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Gingerbread Snowball Cookies

Gingerbread Snowball Cookies

Gingerbread Snowball Cookies combine the warm, spiced flavors of gingerbread with the delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture of snowballs. Perfect for holiday baking, these easy-to-make cookies are dusted with a festive powdered sugar coating and packed with gingerbread spices.

  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 24 cookies 1x

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cookies:

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
  • 2 tablespoons molasses
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon cloves

For the Sugar Coating:

  • 3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ginger

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
  2. Cream the butter and confectioner’s sugar in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. This is the secret to getting that perfect melt-in-your-mouth texture.
  3. Add the molasses and vanilla extract to the butter mixture, then beat until everything is smooth and creamy.
  4. Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
  5. Combine wet and dry ingredients: Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until the dough comes together. Don’t worry if the dough seems a bit crumbly—it should hold when pressed.
  6. Form the cookies: Roll tablespoonfuls of dough into balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie.
  7. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the bottoms of the cookies are lightly browned.
  8. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 2-4 minutes.
  9. While the cookies are still warm, roll them in the sugar coating. Mix confectioner’s sugar, cinnamon, and ginger in a bowl and coat each cookie generously.
  10. Let them cool completely on a wire rack. If needed, give them another roll in the sugar mixture once they’ve cooled for that classic powdered-sugar finish.
  11. Store leftovers in an airtight container to keep them fresh and delicious.

Notes

  • Room temperature butter: It’s essential that your butter is softened to room temperature for proper creaming with the sugar. This step ensures the cookies have that light, airy texture.
  • Watch the bake time: Keep a close eye on your cookies in the oven. Snowball cookies can go from perfectly baked to overdone in a minute or two. You want them to have lightly browned bottoms but still retain a pale appearance on top.
  • Get creative with spices: Feel free to adjust the spice blend to suit your taste. Want more of a ginger kick? Add an extra pinch of ginger to the dough.
  • Make ahead: These cookies store well in an airtight container, so you can bake them ahead of time and still serve fresh-tasting treats throughout the holidays.
  • Author: Elina
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cookie
  • Calories: 130kcal
  • Sugar: 7g
  • Sodium: 40mg
  • Fat: 8g
  • Saturated Fat: 5g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 2g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 15g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 1g
  • Cholesterol: 20mg

Keywords: Holiday cookies, Christmas gingerbread cookies, Snowball cookies recipe