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Almond Cherry Snowballs Recipe

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4.5 from 89 reviews

Almond Cherry Snowballs are delightful, buttery cookies infused with almond extract and studded with colorful red and green candied cherries. These soft, sweet treats are coated lightly with sanding sugar, providing a delicate crunch and a festive appearance, perfect for holiday celebrations or any special occasion.

Ingredients

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Cookie Dough

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 teaspoons almond extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 cup chopped red candied cherries
  • 1/2 cup chopped green candied cherries

Topping

  • 1/4 cup sanding sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 320 degrees F (160 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside to prepare for baking the cookies.
  2. Beat Butter: Add the softened butter to a mixing bowl and beat it with a mixer until it becomes light and creamy, about three minutes, which helps to create a tender texture.
  3. Add Sweetened Condensed Milk: Pour the sweetened condensed milk into the butter and beat together for two minutes to fully incorporate it and add sweetness and moisture.
  4. Mix in Almond Extract: Beat in the almond extract, which gives the cookies their signature nutty flavor.
  5. Scrape Bowl and Continue Beating: Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure all ingredients are blended thoroughly and beat again for another one to two minutes.
  6. Add Dry Ingredients: Add the all-purpose flour and baking powder to the mixture and beat until the dough is uniformly combined.
  7. Fold in Candied Cherries: Add the chopped red and green candied cherries and beat lightly just to combine, distributing the cherries evenly without overmixing.
  8. Portion Cookies: Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the dough into mounds on the prepared baking sheet, leaving at least two inches between each mound for spreading during baking.
  9. Add Topping: Sprinkle the tops of each cookie mound with sanding sugar to give the cookies a sweet, sparkly finish.
  10. Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12 minutes until lightly golden and set.
  11. Cool on Pan: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool on the pan for five minutes to firm up.
  12. Transfer to Cooling Rack: Carefully remove the cookies from the sheet and transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely for best texture.

Notes

  • Make sure butter is softened to room temperature for easy mixing.
  • Do not overmix the dough once flour is added to avoid tough cookies.
  • Use a cookie scoop for even-sized cookies that bake evenly.
  • Allow cookies to cool completely on a rack to prevent sogginess.
  • If sanding sugar is unavailable, granulated sugar can be used, but it won’t give the same sparkle or texture.

Keywords: almond cherry cookies, snowball cookies, holiday cookies, buttery cookies, candied cherries

Find it online: https://victoriablair.com/almond-cherry-snowballs-recipe/