Adorable Polar Bear Cookies Recipe

Adorable Polar Bear Cookies Recipe: Frosty Fun In Every Bite!

Soft, buttery cookies with a delightful polar bear cookies recipe twist bring winter magic to your dessert table.

These charming treats capture the essence of snowy landscapes with their adorable design.

White frosting and creative decorations turn simple sugar cookies into adorable polar bear faces that spark joy.

Baking becomes an art form when you craft these cute confections.

Kids and adults alike will fall in love with these playful, sweet creations.

The simple ingredients and easy assembly make these cookies perfect for holiday gatherings or cozy afternoons.

Dive into this delightful recipe and let your baking creativity run wild.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Calories: 160 kcal

Servings: 23

What Goes Into Polar Bear Cookies

For Dough Base:
  • All-Purpose Flour: Provides tender structure and classic cookie foundation, choose unbleached for optimal texture.
  • Baking Powder: Creates gentle lift and softness, ensure it's fresh for maximum rising potential.
  • Granulated Sugar: Delivers sweetness and helps cookies achieve golden edges, select fine-grained for smooth mixing.
  • Butter: Brings rich flavor and tender crumb, use high-quality unsalted for best taste control.
  • Egg: Binds ingredients and adds moisture, select fresh room-temperature eggs for smooth incorporation.
  • Vanilla Extract: Enhances overall flavor complexity, opt for pure extract over artificial versions.
  • Salt: Balances sweetness and amplifies other flavors, use fine sea salt for even distribution.
For Coating and Decoration:
  • White Chocolate Chips: Creates smooth polar bear exterior, choose high-quality brands for glossy finish.
  • Mini Marshmallows: Forms adorable bear ears, select soft and fresh marshmallows.
  • Candy Eyes: Adds cute character to cookies, pick food-safe edible versions.
  • Mini Chocolate Chips: Serves as cute nose detail, use dark or milk chocolate for contrast.
For Optional Embellishments:
  • Sprinkles: Provides playful winter accent, choose white or silver tones for polar theme.
  • Icing: Allows additional decorative details, use thick consistency for precise designs.

Tools To Make Polar Bear Cookies Look Adorable

  • Large Mixing Bowl: Essential for combining wet and dry ingredients smoothly.
  • Baking Sheet: Perfect for evenly baking cookie dough and creating uniform treats.
  • Parchment Paper: Prevents cookies from sticking and makes cleanup a breeze.
  • Wire Rack: Helps cookies cool evenly without getting soggy.
  • Microwave-Safe Bowl: Ideal for melting white chocolate quickly and safely.
  • Tablespoon or Cookie Scoop: Ensures consistent cookie sizes and shapes.
  • Whisk: Great for mixing dry ingredients and creating smooth combinations.
  • Spatula: Helps scrape and mix ingredients thoroughly.

How To Create Polar Bear Cookies With Ease

  • Cookie Foundation

Start by combining soft butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Blend until the mixture becomes airy and light. Add a single egg and vanilla, mixing until everything looks smooth and creamy.

  • Flour Mixture

In another bowl, blend flour with baking powder and salt. Slowly incorporate these dry ingredients into the buttery mixture, stirring gently until a consistent dough forms.

  • Cookie Shaping

Roll small portions of dough into round spheres. Arrange them carefully on a lined baking tray, ensuring each cookie has enough space to spread. Press down gently on each ball to create a slight flattening.

  • Baking Process

Place the tray in a preheated oven. Bake until the cookie edges turn a delicate golden color, which typically takes about 10-12 minutes. Remove and let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack.

  • Polar Bear Transformation

Melt white chocolate using short microwave bursts, stirring between each interval. Carefully dunk each cookie into the smooth white coating. While the chocolate remains wet, attach marshmallow ears, candy eyes, and a tiny chocolate nose to create adorable polar bear faces.

  • Final Setting

Allow the decorated cookies to rest at room temperature until the white chocolate hardens completely. For quicker results, pop them in the refrigerator for a few minutes.

Creative Options For Polar Bear Cookies Faces And Flavor

  • Expert Polar Bear Cookie Baking Tips & Variations
  • Dough Consistency Magic: Ensure butter is softened but not melted for perfectly tender cookies. Cold butter creates dense, tough textures that nobody wants.
  • Chocolate Coating Trick: Keep white chocolate smooth by stirring frequently and avoiding overheating. Melt slowly and gently to prevent burning or separation.
  • Decorating Pro Hack: Use tweezers for precise placement of tiny marshmallow ears and delicate candy details. This helps create professional-looking polar bear faces with minimal mess.
  • Gluten-Free Friendly Option: Swap regular flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend to make these adorable cookies accessible for people with wheat sensitivities. Almond or oat flour work wonderfully as alternative bases.
  • Dairy-Free Adaptation: Replace butter with coconut oil or vegan butter, and use dairy-free white chocolate chips to create an inclusive treat that everyone can enjoy. Coconut-based coatings provide an extra delightful flavor twist.

