Description
Delicate blueberry-filled almond snowball cookies bring winter magic to holiday dessert tables. Sweet powdered sugar coating and hidden fruity center make these treats irresistible when you want something special and elegant.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (85 g) finely ground almonds (or almond flour)
Sweeteners and Flavorings:
- ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar (plus extra for rolling)
- ½ cup blueberry preserves or jam
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest (optional, for brightness)
Seasoning:
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Cream the butter and powdered sugar in a spacious mixing bowl until the mixture achieves a pillowy, aerated consistency, ensuring a smooth and light texture.
- Incorporate vanilla and almond extracts, stirring gently to distribute the aromatic flavors evenly throughout the mixture.
- Sift together flour, salt, and ground almonds, then methodically fold into the butter mixture, kneading until a cohesive, pliable dough emerges.
- Wrap the dough securely in plastic film and refrigerate, allowing the ingredients to meld and the texture to firm up for half an hour.
- Preheat the oven and line baking sheets with parchment paper, creating a pristine surface for cookie formation.
- Pinch off small portions of chilled dough, forming delicate spheres and creating a small indentation in each center for blueberry filling.
- Carefully spoon a modest amount of blueberry preserve into each cookie’s hollow, ensuring precise placement.
- Gently encase the filled center, reshaping the cookie into a smooth, uniform ball that completely conceals the fruity core.
- Arrange cookies on prepared baking sheets, maintaining consistent spacing to allow even heat distribution.
- Bake until edges turn a pale golden hue, signaling perfect doneness.
- Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool slightly before generously dusting with additional powdered sugar, creating a picturesque snow-like coating.
Notes
- Ensure butter is softened at room temperature for smooth, creamy mixing that prevents lumpy texture.
- Toast ground almonds beforehand to enhance their nutty flavor and add depth to the cookie’s taste profile.
- Freeze fresh blueberries briefly before filling to prevent juice bleeding and maintain cookie’s pristine appearance.
- For gluten-free option, substitute all-purpose flour with almond or coconut flour, maintaining similar texture and consistency.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 158
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 66 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 31 mg