Description
Classic gingerbread snowballs bring festive winter magic to holiday dessert tables. Spiced cookie perfection rolls sweet memories into powdered sugar-dusted spheres of comfort.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (230 g / 8 oz) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (250 g / 8.8 oz) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (70 g / 2.5 oz) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (120 g / 4.2 oz) powdered sugar (for rolling)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp molasses
Instructions
- Butter Fusion: Cream softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, integrating vanilla extract and molasses for a rich, aromatic base.
- Spice Composition: Whisk flour, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves into a harmonious dry ingredient blend, ensuring even distribution of warming spices.
- Dough Development: Merge dry ingredients into butter mixture, folding gently to create a uniform dough without overworking, maintaining a tender texture.
- Precision Shaping: Mold dough into consistent 1-inch spheres, arranging them strategically on parchment-lined baking sheets with adequate spacing.
- Oven Transformation: Bake at 350F (175C) for 10-12 minutes, monitoring for set edges and minimal browning to preserve delicate cookie structure.
- Sugared Finish: While cookies are still warm, roll them in powdered sugar for initial coating, then repeat once completely cooled to achieve a pristine, snow-dusted exterior.
Notes
- Prevent Dough Crumbling: Ensure butter is precisely softened at room temperature, not melted, to maintain optimal dough consistency and prevent cookie disintegration.
- Master Spice Balance: Use fresh, high-quality ground spices to maximize flavor depth; stale spices can mute the warm, rich gingerbread profile.
- Control Cookie Texture: Avoid overmixing the dough, which can develop gluten and create tough cookies; mix just until ingredients combine smoothly.
- Powdered Sugar Technique: Roll cookies in powdered sugar while slightly warm for better sugar adherence, then repeat coating after complete cooling for a perfect snowy finish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 23
- Calories: 202
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 55 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 32 mg