    Reply

    • Coconut lovers would adore them, Luisa! Why not? And yes, making them on Wednesday isn’t an issue. I’d bake them Wednesday and then leave the icing/coconut and jam until a day or two before the Sunday. Buona Pasqua!

      Reply

  13. I’m about to make these using my homemade Carrot Cake Jam. I think it will pair perfectly. Thank you , it sounds like a delicious cookie with rave reviews and this will definitely be in my gift baskets. I needed a new cookie to go in them. I usually give a jar of the jam and an orange marmalade too. This will be perfect. 😊

    Reply

  16. Ok, so I saw this recipe and thought, hmm, how good can I take it be right? I mean, my Greek mother has taught me how to master the Greek shortbread, aka kourambiedes……but then I thought, it is Christina’s recipe and this lady has made me extremely popular around the donut circles, just give it a go! Well boy was I glad we made these beauties. Christina, they are simply divine and make the perfect foodie gift for Christmas. Alas, another batch was needed to be made because my family kinda ate them before they were given! Thanks so much, these are no doubt keepers. Wishing you a wonderful festive season from down under in Melbourne!

    Reply

    • What an awesome review! Thanks so very much, Anastasia! :) Sorry to hear your family ate the first batch, but you can’t really blame them, can you? Hope you enjoy the holidays, too! Thanks again!! 🥂

      Reply

  19. These are beautiful and completely delicious. Delicate and rich at the same time. We made them for a Christmas Cookie Competition (that is historically very competitive) last year and we won! I almost panicked when I thought I couldn’t find the recipe! Baking these will be a part of our holiday traditions for years to come!

    Reply

    • Oh you made my day, Amber! That’s wonderful to hear that you won a cookie contest with the Snow Cookies, too! So glad that they’ll be part of your holiday baking tradition. Thanks so much for letting me know, I’m sharing your comment on Facebook! :) Merry Christmas!

      Reply

  20. They look both adorable and scrumptious! I’ll try to make them this weekend (and bring them to the office as I always do).
    One quick question if I may: the 350 F, is that for a “regular” oven or a hot air one?

    Reply

      • Thx! I hope so. They enjoyed this week’s gingersnaps even though the recipe said they should be chewy and the result was….well: snappy. I’ll let you know the results on the snow cookies, but I trust you and your recipe completely!

        Reply

          • Yes, I was wondering about the “snap” part of the name too ;-)
            So, I made the snow cookies.
            Lesson learned: I should have listened to my gut feeling and put the dough in the fridge for a while as they “melted’ a bit when in the oven, my hands are very warm – not good for the butter
            However, I found a way to shape them up nicely, took them to work and they indeed loved them! Very happy faces and mouth to mouth feedback, colleagues popping up in my office asking if I had any left. Again: thank you for always willing to share your beautiful recipes!

          • Ah yes, even if your kitchen is warm that will happen. I should add a note to the recipe. Glad they turned out in the end and everyone loved them, Anne! Thanks for coming back to leave a review, I appreciate it!

  25. Love your website, and love the look of these cookies. I think my daughter and I will have a go at these for our family Chrsitmas celebrations in Linlithgow. Merry Chrsitmas all!

    Reply

  26. I also grew up in Scotland and just love Empire biscuits!
    Best bakers in the world in my opinion! Do not get me started on sticky toffee pudding !
    Miss home every day ?

    Reply

  27. I had guessed right away that these were an adaptation of one of my favorites from our bakery, Empire biscuits! Love these but find them a bit scuttery to make. Worth the effort though. Thanks for the memories!

    Reply

  28. Okay. First let me say these look amazing! What a fun treat for Christmas (could use a little snow in PHX for one day, too)! Second, WOW! Congrats on your double-whammy recognition! I’ll look forward to seeing this in print!

    Reply

  29. I’m having company next weekend and want to have several treats under a cake dome for them to help themselves to. These will be perfect – thank you! Just wondering…1.) If I make them now and store them, should I ice and coconut them now too? Or just store the cookies and ice when I am sandwiching them? 2.) I don’t think I have a tin available….will they store just as well in a plastic storage container? THANK YOU Christina!

    Reply

    • Hi Renee, that’s a lovely idea! Yes, you could ice and coconut them ahead of time, and then just sandwich them together the day you want to serve them, because the icing needs time to set so you’d have a mess if you didn’t do it ahead of time. I find that cookies store much better in a tin, than in a plastic container, but if you don’t have a tin it will have to do. Send me a photo if you remember! Enjoy, CC

      Reply

  38. These Snow Cookies are beautiful. I love them! Am I right in thinking that without the coconut and with a cherry, they would be my all -time favorite in the UK, and particularly Scotland, yummy Empire Biscuits?

    Reply

    • Oh, thank you, Susan! Sorry for the delay-I’ve been travelling and missed this comment. These cookies are really basic and simple, but I think that’s what makes them so delicious. One of my favorites! CC

      Reply

  40. Oh wow! These look delicious and beautiful. So glad you shared the link over on food52. They might end up as a New Year’s cookie for us, but we’ll be trying them soon for sure.

    Reply

    • Thank you so much, Marcella! I’m so happy you found my blog and will be making my Snow Cookie recipe soon! I cannot tell you how many batches I’ve made in the past month! :) Thanks for stopping by! CC

      Reply

    • Great, Susan! I’m so glad you found my recipe! Let me know how you like it-I have to make another batch tomorrow (they just disappear!) :) CC

      Reply

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