In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla bean paste, mix until combined.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Slowly add the flour mixture to the bowl of the stand mixer and beat until a dough comes together.
Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface using a floured rolling pin until it is ¼-inch thick.
Using a round 3-inch cookie cutter, cut out rounds from the dough and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, leaving 1 inch of space between each cookie. Re-roll the trimmings and cut out more rounds until all the dough has been used. Place the baking trays in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
While the dough is chilling, heat oven to 350°F. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges turn golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl. Add vanilla bean paste and water, one tablespoon at a time, and stir until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Spoon icing onto each cookie, starting in the middle and going outwards towards the edges to form the melted snowman body. Place a marshmallow, flat side down, on each cookie.
Roll the colored fondant into thin strings and decorate the snowmen. Use black for the eyes, mouth and arms, and red, blue, green and yellow for the scarf and buttons. Knead together red and yellow to make orange for the nose. Dip the eyes, nose and mouth in the icing mixture to stick them onto the marshmallow. Place the scarf, button and hands on the cookie. Allow the icing and fondant to set before serving.
*Fondant can be found in the baking aisle of most grocery stores, or at party and craft supply stores
Tips for working with fondant:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla bean paste, mix until combined.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Slowly add the flour mixture to the bowl of the stand mixer and beat until a dough comes together.
Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface using a floured rolling pin until it is 6 mm thick.
Using a round 7.5 cm cookie cutter, cut out rounds from the dough and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, leaving 3 cm of space between each cookie. Re-roll the trimmings and cut out more rounds until all the dough has been used. Place the baking trays in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
While the dough is chilling, heat oven to 180°C. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges turn golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl. Add vanilla bean paste and water, one tablespoon at a time, and stir until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Spoon icing onto each cookie, starting in the middle and going outwards towards the edges to form the melted snowman body. Place a marshmallow, flat side down, on each cookie.
Roll the colored fondant into thin strings and decorate the snowmen. Use black for the eyes, mouth and arms, and red, blue, green and yellow for the scarf and buttons. Knead together red and yellow to make orange for the nose. Dip the eyes, nose and mouth in the icing mixture to stick them onto the marshmallow. Place the scarf, button and hands on the cookie. Allow the icing and fondant to set before serving.
*Fondant can be found in the baking aisle of most grocery stores, or at party and craft supply stores
Tips for working with fondant:
Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste
