The holidays are the perfect time to bake something festive, and gingerbread-flavored treats always bring a bit of extra cheer!
If you’re looking for a cookie that’s as beautiful as it is delicious, Gingerbread Snowball Cookies are just the thing.
With warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, these cookies capture the taste of classic gingerbread but with a unique, snowball-like texture that melts in your mouth.
Imagine the soft crumb and powdered sugar coating – perfect for sharing or savoring with a cozy drink by the fire!
Tips for Baking Success
- Dough Consistency: If your dough is too sticky, chill it longer or add a small amount of flour until it’s easier to handle.
- Preventing Flat Cookies: Chilling the dough helps, but so does carefully measuring ingredients—especially the butter.
- Storage Tips: Store your cookies in an airtight container for up to a week. They’ll stay fresh and maintain their texture if kept in a cool place.
Creative Variations and Add-Ins
Want to switch things up? Here are some fun ideas:
- Nutty Gingerbread Snowballs: Add chopped nuts, like pecans or walnuts, for a hint of crunch.
- Festive Drizzle: Melt white chocolate and drizzle over the tops for extra sweetness and decoration.
- Vegan Version: Substitute the butter with a vegan alternative and use agave syrup in place of honey for a vegan-friendly option.
Experiment with these variations and create your own signature Gingerbread Snowball Cookies!
Serving and Storing
Presentation Ideas:
- Place cookies in a decorative holiday tin, layered with wax paper, for a perfect homemade gift.
- Wrap a small batch in cellophane bags with festive ribbons for party favors or stocking stuffers.
Storage Tips:
- Keep cookies fresh by storing them in an airtight container. They can last up to a week at room temperature, or you can freeze them for up to three months.
- To freeze, place the cookies on a baking sheet to freeze individually, then store in a freezer-safe bag or container.
Recipe FAQ’s
Can I add nuts to this recipe?
Yes, feel free to add chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts for extra texture and flavor!
How long will these cookies stay fresh?
These cookies stay fresh for up to a week in an airtight container at room temperature. They can also be frozen for up to three months.
Gingerbread Snowball Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226g) Unsalted Butter softened
- ½ cup (57g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 2 ¼ cups (279g) all purpose flour
- Powdered sugar for rolling
Instructions
Step 1:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2:
- Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until it’s light and fluffy, about 20 seconds. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and molasses. Mix everything until it’s smooth and well combined.
- Next, add the flour. It might look crumbly at first, but keep mixing – it will come together into a soft cookie dough. This can take a few minutes, so be patient!
Step 3:
- Scoop out 1 tablespoon of dough for each cookie and place them on the prepared cookie sheets.
Step 4:
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, just until the bottoms of the cookies are lightly brown. Remove them from the oven and let them cool for a minute, just until they’re cool enough to handle.
- Pour some extra powdered sugar into a small bowl and roll the warm cookies in the sugar until fully coated. Place the cookies on a cooling rack. Once they’ve cooled completely, you can roll them in powdered sugar again for an extra snowy finish.
Good flavor but they spread out… and I chilled over night rather than 1 hour…
Thank you so much for trying the recipe and sharing your feedback, Laurie. I’m sorry to hear they didn’t come out as expected. We’ve made some adjustments to the recipe to help with this in the future – really appreciate your input!