Description
Delicate cherry pistachio snowball cookies melt with festive charm, combining nutty richness and sweet fruity notes. Dusted with powdered sugar, these delightful treats offer a perfect blend of crunch and melt-in-your-mouth elegance you’ll savor with each bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup chopped pistachios
Flavor Enhancers:
- ½ cup chopped maraschino cherries
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
Coating:
- ½ cup powdered sugar (for rolling)
Instructions
- Gather all ingredients and preheat the oven to a moderate temperature of 325°F, ensuring an even cooking environment for delicate cookies.
- In a spacious mixing bowl, carefully blend flour, finely chopped pistachios, and diced maraschino cherries with softened butter, creating a cohesive, fragrant mixture.
- Incorporate granulated sugar and vanilla extract into the dough, gently mixing until ingredients are harmoniously combined without overmixing.
- Delicately form the dough into uniform round balls, approximately one inch in diameter, positioning them with gentle spacing on a prepared baking sheet.
- Transfer the cookie sheet to the preheated oven, allowing the delicate morsels to bake until edges acquire a subtle golden hue, typically requiring 18-20 minutes of patient cooking.
- Once removed from the oven, permit the cookies to rest momentarily on the baking sheet, allowing them to stabilize and firm slightly.
- While still warm, tenderly enrobe each cookie in a luxurious coating of powdered sugar, ensuring complete and elegant coverage.
- Position the sugar-dusted cookies on a cooling rack, allowing them to reach room temperature and develop a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- For enhanced visual appeal, consider a second gentle roll in powdered sugar once cookies have completely cooled.
- Store the delectable treats in an airtight container, preserving their texture and flavor for several days or freeze for extended enjoyment.
Notes
- Chill the dough for 30 minutes before shaping to prevent spreading and ensure a more compact cookie texture.
- Finely chop pistachios and maraschino cherries to distribute flavor evenly and create a smoother cookie consistency.
- Allow cookies to cool slightly before first powdered sugar coating to help the sugar adhere better and create a beautiful snow-like finish.
- Use room temperature butter for easier mixing and a more uniform dough that blends ingredients seamlessly.
- Gently press cookies during shaping to prevent cracking and ensure a smooth, round appearance.
- Store cookies in a single layer between parchment paper to maintain their delicate powdered sugar coating and prevent sticking.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 166
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 63 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 31 mg