Description
These Peppermint Snowball Cookies are delightful, melt-in-your-mouth treats perfect for the holiday season. They combine the classic buttery snowball cookie texture with refreshing peppermint flavor, mini chocolate chips, and a festive touch of crushed peppermint candies. Finished with a sweet powdered sugar and crushed peppermint coating, they are both visually appealing and deliciously festive.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 3 cups powdered sugar, divided (2 cups and 1 cup)
- ¼ cup finely crushed peppermint candies
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup salted sweet cream butter, softened
- 1 tsp pure peppermint extract
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- 5–6 drops hot pink/rose food color gel
Add-ins
- 1¼ cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the all-purpose flour and cornstarch in a bowl. Set aside for later use.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a stand mixer or handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat the softened butter for 30 seconds. Add 1 cup of the powdered sugar and continue beating for 1 to 1½ minutes until creamy and well combined.
- Add Flavor Extracts: Lower the mixer speed to medium-low and add the peppermint and vanilla extracts, mixing gently to incorporate the flavors evenly.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: While keeping the mixer on medium-low, gradually add the flour mixture. Mix just until all ingredients are well incorporated, being careful not to overmix.
- Add Food Coloring: Increase the mixer speed to medium and add the hot pink/rose food color gel. Mix briefly just until the color becomes uniform throughout the dough.
- Blend in Chocolate Chips: Add the mini semi-sweet chocolate chips and mix just until evenly distributed in the dough.
- Chill Dough: Cover the dough tightly and refrigerate for 10 minutes to firm up, which helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much during baking.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper—one for baking the cookies and the other for cooling the coated cookies.
- Form and Bake Cookies: Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, portion out the dough and roll it into balls. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until set but not browned.
- Prepare Coating Mixture: In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 cups of powdered sugar and crushed peppermint candies. Set this coating mixture aside.
- Coat Warm Cookies: After removing the cookies from the oven, let them rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then, roll each cookie in the powdered sugar and crushed peppermint mixture to coat thoroughly.
- Cool and Recoat: Transfer the coated cookies to the second prepared baking sheet to cool completely. Once fully cooled, roll the cookies again in the powdered sugar mixture to achieve a thick, snowy coating.
Notes
- Storage: Store any leftover cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.
- Freezing: Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
- Tip: Ensure your butter is softened to room temperature but not melted; melted butter will cause the cookies to spread too much and lose their shape during baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 130 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 45 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
