BEST Cherry Snowball Cookies EVER
These Cherry Snowball Cookies are delicate, buttery cookies that melt in your mouth with a burst of sweet cherry flavor and a dusting of powdered sugar. This recipe is not only visually stunning but also incredibly delicious, making it a perfect holiday tradition.
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Electric mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
- cookie scoop (optional)
- Paper towels
- Wire rack
Ingredients
- ½ cup powdered sugar, plus more for coating
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup finely chopped maraschino cherries, patted dry
- ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Finely chop the maraschino cherries and pat them dry with paper towels. If you're using nuts, chop those as well.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and 1/2 cup of powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix!
- Gently fold in the chopped cherries and nuts (if using). Make sure they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls. A cookie scoop can help ensure uniform size.
- Place the dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch of space between each cookie.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. The cookies should still be pale in the center.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cookies are still slightly warm (but not too hot!), roll them in powdered sugar until completely coated.
- Let the cookies cool completely on the wire rack.
- Once cooled, roll them in powdered sugar again for a thicker, more beautiful coating.
Notes
Make sure your butter is softened but not melted. Don't overmix the dough to avoid tough cookies. Thoroughly drying the cherries is essential to prevent soggy cookies. Let the cookies cool slightly before the first powdered sugar coating. Store the completely cooled and sugared cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can make the dough ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.