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Polar Bear Cookies

Polar bear cookies are soft, round sugar cookies topped with a smooth powdered sugar glaze, marshmallow ears, and chocolate chip faces. Chill the dough before rolling for neat 3-inch rounds that are easy to decorate.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 11 minutes
Chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 41 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 234
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cookies
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg large
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
For the glaze
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tbsp milk
For the decorations
  • 0.5 cup mini marshmallows
  • 0.5 cup semisweet chocolate chips mini

Equipment

  • 1 electric mixer
  • 2 baking sheets
  • 1 3-inch round cutter

Method
 

Make the cookies
  1. Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
  2. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
  3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
  4. Gradually mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture just until a soft dough forms.
  5. Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a disk.
  6. Wrap the disks and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  7. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  8. Roll each disk between sheets of parchment to 1/4-inch thickness.
  9. Cut out 24 rounds with a 3-inch round cutter and arrange them on the baking sheets; reroll scraps as needed.
  10. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, switching the sheets’ rack positions and rotating them halfway through, until the edges are set and the bottoms are just lightly golden.
  11. Cool the cookies on the sheets for 5 minutes.
  12. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the glaze
  1. Stir the powdered sugar and milk in a medium bowl until smooth and thick enough to spread.
Decorate the cookies
  1. Cut each mini marshmallow in half crosswise.
  2. Spread a layer of glaze over each cooled cookie.
  3. Press two marshmallow halves cut-side down near the top edge of each cookie for ears.
  4. Press three mini chocolate chips point-side down into the glaze on each cookie to make two eyes and a nose.
  5. Let the glaze set before serving.

Notes

For clean, evenly shaped cookies, chill the dough for the full hour before rolling. Store decorated cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; freeze undecorated cookies for up to 2 months. For a dairy-free version, use dairy-free butter and milk.