Description
These Lemon Snowball Cookies are delicate, buttery treats with a refreshing citrus twist from fresh lemon juice and zest. Rolled in powdered sugar, they offer a melt-in-your-mouth texture and a sweet, tangy flavor that makes them perfect for teatime or festive occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 large lemon, zested
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For Rolling
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two cookie sheets with silicone baking mats to ensure non-stick baking and easy cleanup.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the softened unsalted butter and ½ cup powdered sugar together until the mixture is smooth, creamy, and well combined.
- Add Lemon Juice: Mix in the freshly squeezed lemon juice into the creamed butter and sugar, incorporating the citrus flavor throughout the dough.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, kosher salt, and lemon zest to evenly distribute the zest and salt in the flour.
- Form Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing continuously until the dough just comes together into a soft, pliable ball.
- Shape Cookies: Using a cookie scooper or spoon, portion out dough and roll each into a smooth ball between your palms.
- Arrange on Sheets: Place the rolled balls onto the prepared cookie sheets, spacing them adequately to allow for slight spreading.
- Finish Shaping First Batch: Repeat the rolling and placing process until 14 balls are on the first cookie sheet.
- Finish Shaping Second Batch: Repeat with the remaining dough to roll 15 balls onto the second cookie sheet.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 13-15 minutes until set but not browned.
- Cool Slightly: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes to firm up slightly before handling.
- Prepare Sugar Coating: Place ¾ cup powdered sugar in a medium bowl, ready for rolling the cookies.
- Coat Cookies: Roll each warm cookie in the powdered sugar until fully coated, giving them the signature snowball appearance.
- Final Cooling: Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack before serving or storing to ensure the sugar coating sets perfectly and the cookies firm up.
Notes
- For best results, use room temperature butter to ensure easy creaming with the sugar.
- You can adjust the amount of lemon zest to your taste for a stronger or milder lemon flavor.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- These cookies can also be frozen before rolling in powdered sugar; roll them in sugar after thawing and slight warming.
- Make sure not to overbake to keep the cookies tender and crumbly.
