Melting Snowman Cookies

Ingredients

For the Sugar Cookies:
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup (6 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the Melting Snowmen:
3-inch round cookie cutter
2 (12-ounce) packages white candy melts
1 bag large marshmallows
1 bag pretzel sticks
Festive nonpareils
White sparkling sugar
1 package red and green candy-coated chocolate 
48 candy eyes 
24 orange sprinkles
24 black confetti sprinkles

Directions

For the Sugar Cookies:

1. In a large bowl, mix flour and salt. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add egg, followed by vanilla extract, and mix until combined.
3. Add dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Divide dough in half and flatten into 2 disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside. 
5. On a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin, roll one disk of dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness, dusting with more flour as needed. Cut out cookies using cookie cutter and place on prepared cookie sheets. Re-roll scraps once. Repeat with remaining disk of dough. If dough gets too soft, wrap in plastic and chill until firm enough to roll.
6. Bake cookies for 12-14 minutes, until edges are golden, rotating once halfway through.

For the Melting Snowmen:

1. Prepare a double boiler by bringing 3-quart saucepan, filled a little less than halfway with water, to a simmer. Place candy melts in a heatproof bowl that’s large enough to sit on top of the saucepan without touching the water and set on top. 
2. Keep saucepan over low heat, stirring chocolate occasionally, until melted and smooth.
3. Meanwhile, line cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Break pretzel sticks in half, yielding 2 arms, and partially dip each piece in white chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Immediately cover with festive nonpareils and set on prepared cookie sheets to set.
4. Cut 12 marshmallows in half, yielding 24 faces, and set aside.
5. Spoon about a tablespoon of melted white chocolate on top of sugar cookie and spread to edges. Cover cookie with white sparkling sugar and shake off excess. Immediately press marshmallow face on cookie, along with candy buttons and pretzel arms, before chocolate sets. Repeat process with remaining cookies.
6. Once cookies are assembled, dab back of candy eyes in white chocolate and place on top of marshmallow. Lightly dab one end of an orange sprinkle in chocolate and adhere to marshmallow to create the nose. Last, dab one side of a black confetti sprinkle in chocolate and adhere to marshmallow to create the mouth. Repeat with remaining cookies. 
7. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to one week.