These delightful snowball cookies are a classic buttery treat, perfect for holidays or any occasion. Made with simple ingredients like softened butter, icing sugar, flour, and ground almonds, they offer a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Once baked to a light golden hue, they are generously coated in extra icing sugar, resembling little snowballs. This recipe yields a subtly sweet, nutty cookie that's both easy to prepare and wonderfully satisfying.
Achieving the perfect texture for these snowball cookies hinges on the butter's consistency; ensure it's truly softened, not melted, to cream effectively with the icing sugar. Overworking the dough after adding flour can develop gluten, resulting in tougher cookies, so mix just until combined. For an optimal 'snowball' appearance, dust the warm cookies generously with icing sugar right after baking, and then again once they are completely cool. This double coating creates that characteristic powdery finish and enhances their delicate sweetness. Consider toasting the ground almonds lightly before adding them for a deeper, nuttier flavor profile.