🎉 Introduction
These Almond Cherry Snowballs are the perfect holiday cookie—tender, buttery, lightly sweet, and full of bright cherry flavor with a warm almond aroma. Each bite melts in your mouth like classic snowball cookies, but the addition of chopped maraschino cherries brings amazing color and a festive touch. Perfect for Christmas parties, cookie exchange boxes, gifting, or adding a beautiful pop of pink and white to your dessert table.
This recipe is easy, uses simple pantry ingredients, and creates cookies that look elegant and taste absolutely unforgettable. The almond flavor blends beautifully with the soft cherry pieces, making these cookies a true holiday favorite you’ll want to bake every year.
🧰 Equipment Needed
- Mixing bowl
- Hand mixer
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Rubber spatula
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Wire cooling rack
- Small bowl for powdered sugar
🛒 Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup powdered sugar (plus extra for rolling)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Flavor
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Mix-ins
- ½ cup finely chopped maraschino cherries (drained well)
- ½ cup finely chopped almonds (toasted or raw)
Dairy
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
👩🍳 Directions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2: Beat softened butter until smooth and creamy.
Step 3: Add powdered sugar and almond extract, mixing until fluffy.
Step 4: Add flour and salt, stirring until a soft dough forms.
Step 5: Fold in chopped cherries and almonds until evenly combined.
Step 6: Scoop and roll the dough into small balls using about 1 tablespoon per cookie.
Step 7: Place rolled cookies on the baking sheet.
Step 8: Bake for 12–14 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly golden.
Step 9: Let cookies cool for 3 minutes, then roll in powdered sugar while still warm.
Step 10: After cooling completely, roll once more in powdered sugar for a snowy finish.
🍽️ Servings & Timing
- Servings: 24 cookies
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12–14 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
🧊 Storage & Reheating
Room Temperature
Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Freezer
Freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months.
Reheating
These cookies are best eaten at room temperature—no reheating needed.
🥄 Variations
- Cherry Chocolate Snowballs: Add ½ cup mini chocolate chips.
- Almond Coconut Snowballs: Add ¼ cup shredded coconut.
- Pink Holiday Snowballs: Add 1–2 drops red gel food coloring for a pastel pink dough.
- Glazed Snowballs: Drizzle with almond icing instead of rolling in sugar.
- Mixed Nut Version: Replace almonds with pecans or walnuts.
❓ 10 FAQs
1. Why do my snowballs crumble?
The dough may be too dry—add 1–2 teaspoons butter until it binds.
2. Can I use canned cherries?
No — they add too much moisture. Maraschino cherries work perfectly.
3. Should cherries be dried first?
Yes — pat them with paper towels to avoid soggy dough.
4. Can I use almond flour instead of all-purpose?
No — the texture will not hold together.
5. Can I skip the nuts?
Yes — replace with more cherries or mini chocolate chips.
6. Can I freeze the dough?
Yes — freeze dough balls up to 2 months.
7. Why roll cookies twice?
It gives the cookies their signature thick snowy coating.
8. Can I make them gluten-free?
Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
9. Can I reduce the butter?
No — the butter is essential for texture and melt-in-your-mouth feel.
10. Are these good for gifting?
Yes! They hold shape beautifully and look very festive.
🏁 Conclusion
These Almond Cherry Snowballs are buttery, colorful, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious — the perfect blend of sweet cherries and warm almond flavor. They’re incredibly easy to make and add a festive sparkle to any Christmas celebration. One batch is never enough!
Almond Cherry Snowballs – Soft, Buttery & Festive Holiday Cookies
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Notes
Room Temperature Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Freezer Freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months. Reheating These cookies are best eaten at room temperature—no reheating needed. 🥄 Variations Cherry Chocolate Snowballs: Add ½ cup mini chocolate chips. Almond Coconut Snowballs: Add ¼ cup shredded coconut. Pink Holiday Snowballs: Add 1–2 drops red gel food coloring for a pastel pink dough. Glazed Snowballs: Drizzle with almond icing instead of rolling in sugar. Mixed Nut Version: Replace almonds with pecans or walnuts. ❓ 10 FAQs
1. Why do my snowballs crumble? The dough may be too dry—add 1–2 teaspoons butter until it binds. 2. Can I use canned cherries? No — they add too much moisture. Maraschino cherries work perfectly. 3. Should cherries be dried first? Yes — pat them with paper towels to avoid soggy dough. 4. Can I use almond flour instead of all-purpose? No — the texture will not hold together. 5. Can I skip the nuts? Yes — replace with more cherries or mini chocolate chips. 6. Can I freeze the dough? Yes — freeze dough balls up to 2 months. 7. Why roll cookies twice? It gives the cookies their signature thick snowy coating. 8. Can I make them gluten-free? Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. 9. Can I reduce the butter? No — the butter is essential for texture and melt-in-your-mouth feel. 10. Are these good for gifting? Yes! They hold shape beautifully and look very festive. 🏁 Conclusion These Almond Cherry Snowballs are buttery, colorful, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious — the perfect blend of sweet cherries and warm almond flavor. They’re incredibly easy to make and add a festive sparkle to any Christmas celebration. One batch is never enough!
