Description
Bright Buttery Lemon Cream Snowball Cookies are delicate, melt-in-your-mouth treats bursting with fresh lemon flavor and a creamy, buttery texture. Perfectly dusted with powdered sugar, these cookies offer a delightful balance of tartness and sweetness, making them an ideal dessert for holidays or any special occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup cornstarch
Coating
- 1 cup powdered sugar (for rolling)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and ½ cup powdered sugar until the mixture is smooth and fluffy, which will provide a light texture for the cookies.
- Add Lemon and Vanilla: Stir in the lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and vanilla extract, mixing thoroughly to combine these bright, fragrant flavors evenly throughout the dough.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, and cornstarch to ensure the dry ingredients are well combined and aerated.
- Form Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing gently until a soft dough forms, being careful not to overwork it to keep cookies tender.
- Shape Cookies: Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough and roll them into smooth balls. Place the balls about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet to allow room for slight spreading.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes or until the bottoms turn lightly golden, indicating they are cooked through but still soft inside.
- Cool and Powder: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up. While still warm, roll them in powdered sugar for the first coating.
- Final Cooling and Coating: Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely, then roll them again in powdered sugar to create a thick, snowball-like coating.
Notes
- For a more intense lemon flavor, add ½ teaspoon lemon extract to the dough.
- Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.
- These cookies freeze well; store them in a freezer-safe container for longer preservation.
