Christmas in July : Santa and Snowman Ice Cream Cookies

Merry Christmas in July!!! 

I do feel like a kid on Christmas today, participating in this cookie party with some of my favorite cookiers in the history of ever. As I'm typing this, I have no idea what they've made, but I know they'll be so fun, so cute, so THEM. (I'll link to all of them at the bottom of this post as soon as I get the full list.)

So, I knew this was coming up, but I could not decide what cookie design to make. I googled "Christmas in July," I scanned Instagram hashtags, and I came up with nada.

Last week, the three of us were leaving our favorite taco joint, and I had a vision...of Santa and Snowman ice cream cones. I don't know if it was the hot sauce or the guacamole, but I do know that I'm going back there if I ever need divine (taco?) cookie inspiration.

I used Sweet Sugarbelle cookie cutters to cobble these together: Santa, snowman, and ice cream cone cutters.

To make the custom shapes, cut both shapes from the rolled dough. Here we have the ice cream and the snowman.

Then, use one cutter to cut out where the pieces will fit together. (And side note, if you wanted to make a certain emoji cookie here, you're all set.)

Freeze the shapes for at least 10 minutes before baking. The pieces will fuse together as they bake. I do let them sit on the cookie sheet for a few extra minutes when they come out the oven before removing them to a cooling rack.

To make the cookies, you'll need:

• cut-out cookie dough (I used this vanilla bean one)
• ice cream cone, Santa, and snowman cookie cutters (Sugarbelle)
• royal icing, divided and tinted with (any) Red, Americolor Bright White, and Americolor Gold mixed with Warm Brown, Americolor Super Black, Chefmaster Orange
• disposable icing bags
• couplers and tips (#2, #1)
• squeeze bottles
• toothpicks
• pink food coloring pen

Outline the tops of the "ice creams" using #2 tips and red and white icings. Outline the cones in the gold/brown icing. Reserve some of this piping consistency icing for later. 

Thin the icings with water, a bit at a time, stirring gently until a ribbon of icing dropped onto itself disappears in a count of "one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two" (or three). Cover with a damp dishtowel and let rest for several minutes. 

Gently stir with a silicone spatula and pour into squeeze bottles. Fill in the outlines areas taking care to give the areas where red and white touch about 30 minutes to set before adding the other color (such as the wide-stripe ice cream cones.) Use toothpicks to guide the icing to edges and pop large air bubbles.

For the skinny-stripe ice cream cones, flood about 6 cookies with white icing, then starting with the first one, add thinned wet icing on top.

Let the cookies dry for about an hour, then use #1 and #2 tips to add the details, such as around the mustache, and on the cone. 

Outline the scarf on the snowman with a #2 tip. Flood with the thinned icing.

Use #1 tips to add buttons and a nose on the snowmen in black and orange.

Let the cookies dry uncovered overnight or for 6-8 hours. 

The next day, use a pink food coloring marker to add a pink cheek to the snowman faces. 

I don't know about you, but I really want to see these in an actual ice cream shop. Let's make it happen! 

Alrighty...here's the list of all of the Christmas in July goodies!

Georganne (LilaLoa) - http://bit.ly/2OdUigi Callye (Sweet Sugarbelle) - http://bit.ly/2SGHSfI Mike (Semi Sweet Designs) - http://bit.ly/2M8QVEG Kim (The Partiologist) - http://bit.ly/2Z9YzCr Meaghan (The Decorated Cookies) - http://bit.ly/2JOtoaH Bridget (Bake at 350) - http://bit.ly/2ZbQqxg Lisa (The Bearfoot Baker) - http://bit.ly/2YiU77m Hani (Haniela's) - http://bit.ly/2LF5L6w
Jeanette (Blyss Cookies) - https://bit.ly/2y9888V
Samantha-Jo (Mrs. P's) - https://bit.ly/2ZeJAas
Aime (The Painted Pastry) - https://bit.ly/2Y4uzvw
Jill (Funky Cookie Studio) - https://bit.ly/2YiSL8r
Stephanie (The Hungry Hippapotomus) - https://bit.ly/314Pcor
Marilyn (Montreal Confections) - https://bit.ly/2Me4tPy
Bobbi (Bobbi’s Cookies and Cutters) - https://etsy.me/2YoQ7SM
Jared (sugar baked) - https://bit.ly/2SF681v
Sue (Munchkin Munchies) - https://bit.ly/32QGueX

You can also follow along with the hashtag #christmascookiesinjuly on social media.