Serving Polar Bear Cookies For Winter Fun

  • Frosty Cookie Companions: Pair these adorable polar bear cookies with hot cocoa for a delightful winter treat that warms both hands and hearts.
  • Snowy Dessert Platter: Create a winter wonderland display by arranging polar bear cookies alongside other white-themed treats like meringue snowballs or coconut macaroons.
  • Kids' Decorating Party: Transform cookie decorating into a fun activity by setting up stations with white chocolate, candies, and marshmallows so children can personalize their own polar bear cookies.
  • Gifting Sweet Memories: Package these cute cookies in clear cellophane bags tied with blue or white ribbons for a charming homemade gift that brings instant smiles.

Best Ways To Store Polar Bear Cookies Fresh

  • Chilled Protection: Store decorated polar bear cookies in an airtight container, layering between parchment paper. Keep refrigerated for up to 5 days to maintain their adorable shape and crisp texture.
  • Freezer-Friendly Technique: Wrap undecorated cookies individually in plastic wrap, then place in freezer bags. Freeze for 3 months, allowing quick thawing for spontaneous decorating sessions.
  • Room Temperature Magic: Keep plain cookies in sealed containers at room temperature for 7-10 days, ensuring maximum freshness and crunch. Place a slice of bread inside to retain moisture.
  • Make-Ahead Masterplan: Prepare cookie dough up to 3 days before baking. Refrigerate in tightly wrapped plastic, or freeze dough balls for instant baking whenever sweet cravings strike.
Print
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Adorable Polar Bear Cookies Recipe

Adorable Polar Bear Cookies Recipe


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4.7 from 13 reviews

  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 23 1x

Description

Polar bear cookies bring arctic charm to winter dessert tables with adorable bear-shaped treats. Sweet coconut-covered sugar cookies deliver whimsical winter magic for delightful seasonal celebrations.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 stick (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 2 cups white chocolate chips or candy melts
  • mini marshmallows
  • candy eyes
  • mini chocolate chips or black edible pearls
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • optional: red or blue sprinkles

Instructions

  1. Preparation: Calibrate the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, ensuring all ingredients are room temperature for seamless integration.
  2. Blend Base: Whip butter and sugar in a generous mixing bowl until fluffy and pale, then smoothly incorporate egg and vanilla extract, creating a silky emulsion.
  3. Compose Dough: Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together, then tenderly fold into the wet mixture, gently combining until a uniform dough emerges without overworking.
  4. Shape Cookies: Craft uniform spherical dough portions using a cookie scoop, positioning them methodically on the prepared baking sheet with strategic spacing to accommodate expansion.
  5. Bake Precisely: Flatten each dough ball slightly with your palm, then slide the tray into the preheated oven, monitoring for delicate golden edges after 10-12 minutes of baking.
  6. Cool and Prepare: Transfer cookies to a wire rack, allowing complete cooling while simultaneously preparing the white chocolate coating via careful microwave melting in 20-second increments.
  7. Chocolate Immersion: Dip each cooled cookie into the glossy white chocolate, ensuring comprehensive coverage, then position on fresh parchment paper for decorative embellishment.
  8. Character Creation: While chocolate remains wet, strategically attach mini marshmallow ears, candy eyes, and a chocolate chip nose to transform cookies into playful polar bear characters.
  9. Finalize Design: Optionally enhance with sprinkles or subtle icing details, then allow cookies to set at ambient temperature or expedite hardening with a brief refrigeration period.

Notes

  • Prevent Overmixing: Stir dry ingredients into wet mixture gently to avoid tough cookies, maintaining a light and tender texture.
  • Temperature Precision: Ensure butter and eggs are room temperature for smoother blending and consistent cookie performance.
  • Uniform Cookie Sizing: Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to create consistent dough balls, guaranteeing even baking and professional appearance.
  • Chocolate Melting Technique: Microwave white chocolate in short intervals, stirring between each to prevent burning and achieve smooth, glossy coating.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Desserts, Snacks
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 23
  • Calories: 160
  • Sugar: 9 g
  • Sodium: 50 mg
  • Fat: 7 g
  • Saturated Fat: 4 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 22 g
  • Fiber: 0 g
  • Protein: 2 g
  • Cholesterol: 25 mg
Liam O’Sullivan

Liam O’Sullivan

Founder & Culinary Content Creator

Expertise

Recipe Development​, Traditional Irish and European Cuisines, Food Styling and Photography, Culinary Education​

Education

Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) – School of Culinary Arts and Food Technology

  • Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Culinary Arts
  • Focus: Comprehensive training in classical and modern cooking techniques, kitchen management, and menu development.​

Ballymaloe Cookery School

  • Program: 12-Week Certificate Course
  • Focus: Intensive, hands-on experience emphasizing farm-to-table cooking and sustainable practices.​

Isabella brings a global spark to the Craft Meats table. Born in Florence and trained at the Apicius International School of Hospitality, she blends classic Italian flavor with modern writing that’s easy to follow and hard to forget. 

Her additional training at the Italian Chef Academy fueled her love for well-crafted dishes, especially ones that spotlight beautiful cuts of meat.

She’s a food writer with heart, and a deep love for storytelling through single recipes. Her goal? To help you cook with more confidence and a little more joy, no matter where you start.

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