Gingerbread Snowball Cookies Recipe

Introduction

These Gingerbread Snowball Cookies are a festive twist on a classic treat, perfect for cozy holiday gatherings. Soft, spiced, and coated in powdered sugar, they melt in your mouth with every bite.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (226g) Unsalted Butter, softened
• ½ cup (57g) powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 2 ¼ cups (279g) all-purpose flour
• Powdered sugar for rolling

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Step 2: Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until it’s light and fluffy, about 20 seconds. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and molasses. Mix everything until smooth and well combined. Next, add the flour. It might look crumbly at first, but keep mixing – it will come together into a soft cookie dough. This can take a few minutes, so be patient!
3. Step 3: Scoop out 1 tablespoon of dough for each cookie and place them on the prepared cookie sheets.
4. Step 4: Bake for 10–12 minutes, just until the bottoms of the cookies are lightly brown. Remove them from the oven and let them cool for a minute, just until they’re cool enough to handle. Pour some extra powdered sugar into a small bowl and roll the warm cookies in the sugar until fully coated. Place the cookies on a cooling rack. Once they’ve cooled completely, you can roll them in powdered sugar again for an extra snowy finish.

Tips & Variations

• For even richer flavor, chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking to help the spices meld.
• Try adding a pinch of cardamom for an extra warm spice note.
• Use dark molasses for a deeper, robust gingerbread flavor.
• If you prefer crispier cookies, bake an extra 1–2 minutes but watch closely to avoid burning.

Storage

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. To maintain their snowy exterior, roll them in powdered sugar again before serving if needed. They also freeze well for up to 3 months—just thaw at room temperature before enjoying.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted?

Yes, but reduce or omit the added salt in the recipe to avoid overly salty cookies.

Why do the cookies need to be rolled in powdered sugar twice?

Rolling them once while warm helps the sugar stick, and a second roll after cooling adds a bright, snowy coating that enhances both appearance and flavor.

Gingerbread Snowball Cookies Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.9 from 80 reviews

These Gingerbread Snowball Cookies are a delightful holiday treat featuring warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg combined with molasses to create a soft, flavorful dough. Baked until lightly golden and generously coated in powdered sugar, these cookies offer a perfect balance of spice and sweetness, reminiscent of classic gingerbread with a snowy twist.

• Author: Hannah
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Total Time: 27 minutes
• Yield: About 24 cookies 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Cookie Dough

• 1 cup (226g) Unsalted Butter, softened
• ½ cup (57g) Powdered Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
• ½ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon Ground Allspice
• ¼ teaspoon Ground Cloves
• 1 tablespoon Molasses
• 2 ¼ cups (279g) All-Purpose Flour

For Rolling

• Powdered Sugar (for coating)

Instructions

1. Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper to ensure the cookies bake evenly and don’t stick.
2. Make the Dough: Using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter until light and fluffy, about 20 seconds. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground allspice, ground cloves, and molasses. Mix until smooth and fully combined. Gradually add the all-purpose flour; initially the dough may appear crumbly but continue mixing until it comes together into a soft dough, which may take a few minutes.
3. Scoop the Cookies: Using a tablespoon measure, scoop out portions of dough and place them evenly spaced on the prepared cookie sheets.
4. Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the bottoms are just lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let them cool for about a minute until they are cool enough to handle.
5. Coat with Powdered Sugar: Pour powdered sugar into a small bowl. Roll each warm cookie in the powdered sugar until fully coated. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely. For an extra snowy effect, once the cookies have fully cooled, roll them in powdered sugar again before serving.

Notes

• Make sure the butter is softened but not melted for the best dough consistency.
• Do not overbake; the cookies should be just lightly browned on the bottom to keep them tender.
• Rolling the cookies in powdered sugar twice ensures a beautiful snowy appearance and adds extra sweetness.
• Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
• These cookies pair beautifully with hot tea, coffee, or cocoa for a cozy holiday treat.

Keywords: Gingerbread cookies, holiday cookies, snowball cookies, spiced cookies, molasses cookies, Christmas treats