Lemon Cream Snowball Cookies
These Lemon Cream Snowball Cookies are soft, buttery shortbread cookies bursting with fresh lemon zest and rolled in powdered sugar for a sweet snowy finish. They melt in your mouth and make the perfect bright citrus dessert to bake with kids.
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Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 145kcal
Cost: $9
Equipment
- 1 Electric mixer Helps cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- 1 Large mixing bowl
- 1 Microplane or lemon zester Perfect for getting fine zest without the bitter white pith.
- 1 Cookie scoop (1 tablespoon size) Helps create evenly sized cookies.
- 2 Baking sheets
- 1 Parchment paper Prevents sticking and makes cleanup easier.
- 1 Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup powdered sugar plus extra for rolling
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest about 2 large lemons
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2–3 cups powdered sugar for rolling cookies
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Olivia always loves helping me place the parchment sheets, she says it feels like getting the cookie “beds” ready before baking.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the [unsalted butter] and [powdered sugar] using an electric mixer for about 3–4 minutes until light and fluffy. This is Olivia’s favorite moment because the kitchen already smells buttery and sweet.
- Mix in the [fresh lemon zest], [fresh lemon juice], [lemon extract], and [vanilla extract]. I always let Olivia smell the lemon zest first, she calls it “sunshine in a bowl.”
- Add the [all-purpose flour] and [salt] to the bowl and mix on low speed until a soft cookie dough forms. I remind Olivia not to overmix, cookies like these stay tender when the dough is handled gently.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This helps the cookies hold their shape. Olivia usually uses this time to “taste test” a tiny bit of dough and help me clean up the kitchen.
- Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll it into small balls between your palms. Olivia loves rolling these, we try to make them as round as little snowballs.
- Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 12–14 minutes until the bottoms are lightly golden but the tops stay pale. I always tell Olivia that snowball cookies shouldn’t turn brown, they should stay soft and snowy.
- Let the cookies cool for about 5 minutes, then gently roll them in [powdered sugar] while they are still warm. The sugar melts slightly and sticks perfectly. Olivia calls this the “snowstorm step.”
- Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let them cool completely for about 30 minutes.
- Roll the cooled cookies in [powdered sugar] again for that thick, beautiful snowball coating. Sometimes Olivia insists on a third coat, because “extra snow makes cookies prettier.”
Notes
• Use fresh lemons for the best flavor, bottled juice just doesn't give that bright citrus taste.
• Don't overbake these cookies. They should stay pale so they remain soft and tender.
• Double rolling in powdered sugar gives the classic snowball cookie look and flavor.
• Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• You can freeze the dough balls for up to 3 months and bake them straight from frozen (add 2 minutes to the baking time).
• For a twist, try adding poppy seeds or lavender to the dough for a fun flavor variation.
Nutrition
Serving: 40g | Calories: 145kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 35mg | Potassium: 20mg | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 230IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.4mg