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Here's a simple and easy recipe for Snowball Cookies, featuring adorable round shapes coated with a generous amount of powdered sugar to resemble snow.
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History of Snowball Cookies
Snowball Cookies, known by various names such as Mexican Wedding Cookies and Italian Wedding Cookies, originated as traditional sweets consumed during weddings in Italy and Mexico.
It may be hard to imagine that these cookies, reminiscent of snow, have roots in Italy and Mexico. However, tracing their origins further back leads us to medieval Arabia. Arab sweets, which often featured honey and nuts, were commonly sold in bite-sized portions piled high, and Snowball Cookies can be imagined as one of those treats.
When this confection reached America, its resemblance to a popular Russian dish led to its being called Russian Tea Cakes. However, during the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States, the name fell out of use, eventually becoming the Snowball Cookies we know today in America.
（source: https://www.allrecipes.com/article/wedding-cookies-origin/）
Different snowball cookie recipes for different countries
In the United States, there are variations of the recipe that replace almond powder with chopped walnuts. Walnuts are commonly used in American recipes, including brownies, and they are a versatile nut for baking.
In France, for their version called "Boule de Neige" the dough is similar, but instead of powdered sugar, they often use coconut powder to coat the cookies.
Regardless of the name, both Snowball Cookies and Boule de Neige essentially mean "snowball" in English and French, respectively.
Both recipes typically include butter (or vegetable oil), flour, powdered sugar, and almond powder as the basic dough ingredients.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter - Since the ingredients are simple, using butter is the best choice to impart flavor and a crispy texture.
- Powdered sugar - To achieve a crispy and delicate texture resembling snow, powdered sugar is used instead of granulated sugar.
- Cake flour
- Almond powder (or hazelnut powder) - Almond powder adds flavor to the simple ingredients of Snowball Cookies. It is recommended to use almonds with a strong flavor, preferably with the skins on. Alternatively, hazelnut powder, which has a stronger flavor than almond powder, is also a good option. (In this recipe, hazelnut powder was used.) You can also try adding finely chopped walnuts.
*If making cocoa-flavored Snowball Cookies, add cocoa powder to these ingredients.
Instructions
- Leave the unsalted butter at room temperature to soften.
- Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper.
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (338°F) about 10 minutes before using.
Snowball Cookie Dough
Put soft butter and sifted powdered sugar into a bowl, and mix until the powdery texture of the sugar disappears.
Add almond powder and mix it together.
Add sifted cake flour and mix it with a rubber spatula.
Take the dough in 10g portions and arrange them on a baking sheet. Roll the dough into balls by hand.
Bake for approximately 15 minutes in a preheated oven at 170°C (338°F).
Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes.
While they are still warm, sprinkle powdered sugar over the cookies. After dusting with powdered sugar, allow the cookies to cool completely.
Once the cookies have cooled completely, dust them again with powdered sugar, and they are ready to serve!
Cocoa Snowball Cookies
Transfer half of the cookie dough to another bowl and add 1 tablespoon (6g) of cocoa powder.
After that, follow the same process as making plain snowball cookies.
Snowball cookies, tips for making
Snowball cookies are inspired by snow, so we want to create cookies that resemble a generous snowfall rather than the end of the season on the slopes... That's why the key is to dust the cookies with powdered sugar twice.
While the cookies are still warm, dust them with powdered sugar once. Then, once the cookies have cooled, dust them with powdered sugar again.
By doing this, the powdered sugar that was dusted while the cookies were still warm will adhere well to the cookies, and the second dusting of powdered sugar will play the role of ensuring a good coating. As a result, you'll achieve snowball cookies that are beautifully covered and not translucent.
Storage
Store the cookies at room temperature, avoiding direct sunlight. They can last for about a week, but they are best enjoyed within 3 to 4 days for optimal taste.
Equipment
To avoid excessive browning, using a Silpat (silicone baking mat) is recommended. It will help achieve a lighter color on both the top and bottom surfaces compared to using a regular cooking sheet.
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Only 4 Ingredients! Snowball Cookie Recipe that melt in your mouth
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 40 cookies
Description
Here's a simple and easy recipe for Snowball Cookies, featuring adorable round shapes coated with a generous amount of powdered sugar to resemble snow.
Ingredients
- 125g unsalted butter
- 50g powdered sugar
- 160g cake flour
- 50g almond powder (or hazelnut powder)
For dusting:
- 100g powdered sugar
Instructions
Preparation
- Leave the unsalted butter at room temperature to soften.
- Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper.
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (338°F) about 10 minutes before using.
Snowball Cookie Dough
- Put soft butter and sifted powdered sugar into a bowl, and mix until the powdery texture of the sugar disappears.
- Add almond powder and mix it together.
- Add sifted cake flour and mix it with a rubber spatula.
- Take the dough in 10g portions and arrange them on a baking sheet. Roll the dough into balls by hand.
- Bake for approximately 15 minutes in a preheated oven at 170°C (338°F).
- Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes.
- While they are still warm, sprinkle powdered sugar over the cookies. After dusting with powdered sugar, allow the cookies to cool completely.
- Once the cookies have cooled completely, dust them again with powdered sugar, and they are ready to serve!
- Transfer half of the cookie dough to another bowl and add 1 tablespoon (6g) of cocoa powder.
- After that, follow the same process as making plain snowball cookies.
Notes
If you want to make cocoa-flavored snowball cookies together, transfer half of the cookie dough to another bowl and add 1 tablespoon (6 g) of cocoa powder.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Additional Time: 0 hours
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Cuisine: American
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