**Almond Shortbread Snowballs: A Delightful Treat for Any Occasion**
Indulge in the delectable symphony of flavors and textures that is Almond Shortbread Snowballs. These charming confections, crafted with a blend of almond flour, butter, and sugar, boast a delicate crumbliness that melts in your mouth. Coated in a blanket of powdered sugar, each snowball resembles a miniature snow-covered treasure, perfect for evoking the magic of the holiday season or adding a touch of elegance to any gathering. With our carefully curated collection of recipes, you can explore a range of variations that cater to different dietary preferences and flavor profiles. From the classic almond snowball to gluten-free, vegan, and keto-friendly adaptations, there's a recipe here to satisfy every palate. So, gather your ingredients, preheat your oven, and embark on a culinary journey that will leave you feeling merry and bright.
ALMOND SNOWBALLS
Almond Snowballs
Provided by Southern Living Editors
Categories Cookies
Time 1h37m
Yield Makes about 5 dozen
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°. Bake almonds in a single layer in a shallow pan 6 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Cool completely (about 20 minutes). Reduce oven temperature to 325°.
- Process almonds in a food processor 30 seconds or until finely ground.
- Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add vanilla and 1 cup powdered sugar, beating well. (Dough will be crumbly.)
- Combine flour, salt, and almonds; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended.
- Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls, and place 2 inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
- Bake at 325° for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 2 minutes. Transfer to wire racks, and cool 10 minutes. Roll cookies in 1/2 cup powdered sugar.
CHERRY-ALMOND SNOWBALLS
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Time 1h50m
Yield about 30 cookies
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Spread the almonds on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until slightly darkened, about 10 minutes; let cool completely. Transfer to a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Add the flour and pulse to combine.
- Beat the butter in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, the vanilla and almond extracts, and salt and beat until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture and beat until just incorporated. Cover and refrigerate until slightly firm, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the dried cherries, amaretto and 1 tablespoon water in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave 30 seconds; set aside until the cherries are plump, about 20 minutes.
- Scoop out a tablespoonful of dough, press a dried cherry into the center, then shape the dough into a ball, enclosing the cherry. Repeat with the remaining dough and cherries and arrange about 1 inch apart on 2 ungreased baking sheets. Bake, switching the position of the pans halfway through, until lightly golden on the bottom, 15 to 20 minutes. Put the remaining 1 cup confectioners' sugar in a large shallow bowl. Let the cookies cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then carefully transfer to the bowl with the sugar and gently toss. Transfer to racks to cool completely, then toss in the sugar again.
ALMOND SNOWBALLS
Provided by Rachael Ray : Food Network
Categories dessert
Time 22m
Yield 18 snowballs (small scoop) 9 snowballs (large scoop)
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites and salt to soft peaks, then add sugar and beat again until peaks are stiff. Beat in almond flavoring. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in half of the coconut. Sprinkle in the nutmeg and flour, stir, then fold in the remaining coconut.
- Using a melon baller or other small scoop, or working with 2 spoons, form 9 "snowballs" a couple of inches apart on each of 2 cookie sheets. Bake snowballs 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove from oven and garnish each snowball with half a cherry and a couple of slivered almonds. Transfer to a rack or serving plate to cool.
ALMOND SHORTBREADS
The word "short" in the recipe title is a promise of melt-in-your mouth tenderness. That's the butter doing its job.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories dessert
Time 1h45m
Yield 18 wedges
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Blend and pulse the 1/2 cup nuts in a food processor with the sugar until mixture resembles coarse sand. (If there are a couple small chunks of nuts that is fine.) Add the butter, vanilla and almond extracts, and the salt, and pulse until creamy. Add the flour and continue to pulse to make a soft dough.
- Turn the dough out into a 9-inch tart pan and spread it out evenly with an off-set spatula. Dip the spatula in a little warm water to help smooth and even the surface of the shortbread. Cover and freeze until firm, about 20 minutes.
- Put the tart pan on a baking sheet and dock (prick) the dough all over with a fork. Generously sprinkle the top of the shortbread with sugar. Toss the remaining whole almonds in the egg white; evenly arrange and press the nuts into the dough around the edge of the pan. Bake until golden brown and set, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.
- Cool the short bread in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the tart ring and cut the shortbread with a sharp knife into wedges, each with a nut. Cool shortbreads on a rack completely. (Alternatively present the shortbread as 1 large cookie. Cool the shortbread in the pan completely and remove the tart ring. Cut the shortbread into wedges as desired.) Serve. Store in a tightly sealed container for up to 5 days.
ALMOND SNOWBALL COOKIES
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories dessert
Time 2h10m
Yield about 30 cookies
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Pulse the almonds and sugar in a food processor until very finely ground. Add the butter and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape the dough off the inside of the bowl, if needed. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and pulse to combine. Add the flour and salt and pulse to make a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a large piece of waxed paper and roll into a log about 15 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cut the chilled dough into 1/2-inch pieces and roll by hand into balls. Space the cookies evenly on the prepared baking sheets and bake until slightly golden, rotating the sheets once, 15 to 20 minutes. Put the confectioners' sugar in a pie plate. Briefly cool the cookies on a rack, then gently toss in the confectioners' sugar until evenly coated. Return to rack, cool to room temperature, and then toss again in the confectioners' sugar.
TOASTED ALMOND SNOWBALLS
Browning almond flour for these cookies adds a deep layer of toasty flavor, intensifying their overall nuttiness. Feel free to substitute other nuts: Pistachios, walnuts and pecans work particularly well. Snowballs keep, stored airtight at room temperature, for about a week.
Provided by Melissa Clark
Categories cookies and bars, dessert
Time 30m
Yield 3 dozen cookies
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- In a medium skillet over medium heat, toast the almond flour, stirring constantly, until golden brown and fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes. Immediately pour flour into a small bowl to cool. Watch carefully: Once the flour begins to toast, it will happen very quickly.
- Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a handheld electric mixer, beat butter and 1 cup confectioners' sugar on low speed until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in egg yolk, brandy and almond extract until well combined.
- Reduce speed to low and gradually add all-purpose flour, salt and toasted almond flour until just incorporated.
- Scrape the dough into an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- When ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Using your hands, roll dough into 1-inch balls and place balls 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 12 to 18 minutes, until cookies begin to brown at edges. Rotate cookie sheets halfway through for even baking.
- Place 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar into a sieve. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, sift a thick layer of confectioners' sugar over the tops. Once cookies are cool, put remaining 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar (plus any sugar in the sieve) into a shallow bowl and toss cookies again in confectioners' sugar.
SHORTBREAD SNOWBALLS
My recipe has been passed on through generations! It started with my great grandmother and has been passed to her daughter (my grandmother). The recipe was passed to me because of my love of baking starting at a young age. I have made it many times and is perfect with a glass of milk or hot cocoa for dessert.
Provided by cesca barr
Categories Cookies
Time 30m
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- 1. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees
- 2. Mix butter, sugar, vanilla, flour, and pecans on high for 1 - 2 min. (until smooth)
- 3. roll mixture into 1 inch diameter balls. Place onto non-greased cookie sheet .5 - 1 inch apart
- 4. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes, cool
- 5. toss cookies in confectoners' sugar. serve warm or room temperature
SNOWBALLS II
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Cream the butter with 1/2 cup of the confectioners' sugar and the vanilla. Mix in the flour, pecans, and salt. Roll about 1 tablespoon or so of dough into balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake in preheated oven until bottoms are golden, about 15 minutes. Do not allow these cookies to get too brown: it's better to undercook them than to overcook them. While cookies are still hot, roll them in confectioners' sugar. Once they have cooled, roll them in confectioners' sugar once more.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 134.7 calories, Carbohydrate 13 g, Cholesterol 16.3 mg, Fat 8.8 g, Fiber 0.6 g, Protein 1.4 g, SaturatedFat 4.1 g, Sodium 64 mg, Sugar 4.7 g
ALMOND SHORTBREAD SNOWBALLS
Ya know those great shortbread cookies that they sell in the metal tins at Christmas time that everyone eats first? Well these are a ton better than those! The toasting almonds make your home smell amazing and the flavor of the finished cookie is ohhhh so good.
Provided by Tamara Bonneru
Categories Cookies
Time 30m
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- 1. Preheat oven to 350. Bake almonds in a single layer in shallow pan 6 minutes or til toasted and fragrant, stir once half way through. Cool completely. Reduce oven to 325.
- 2. Process almonds in food processor until finely ground. About 30 seconds.
- 3. Beat butter at medium speed with electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add vanilla and 1 cup powdered sugar. Beat well. Dough should be crumbly but if it's not, don't worry about it. It's likely due to your altitude and will be crumbly after the next step.
- 4. Combine flour, salt and almonds: gradually add to butter mixture. Beating until well blended. Shape dough into 3/4 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- 5. Bake at 325 for 12-15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool 2 minutes before transferring to wire racks. Cool 10 minutes more and roll in 1/2 cup powdered sugar.
ALMOND SHORTBREAD I
Melt-in-your-mouth shortbread.
Provided by Robin J.
Categories Desserts Nut Dessert Recipes Almond Dessert Recipes
Time 2h40m
Yield 18
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- In a large bowl, beat butter with 1/2 cup sugar and almond extract until light and fluffy. With a wooden spoon, stir in flour until smooth and well combined. Divide dough into 2 parts. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
- On lightly sugared surface, roll out dough, one part at a time, about 1/2-inch thick. Cut out cookies with a 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter. Place on ungreased cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Make an indentation in the center of each cookie with the end of a wooden spoon.
- Bake in preheated oven until cookies are light golden brown around the edges, 25 to 30 minutes. While still warm, roll in sugar. Cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an air-tight container.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 190.8 calories, Carbohydrate 22.5 g, Cholesterol 27.1 mg, Fat 10.4 g, Fiber 0.5 g, Protein 1.9 g, SaturatedFat 6.5 g, Sodium 73 mg, Sugar 9.3 g
Tips:
- Chill the shortbread dough before baking: This will help the cookies hold their shape and prevent them from spreading too much.
- Use a cookie scoop to shape the dough: This will help ensure that the cookies are all the same size and shape.
- Roll the cookies in confectioners' sugar before baking: This will give them a sweet, snow-like coating.
- Bake the cookies until they are just set: Overbaking will make them dry and crumbly.
- Let the cookies cool completely before serving: This will help them firm up and hold their shape.
Conclusion:
Almond shortbread snowballs are a delicious and festive Christmas cookie. They are easy to make and can be enjoyed by people of all ages. With their buttery, almond flavor and sweet, snow-like coating, these cookies are sure to be a hit at your next holiday party!
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