Lemon Snowball Cookies
Buttery and tender lemon cookies rolled in powdered sugar. These Lemon Snowball Cookies are so easy to make, incredibly delicious, and don’t require any dough chilling!
Have you ever made snowball cookies? If you haven’t, imagine a rich and buttery cookie coated in powdered sugar that literally melts in your mouth. And yes, they’re just as delicious as they sound.
I actually got the idea for these lemon snowball cookies after I posted the recipe for these pecan snowball cookies last year. So many of you loved the recipe that I decided to switch it up and make a lemon version for spring.
And if you’ve never made snowball cookies, I can promise they’re probably one of the easiest cookies you’ll ever make. You just need a few simple ingredients and you don’t even have to chill the cookie dough!
To make these cookies, you’ll start by creaming together some unsalted butter and powdered sugar until they’re well combined. Why powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar? Unlike granulated sugar, powdered sugar prevents cookies from spreading very much. Powdered sugar is typically used in snowball cookies so they bake up thicker and rounder.
Along with the butter and powdered sugar, you’ll be using some fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and lemon extract. I did test these cookies with just lemon juice but found that the cookies spread too much and were too crumbly.
So, I opted to use some lemon extract because it’s much stronger and you don’t need as much to get that delicious lemon flavor. If you don’t have any lemon extract, I suggest buying a small container of it to keep on hand. It’s perfect to use in other desserts and for glazes and frostings instead of fresh lemon juice.
Lastly, you’ll be mixing in some all-purpose flour and a little bit of salt. When measuring your flour, be sure to spoon and level it versus scooping it from the container. If you scoop the flour from the container, it can become packed inside your measuring cup and you can end up with too much flour. You want the right amount of the flour in these cookies so they’re soft and tender, not crumbly.
If you want to add a little pop of yellow to these cookies, you can add a few drops of yellow food coloring or a little bit of gel food color. This step is completely optional, but I love to add 3-4 drops of food coloring so it’s more obvious that these cookies are lemon flavored.
The cookies may crack slightly in the oven as they’re baking, this is okay. You’ll be covering them with powdered sugar so you won’t even be able to tell once they’re finished.
Once the cookies have cooled for 5-10 minutes, roll them in some powdered sugar while they’re still warm. The first coating of powdered sugar won’t completely cover the cookies, but you’ll be rolling them a second time to coat them better.
Baking Tips for Lemon Snowball Cookies
- When measuring your flour, don’t scoop it out of the container with the measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour around, spoon it into your measuring cup, and level it off with the back of a knife.
- Make sure to measure the cookies correctly. You’ll only need about 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie. A tablespoon cookie scoop or measuring spoon works great!
- You can add 3-4 drops of yellow food coloring or food gel to make the cookies a little more yellow like the pictures. This step is completely optional!
Lemon Snowball Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (230 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 and 1/2 cups (180 grams) powdered sugar, divided
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract
- 2 and 1/4 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Optional: 3-4 drops of yellow food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and ½ cup (60 grams) of powdered sugar (set the remaining 1 cup aside to roll the cookies in) for 1-2 minutes or until well combined. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and lemon extract and mix until fully combined. Mix in the flour and salt until fully combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. If using food coloring, mix in a few drops until just combined.
- Using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop (or measuring tablespoon) scoop out the cookie dough, roll into balls, and place on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake in separate batches at 350°F for 14-15 minutes or until the cookies are set.
- Allow cookies to cool slightly for about 5-10 minutes, then roll each cookie in the remaining 1 cup (120 grams) of powdered sugar while they're still warm. Allow to cool completely and roll all of the cookies one more time in the powdered sugar.
Notes
Don’t remember if I’ve already given a review, but this bears repeating. …these are fantastic!! They’re perfect and so very easy. I never thought this texture in a cookie could be achieved at home. Thank you so so much. You’ve given me CONFIDENCE!
Mary
Thank you so much, Mary! I’m glad you loved the cookies!
But are they lemony tasting..I love the taste of lemon and it doesn’t appear that only a Tbsp of lemon juice and the extract will make them taste lemony enough
I added an extra tsp lemon juice and an extra 1/4 tsp lemon extract no lemon zest
and now they’re a little too lemony for me. But still good!
you also need to put in the zest of one lemon 🙂
Oh. My. Word! Froze half my last batch. I packed 3 cookies to a snack-sized zip loc bag so I had several individual servings. Anyway, just took one out and didn’t want to wait so I stuck it right in my mouth. DIVINE! Same delicious taste and silky texture, only a little firmer. Perfect for last-minute dessert. I love them both ways!
What can I substitute for lemon extract in the lemon cookies?
You can add another 1 to 2 teaspoons of lemon zest.
I just made the cookies
The recipe was so easy to follow
The cookies are great
I will make these again
Thanks for sharing the recipe
I’m sure it’s something I did, but my cookies did not come out good at all. I followed the recipe exactly and they we not what I was expecting.
Love, love, love them! After making the pecan snowballs, hubby wanted me to try these. They are delicious. Didn’t have food coloring, but I’ll get some now that holidays are here.
What’s wrong with this recipe? Is there egg missing maybe?? My cookies will not stay together enough to roll them, they crumble into nothing at the slightest touch.
Nothing is wrong with the recipe, I’ve made them dozens of times. Did you double check your measurements? Did you use 2 sticks of butter and spoon and level your flour?
Sifted, measured, everything weighed to the gram and still they are crumbly dust balls that are like eating a tablespoon of flour straight. Something is wrong with this recipe. Sorry.
Maybe you put all the confectioner’s sugar in the cookie dough. Did you use only 1/2 cup of confectioner’s sugar in the cookie dough and leave 1 cup for dusting? That would be a good reason they are crumbly dust balls.
I love the lemon flavor, but they are so dry- they crumble when you bite into them. Will not use this recipe again. Sorry.
Super easy, turned out perfect! I did use less extract, as it can make things taste like furniture polish, so added a bit more zest and juice.
Very soft and lemony, and so easy to make (if a bit on the messy side).
Just made these this afternoon! I love the delicate lemon flavor and crumbly texture.
These cookies are deliciously lemony and super easy to make. I added 1/4 cup of almond flour, making them a little less dense. It’s critical to use thin skinned lemons, preferably organic. I didn’t roll them a second time in confectioner’s sugar because they were already powdery in the mouth but very tasty. This cookie is best accompanied by a cup of tea.