Rankin/Bass veteran writer Romeo Muller adapted and expanded the story for television, as he had done with the "Animagic" stop-motion production of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

The hat is blown off by the wind and caught by Karen, a student who puts it on Frosty's head and brings him to life.

Because they have no money for tickets, Hocus, Frosty, and Karen secretly board a northbound freight train's refrigerator car filled with ice cream and Christmas cakes while Professor Hinkle follows them to reclaim the hat.

As the train continues northward, Karen starts to get hypothermia and Frosty realizes she cannot withstand the extremely cold temperatures.

Fearing that the fire will not be good enough, Frosty decides to look for Santa Claus, whom he assumes can save Karen and bring him to the North Pole.

Santa comforts a distraught Karen, explaining that Frosty is made of magical Christmas snow and will return every winter.

He then opens the door and the winter wind blows in magic snow to remake Frosty into a snowman.

He then takes Frosty to the North Pole, promising that he will return every year with the magical Christmas snow.

As the credits roll, Frosty leads a parade with the children, Hocus, the narrator, the traffic cop, and the rest of the town, including a redeemed Professor Hinkle sporting a new hat, revealing that Santa has kept his promise to him.

1 television program for the week of December 1–7, 1969, by Nielsen Media Research, earning a 30.5 rating and a 45 share.

[3] Family Home Entertainment released Frosty the Snowman on VHS as part of the Christmas Classics Series in 1989 and 1993, with multiple re-prints throughout the 1990s.

Vivendi Entertainment re-released it on DVD and for the first time on Blu-ray on October 12, 2010, and on the DVD/Blu-ray combo pack on November 6, 2012.

[9] CBS's rights to the program did not include streaming rights, forcing the network to black out the special on all streaming platforms, including its own Paramount+ and feeds provided to cable and satellite alternatives such as YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV.

The site's critical consensus reads: "Frosty the Snowman is a jolly, happy sing-along that will delight children with its crisp animation and affable title character, who makes an indelible impression with his corncob pipe, button nose, and eyes made out of coal.