Description
Christmas Peppermint Snowball Sugar Cookies are festive, buttery cookies infused with peppermint and vanilla, studded with mini chocolate chips, and coated in powdered sugar and crushed peppermint candies for a snowy, minty treat perfect for the holiday season.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 3 cups powdered sugar divided (2 cups and 1 cup)
- ¼ cup finely crushed peppermint candies
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup salted sweet cream butter softened
- 1 tsp pure peppermint extract
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- 5-6 drops hot pink/rose food color gel
Add-ins
- 1¼ cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Prepare Dry Ingredients. Whisk together the all-purpose flour and cornstarch in a bowl and set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar. Using a stand mixer or handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat the softened butter for 30 seconds. Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and beat for another 1 to 1½ minutes until creamy and smooth.
- Add Extracts. Lower the mixer speed to medium-low and add peppermint and vanilla extracts, mixing to combine.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients. With the mixer still on medium-low, gradually add the flour and cornstarch mixture. Mix just until well incorporated to form the dough.
- Add Food Coloring. Increase the mixer speed to medium and add the hot pink/rose food color gel. Mix just until the color is even throughout the dough.
- Fold in Chocolate Chips. Add the mini semi-sweet chocolate chips and gently mix just until distributed evenly.
- Chill the Dough. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 10 minutes to firm up.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Sheets. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper—one for baking the cookie dough balls and one for cooling the finished cookies.
- Scoop and Bake Cookies. Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, form dough balls and place them 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes until edges are set.
- Prepare Coating. In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 cups powdered sugar and finely crushed peppermint candies. Set aside.
- Coat Cookies. Remove cookies from the oven and let them rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Roll the warm cookies in the powdered sugar and peppermint mixture, then transfer them to the second baking sheet.
- Final Coating. Once cookies have completely cooled and set, roll them again in the powdered sugar and crushed peppermint mixture to give a snowy finish.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.
- Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature before serving.
- Make the dough a day ahead and keep chilled in the refrigerator for convenience.
- Use softened butter at room temperature, not melted, to prevent cookies from spreading too much.
- Double coating with powdered sugar creates the classic snowy appearance; wait for cookies to cool completely before re-coating to avoid breaking.
- Use peppermint extract, not mint extract, to avoid a toothpaste-like flavor.
- Crush peppermint candies by placing them in a sealed zip bag and smashing with a rolling pin for even pieces.
- Optionally, add a tablespoon of crushed peppermints directly into the cookie dough for extra peppermint flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 45 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
