Description
Delight in these festive Peppermint Snowball Cookies, featuring a buttery, tender dough infused with peppermint and vanilla extracts, mini chocolate chips, and a vibrant pink hue. Coated generously with crushed peppermint candies and powdered sugar, these melt-in-your-mouth cookies are perfect for holiday gatherings and winter celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 3 cups powdered sugar, divided (2 cups and 1 cup)
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup salted sweet cream butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 5–6 drops hot pink/rose food color gel
Add-Ins and Coating
- 1¼ cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup finely crushed peppermint candies
Instructions
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the all-purpose flour and cornstarch in a bowl and 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 powdered sugar and continue beating for 1 to 1½ minutes until well combined and fluffy.
- Add Extracts: Lower the mixer speed to medium-low and mix in the peppermint and vanilla extracts until evenly distributed.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: On medium-low speed, gradually add the flour and cornstarch mixture to the butter mixture. Mix just until ingredients are fully incorporated to avoid overworking the dough.
- Add Color and Chocolate Chips: Increase mixer speed to medium and add the hot pink/rose food color gel. Mix until the color is uniform throughout the dough. Fold in the mini semi sweet chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
- Chill Dough: Cover the dough and refrigerate for 10 minutes to firm up for easier handling.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper—one for baking the cookie dough balls and one for cooling and coating the finished cookies.
- Scoop and Bake: Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, portion dough into balls and roll each between your palms to shape. Place them 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 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 aside.
- Coat Warm Cookies: Remove cookies from oven and let rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Roll the slightly warm cookies in the powdered sugar and crushed peppermint mixture to coat thoroughly, then transfer them to the second prepared baking sheet for cooling.
- Final Coating: Once the cookies have completely cooled and firmed up, roll them again in the powdered sugar mixture to give a bright, snowy finish.
Notes
- Store leftover cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.
- Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months in an airtight container or freezer bag for longer storage.
- You can make the dough a day ahead and chill it in the refrigerator to enhance flavor and make shaping easier.
- Ensure butter is softened at room temperature—not melted—to prevent cookies from spreading too much during baking.
- Double coating with powdered sugar creates the classic snowball appearance; do not coat cookies until completely cooled to avoid crumbling.
- Use peppermint extract specifically, not mint extract, to avoid a toothpaste-like flavor.
- Crush peppermint candies easily by placing them in a sealed plastic bag and smashing with a rolling pin.
- Optionally, you can add a tablespoon of crushed peppermints directly into the cookie dough for extra peppermint flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 40 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
