Cranberry Snowball Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar (plus extra for rolling)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
- ½ cup white chocolate chips or finely chopped white chocolate (optional but delicious)
Instructions
Step 1: Cream Butter & Sugar
In a large bowl, beat butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes).
Mix in vanilla.
Step 2: Add Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk flour and salt.
Gradually add to the butter mixture until just combined.
Step 3: Fold in Cranberries
Gently fold in chopped cranberries (and white chocolate if using).
Step 4: Chill
Cover dough and chill for 30–45 minutes.
(This prevents spreading and keeps the cookies round.)
Step 5: Shape
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on a lined baking sheet.
Step 6: Bake
Bake for 12–14 minutes, until bottoms are lightly golden but tops remain pale.
Step 7: Sugar Coating
Let cookies cool 5 minutes, then roll in powdered sugar.
Once fully cool, roll again for that classic snowy look.
Texture & Flavor
- Buttery and melt-in-your-mouth
- Lightly sweet with tart cranberry pops
- Soft inside, delicate crumb
Pro Tips for Perfect Snowballs
- Chop cranberries small so cookies don’t crack
- Don’t overbake—snowballs should stay pale
- Double-roll in powdered sugar for best finish
- If dough feels dry, add 1–2 teaspoons milk
Delicious Variations
- Orange Cranberry: Add 1 tsp orange zest
- Nutty Version: Add ½ cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
- Almond Snowballs: Replace vanilla with almond extract
- Lemon Twist: Add lemon zest + lemon sugar coating
Storage & Make-Ahead
- Store in airtight container up to 1 week
- Freeze baked cookies (uncoated) up to 2 months
- Freeze dough balls and bake straight from freezer (+1–2 min)