Snow Globe Cookies (Viral Christmas Cookies)

These snow globe cookies are soft buttermilk sugar cookies covered in vanilla buttercream, decorated with mini holiday candies and rosemary “trees,” and topped with a clear ornament dome. They’re the cookies from my video that went viral last Christmas, and they look WAY harder than they are.

They look like you spent hours piping tiny details. You absolutely did not. These are the cookies you bring to the work party or the cookie exchange, or make at 10 p.m. because you’re feeling festive and unhinged.

Snow globe cookies are frosted sugar cookies decorated with a tiny edible winter scene and covered with a clear plastic dome, usually one half of a fillable ornament, so each cookie looks like a snow globe. Some bakers make a different version with melted-candy “glass” windows, but the dome style is the one you’ve been seeing all over Instagram and TikTok.

My video of these went viral last Christmas with over 5 million views and it’s taking off again right now, so here’s everything you need to nail them, including what size domes to buy.

Why You’ll Love These Snow Globe Cookies

• The wow factor. One reader brought them to a work party and everyone loved them.
• Zero piping skills. The frosting goes on with a knife, and the candy does the decorating.
• A soft cookie under all that. Buttermilk keeps the sugar cookies soft, so they taste as good as they look.

Simple Ingredients You Need For The Snow Globe Cookies

You will need the following ingredients listed below to make the sugar cookie dough (the exact measurements, nutrition information and full recipe are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post):

• All-purpose flour
• Baking soda
• Baking powder
• Butter, softened
• White sugar
• Egg
• Vanilla extract
• Buttermilk (or regular milk)
• Powdered sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Heavy cream or whole milk
• Mini Christmas decorations – snowmen, mini gingerbread men, Santas, trees, snowflakes (these one’s I linked are NOT edible).
• White sprinkles
• Fresh rosemary sprigs (optional)
• Clear plastic half-ornaments – these are your domes. I use 3.15 inch ones. The dome needs to sit inside the edge of the cookie with a ring of frosting showing all the way around.

How To Make

1. Preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder.
3. In a stand mixer or large bowl, beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and mix until combined. Mix in the egg, vanilla, and buttermilk.
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients and stir until a soft dough forms.
5. Roll into roughly 12 balls, spacing them out on the baking sheet.
6. Bake for 9-12 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden.
7. In the final minutes, gently press down the cookies with a spatula to flatten them.
8. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. For the icing – beat the softened butter on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, scraping the bowl as needed. Then mix in the vanilla extract.
10. Add heavy cream or milk 1 tablespoon at a time until the frosting is fluffy and spreadable.
11. Spread a thick layer of frosting on each cookie to create a snowy base. Then add white sprinkles.
12. While the frosting is still soft, add your edible decorations — mini snowmen, Santas, trees, snowflakes… whatever vibe you’re going for.
13. Add tiny sprigs of fresh rosemary to mimic miniature Christmas trees. The pop of natural green makes each snow globe look extra magical.
14. Once everything is positioned, place a clear plastic half-ornament on top of each cookie.
15. Gently press and hold for about a minute to secure it to the frosting.

Tips for the Best Snow Globe Cookies

• Check the fit before you frost. Set an empty dome on a cooled cookie. If it hangs over the edge, roll your next batch of dough balls a little bigger.
• Decorate one cookie at a time. Buttercream starts to crust as it sits, so frost one, decorate it, then move to the next.
• Don’t overbake. Slightly underdone is how you get a soft cookie.
• The domes are NOT edible. Wash them before you use them, lift them off before eating, and save them for next year.
• For real snow globe sparkle, add a pinch of edible glitter.

Make Ahead and Storage

These are best the day you decorate them. For a party, bake the cookies ahead up to 2 days and decorate the day of. Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days, in a single layer or with parchment between layers.

More Christmas Treats

• Christmas Chocolate Peppermint Truffles
• White Chocolate Oreo Fudge
• Gluten-Free Cinnamon Roll Cookies
• Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
• Gluten Free Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
• Easy Christmas Sugar Cookie Fudge

IF YOU TRIED THIS CUTE COOKIE RECIPE RECIPE PLEASE LEAVE IT A COMMENT AND STAR RATING. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR CREATIONS! YOU CAN PIN THIS RECIPE ON PINTEREST OR SHARE ON INSTAGRAM BY TAGGING @basicswithbails and #basicswithbails