Description
Delightful cinnamon sugar snowball cookies melt in your mouth with buttery richness from European baking traditions. Powdered sugar coating and warm spices create a classic holiday treat that connects generations of home bakers.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (480 ml) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (100 g) finely chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar (divided)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 350F (175C), line baking sheet with parchment paper, creating a clean culinary workspace.
- Creaming: Whip softened butter and powdered sugar into a fluffy consistency, incorporating vanilla extract until smooth and well-integrated.
- Dough Formation: Gently fold flour, salt, and finely chopped nuts into the butter mixture, kneading until a uniform, pliable dough develops.
- Shaping and Initial Baking: Craft small, uniform spheres and arrange on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, watching for delicate golden edges while maintaining a soft interior.
- Cinnamon Sugar Coating: Combine granulated sugar and ground cinnamon in a shallow dish, creating a fragrant, crystalline mixture.
- Finishing Touch: Once cookies have cooled slightly but remain warm, delicately roll each cookie in the cinnamon sugar blend, ensuring complete and even coverage.
- Final Presentation: Transfer coated cookies to a wire cooling rack, allowing them to reach room temperature and develop their signature powdery exterior before serving.
Notes
- Butter Temperature Matters: Ensure butter is softened but not melted for perfect cookie texture, creating a smooth, creamy base that blends seamlessly.
- Nut Precision: Chop nuts finely and uniformly to distribute evenly throughout the dough, preventing large chunks that disrupt the cookie’s delicate structure.
- Gentle Baking Technique: Watch cookies closely during baking; remove when edges are just golden to maintain a soft, melt-in-your-mouth interior without over-browning.
- Sugar Coating Trick: Roll warm cookies in cinnamon sugar while slightly heated for better sugar adhesion, creating a more even and flavorful coating that sticks perfectly.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 25
- Calories: 145
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 30 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg