Description

These delightful Polar Bear Cookies are soft-batch cream cheese cookies decorated with a creamy buttercream frosting and charming polar bear faces made from chocolate chips and sprinkles. Perfect for parties or festive occasions, these cookies are tender, flavorful, and visually adorable with a soft texture that melts in your mouth.

Ingredients

Scale

Soft-Batch Cream Cheese Cookies

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (170g)
1/2 cup or 4 oz. full fat cream cheese, room temp (113g)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (300g)
1 large egg, room temperature (56g)
2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (8g)
3 cups all-purpose flour (375g)
1 Tbsp cornstarch (8g)
1/2 tsp baking powder (2g)
1/2 tsp fine salt (3g)

Buttercream Frosting for Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (226g)
1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (12g)
1/2 tsp fine salt (3g)
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar (454g or 1 lb. box)
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature (60g)

Decorations

1 cup coarse sanding sugar
30 large chocolate chips (Ghirardelli dark chocolate chips recommended)
Round black sprinkles
Round red or pink sprinkles

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Instructions

Make the Cookie Dough: In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the softened butter (3/4 cup) and cream cheese (1/2 cup) on medium speed until smooth. Add 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar and mix on medium-high speed for a couple of minutes until the mixture is lighter in color. Mix in 1 large egg and 2 tsp vanilla extract until incorporated. In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 cups flour, 1 Tbsp cornstarch, 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two additions, mixing on low speed just until combined, scraping the bowl sides between additions.
Chill the Dough: Divide the sticky dough in half, flatten each half into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for about 2 hours (or freezer for 30 minutes) until firm. If refrigerating overnight, let dough sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before rolling.
Prepare for Baking: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) about 30 minutes before baking. Line two large baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
Roll Out and Cut Dough: Remove one portion from fridge/freezer. Unwrap dough on plastic wrap and lightly flour both sides and rolling pin. Roll dough to 1/3 inch thickness. Cut out 2 1/2 inch circles for bear faces and set them on baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Use a 3/4-inch cutter (or similar) to cut smaller circles for ears, making twice as many small circles as big ones. Modify each small circle by cutting a small flat edge so ears sit flush against the head. Attach two ears per bear by gently pressing where they meet the large circles.
Chill Cut Cookies: Chill the cut-out cookies in the fridge for 15 minutes or freezer for 5 minutes to help maintain their shape while baking.
Bake: Bake one sheet at a time on the top rack for 12-14 minutes, until edges barely begin to brown. Watch carefully for even baking based on cookie thickness. Cool cookies on the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool fully.
Reuse Dough Scraps and Bake Remaining Cookies: Gather dough scraps, knead, rewrap in plastic, chill, then roll and cut to bake the remaining cookies repeating steps 4-6.
Prepare Buttercream Frosting: Beat 1 cup unsalted butter on medium speed for 30 seconds until smooth. Mix in 1 Tbsp vanilla and 1/2 tsp salt on low. Gradually add 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 1/4 cup heavy cream, mixing on low speed until fully incorporated. Adjust consistency with extra cream or powdered sugar as needed.
Pipe Frosting: Transfer frosting to a large piping bag fitted with a medium round tip or cut a 1 cm opening at the end if no tip. Set aside.
Decorate Cookies: Pour 1 cup white sanding sugar into a bowl. Once cookies are completely cool, pipe a thin layer of frosting onto each cookie, then gently press the top into the sanding sugar to cover and even out the frosting surface. Pipe a small oval near the bottom center of the cookie for the bear’s muzzle. Press a large chocolate chip onto the oval for the nose. Use black sprinkles to create the eyes, and red or pink sprinkles for the ears. Feel free to substitute with fondant or different decorations as desired.
Serve and Enjoy: Allow decorated cookies to set slightly, then serve and enjoy these adorable and delicious Polar Bear Cookies!

Notes

This recipe yields about 30 cookies that are 2 1/2 inches in diameter each. The yield and bake time will vary if you use different sized cookie cutters.
You may halve the recipe to make fewer cookies using half a beaten egg; doubling is not recommended unless you have a commercial 8-quart stand mixer.
Store frosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, refrigerated up to 5 days, or frozen for up to one month.
To stack frosted cookies, chill thoroughly and layer with parchment paper to prevent sticking; buttercream firms when chilled but does not harden like royal icing.
Cookie dough can be frozen tightly wrapped and stored for up to one month. Thaw in the fridge overnight before rolling and baking.
Baked but unfrosted cookies can also be frozen for up to a month; decorate after thawing to room temperature.
Ensure thorough creaming of butter, cream cheese, and sugar initially for light, fluffy cookies.
Avoid overworking dough to prevent toughness.
Roll dough evenly to 1/3 inch thickness to ensure consistent baking.
Chill dough helps prevent spreading and yields a soft texture.
Flour work surface and rolling pin liberally; move dough while rolling for ease.
Undercook slightly as cookies continue to cook after removal from oven.
Be creative with decoration supplies; fondant can be used for facial features if desired.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cookie
Calories: 220
Sugar: 18g
Sodium: 85mg
Fat: 12g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Unsaturated Fat: 4g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 26g
Fiber: 0.5g
Protein: 2g
Cholesterol: 30mg