Recipe: The BEST Lemon Snowball Cookies

When I say these cookies are the BEST, I’m not joking…they’re so good that I am actually considering buying a cookie safe (do these exist? Because they should…) just to keep these cookies all to myself when I make them. They’re sweet, zesty, and practically melt-in-your-mouth from all the buttery, powdered-sugar goodness stored inside of them. And they’re easy to make too; you can plan them out a few days or even months in advance (a freezer is a magical thing, and I worship it).

This recipe was inspired by the Lemon Macarons from Poeme Macarons. every time I eat a macaron I make, they always seem to melt in my mouth from how creamy they are; these cookies do the same! Copious amounts of sugar and butter will do that…why are things so bad for you, so delicious?

This recipe produces a rich, crumbly cookie with bright lemon notes. It’s a perfect cookie for any season, with it’s snowy appearance and spring-summer flavors. I love these cookies because of their adaptability as well; you can do practically any flavor with the base recipe. Here are some ideas:

• Spiced Pecan Snowballs–use ground, roasted pecans instead of almond flour and add some maple extract instead of lemon juice. Mix cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves into the flour and you have an instant holiday classic!
• Orange Pistachio Snowballs–use ground pistachios instead of almond flour and add some orange juice instead of lemon juice. Use orange zest instead of lemon zest as well. Add 1/2 tbsp. of Grand Marnier if you’re feeling frisky (alcohol makes every dessert better!). Another optional addition for added flavor is some ground cardamom into the flour; cardamom goes well in desserts paired with orange.
• Cinnamon-Sugar Snowballs–this one is an easy modification! Just take out the lemon zest and juice and up the vanilla extract to 1 tsp. Then add 1 tbsp. cinnamon into the flour. When rolling the snowballs, you can use a cinnamon-powdered sugar mixture.
• Anything else you set your heart on! The possibilities are endless 🙂

So get your baking gear and whip up some of these bad boys…just remember, I’m not responsible for any cookie addictions that may form as a result of this. Also, when I say you may leave your family for these, I don’t say it lightly…This sounds ominous, but they’re soooooo good, you have to try them already:

Lemon Snowball Cookies

Sandra Zupanski

These powdered-sugar mounds of deliciousness go by many names–Mexican Wedding Cookies, Russian Tea cookies, Snowballs, so-good-I-left-my-husband-and-kids-for-three-of-these…okay, so the last one isn’t common use, but it’s definitely a possible name :). I posted this recipe as a flavor inspiration from my Lemon Macarons at Poeme; they both melt-in-your-mouth and can last up to a week! 

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Rest Dough in Fridge 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, European, Mexican

Servings 2 dozen

Ingredients

  

• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar Plus more for rolling cookies in; about 1 Cup
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• zest from two lemons
• 1 3/4 cup AP flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup almond flour Blanched or natural is fine; the main difference is just in appearance!

Instructions

 

• In a stand mixer (or with a large bowl and hand mixer), place the butter and powdered sugar. Let mix at medium-high speed until creamed, about 3-5 minutes. 
  
• Add vanilla extract and lemon juice to mixer and mix for another minute, until combined. 
• Combine flour, lemon zest, and salt in a bowl. Then pour slowly into stand mixer (working at low speed), mixing until just combined. Overmixing will produce a tough dough, not melt-in-your mouth crumbly deliciousness, and that’s just sad. Don’t be sad! 
  
• Then add the almond flour into the dough, mixing at low speed until barely combined (again, don’t overmix!). It should come off the side of the bowl nicely, and may look slightly rough/crumbly. That’s okay!
  
• Now, take the dough out of the bowl and push together until it forms a disk. It will feel slightly sticky and very soft. 
  
• Plastic wrap the dough disk and place it in the fridge for 30 min-1 hour. The dough can also be made up to two days ahead of time and placed in the refrigerator until use (or frozen for up to three months). Just make sure it’s pliable before you work with it (you may have to remove it from the fridge/thaw it prior to forming the cookies). 
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 
• Take the dough out of the fridge and form (with your hands or a small cookie scoop) small balls, about 1.5 inches in diameter. You can go a little bigger or smaller, depending on your cookie-size preferences. This size will make about two-dozen. 
  
• Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, until slightly golden on the bottom. They will not change size or color too much, and still be soft if you feel them in the oven. The main indicator is a more “set” exterior and a firm bottom. 
  
• Place on a cooling rack for about 5 minutes. Then, while still warm, roll each cookie in powdered sugar and place back on rack (be careful; while warm, these are very crumbly and can fall apart if you are too rough with them!). This creates that melt-in-your mouth feeling as the powdered sugar dissolves into the warm, buttery cookie. Delicious!
  
• Let the cookies sit until cool, about one hour. Then, toss in another coating of powdered sugar. This coat should stick nicely and create that beautiful, snowy exterior. 
  
• Defend your delicious creations with some makeshift weapons (a rolling pin works well here) until you can get to a safe place to eat them…people might fight you for them so be prepared for sweet war!

Notes

These cookies will last for about a week if stored in an air-tight container (no need for refrigeration!). They can also be frozen (either at the dough stage, or baked and covered in sugar) as well. If freezing them after making the complete cookie, just roll them in powdered sugar again before serving and after thawing. 

This recipe was adapted from William and Sonoma. 

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Keyword Dessert recipes, Lemon desserts, Poeme blog recipes, Poeme Macarons, Recipes, Spring

Let me know how these went if you made them (and if you’re family is still in tact…I hope they are and that you all have cookie safes now).

For another decadent recipe from this blog, go here.

Happy baking everyone!