Description
Delight in the festive flavors of Christmas with these Peppermint Sugar Snowball cookies. Soft, buttery, and infused with peppermint extract, these cookies are studded with mini chocolate chips and coated in a double layer of powdered sugar and crushed peppermint candies, delivering a snowy appearance and a burst of holiday cheer in every bite.
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 cups 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 medium bowl until well combined. Set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar: In a stand mixer or large bowl with a handheld mixer set to medium-high speed, beat the softened butter for 30 seconds until smooth. Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and continue beating for 1 to 1½ minutes until creamy and fluffy.
- Add extracts: Lower the mixer speed to medium-low and add the peppermint and vanilla extracts. Mix to combine.
- Incorporate dry ingredients: Keeping the mixer on medium-low, gradually add the flour and cornstarch mixture. Mix just until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Add color: Increase the mixer speed to medium and add the hot pink/rose food color gel. Mix just until the color is uniformly distributed in the dough.
- Mix in chocolate chips: Add the mini semi-sweet chocolate chips and mix briefly until evenly distributed through the dough.
- Chill dough: Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to firm up for easier handling.
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. One sheet is for baking the dough balls, the other for cooling the rolled cookies.
- Scoop and bake cookies: Use a 1 tablespoon cookie dough scoop to portion out the dough. Roll each portion into a ball and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them 1 inch apart. Bake for 12 minutes until set but not browned.
- Prepare sugar coating: In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 cups powdered sugar and crushed peppermint candies. Set aside.
- First sugar coating: Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. While still warm but not hot, gently roll each cookie in the powdered sugar and crushed peppermint mixture to coat fully. Transfer the coated cookies to the second prepared baking sheet.
- Final sugar coating: Once cookies have completely cooled, roll the snowballs again in the powdered sugar and crushed peppermint mixture for a double coating that creates the classic snowy look.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.
- Freeze baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months to enjoy them later.
- The dough can be made a day ahead and chilled overnight for convenience.
- Ensure butter is softened to room temperature, not melted, to prevent cookies from spreading too much during baking.
- The double coating of powdered sugar is essential for the signature snowy appearance and texture; wait until cookies are completely cool before the second coating to avoid crumbling.
- Use pure peppermint extract, not mint extract, to avoid a toothpaste-like flavor and achieve authentic peppermint taste.
- Crush peppermint candies easily by placing them in a Ziploc bag and smashing with a rolling pin.
- Optionally, add a tablespoon of crushed peppermint candies into the cookie dough for extra peppermint bursts.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
