Description
These Easy Pumpkin Spice Snowball Cookies are a delightful twist on the classic snowball cookie, infused with warm pumpkin-spice flavors like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Soft, buttery, and perfectly coated in a cinnamon-sugar blend, these cookies are ideal for fall gatherings or holiday celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 2 cups unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 3 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp allspice
- Optional: ½ cup finely chopped pecans or mini chocolate chips
Coating
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 tbsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and for easy cleanup.
- Beat Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use a mixer to beat the softened unsalted butter with 2 cups of powdered sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, creating a smooth base for the dough.
- Combine Dry Ingredients and Mix: Add vanilla extract into the butter mixture, then gradually incorporate the all-purpose flour, kosher salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, and allspice. Mix everything together until just combined, then fold in the optional pecans or mini chocolate chips if using.
- Shape Dough Balls: Take portions of the dough and roll them into 1-inch balls, placing each ball spaced evenly on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake the dough balls for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the bottoms turn a light golden color, indicating they are cooked through but still soft.
- Apply Coating: While the cookies are still warm, gently roll them in the cinnamon-sugar coating mixture of powdered sugar and ground cinnamon. Allow the cookies to cool, then roll them a second time in the coating for a thicker, sweeter finish.
Notes
- For a nuttier texture, add finely chopped pecans to the dough.
- Mini chocolate chips can be used instead of pecans for a chocolate version.
- Be careful not to overbake the cookies to keep them tender and not dry.
- Rolling the cookies twice in the coating ensures a thick, flavorful crust.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
