Raspberry Filled Almond Snowball Cookies
Tender, buttery almond-infused snowball cookies with a surprise raspberry jam center, twice rolled in powdered sugar for a snowy appearance. Perfect for holiday cookie exchanges or alongside afternoon tea.
Ingredients
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar plus 1 cup for coating
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup finely ground almonds or almond flour
- 1/3 cup high-quality raspberry preserves
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Proper oven temperature ensures your cookies bake evenly.
- Cream the butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Don’t rush this step as it creates the foundation for your cookie texture.
- Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and ground almonds until well combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Overmixing will develop gluten and make your cookies tough.
- Scoop approximately 1 tablespoon of dough and flatten it slightly in your palm. Create a small indentation in the center with your thumb.
- Fill the indentation with 1/4 teaspoon of raspberry preserves, being careful not to overfill or the jam will leak during baking.
- Fold the dough around the filling and gently roll between your palms to form a ball, making sure the jam is completely enclosed.
- Place the cookies 1.5 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 15-17 minutes until the bottoms are just barely golden but the cookies remain pale on top.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes – they’re fragile when hot and may break if moved too soon.
- While still warm (but not hot), gently roll the cookies in the remaining cup of powdered sugar, then place on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once fully cooled, roll the cookies in powdered sugar again for that perfect snowy appearance.
Notes
- For the best texture, make sure your butter is softened but not melted.
- If you don’t have almond flour, you can pulse whole almonds in a food processor until finely ground.
- These cookies can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- The dough (without filling) can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for 1 month.
- For a variation, try seedless blackberry or apricot preserves instead of raspberry.