For as long as I can remember, baking Christmas cookies has been the highlight of my holiday season.
A few days before Christmas, my mother would somehow find the time to sit down with two small children to cut, bake, and decorate hundreds of holiday cookies. To this day, when my sister and I come home for the holidays, we still drag out the old recipes and cookie cutters.
Over the years, we’ve modified the tradition a little bit, most notably renaming it “drunk cookie decorating.” In addition to adding wine to the festivities, we’ve also experimented with new recipes.
These Snowball Cookies aren’t strictly Christmas cookies, but the wintery theme is definitely holiday-appropriate. These round, delicate Snowball Cookies are true to their name and make a great addition to any cookie tray. While kids will love the sweet treat, ground walnuts and almond extract give these cookies a rich flavor that adults will love, too.
And these cookies don’t just taste growing up. They also happen to be a skinny treat for the health-conscious sweet tooth. It’s a paradox, but there are plenty of us. Fortunately, whole wheat flour and organic ingredients keep these cookies light for a guilt-free indulgence.
Now, these cookies may taste fancy, but they’re actually super simple to make. With only five ingredients, this recipe is a cinch to whip up, making it a perfect last-minute dessert.
Just combine the ingredients, roll into one-inch balls, and bake at 400 degrees for eight to ten minutes. To complete the “snowball effect,” roll the cooled cookies in some additional confectioners sugar.
Snowball Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup pecans chopped
- powdered sugar
Instructions
- Blend softened butter with powdered sugar. Add vanilla.
- Mix in salt, flour, and chopped pecans.
- Form dough into 1 inch balls or flattened cookies and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake in a 325-degree oven for 20 minutes. While hot roll in powdered sugar. Let cool and roll again in powdered sugar.
This dessert has been a favorite in our family for years. Just the other day, we had one of our friends round for tea and served up these cute little cookie snowball cookies, with a pot of delicious hot chocolate and a few marshmallows on the side. They were a huge success! All twenty-five of them disappeared in minutes, and so did our friend’s plate once she’d finished taking part in our snowball sandwich game So, if you enjoy baking, you really can’t go wrong with trying out these adorable cookies!
