Cherry Snowball Cookies
Cherry Snowball Cookies are soft, buttery holiday treats with a surprise maraschino cherry center, dusted in powdered sugar for a festive, snowy look. These nostalgic cookies are easy to make, perfect for gifting, and guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser at any holiday gathering.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 30–36 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus extra for rolling
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch (optional, or substitute with 1/4 cup more flour)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 30–36 maraschino cherries, drained and patted dry
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
- Extra powdered sugar for rolling
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together softened butter and powdered sugar with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- Mix in vanilla extract and almond extract until just combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt. If using nuts, add chopped pecans or walnuts.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed or by hand until just combined. If dough is too dry, add 1–2 teaspoons milk or cherry juice until it comes together.
- Drain maraschino cherries and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. If cherries are large, cut them in half to yield about 30–36 pieces.
- Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough and flatten slightly in your palm. Place a cherry in the center, wrap dough around it, and roll gently to seal and form a smooth ball. Place on a lined baking sheet, spacing cookies about 2 inches apart.
- Chill the tray of dough balls in the fridge for at least 20 minutes (up to 2 hours) to prevent spreading.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake chilled cookies for 14–16 minutes, until bottoms are just golden and tops are set. Do not overbake.
- Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. While still slightly warm, roll each cookie in sifted powdered sugar. For best snowy effect, roll again once fully cooled.
Notes
Chill dough balls before baking to prevent spreading. Dry cherries thoroughly to avoid soggy dough. For extra snowy effect, roll cookies in powdered sugar twice. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Nuts are optional; omit for nut-free version. Cookies freeze well before rolling in sugar.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 45
- Fat: 6
- Saturated Fat: 3.5
- Carbohydrates: 13
- Fiber: 0.5
- Protein: 1
Keywords: cherry snowball cookies, holiday cookies, Christmas cookies, powdered sugar cookies, maraschino cherry cookies, festive dessert, easy cookie recipe, nut-free cookies, gluten-free cookies, almond extract cookies