Description
Festive winter magic meets sweet comfort in these Gingerbread Snowballs, a delightful treat that whispers holiday cheer. Warming spices and powdered sugar create a perfect harmony you’ll savor with each delectable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Spices and Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Sweeteners and Extracts:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (plus more for coating)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the oven at 350F (175C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, blend softened butter with powdered sugar until the mixture becomes airy and smooth, creating a creamy texture.
- Incorporate vanilla extract into the butter mixture, stirring until evenly distributed.
- Separately, combine flour, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a clean bowl, whisking to ensure even distribution of spices.
- Gradually integrate the dry spice mixture into the creamed butter, mixing until a cohesive dough forms.
- Gently fold chopped pecans into the dough, ensuring they are evenly dispersed throughout.
- Shape the dough into compact, uniform 1-inch spheres using your palms, placing them carefully on the prepared baking sheet with slight separation.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, monitoring until the edges are set but not browned, maintaining a delicate texture.
- Allow cookies to cool for 3-5 minutes, then delicately roll each warm cookie in a fresh layer of powdered sugar, creating a soft, snowy coating.
Notes
- Toast pecans lightly before chopping to enhance their nutty flavor and release aromatic oils.
- Chill the dough for 30 minutes before rolling to prevent spreading and ensure more precise, uniform cookies.
- Use room temperature butter for smoother mixing and better dough consistency.
- Substitute pecans with other nuts like almonds or walnuts for variety, keeping the same measurement ratio.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 123
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 26 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 21 mg