The season of baking is upon us. Starting now until January 2nd, my kitchen smell exclusively of sugar, mulled wine and gingerbread spices. I tend to lean more towards cookies than any other baked good because James is very icky with sweets. He really only eats cookies, and even then, it’s in small amounts. So, if I bake a cake, I end up eating it all to myself, and that’s not good for my 2018 figure. I’ve been slowly baking my way through the traditional cookies I love eating as a kid, and these are way up on the top of my fav cookies ever list.
Snowball cookies, are delicate, buttery, cookies similar to shortbread, but with nuts and dusted with powdered sugar. They are called snow ball cookies because they do, in fact, look like snowballs! They’re so cute, I love putting them out for friends simply because of how pretty they are. Not much extra work for presentation required. I am currently enjoying a bowl of cookies to myself with a glass of homemade vegan eggnog, topped with coconut whipped cream, just because it’s the Holidays and I can!
To create this recipe, I tried to stay as true to the traditional technique and ingredients as possible. In a stand mixer, (or medium bowl with a hand mixer) I creamed together vegan butter (I like Earth Balance or Melt), 1/4 cup powdered sugar, pure vanilla extract and pink salt. This butt-sugar mixture on it’s own is delicious, but quite ratchet to eat alone… not that I haven’t done so.
In a separate bowl, I combined unbleached all-purpose white flour and finely chopped nuts. You can use any nut you like, but my favorites for this recipe are walnuts or almonds. That’s what my Omi (grandmother) always used in her holiday baking and so, I’ve stuck to the same. Then,
I gradually added the flour mixture to butter mixture; beating after each addition. I mixed until it all came together like a dough.
This part is always my favorite! Using my (clean- duh) hand to shape the dough into balls, and then placing on a cookie sheet 1 inch apart. These cookies are best baked for 15 minutes until lightly browned. I highly recommend not overbaking them- so pay attention. In fact, I suggest under baking them slightly. You want them to melt in your mouth, not crumble- under baking ensure this happens.
When the cookies, are baked, I have found the best way to go about the next steps are as follows:
-Gently remove cookies from baking pan, and place on a wire rack to cool for 2-5 mins until you can handle them.
-Meanwhile prepare a shallow bowl with 1/2 cup powdered sugar.
-Gently roll warm cookies in powdered sugar and place back onto the wire rack to cool completely.
-Once cooled, roll cookies in powdered sugar a second time.
Voila! Cookies are ready to eat! I hope you love this stupid easy recipe as much as I do, and make it part of your holiday baking traditions. Oh and don’t forget-these snowballs are better for eating than for throwing at your friends faces.
- ½ cup vegan butter, cold
- ¼ cup powdered sugar + ½ cup extra to roll/coat cookies
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
- 1 cup unbleached all purpose white flour
- ½ cup finely chopped walnuts or almonds
- Preheat the oven to 325F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a stand mixer, or medium bowl with a hand mixer or spoon, cream together vegan butter, ¼ cup powdered sugar, vanilla and salt.
- In a separate large bowl, combine flour and nuts of choice.
- Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture; beating after each addition. Mix until until the mixture comes together like a dough.
- Shape into balls and place on a cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Bake for 15 minutes until very lightly browned. Do not over bake.
- Meanwhile prepare a bowl with ½ cup powdered sugar.
- Remove cookies from baking sheet and place on a wire cooking rack to cool for 2-5 mins or until cool enough to handle. Gently roll warm cookies in powdered sugar and place back onto the wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, roll cookies in powdered sugar a second time.
- Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
It is better to under cook these cookies than over cook them. PAY ATTENTION
Looloo21 says:
I have a buttery mess in the oven 😞 not sure what I did wrong. No balls for sure 🤣
I’ll give it another go