If you’re looking for a last minute holiday cookie recipe, these snowballs are perfect. These little almond shortbreads flavored with Meyer lemon and tossed in powdered sugar are simple to make and last for several days if stored in an airtight container. If you don’t have Meyer lemons, you can substitute with your favorite citrus. Or, for more “festive” flavor, sub the tablespoon of lemon juice for bourbon and add a few fresh grates of nutmeg to the batter and over the top of the sugar coated cookies. (Eggnog snowballs? Heck yeah.)
Meyer Lemon Snowballs
Makes about 36
INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup almond flour
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon Meyer lemon juice
1 ½ teaspoons Meyer lemon zest, plus more to garnish
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
2 cups powdered sugar
method
Preheat oven to 325º. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together flours and salt.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add lemon juice, zest, and vanilla and almond extracts. Beat just until combined.
With mixer on low speed, slowly add flour mixture. Beat until dough forms and becomes the consistency of playdough, about 20 seconds after all flour is added. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. (Using a 1½ tablespoon spring loaded scoop works wonders for this.) Place dough balls on baking sheet 1-inch apart.
Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until edges begin to brown and dough does not look wet. Cool for 5 minutes. Roll cookies in powdered sugar and set on a wire rack to cool completely. Toss in powdered sugar again once cool. Top with lemon zest, if desired. Cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to one week.
