Raspberry Filled Almond Snowball Cookies
Blame It On My Old Apron – The Backstory
You know how certain recipes seem to follow you wherever you go? For me, it’s these Raspberry Filled Almond Snowball Cookies—could be because back in college, I actually ruined my favorite sweater by rolling dough in my lap (what was I thinking?). Anyway, the result was worth it, though cleaning up ground almonds from, um, everywhere wasn’t. Even now, every December, whether it’s for a cookie swap or just because the weather’s dingy and I need cheering up, these snowballs make their way into my kitchen. There’s something about the hidden raspberry surprise that makes me feel like a magician. Or at least like I have my life together, which, let’s be honest, is sometimes a stretch!
Why You’ll Love This – Or At Least, Why My Neighbours Do
I make these when I want people to believe I’m fancier than I am. No joke—every time I turn up with a tin of these snowballs, friends lose their minds. (But they always ask if I actually made them myself—it’s a compliment… I think?) The kids love discovering the raspberry center—like edible hide and seek. Plus, if I somehow overbake a batch, the powdered sugar covers a multitude of sins. If you’re a perfectionist, bless your heart, but these will forgive a lot of, uh, creative baking moments. I’ll admit, though: wrangling the filling into the dough used to drive me bonkers until I just started using a mini spoon and didn’t fuss about symmetry.
What You’ll Need – But Don’t Get Too Stressed
- 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, room temp – I swear by Kerrygold if you can swing it, but store brand is fine too.
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (more for rolling at the end—I just keep a heap in an old jam jar)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or, honestly, almond is nice for extra oomph; once, I mixed both by accident and it was still good)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (I sometimes leave this out if I use salted butter—yes, I know that’s not proper, but it works in a pinch)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (about 250g—but I’ve eyeballed it before and lived to tell the tale)
- 1 cup finely ground almonds (blanched or not; my grandmother always insisted on blanching but I’m too impatient, so skins stay sometimes)
- 1/4 cup raspberry jam (choose your favorite; I go for seedless when I’m feeling fancy, but if you like those little seeds—live your truth!)
Making These Snowballs – Genuine Instructions & a Few Tangents
- Butter Up. Beat the butter and powdered sugar together until it’s creamy but not totally fluffy. You can use a stand mixer (mine sounds like it’s coughing up a bolt, but it does the job) or just a sturdy wooden spoon if you need to work out some stress.
- Flavor Time. Add in the vanilla (or almond, or whatever you’re feeling) and the salt. Stir it all together. Actually, it seems like nothing’s happening at first, but it all comes together soon.
- Almonds & Flour – The Dust Storm. Mix in the flour and ground almonds. I do this in batches so the flour doesn’t billow everywhere, but even then, expect a little chaos. The dough will be quite soft—but not sticky. If it’s melty, pop it in the fridge for 20 mins to firm up.
- Preheat & Prep. Oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment. (Don’t have any? I used aluminum foil last week and just sprayed it a bit; it’s just cookies, not rocket science.)
- Assembly Line. Grab about a tablespoon of dough. Flatten it a bit in your palm, add a 1/2 teaspoon dollop of raspberry jam in the center, then wrap the dough up and around to cover it. Pinch it closed—don’t stress about perfection. Seriously, sometimes the jam escapes, but that’s part of the charm.
- Bake & Wait (the worst part). Space the cookies 2 inches apart and bake for 13-15 minutes. They won’t brown much—just look set and maybe a hint of gold underneath. Don’t overbake (but if you do, more powdered sugar!).
- Powdered Sugar Chaos. Let them cool almost completely, then roll in heaps of powdered sugar. I do it twice—once warm, once cool—because why not? Plus, it looks like proper snow.
Notes From My Many Messes
- If your jam seeps out in baking, it still tastes great. Maybe even better—crispy jam is a treat (though not Instagram-perfect).
- The dough is forgiving. Too crumbly? A teaspoon of milk helps. Too sticky? More flour or just chill it a bit longer.
- Honestly, these taste really good the next day…if any are left. Maybe it’s just me?
Variations I’ve Tried – And One I Wouldn’t Repeat
- Strawberry jam instead of raspberry? I mean, sure, but something about raspberry just feels right. Apricot was ok. Blueberry, not so much—got weirdly runny.
- Chopped pecans for almonds if you’ve got a nut allergy in the house. The flavor changes, but they’re still lovely.
- Coconut flakes in the dough once—tasted like a cookie got lost on a tropical vacation. Fun, but not very classic snowball-y.
Stuff You’ll Need (Or Workarounds If You Don’t Have It)
- Mixer (stand or hand)—but I’ve mixed dough with a big fork after the gym and survived.
- Parchment paper—or, as mentioned, foil with a spray of oil.
- A couple of spoons for shaping and filling (and, oddly specific, I sometimes use an espresso spoon for the jam).
- Cooling rack helps, but honestly, I’ve been known to just shove them to the cool end of the counter. No shame.
Keeping Them Fresh (Not That They Last)
These cookies keep in an airtight tin up to 4 or 5 days, at least that’s what I think—I haven’t actually verified this since my partner sneaks them every time he passes the kitchen. Some folks say freeze the dough pre-baking; I tried it, they were fine, but fresh is best for texture (to my taste).
How We Like to Eat Them (A Little Overboard?)
I serve these in a mountain with tea (particularly Earl Grey), and sometimes, just to really lean in, dust more powdered sugar on top at the table so everyone feels a bit like it’s snowing. For Christmas, my niece insists on a side of whipped cream—who am I to judge?
Tips I Learned the Hard Way
- Don’t skip chilling the dough if it’s warm—tried that once, the cookies spread into sad little pancakes.
- Rolling in sugar twice is messy but totally worth it (yes, your shirt will look like a snowstorm, too).
- If your almond meal is a little coarse—actually, I think that’s better; more rustic crunch!
People Actually Asked Me These!
- Can I make these gluten-free? Sure, swap in a trusted 1:1 GF flour blend. I like Bob’s Red Mill for stuff like this. I tried almond flour alone and the dough fell apart. Oops.
- How big should I make them? Around a golf ball’s worth, maybe a little smaller. They don’t need to be uniform, though; a little variety is charming.
- Jam choices—can it be chunky? Eh, not too chunky or it’ll leak out. Smooth, thick jam works best. If the jam is super runny, it gets messy (ask me how I know!).
- Do you have to roll them in sugar? Well, you don’t, but then you’re missing half the point and all the snowball magic. Up to you!
Honestly, if you don’t end up with at least a little powdered sugar on your face, have you really made snowball cookies? Anyway, thanks for coming to my accidental TED talk about cookies—now please, go make a mess. And, if you end up using a jam I’ve never tried, let me know; I’m all ears for experiments (even if they flop).
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus more for dusting
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup finely ground almonds
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
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1Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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2In a large bowl, cream together butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in almond extract.
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3Add flour, ground almonds, and salt. Mix until a soft dough forms. If needed, add milk to help bring the dough together.
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4Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough, flatten it, place 1/2 teaspoon of raspberry jam in the center, then wrap and roll into a ball to seal the filling.
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5Arrange the cookies on the baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until set and just barely golden on bottom.
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6Cool slightly, then dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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