Cherry Snowball Cookies
These cookies hold the sweet surprise of a cherry center inside. The cookie portion is buttery and barely sweet, which is the perfect vehicle for sweet cherries, confectioners’ glaze and coconut. They’re easy to make (even easier using a cookie scoop!) and have lots of seasonal appeal. All piled on a tray, the look like little fancy tea cakes. The sweet glaze on these cookies is balanced by unsweet flake coconut, but you could use sweetened flake coconut for a sweeter finish. Please note that this short dough recipe does not contain egg. This is not an omission.
Equipment
- parchment paper
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- 2 teaspoons almond extract or vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup quick cooking oats
- 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt or table salt
- 24 maraschino cherries well drained and patted dry
Glaze and Coconut Topping
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 2 cups unsweet flaked coconut finely chopped
Instructions
Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, confectioners’ sugar, water, and almond extract.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, and salt. Add the dry mixture to the creamed butter mixture and beat until combined, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and mix again briefly to incorporate any hidden pockets of flour.
- Scoop by the slightly heaping tablespoon or using a cookie scoop, and shape the dough around each cherry. Roll into a ball and place on the prepared baking sheet(s) about 2 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies for 18-20 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown. (The tops should still be pale.) Let them cool on the pans 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Glaze and Coconut Topping
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and enough milk to achieve a smooth dipping consistency – start with 1/4 cup of milk; if too thick for dipping, add the remaining milk.
- Working one at a time, dip the round tops of each cookie into the glaze; allow the excess to drip back into the bowl. Then roll in coconut. Place on wire racks or parchment paper. Allow them to stand at room temperature until set.
- Store the cookies in an air tight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, and up to 7 days with refrigeration. Bring cookies to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- What to Expect: Freshly baked cookies will have a slight shortbread crumble, with delicious buttery flavor and soft cherry center. The glaze lends all of the sweetness and holds on all that delicious flake coconut. Stored air-tight, over time the cookies and coconut will soften slightly and lose their crumble. But they will be no less delicious!
- Drain and Dry the Cherries: To prevent excess moisture, thoroughly drain and pat the cherries dry before wrapping them in the dough. Any extra moisture can make the dough sticky or cause spreading. You can also use glacé cherries, which are candied cherries that can be found next to the fruitcake fruit mix at the grocery store.
- Flake Coconut: Sweetened flake coconut can be used instead of unsweet, but either way, give your coconut a quick chop with a chef's knife to make the shreds shorter. This makes the cookies look neater, and a little more like tightly packed 'snowballs'.
- Use a Cookie Scoop: For consistency and ease, use a small cookie scoop. This ensures uniform cookie sizes, which helps them bake evenly.
- Chill the Dough (Optional): If your dough feels too soft after mixing, pop it in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 176kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 2gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 54mgPotassium: 70mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 244IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 14mgIron: 1mg
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