Description
Cinnamon Sugar Snowball Cookies are buttery, tender cookies loaded with chopped nuts and generously coated in a sweet cinnamon sugar mixture. These classic holiday treats offer a delightful melt-in-your-mouth texture and a perfect balance of sweetness and nuttiness, making them an irresistible snack or dessert for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking, ensuring even baking and easy cleanup.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and powdered sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes. This step incorporates air for a tender texture.
- Add Vanilla Extract: Mix the vanilla extract into the creamed butter and sugar until it is fully combined, enhancing the cookie’s flavor.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt to evenly distribute the salt throughout the flour before gradual incorporation.
- Mix Dry Ingredients into Wet: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the butter mixture, stirring gently until just combined to avoid overworking the dough, which can toughen the cookies.
- Fold in Nuts: Gently fold the chopped walnuts or pecans into the dough to ensure even distribution without breaking the nuts too much.
- Form Cookies: Using your hands or a cookie scoop, shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Place each ball on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart to allow room for gentle spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until the bottoms turn lightly golden brown while the tops remain pale, indicating perfect doneness with a soft, tender interior.
- Prepare Cinnamon Sugar Coating: While the cookies bake, mix the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon together in a small bowl for the flavorful coating.
- Coat Cookies: After baking, allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes. Then, while still warm, roll each cookie gently in the cinnamon sugar mixture until fully coated, creating a sweet and aromatic crust.
- Cool Completely: Transfer the coated cookies to a wire rack and let them cool completely to set the coating and ensure they maintain their delicate texture before serving.
Notes
- For best results, use room temperature butter to ensure proper creaming with the sugar.
- You can substitute walnuts with pecans or other nuts of your choice.
- Make sure to not overbake; the cookies should be pale on top with a lightly golden bottom.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week for optimal freshness.
- These cookies freeze well; freeze uncoated cookie balls and coat with cinnamon sugar after thawing and baking.
