Description
These Christmas Peppermint Snowball Sugar Cookies are festive, soft, and buttery treats infused with peppermint flavor and studded with mini semi-sweet chocolate chips. Coated in powdered sugar and crushed peppermint candies, they capture the holiday spirit perfectly with their snowy appearance and refreshing taste.
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
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 5-6 drops hot pink/rose food color gel
Add-ins and Coating
- 1 1/4 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup finely crushed peppermint candies
Instructions
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and cornstarch. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a stand mixer or handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat the softened butter for 30 seconds. Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and beat for another 1 to 1 1/2 minutes until creamy and combined.
- Add Extracts: Lower mixer speed to medium-low and add the peppermint and vanilla extracts. Mix gently to combine.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Keeping mixer at medium-low speed, gradually add the flour mixture. Mix just until all ingredients are incorporated.
- Add Food Coloring: Increase mixer speed to medium and add the hot pink/rose food color gel. Mix briefly until the color is uniform throughout the dough.
- Mix in Chocolate Chips: Add mini semi-sweet chocolate chips and mix just until evenly distributed.
- Chill Dough: Cover the dough and refrigerate for 10 minutes to firm up slightly.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper—one for baking cookie dough balls and the other for cooling and coating finished cookies.
- Shape and Bake Cookies: Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop out dough and roll each portion into balls. Place them 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes until set.
- Prepare Coating Mixture: While cookies bake, whisk together the remaining 2 cups powdered sugar and the finely crushed peppermint candies in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Roll Cookies in Sugar Coating: Remove cookies from oven and let rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Roll warm cookies in the powdered sugar and peppermint candy mixture, then transfer to the second baking sheet.
- Cool and Recoat: Allow the coated cookies to cool completely, then gently roll them again in the powdered sugar mixture for an extra snowy coating.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- You can freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months; thaw before serving.
- Dough can be made a day ahead and kept chilled in the refrigerator.
- Use softened butter at room temperature, not melted, to prevent cookies from spreading too much during baking.
- A double coating of powdered sugar creates the signature snowy look; ensure cookies are completely cooled before recoating.
- Always use peppermint extract, not mint, to avoid a toothpaste-like flavor.
- Crush peppermint candies by placing them in a Ziploc bag and smashing with a rolling pin for easy preparation.
- Optionally, add a tablespoon of crushed peppermints directly into the cookie dough for extra peppermint flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
