If you’re looking for the perfect holiday desserts to bake for your friends and family this winter, then look no further than these fast and easy recipes for Vanilla Snowman Cupcakes and Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies!

Vanilla Snowman Cupcakes

Total Time: 1 hr 20 min (Prep – 30 min, Inactive – 30 min, Cook – 20 min)

Yields: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

2 large eggs

⅔ cup sugar

1 ½ sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, melted

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

½ cup milk

16 oz. tub of vanilla frosting

12 peanut butter chips (regular sized)

Mini chocolate chips

White crystallized decorating sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and position rack in the middle of the oven. Line one 12-cup standard muffin tin with cupcake liners. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl.

In another medium bowl, beat eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until light and foamy, about 2 minutes. While beating, gradually pour in melted butter and then vanilla.

Add half the dry ingredients while mixing slowly. Then add milk and remaining dry ingredients (do not overmix). Divide the batter evenly in the prepared tin.

Bake until a tester inserted in the center of the cupcakes comes out clean, rotating the tin about halfway through, 18 to 20 minutes.

Cool the cupcakes on a rack in the tin for 10 minutes, and then remove. Cool on the rack completely.

Spread a generous amount of frosting on top of the cupcakes. Fill a small bowl with crystallized decorating sugar.

Holding the bottom of each cupcake, gently press it down into sugar and rock back and forth in all directions until the icing is completely covered. When you pull it off, it should be all flat with a consistent texture.

Gently press a peanut butter chip into the center of each cupcake, then use mini chocolate chips for the eyes and mouth. Serve and enjoy!

Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies

Total Time: 30 min (Prep – 20 min, Cook – 10 min)

Yields: 24 cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ tsp salt

1 ¼ cup unsalted butter, divided

1 ½ cup granulated sugar, divided

1 large egg

1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

5 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

½ tsp pure peppermint extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup each butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla; beat to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat to combine.

Place ½ cup sugar in a small bowl. Roll dough into 1-inch balls, then roll in sugar to coat. Place balls, 1 inch apart, on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 5 minutes.

Remove sheets from oven; with the small end of a melon baller or the bottom of a small round measuring spoon, make an indentation in the center of each cookie.

Bake until cookies are just set but still look moist, about 4 minutes (do not overbake). Let cool on sheets on wire racks.

In a small bowl, microwave chocolate chips and ¼ cup butter in 10-second increments until melted; stir in peppermint extract. Let cool until thick enough to pipe, about 5 minutes.

Transfer mixture to a large zip-lock bag; snip ¼-inch hole in one corner. Pipe chocolate into cookie indentations. Serve and enjoy!