Description
These Filled Almond Snowball Cookies are tender, buttery treats with a delightful almond flavor and a sweet raspberry jam center, rolled in powdered sugar for an elegant finish. Perfect for holiday gatherings or anytime you crave a melt-in-your-mouth cookie.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup toasted ground almonds
- pinch of salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
To Finish
- powdered sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: In one bowl, stir together the all purpose flour and pinch of salt evenly to ensure proper distribution.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a separate bowl, use an electric hand mixer to cream the unsalted butter and powdered sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, which usually takes about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add Flavor: Mix in the almond extract into the creamed butter and sugar for aromatic flavor.
- Combine Flour Mixture: Gradually add the flour and salt mixture to the butter mixture, beating on low speed just until combined to avoid overmixing.
- Add Ground Almonds: Stir in the toasted ground almonds with a spatula or spoon until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Shape Cookies: Take two pieces of dough, each about 1 inch in size, and roll each into a ball. Using your fingers, create a hollow indentation in each ball and add about half a teaspoon of seedless raspberry jam into each hollow.
- Enclose Jam: Press the two jam-filled dough balls together gently, pinching all around to fully enclose the jam and reshape into a smooth ball.
- Place on Baking Sheet: Arrange the shaped cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving space between each for baking.
- Chill Cookies: Refrigerate the shaped cookies for 1 to 2 hours to firm up before baking, which helps maintain their shape.
- Preheat Oven: Heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) while the cookies chill.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies for 12 minutes or until the bottoms just start to brown lightly, indicating they are done.
- Initial Sugar Coating: Remove the cookies from the oven and when they are still warm but manageable, roll them in powdered sugar to coat the exterior lightly.
- Cool and Coat Again: Allow the cookies to cool completely, then roll them once more in powdered sugar for a beautiful snowy appearance.
- Store Cookies: Store the finished almond snowball cookies in an airtight container to keep them fresh and tender.
Notes
- To toast almonds, spread them on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for about 8-10 minutes until fragrant, stirring occasionally to avoid burning.
- If you prefer, substitute raspberry jam with apricot or strawberry jam for a different flavor.
- Room temperature butter is key for proper creaming; avoid using melted butter.
- The chilling step is important to help cookies hold their shape and prevent spreading during baking.
- Powdered sugar coating adds sweetness and a classic snowball look; you can sift the sugar to remove any lumps for a smooth finish.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 40 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
